Duchess of Roxburghe Bequeaths “Extraordinary” Collection of Books to Cambridge University

An “extraordinary” collection of books have been bequeathed by Mary, Duchess of Roxburghe to Trinity College in Cambridge, following her passing in 2014 at the age of 99. The collection of books numbers over 7,000 titles and includes first editions from the likes of Byron, Wordsworth, and Shelley.

Not only did the collection feature first editions from famous authors, it also contained previously unknown manuscripts with great historical significance. These manuscripts included works from Napoleon Bonaparte, George Washington, Florence Nightingale and Charles Dickens.

As the BBC reports, these very rare and special books will now be taken care of by the university and will be available for everyone to read. Amazingly, some of the rarest books in the collection were being kept in an old suitcase.

The duchess’s father Robert Crewe-Milnes, and grandfather, Richard Monckton Milnes, each studied at Trinity before embarking on their political careers so it seems apt that the books should go to be kept there.