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Collection on Dylan Thomas

 Collection
Identifier: PCMS-0028

Scope and Content Note

The Collection on Dylan Thomas contains five holograph poetry notebooks (1930-1951); a prose notebook of ten short stories (1933-1934); holograph and typed manuscripts, many with corrections, for such works as The Doctor and the Devils (1953); a film script of Life in a Girl’s Reform School; corrected or fragmentary versions of over a dozen individual poems including "Do not go gentle into that good night," "Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait," and "Fern Hill"; approximately 81 items of correspondence including Thomas’s letters to Henry Treece, Trevor Hughes, Donald Taylor, and Pamela Hansford Johnson (Lady Snow); three of Pamela Hansford Johnson's (Lady Snow) diaries, 1933-1935; and two 1953 portraits of Thomas painted by Gordon Stuart.

Dates

  • Majority of material found within 1930-1951
  • 1930-1978

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material in English.

Terms of Access

The Collection on Dylan Thomas is open for research.

Copyright

Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the Poetry Collection before requesting photocopies and/or publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Once permission is obtained, most papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise specified.

Historical Note

Born in Wales, Dylan Thomas (1914–1953) was one of the most influential English poets of the twentieth century and also the author of numerous short stories, radio scripts, and plays. His publications include The Map of Love (1939), Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog (1940), Deaths and Entrances (1946), Collected Poems, 1934-1952 (1952), The Doctor and the Devils (1953), and Under Milk Wood (1954).

Extent

1.75 Linear Feet (4 legal manuscript boxes)

Abstract

The Collection on Dylan Thomas contains five holograph poetry notebooks (1930-1951); a prose notebook of ten short stories (1933-1934); holograph and typed manuscripts, many with corrections, for such works as The Doctor and the Devils (1953); a film script of Life in a Girl’s Reform School; corrected or fragmentary versions of over a dozen individual poems including "Do not go gentle into that good night," "Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait," and "Fern Hill"; approximately 81 items of correspondence including Thomas’s letters to Henry Treece, Trevor Hughes, Donald Taylor, and Pamela Hansford Johnson (Lady Snow); three of Pamela Hansford Johnson's (Lady Snow) diaries, 1933-1935; and two 1953 portraits of Thomas painted by Gordon Stuart.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in four series.

  1. Manuscripts, 1930-1953
  2. Correspondence, 1931-1954
  3. Pamela Hansford-Johnson, 1933-1935
  4. Artwork and Printed Material, 193[?]-1978

Acquisition Information

The corrected manuscript of "Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait," four holograph poetry notebooks (1930-1941), a manuscript of poems (1933-1934), and the holograph notebook of prose (1933-1934) were purchased by Thomas B. Lockwood from Bertram Rota, London, in 1941. The two portraits of Thomas were purchased from the artist Gordon Stuart in 1956. Some purchased from Pamela Hansford Johnson (Lady Snow) in the early 1960s. Additional materials purchased from William R. McAlpine in 1967. Contact the Poetry Collection for more information about acquisition of materials in this collection.

Accruals and Additions

No further accruals are expected to this collection.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Poetry Collection staff.

Source

Title
Finding aid for the Collection on Dylan Thomas
Status
Completed
Author
Finding aid prepared by Marie Elia.
Date
2019
Description rules
Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Best Practices
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the The Poetry Collection Repository

Contact:
420 Capen Hall
Buffalo New York 14260-1674 US
716-645-2917
716-645-3714 (Fax)