Title	Finding aid for Papers of Edward Smyth Pigott, 1845-1925.
Creator	Pigott, Edward Smyth, 1824-1895.
Extent	446 pieces. 8 boxes.
Biographical Note	Edward Frederick Smyth Pigott (1824-1895), was a member of the Pigott family, long settled in north Somerset. He was a fellow student, with Wilkie Collins, at Lincoln's Inn, then a journalist with The Daily News and The Leader; in 1874, Pigott was appointed to the position of Deputy Licensership of Plays in the Lord Cahmberlain's Office, a position he held until his death in 1895. Pigott never married, but in the 1850s, his nephew Henry Drummond Smyth Pigott, resided with him and, it appears, assisted his uncle with his correspondence and work.
Scope and Content	This collection contains a small number of manuscripts, documents, photographs and ephemera; the majority of the collection consists of Pigott's personal and professional correspondence, both from his work as a journalist and as the Examiner of Plays. The majority of the correspondence is addressed to Pigott but there is also a significant group of letters addressed to his nephew, Henry Drummond Smyth Pigott. In 1873, Edward Pigott was put forward as a candidate for the position of Secretary for the Royal Academy; ultimately, he was not elected to the position but there are a large number of testimonial letters by people in the art, academic and political fields, supporting Pigott's candidacy. The personal letters include discussions of the leading topics, politicians, and celebrities of the day; the professional letters mainly deal with stories to be published in Pigott's newspapers and the workings and people of the Victorian theatre, including letters about plays which, for some reason, were not accepted for performance. Notable correspondents include: Wilkie Collins, Francis George Seymour (Marquess of Hertford), Richard Monckton Milnes (Baron Houghton), Henry Du Pré Labouchere, Theodore Martin, John Everett Millais, Spencer Cecil Brabazon Ponsonby-Fane, Goldwin Smith and Edmund Hodgson Yates.
Notes	For any questions about the collection, including specific reproduction requests, please contact the Curator of Literary Manuscripts, Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
Date	1845-1925.
Provenance	Acquired from Sotheby's, Lots 404 & 420, July 19-20, 1971.
Subject	Albert, Prince Consort, consort of Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1861. Collins, Wilkie, 1824-1889. Gladstone, W.E. (William Ewart), 1809-1898. Lewes, George Henry, 1817-1878. Pigott, Edward Smyth, 1824-1895. Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901. Royal Academy of Arts (Great Britain) Theater -- Censorship -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century. Theaters -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th century. Great Britain -- History -- 19th century. Great Britain -- History -- 20th century.
Form/Genre	Documents Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Ephemera Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Ephemera Great Britain 20th century. (aat) Letters (correspondence) Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Letters (correspondence) Great Britain 20th century. (aat) Manuscripts Great Britain 19th century. (aat) Photographs Great Britain 19th century. (aat)
Contributors	Collins, Wilkie, 1824-1889. Hertford, Francis George Seymour, Marquess of, 1812-1884. Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes, Baron, 1809-1885. Labouchere, Henry Du Pré, 1831-1912. Martin, Theodore, Sir, 1816-1909. Millais, John Everett, Sir, 1826-1896. Pigott, Henry Drummond Smyth Pigott, b. 1848. Ponsonby-Fane, Spencer Cecil Brabazon, 1824-1915. Smith, Goldwin, 1823-1910. Yates, Edmund Hodgson, 1831-1894.
Department	Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Manuscripts Department.
Call Number	mssPIG 1-446
Physical Collection	Edward Smyth Pigott Papers.
Digital Collection	Finding Aids, Huntington Digital Library
Physical Description	34 p.
Digitization Specifications	Original finding aid converted into PDF document by B. Black, 2012-07-20.
Date Digital	2012-07-20.
DCMI Type	text
Digital Format	pdf
Original Finding Aid	Finding aid prepared by Gayle M. Richardson, July 20, 2012.
Citation Information	Finding aid for Edward Smyth Pigott 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. Correspondence, Manuscripts & Documents (Boxes 1-8); 2. Photographs (Box 8); 3. Ephemera (Box 8); arranged alphabetically.