Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Trollope, Edward

by William George Dimock Fletcher

TROLLOPE, EDWARD (1817–1893), bishop of Nottingham and antiquary, sixth son of Sir John Trollope, sixth baronet, of Casewick, Lincolnshire, by his wife Anne, daughter of Henry Thorold of Cuxwold, Lincolnshire, was born at Uffington, Lincolnshire, on 15 April 1817. His eldest brother, John (1800–1874), after sitting in parliament for Lincolnshire from 1841, was created Baron Kesteven on 15 April 1868.

Edward was educated at Eton and at Christ Church, Oxford, whence he matriculated on 10 Dec. 1835, but graduated from St. Mary Hall in 1839, and proceeded M.A. in 1859. On 20 Dec. 1840 he was ordained deacon by the bishop of Lincoln, and licensed to the curacy of Rauceby, Lincolnshire, the same day. He was ordained priest on 19 Dec. 1841, and immediately afterwards instituted to the vicarage of Rauceby. In 1843 he was appointed to the rectory of Leasingham, Lincolnshire, by his maternal relative, Sir John Thorold, and held this living for fifty years. On 14 Dec. 1860 he was collated to the prebendal stall of Decem Librarum in Lincoln Cathedral, and in 1866 was elected proctor in convocation. In 1867 he was appointed prebendary of Liddington in Lincoln Cathedral, which he held until 1874. The same year, 1867, he was collated to the archdeaconry of Stow. On 21 Dec. 1877 Trollope was consecrated bishop suffragan of Nottingham, in which capacity he assisted the bishop of Lincoln in the episcopal work of the diocese for sixteen years. On his nomination to the bishopric he was created D.D. by his university on 11 Dec. 1877 from Christ Church.

The new see of Southwell, established in 1884, in great measure owed its formation to Trollope's exertions and munificence, he himself raising 10,000l. towards the fund. He also purchased the ancient palace as the site of a residence for the bishops of Southwell, and at a cost of nearly 4,000l. restored and furnished the banqueting hall.

It was, however, as an antiquary that Trollope was most widely known. He helped forward the work of church restoration in his diocese, in many instances effectually checking ill-advised alterations. He was for many years general secretary of the Associated Architectural Societies, and ultimately general president; and he was vice-president and chairman of committee of the Lincolnshire Diocesan Architectural Society. He was elected F.S.A. on 26 May 1853.

Trollope died at Leasingham rectory on 10 Dec. 1893, and was buried at Leasingham on the 14th. He was twice married: first, on 30 Sept. 1846, to Grace, daughter of Sir John Henry Palmer, seventh baronet, of Carlton, Northamptonshire, by whom he had two daughters—Mary Grace, wife of Sir Richard Lewis De Capell-Brooke, fourth baronet; and Caroline Julia, wife of Wyrley Peregrine Birch. His first wife died on 21 Oct. 1890. The bishop married, secondly, 13 Jan. 1892, Louisa Helen, daughter of the Rev. Henry Berners Shelley Harris, master of Lord Leycester's Hospital at Warwick. She survived him.

Trollope's more important works were:

1. ‘Illustrations of Ancient Art, selected from Objects discovered at Pompeii and Herculaneum,’ 1854.
2. ‘Life of Pope Adrian IV,’ 1856.
3. ‘Manual of Sepulchral Memorials,’ 1858.
4. ‘Handbook of the Paintings and Engravings exhibited at Nottingham, illustrating the Caroline Civil War,’ 1864.
5. ‘Notices of Ancient and Mediæval Labyrinths,’ 1866.
6. ‘Sleaford, and the Wapentakes of Flaxwell and Aswardhurn,’ 1872.
7. ‘The Descent of the various Branches of the Ancient Family of Thorold,’ 1874.
8. ‘The Family of Trollope,’ 1875.

He also contributed fifty-eight papers, chiefly relating to Lincolnshire, to the ‘Transactions’ of the Associated Architectural Societies.

[Times, 11 Dec. 1893; Guardian, 13 and 20 Dec. 1893; Lincolnshire, Boston, and Spalding Free Press, 12 and 19 Dec. 1893; Lincoln Diocesan Magazine, January 1894; Church Portrait Gallery, September 1879; Burke's Peerage and Baronetage; Foster's Oxon. 1715–1886; private information.]

W. G. D. F.