University of Reading Special Collections Services
- Advice on accessing these materials
- Related Resources
- Web
- Telephone
- 01183788660
- Address
- Redlands Road, Reading, England, United Kingdom
- Directions
- http://www.reading.ac.uk/special-collections/special-collections-findus.aspx
- Opening Hours
- Monday-Friday 09:00-17:00
- Last Thursday of the Month 09:00-21:00
- Advance Orders
- We advise you to order documents in advance some archives are held off site.
- Photographs Allowed
- depending on the material
- History
Our collections, which include rare books, archives and manuscripts, are substantial and varied, particularly for a University of this age and size. The majority result from donations: the tradition of acquiring special material is as old as the University, the bequest of the Overstone Library in 1920 setting a pattern. The collecting of manuscripts and archives began in a systematic way in the 1960s, and from the start has been dominated by the programme to collect and manage British publishers’ archives. The University's collections also include artwork.Two of our collections have been recognised as Designated collections of national and international significance - the Beckett Collection and the combined records of British publishing and printing.
- Althea Gyles papers
- Archive of George Bell & Sons
- Archive of Ruari McLean Associates
- Archive of Sir William Mitchell, 1925-2002
- Archive of the Keepsake Press
- Archives of Jonathan Cape Ltd
- Archives of Swan Sonnenschein & Co
- Archives of The Bodley Head Ltd
- Archives of The Hogarth Press
- Archives of The Longman Group
- Aubrey Beardsley collection
- Bailliere, Tindall & Cox archive
- British Council letters and reports
- Coulson Kernahan letters
- Crosby Lockwood archive
- Darton & Harvey archive
- Documents from the Sal Republic
- Dorothy Edwards papers
- Drawings by John Trivett Nettleship
- The Group papers
- The Kingsley Read alphabet collection
- Letters to John Derry from Arthur Mee
- Letters to John Guest
- London Typographical Designers Archive
- Papers and correspondence of George William Series, 1920-1995
- Papers and correspondence of Robert William Ditchburn, 1903-1987
- Papers and correspondence of Richard Rado, 1906-1989
- Papers of Bernard Spencer
- Papers of Brian Aldiss
- Papers of C A Trypanis
- Papers of Charles Elkin Mathews
- Papers of David Lean
- Papers of E.H.Visiak
- Papers of Edward Thompson
- Papers of Edwin John Ellis
- Papers of Edwin Morgan
- Papers of Elinor Glyn
- Papers of G. S. Fraser
- Papers of Gerald and Joy Finzi
- Papers of Gerda Charles
- Papers of Gillian Freeman
- Papers of Gwendoline Courtney
- Papers of H. Malcolm Fraser
- Papers of Henry Curtis Cherry
- Papers of Herberth Herlitschka
- Papers of Ian Fletcher
- Papers of Ian Serraillier
- Papers of J.C. Trewin
- Papers of James Cleugh
- Papers of John Gawsworth
- Papers of John Hampson
- Papers of John Todhunter
- Papers of John Wain
- Papers of John Wallis Dodgson
- Papers of Kathleen Raine
- Papers of Lewis Mumford
- Papers of Marion Rawson
- Papers of Mary Montgomerie Currie, pen-name Violet Fane
- Papers of Maurice Girodias
- Papers of Miles Hadfield
- Papers of Nancy Astor
- Papers of Nicholas Moore
- Papers of Pearl Craigie
- Papers of Peter Fleming
- Papers of Peter Owen Ltd
- Papers of Plantagenet Somerset Fry
- Papers of R.L. Mgroz
- Papers of Richard Marsh
- Papers of Robert Garioch Sutherland
- Papers of Robert Harborough Sherard
- Papers of Robert Henriques
- Papers of Rowley Atterbury from Rocappi Ltd
- Papers of Roy Horniman
- Papers of Ruth Speirs
- Papers of the Italian Refugees' Relief Committee
- Papers of the Musil Research Unit
- Papers of Thomas Sturge Moore
- Papers of Vernon Bartlett
- Papers of Viola Klein
- Papers of W.M. Childs
- Papers of Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
- Poetry notebooks of Peter Porter
- Press archives of Christopher Skelton
- Records of George Allen & Unwin Ltd
- Records of Huntley and Palmers
- Records of the De La Rue printing firm
- Robert Lusty work diaries
- Samuel Beckett Collection
- The Waterhouse Collection