Department of Special Collections and University Archives
McFarlin Library. University of Tulsa.  2933 E. 6th St.  Tulsa, OK.  74104-3123 (OKT - OkTU)

T. S. (Thomas Stearns) Eliot papers

Collection 1978-009

Dates:  1918-1959.

Extent:  (1 box).

Level of Description:  Item level.

Name of creator(s):  Thomas Stearns Eliot.

Date of creation:  Unknown.

Scope and Content:  The papers are grouped into three series: Series 1: Correspondence, Series 2: Writings, and Series 3: Miscellaneous.

Series 1: Correspondence dates from 1918-1954 and is arranged alphabetically by surname. It consists of 23 autograph and typescript letters and 3 signed Christmas cards from Eliot to friends and colleagues including Stuart Latham and John Lehmann; 2 typescript letters from Mrs. S.K. Gussow to Eliot; and a photocopy typescript letter from Valerie Eliot to Garnerstone Press Ltd. in reference to T.S. Eliot: A Memoir, by Robert Sencourt.

Series 2: Writings dates from 1950-1959 and are arranged alphabetically by title. They consist of autograph and typescript draft fragments of Murder in the Cathedral, including a photocopy of Stuart Latham’s original production notes (See on-line catalogue record); programs for various theatre productions of “The Cocktail Party,” “The Confidential Clerk,” “The Elder Statesman,” and “Murder in the Cathedral,” as well as a printed copy of a memorial address given by Eliot in honor of William Collin Brooks.

Series 3: Miscellaneous material includes two photographs of Eliot, programs for Eliot’s funeral and memorial service, and an unveiling/dedication ceremony; program for a Stage Sixty Theatre Club production of a homage to Eliot featuring John Gielgud and Irene Worth; bookseller catalogues; keepsakes; and announcements.

Administrative/Biographical History: 

Access and Copyright:  This material is housed off-site and will require special arrangements for anticipated use. Contact the Department of Special Collections.

Language and Scripts:  English.

Finding aid/Inventory:  Finding aid is available online.

Provenance/Source of Acquisition:  Unknown.

Date(s) of description:   Milissa Burkart, Dec 1994.

Access Points:

Subject Headings 

 
Personal names
 

Corporate names

Places
 

Inventory
Series 1: Correspondence
All correspondence is from T.S. Eliot unless otherwise specified.
Eliot, Valerie
1:1 To Garnerstone Press Ltd.  Photocopy of a typed and signed letter, 4 Oct 1971, 1s plus photocopy of typed page notes. In reference to T.S. Eliot: A Memoir, by Robert Sencourt.    
       
Gussow, J.K
1:2 Typed and signed letter, 24 Nov, 1944, 1s with envelope. “...So it now looks as if it might be Christmas time, or even after, before I can propose a meal...”.

Typed and signed letter, 10 Dec 1944, 1s with envelope. “...What I had expected was that you would be telephoning to let me know that I might expect you....”

Typed and signed letter, 21 Dec 1944, 1s with envelope. “I got your letter of December 10. I had no idea that letters took so long to reach you...”

Typed and signed letter with a handwritten note, 25 Feb 1945, 1s with envelope. “I am thoroughly ashamed of not having written to you before...I hope that you are still available, and that we can arrange a dinner or a lunch...”

To Mrs. Gussow. Typed and signed letter, 16 Sept 1947, 1s with envelope. “I am sorry that you are not in England longer, especially as I happen to have so little time in the immediate future....”

To Mrs. Gussow. Typed and signed letter, 22 Sept 1947, 1s with envelope. “Thank you for your note of the 18th....”		    
       
Latham, Stuart
  Typed and signed letter, 22 Jun 1950, 1s. “I was very sorry to hear the news...May I say, however, that I thought your wife’s performance of a difficult, and not altogether coherent part, was extremely well done...”    
       
Lehmann, John
  Typed and signed letter, 7 Oct 1952, 1s. “I was rather surprised to find that I had kept no copy of my lines about the cat on the park bench....”    
       
Randall, Alec W.G.
  Typed and signed letter with AN, 9 Aug 1922, 1s. “...Your offer is most valuable, and I should like to see you as soon as I can and discuss Germanic matters with you...”

Typed and signed letter, 26 Jan 1923, 1s. “...You are quite right in thinking that what I was interested in was a translation of selected letters....”

Typed and signed letter, 1 Apr 1926, 2s. “...Yes, I had ordered Die Literarische Welt and Die Weltbühne to be sent to you...About Nietzsche, I am sorry to say that your suggestion had completely slipped from my mind...”

Typed and signed letter, 22 Nov 1926, 1s. “...Your copy is indeed in time and has gone to the printers....”

Typed and signed letter with AN, 28 Feb 1927, 1s. “...Your German Periodicals and your review are most welcome....”

Typed and signed letter, 14 Aug 1928, 2s. “...Of course I shall be delighted if you will resume the German periodicals, and deal with them in the same way and at the same length as before...”

Typed and signed letter, 5 Apr 1934, 1s. “I wrote to you on the 15th March to say that we should be most interested to follow up your suggestion about the book on modern German literature....”

Typed and signed letter, 15 Dec 1936, 2s. “Thank you for your letter of December 9th, and for your very kind offices in endeavouring to secure a lecture for me in Copenhagen....”

Typed and signed letter, 19 Dec 1950, 1s. “...I wish indeed that I could come over to Copenhagen, and stay with you for the premiere of the Danish Cocktail Party....”

Typed and signed letter, 25 Mar 1954, 1s. “...I am sorry that I was obliged again to decline an invitation to Copenhagen, but having been away for nearly three months....”		    
       
Rodker, John
  Handwritten and signed letter, 4 Sept 1918, 1s. “I return here with all of your MSS which is in my possession....”

Handwritten and signed letter, 16 May 1920, 1s. “I have done what I could. You needn’t take my word for it, but it does not look promising. M. does not see how he could review such a book....”  

Handwritten and signed letter, 8 Mar 1921, 1s. “I am very sorry to hear that the press has had to come to an end....”

    
       
Vaisey, H.B.
  Typed and signed letter, 3 May 1939, 1s. “It is a great regret to me to find that I shall be unable to come to your All Souls’ dinner after all...”    
       
Wall, Bernard
  Typed and signed letter, 4 Sept 1946, 1s. “Thank you for your letter of the 2nd instant and information about The Changing World....”    
       
1:3 Christmas cards for 1949 and 1950, designed by Barnett Freedman for Faber and Faber, and signed by T.S. Eliot.
1 Christmas card for 1951, designed by John Piper for Faber and Faber, and signed by T.S. Eliot.		    
       
Series 2: Writings
“The Cocktail Party”
1:4 Theatre program for the New Theatre production, 3 May 1950.    
       
“The Confidential Clerk”
  Theatre program for the National Theatre production, 25 January 1954.
Theatre program for the Morosco Theatre production, 3 May 1954.		    
       
“The Elder Statesman”
  Theatre program for the Cambridge Theatre production, 25 Sept 1958.
Sealed theatre program for the Royal Lyceum Theatre production, Edinburgh International Festival, 25 Aug 1958.		    
       
Murder in the Cathedral
  “Becket’s Sermon.” Typescript with handwritten revisions, 4p.

“Does the bird sing in the south....” Handwritten draft cantos, 1p; typescript of another version, with handwritten revisions and notes, 1p.

Photocopy of Stuart Latham’s original production notes.

“Murder in the Cathedral.” Theatre program at Carnegie Hall (Empire State Music Festival) production, 22 Sept 1958.

“Murder in the Cathedral.” Theatre program for the Old Vic Theatre production, 31 Mar 1953.

“Murder in the Cathedral.” Theatre program autographed by cast members, for the Singapore Arts Theatre production, 7 Apr 1953.

[“William Collin Brooks, M.C.”] Printed copy of a memorial address given by Eliot, 1 May 1959.		    
       
Series 3: Miscellaneous
1:5 Two photographs of T.S. Eliot

Order of Service in memory of T.S. Eliot. 4 Feb 1965.

Poetry Center Memorial Program to Dame Edith Sitwell and T.S. Eliot featuring Sir John Gielgud and Irene Worth. Program and mimeograph copy of poems, May 1965.

“Homage to T.S. Eliot.” Program for the Stage Sixty Theatre Club production held at the Globe Theatre. 13 Jun 1965.

Program for the unveiling and dedication of a memorial to T.S. Eliot. 4 Jan 1967.		    
       
1:6  Reprint of T.S. Eliot’s letter to the editor of The Times, 5 Nov 1959.

Invitation to a meeting of the Grolier Club, bearing reproduction of a note by T.S. Eliot to Ezra Pound.

Booksellers’ catalogues and announcements.		    
 
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