Signed copy of 'Hamlet'

In order to shorten the film, he had severely cut Shakespeare's text, completely removing several of the minor characters, including Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. At some point in the filming, it was realised that they needed to see a complete copy of the text. Someone was sent in to the local library, Uxbridge, to borrow a copy. The only one available was a small pocket edition.

When it was returned the whole cast had signed the book, many of them against their character's part. Laurence Olivier had signed the date label.

The signatures included are:

• Laurence Olivier - Hamlet
• Eileen Herlie - Queen Gertrude
• Basil Sydney - Claudius
• Jean Simmons - Ophelia
• Felix Aylmer - Polonius
• Norman Wooland - Horatio
• Terence Morgan - Laertes
• Stanley Holloway - Gravedigger
• Russell Thorndike - Priest

The film won 4 Oscars for best picture, best actor (Laurence Olivier), best art direction and best costume design.

Since that time, the book has been kept safely as one of our treasures. (It is not known whether the cast had to pay for the cost of replacement for defacing a library book!)

Carolynne Cotton took the book to show the experts on the BBC's Antiques Roadshow, who were looking at items with a connection to entertainment and film. Expert Hilary Kay was very taken with our little book; but you will have to watch the programme to see her valuation.