Title	Finding aid for Papers of James Robinson Planché, 1794-1882.
Creator	Planché, J. R. (James Robinson), 1796-1880.
Extent	331 pieces. 7 boxes.
Biographical Note	James Robinson Planché, a dramatist, antiquary, and officer of arms, was born in Piccadilly, London, on February 27, 1796; the son of Huguenot refugees. He wrote or adapted over 170 plays over the course of his 60 year career; these included extravaganzas, farces, comedies, burlettas, melodramas, and operas. Planche was also the first to introduce historically accurate costume into 19th century British theatre; he also wrote several important works on costume as an acknowledged expert. His antiquary research led him to be appointed Rogue Croix Pursuivant in 1854 and promoted to Somerset Herald in 1866. Planché married Elizabeth St. George (1796-1846), on April 26, 1821; she was also a published playwright. They had two daughters, Katherine Frances (b. 1823), who later married William Curteis, and Matilda Anne (b. 1826), who became a children's author under her married name of Mackarness. Planché continued to write and pursue his antiquarian studies until the last year of his life; he died in Chelsea, on May 30, 1880.
Scope and Content	The majority of the collection consists of manuscripts, correspondence, documents, drawings and ephemera directly related to James Robinson Planché and his work in the theatre, antiquarian pursuits, and costume expertise. Among the authors and correspondents are: John Baldwin Buckstone, William E. Gladstone, Benjamin Robert Haydon, Leigh Hunt, Ellen Kean, Frances Maria Kelly,Charles Kemble, Albert Denison (Baron Londesborough), Rosina Bulwer Lytton (Baroness Lytton), William Charles Macready, Richard Brinsley Peake, Jane Porter, David Roberts, William Makepeace Thackeray, and Carl Maria von Weber. The other main part of the collection is material, including fragments and clipped signatures, which were collected for the autograph value only, and have no relation to Planché or his work. Among these authors and correspondents are: Adelaide, Queen consort of William IV, William Blanchard, Richard Daly, Thomas Frognall Dibdin, George III, Edwin Henry Landseer, Robert Peel, William Pitt, Lucia E.B. Vestris, and Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington). There is also a small group of letters written to Thomas Francis Dillon Croker, mainly regarding Planché and his work and family. The ephemera consists of printed material, including printed play texts, newspaper clippings, a scrapbook, and printed musical scores.
Notes	For any questions about the collection, including specific reproduction requests, please contact the Curator of Literary Manuscripts.
Date	1794-1882.
Provenance	Acquired from William H. Lambert through George D. Smith, 1914; acquired from Ifan Kyrle Fletcher, Feb. 1950; and acquired from Winnifred A. Myers, Mar. 1972.
Subject	Kemble, Charles, 1775-1854. Mackarness, Henry S., Mrs., 1826-1881. Planché, J. R. (James Robinson), 1796-1880 -- Archives. Theater -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century -- Sources. Great Britain -- History -- 19th century.
Form/Genre	Documents Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Drawings Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Ephemera Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Letters (correspondence) Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Manuscripts Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Photographs Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Plays Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Poems Great Britain 19th century. (aat)
Contributors	Adelaide, Queen, consort of William IV, King of Great Britain, 1792-1849. Blanchard, William, 1769-1835. Buckstone, John Baldwin, 1802-1879. Croker, T. F. Dillon (Thomas Francis Dillon), 1831-1912, recipient. Daly, Richard, 1758-1813. Dibdin, Thomas Frognall, 1776-1847. George III, King of Great Britain, 1738-1820. Gladstone, W. E. (William Ewart), 1809-1898. Haydon, Benjamin Robert, 1786-1846. Hunt, Leigh, 1784-1859. Kean, Ellen, 1805-1880. Kelly, Frances Maria, 1790-1882. Kemble, Charles, 1775-1854. Landseer, Edwin Henry, Sir, 1802-1873. Londesborough, Albert Denison, Baron, 1805-1860. Lytton, Rosina Bulwer Lytton, Baroness, 1802-1882. Macready, William Charles, 1793-1873. Peake, Richard Brinsley, 1792-1847. Peel, Robert, 1788-1850. Pitt, William, 1759-1806. Planché, Eliza, 1796-1846, recipient. Porter, Jane, 1776-1850. Roberts, David, 1796-1864. Thackeray, William Makepeace, 1811-1863. Vestris, Lucia Elizabeth Bartolozzi, 1797-1856. Weber, Carl Maria von, 1786-1826. Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769-1852. Whelan, Katherine Frances, b. 1823, recipient.
Department	Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Manuscripts Department.
Call Number	mssJP 1-331
Physical Collection	James Robinson Planché Papers.
Digital Collection	Finding Aids, Huntington Digital Library
Physical Description	26 p.
Digitization Specifications	Original finding aid converted into PDF document by B. Black, 2012-06-14.
Date Digital	2012-06-14.
DCMI Type	text
Digital Format	pdf
Original Finding Aid	Finding aid prepared by Gayle M. Richardson, March 2, 2012.
Citation Information	Finding aid for James Robinson Planché Papers, Huntington Digital Library, San Marino, California.
Restrictions	Images in this collection are for scholarly research; please review the Huntington Library's copyright information: http://cdm16003.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/about. For purchasing images for publication please review our permission to publish policy: http://www.huntington.org/huntingtonlibrary.aspx?id=590.
Cataloging Notes	Organized in the following manner: 1. Manuscripts, Correspondence & Documents (Boxes 1-6); 2. Ephemera (Box 7); arranged alphabetically.