QUEEN Victoria and the Duke of Wellington are among a collection of autographs found in an attic which will now go up for sale for more than £1,500.

The leatherbound book was found in a Blackburn loft seven years ago after lying undiscovered for over 80 years.

The collection, compiled by James Wardell Of Leeds In 1839, includes not only the signatures of the monarch and her top soldier but also prime minister and founder of the police Sir Robert Peel, 115 earls, 20 viscounts, two arch bishops, 24 bishops, 200 barons and 16 Scottish peers.

The book was sold on to a collector and is now up for auction at Gerrards Auction Rooms in St Annes, with an estimated value of £1,500-£2,000.

Auctioneer John Cook said: “One can only speculate how the book had got into the attic in Blackburn but it would appear it had been there since the 1920s.

“The book pre-dates the Penny Black stamp and in the 1830s peers and other people in authority did not have to have to pay postage, as long as they signed the front of the letter.

“So Mr Wardell wrote to each of them and asked them a question and they would reply, signing the envelope. Even Queen Victoria followed this process and he was able to amass over 1,000 signatures.

“It seems inconceivable now – if you wrote to the Prime Minister you would be lucky to get a reply and it would certainly not be a personal one."

Mr Cook added: “There is a top estimate of £2,000 for the book but it had been very hard to value as it is a unique item.

“There are some fabulous historical figures in here.

“There's a queen, the man who set up the police force and the Duke of Wellington, who is possibly the greatest British soldier ever with a record of 60 battles, and he was victorious in all of them."

The book will go up for auction on Friday, March 5. For inquiries call 01253 725476.