Trout, Robert Ridgill

Papers of Robert Ridgill Trout (1878-1969), including: material created or collected by Ridgill Trout relating to his support for the theory that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford wrote the poetry and plays attributed to William Shakespeare, including a biography of Edward de Vere, an examination of the Cornwallis Manuscript , copies of the Shakespeare Authorship Review featuring articles by and about Ridgill Trout and photographs, 1967-1969; typescript draft of work, Twenty Earls and Shakespeare by Ridgill Trout, espousing his support for the theory that Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford wrote the poetry and plays attributed to William Shakespeare, c1967; typescript draft of Robert Ridgill Trout's work, Twenty Earls and Shakespeare. The background of the Historical Plays with the life story of Edward de Vere (a different, more lengthy and later work than Twenty Earls and Shakespeare held in MS862/2) giving a detailed history of the De Vere Family and espousing his support for the theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, wrote the poetry and plays attributed to William Shakespeare, c1967; material compiled by Robert Ridgill Trout during his career as a bookseller and valuer, including valuation catalogues for books, incunabula and manuscripts held by the Wellcome Foundation and in the library of Sir William Dugdale, an auction catalogue, and miscellanous notes and sale advertisements concerning books and manuscripts, 1921-1939.

Robert Ridgill Trout was born in 1878 and by career was an antiquarian bookseller, who also carried out regular work valuing the libraries of county houses and institutions. In 1936 he met Alice Vere, a descendant of Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. It was after conversations with Alice Vere that Ridgill Trout came to believe that Edward de Vere was the author of the plays and poetry attributed to William Shakespeare. Ridgill Trout died on 17 June 1969.

Access to the items in the collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the controlled environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room.

Material was donated by Alice Vere in 1977. Additional material (MS862/4) was transferred from the University Depository Library in 1995.

Hard copy catalogue. This collection has been fully listed and is included in the ULRLS on-line catalogue, http://archives.ulrls.lon.ac.uk/default.aspx.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.