Thomas Prior's surviving books

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• The Code of Health and Longevity… 4th ed., by Sir John Sinclair, published in 1818. Thomas has written his name in it - ‘Thomas Prior Esq’.¹⁾
  

• Poems on Several Occasions by Matthew Prior, London, 1766. Matthew Prior does not appear to be related to Thomas Prior. The name of the book's owner is given as 'Colonel Thomas Murray Prior, Portsmouth'.²⁾
  

• Britain, its earliest history and connection with other nations. He wrote his name in it: Major Prior. At the blank page at the back of the book is a note re page 105 about the interpretation of Caesar’s words. This note indicates that he was competent in Latin, a requirement for well-educated boys of the time.³⁾
  

• a 1800 version of a combined atlas/year book of western Europe.⁴⁾
  

• The Queen's Regulations and Orders for the Army⁵⁾. This copy has his name in it ('Major Prior', 73rd regiment'). The Foreword includes a stern injunction from the Duke of Wellington, then Commander-in-Chief, that every officer had to ‘make himself perfectly acquainted’ with all the orders and regulations. When additional or revised orders and regulations were published, Thomas Prior also kept that as well, similarly describing himself as 'Major Prior', 73rd regiment'.⁶⁾
  

• Field Exercise and Evolutions of the Army1833, inscribed 'Major Prior, 73rd regiment'.⁷⁾ The Forward warned officers against introducing any improvements in the exercises, adding a note from King William IV that they were required 'minutely to see that each Regiment does correctly follow His Majesty's commands, as particularly set forth'.
  

• The Infantry Manual, 1847.⁸⁾
  

• A List of all the officers of the army and royal marines …'.⁹⁾

In addition, his pious wife Eliza gave him a Bible for his 66th birthday - see her books.