Julia, Daughter of Claudius

1927, Gertrude Trevelyan's first work and winner of the Newdigate Prize for poetry

Author

Publisher

Printing Details

First edition. Card covers with printed titles, string binding. 19.5 × 14.5cm, 16pp.

This is the first published work of Gertrude Eileen Trevelyan (G E Trevelyan), which won the Newdigate Prize for Trevelyan in 1927, making her the first woman to win. The subject of the poem was referred to in John Addington Symonds' book, Renaissance in Italy. During excavations on the Appian Way in 1485, a perfectly preserved body of a girl around 15 was discovered. The body was removed to the Capitol, where it became the object of a cult that led the Pope to order the body to be removed and buried in secret. Trevelyan had not written poetry before this. She went on to write several novels (including Appius and Virginia, A War Without a Hero, and Two Thousand Million Man-Power).

She was living in Notting Hill at the beginning of the Second World War, and was injured when her flat in Lansdowne Road was Blitzed. She did not recover and died of her injuries at a care home in Bath in February 1941.

Condition

A rare but rather worn copy. The covers are creased and tanned to the edges, with one sizeable blot to the front cover which is visible throughout most of the booklet. Pages a little dog-eared, with a little light spotted foxing. Inner binding a trifle weak but still secure. Previous owner's name plate to the inside front cover.

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