Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  GABELLI MARIO J
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
11/01/2015		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
BANCROFT FUND LTD [BCV]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O GAMCO INVESTORS, INC, ONE CORPORATE CENTER		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) __X__ Other (specify below)
Control Person of Adviser
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

RYE, NY 10580		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Shares 200,000
D
 
Common Shares 55,400
I
GAMCO Investors, Inc. (1)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
GABELLI MARIO J
C/O GAMCO INVESTORS, INC
ONE CORPORATE CENTER
RYE, NY 10580		   X     Control Person of Adviser

Signatures

Agnes Mullady as Attorney-in-Fact for Mario J. Gabelli 11/04/2015
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The shares reported reflect the total shares owned by GAMCO Investors, Inc. (GAMCO). Mario J. Gabelli is the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, controlling shareholder of GAMCO and Chief Investment Officer of Value Portfolios of Gabelli Funds, LLC (the Adviser). Mr. Gabelli has less than a 100% interest in GAMCO and disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares held by it which are in excess of his indirect pecuniary interest.

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