The Complete Peerage Trust
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- Held At: Parliamentary Archives: GB-061
- Catalogue Reference: PEE
- Accession Number: 593
- Accession Number: 609
- Accession Number: 619
- Accession Number: 236
- Date: 1910-[1980s?]
- Level: Fonds
- Extent: 8 series
- Creator Name: The Complete Peerage Trust
- Administrative or Biographical History: The first edition of The Complete Peerage was written and funded (almost, save for some help from his friends, most notably J.H Round), single-handedly by G.E. Cockayne, a herald and noted genealogist, between 1884 and 1898. Subsequent editions were initially funded in the same way, with the editors (e.g Vicary Gibbs and H.A Doubleday), their friends, supporters and various philanthropists covering the costs of production of the work. It is estimated that Gibbs spent about £60,000 on the first four volumes he edited. Doubleday raised funds from loans and from his friends, as well as from a research appeal fund in America and Canada. However, it was recognised that this was ultimately an unsatisfactory way of funding the project and in 1921, Viscount Cowdray, the wealthy building contractor and philanthropist suggested that capital should be raised by the issue of debentures by a private company. The Genealogical Publishing Company was therefore founded in 1922, and some £16,400 was raised. In 1926, when the money ran out again, Sir Harry Mallaby-Deeley became a generous benefactor and covenanted to pay no less than £32,500 over the next few years. This lasted until the end of 1934, and although Lord Leverhulme gave £2,500 in 1935, it became likely that unless more funds were aquired, the Complete Peerage would have to be abandoned. Sir Julien Cahn, sportsman and philanthropist donated £5,000 in 1937, and in 1938, a saviour for the project appeared, in the form of Lord Nuffield, who gave £50,000. Following this very generous gift, a trust, 'The Complete Peerage Trust' was formed to oversee both the work and the expenditure of the funds, and remained in being until the early 1960s. The original trustees were the Duke of Norfolk, Viscounts Halifax and Mersey (all of whom had been in a list of 'Patrons' of the enterprise), Lord Howard de Walden and Granville Proby. Following the publication of the final volume, the Trust virtually ceased all operations.
- Acquisition: As far as can be identified, the majority of these papers were deposited by the Complete Peerage Trust, between 1959 and 1993.
- Description: Miscellaneous papers, correspondence, accounts, minutes etc. produced as a result of the work of the Complete Peerage Trust. This collection includes some volumes of the Complete Peerage.
- Language: English
- Access Status: Open
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