15/02/2022
Books and manuscripts of significance to the Republic of Ireland are coming under the hammer at Mallams’ Oxford Library Sale on 23 and 24 February.
These come to Mallams as part of the estate of Patrick Dockar-Drysdale (1929-2020) an Oxford graduate and a Canadian linguistics expert, who resided at Wick Hall, Radley, near Abingdon. His estate includes two libraries inherited from his mother’s Irish relatives – one from his grandfather T.W. Rolleston, and one from his great grandfather, the Reverend Stopford Brooke.
Thomas William Hazen Rolleston (1857-1920) was an Irish writer, poet and literary figure who lived at various times in Killiney in County Dublin, Germany, London and County Wicklow.
The Reverend Stopford Augustus Brooke (1832-1916) was an Irish churchman and writer, born in the rectory of Glendoen, near Letterkenny in Donegal. In 1890 he spear-headed a fundraising campaign to purchase Dove Cottage, William Wordsworth's former Grasmere home, in order to preserve it “for the eternal possession of those who love English poetry all over the world' (see lot 413). In March 1893 he gave the inaugural lecture to the Irish Literary Society (founded in London by T.W. Rolleston, amongst others) on 'The Need and Use of Getting Irish Literature into the English Tongue' (see lot 412).
Apart from being intellectuals, avid readers and writers, both men were serious collectors of books and their libraries contained a number of important titles - Mallams’ is delighted to be offering these collections at auction. To see the full catalogue for this sale click here.
For further information on these collections, please email benjaminlloyd@mallams.co.uk
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