Eminent historian Lord Asa Briggs fell seriously ill on the eve of giving a fund-raising lecture on behalf of Wiltshire Heritage Museum in Devizes at the weekend.

Lord Briggs, 90, was taken by ambulance to Great Western Hospital, Swindon, after he collapsed while staying with friends in the area on Friday evening.

He was in intensive care on Saturday but has since been moved to a general ward.

Staff at the museum spent much of Saturday morning trying to contact the 80 people who had bought tickets for the lecture, scheduled to take place in the town hall at 2.30pm.

Dr Negley Harte, chairman of the museum trustees, had brought Lord Briggs and his wife, Susan, who was born and brought up in Keevil, from their home in Lewes, Sussex, on Friday.

Dr Harte said: “He was on fine form and knew all about local issues, such as the Assize Courts. Then we had a call to say he had been taken ill. We send him all our best wishes for his recovery.”

The museum sent a get well card to Lord Briggs, on behalf of all those who had bought tickets for the talk.

Lord Briggs, one of the most respected historians to write on the Victorian era, was to give the lecture to help the museum raise cash after Wiltshire Council turned down its request to increase its grant to £65,000 a year.