The London Theatre and Theatre Censorship, Knebworth House.

dward Bulwer-Lytton as a young Whig Member in the great Reform Parliament of 1831-1841 sponsored a bill to abolish the monopoly on the performance of serious dramatic works, which at that time was held by the two patent theatres, Covent Garden and Drury Lane; to consider introducing dramatic copyright, which did not exist at all; and to reconsider the question of censorship, which since Tudor times had been the responsibility of the Lord Chamberlain and the Royal Household. 'The true censor of the age', he told the House of Commons, 'is the spirit of the age.'

ulwer-Lytton’s Theatres Act of 1833 was finally replaced by the Theatres Act of 1968, which abolished theatre censorship by the Royal household. This latter Act of Parliament was actively promoted by the Cameron, 1st Lord Cobbold, then Lord Chamberlain, and also resident of Knebworth House by virtue of his marriage to Bulwer-Lytton's great-grand-daughter Hermione.

ulwer-Lytton went on to become a successful playwright. 'The Lady of Lyons' (1838), 'Richelieu' (1839) and 'Money' (1840) were produced with the great actor manager William Macready and were very popular. 'Money' was recently re-staged by the National Theatre in London to excellent reviews.

ictor, 2nd Earl of Lytton, in the early years of the last century, also contributed to the censorship debate and was an active promoter and supporter of a National Theatre for London.

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