[4] A barrister by training, Pulman's tenure as Lords librarian was marked by his lack of interest in historical collections.
He was notably "reluctant" to acquire any works that were not legal volumes or Parliamentary papers."
His assistant librarian, writer William Thoms, the founder of founded Notes and Queries, was much more eager to acquire valuable historical manuscripts, but was discouraged by Pulman.
Pulman's reluctance to expand the collection beyond the law and Parliamentary books was so great that in 1875 "he had to be ordered to resume the purchasing of important historical works.
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