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Special Collections & Archives: George Henry Rendall Collectionsaccredited archive service logo

SC&A includes manuscripts and archives, medieval to modern; early and finely printed books, and science fiction collections.

Gerald Henry Rendall Collections

Shakespeare ‘Oxfordian’ material, with works on Marcus Aurelius Antoninus and ephemera relating to University of Liverpool social life.

Image of cartoon of GH Rendall

Cartoon of Rendall: GHR 1/3

Canon Gerald Henry Rendall (1851-1945) was the first Principal of University College, Liverpool (1881-1897) and a Classical, Biblical and Shakespearean scholar, who bequeathed to the Library two separate collections of books and related material.

In addition to the book collections, Rendall's papers include manuscript notes, correspondence and cuttings about his work on Shakespeare, and on Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and also Christmas cards, menus and invitations relating to social events in Liverpool 1880-1897.

Marcus Aurelius Collection

In addition to the post of Principal, Rendall held the Gladstone Chair of Classics and Ancient History and found time to publish an acclaimed translation of the Meditations - Marcus Aurelius Antoninus to himself, with introductory study on stoicism and the last of the stoics (Macmillan, 1898). His research collection comprises 150 sixteenth-nineteenth century editions of Marcus Aurelius, particularly translations of the Meditations, and books and pamphlets relating to him and to the Stoic philosophy, some of which have Rendall's marginal notes.

Shakespeare Collection

Rendall retired in 1911 from his post as Headmaster of Charterhouse, for which he had left Liverpool, and settled in Dedham, Essex to indulge in literary pursuits. He published a series of books on Shakespeare which include Shakespeare sonnets and Edward de Vere (1930), Shake-speare: hand-writing and spelling (1931), Personal clues in Shakespeare poems & sonnets (1934), Ben Jonson and the First Folio edition of Shakespeare's plays (1939), The Ashbourne portrait of Shakespeare (1940) and Lord Oxford as Shakespeare. He bequeathed a collection of more than 100 books and pamphlets reflecting contemporary approaches to Shakespeare, many with his annotations and review cuttings.

Finding and using

  • The archive is fully listed and an online Finding Aid including further biographical information is available.
  • Catalogue records for the Rendall (Marcus Aurelius) Collection; and Rendall (Shakespeare) Collection.