The Robert Trimble collection of around 1,200 volumes was donated to the Alexander Turnbull Library by his daughters in 1941. The collection is rich in Irish literature and includes Trimble's own published works on the slavery issue. The pre-1800 imprints were removed from this collection and are now housed in the Special Printed Collections and may be accessed from there.
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About Robert Trimble
Colonel Robert Trimble (1824-1899) was born near Belfast, Ireland and was educated at Belfast Grammar School. He spent some time in the United States in the 1840s, and was at Manchester in the early 1850s, and in Liverpool shortly afterwards, representing the New York firm of William Watson and Co. He became a partner in the firm just before the American Civil War, in which he worked strenuously for the northern cause. At the close of the war he was awarded a silver medal in recognition of his services to liberated slaves.
In 1856 he married Jane Heywood, daughter of Alderman Abel Heywood of Manchester. One of their sons was Montfort Trimble (1862-1940) who also donated a collection of books to the Alexander Turnbull Library.
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Robert Trimble followed the principles of Manchester liberalism, advocating free trade, the abolition of state churches, a national system of education, and army reform. He participated in the early volunteer movement, being a member of the first battery raised at Garston, Lancashire, and was appointed a lieutenant-colonel and eventually a colonel in 1875.
Robert Trimble emigrated to New Zealand in 1875 with his family and settled at Inglewood, Taranaki, where he was one of the first settlers on the Moa block subdivision. His departure from Liverpool was noted in The Liverpool Town Crier (v.2, no.56, Saturday 30 January 1875, p.42) with a paragraph entitled "Our portrait" accompanied by a loosely inserted portrait.
Once in New Zealand, he took an active part in local affairs, being a member of the Inglewood Town Board and first chairman of the Taranaki County Council. In 1879 he was elected to parliament for Grey and Bell, which he represented until 1881. From 1881–1887 he represented Taranaki. One political commentator described Trimble as being a useful Member of the House, as opposed to others who were categorised as "useless" or "worse than useless" [Ignotus, Peeps into politics, Wellington, 1881, p.15–16]. In later years he was a judge of the native land court, and a Justice of the Peace for the colony of New Zealand.
The Alexander Turnbull Library Annual Report for the year ended 31 March 1942 records that "Another very significant gift was the library of Robert Trimble, of Inglewood, presented on behalf of his three daughters by Miss Nora Trimble. This is extremely rich in the history and antiquities of Ireland, and includes excellent works on English history and literature." [Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1942, H.22, p.8]. Trimble died at his residence on 5 September 1899.
Further information about Robert Trimble:
Cyclopedia of New Zealand (Wellington, N.Z. : Cyclopedia Co., 1897-1908),vol.6, p.46-47.
Dictionary of New Zealand biography, ed. G.H. Scholefield (Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs, 1940), vol. 2, p.396.
"Obituary: Colonel Trimble" Taranaki Herald, 5 September 1899, p.2.
Montfort Trimble Foundation website
More about Turnbull Formed Collections
Planned changes to collection access
This collection will be unavailable through the redevelopment period. We will give you at least one month’s notice before any closure.
Access items in this collection
The items in the Robert Trimble Collection are not listed on the Library's online catalogue. A shelf card list for this collection may be consulted onsite. You can request items from the collection for viewing at the Research Centre on the ground floor of the National Library.
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For more information, contact the Turnbull Library Research Centre, or the Curator, Special Printed Collections by phone or email.
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Talk to staff in the Turnbull Library Research Centre about making copies of items in this collection.
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We can answer your enquiries in person, by letter, phone or email. For assistance with using the Turnbull Formed Collections contact the Curator, Special Printed Collections.
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