Gladstone's diaries fetch more than £65,000

Published on Saturday 26 July 2008 23:43

PERSONAL diaries and books belonging to the family of 19th-century Prime Minister William Gladstone were auctioned yesterday for more than £65,000.

The library of around 2,000 books was part of the family's sprawling Fasque residence in north-east Scotland.

Gladstone became Liberal Prime Minister four times between 1868 and 1892, spending more than 12 years in the role.

An unnamed professor from Edinburgh spent 3,400 on a collection of family diaries, some belonging to Gladstone's brother.

Jonathan Taylor, of Taylor's Auction Rooms in Montrose, Angus, said the sales exceeded expectations.

"We're very pleased with it. I'd say more than 100 people were in the sales room and we took bids from Columbia to Auckland," he said.

"I'd say in total we took in excess of 65,000 – a bit more than we were hoping for," Taylor said.

The Fasque library was sold by the Gladstone family before the mansion was handed over to private developers last year.