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THM/384 - The Ellen Terry Collection
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The Ellen Terry Collection

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This material is held at V&A Department of Theatre & Performance
Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384
Dates of Creation1856-1976
Name of Creator Ellen Terry
Language of Material English
Physical Description 513 files

Scope and Content

This collection consists of correspondence written by Ellen Terry, including letters to her daughter Edith Craig and to her third husband James Carew. There is further correspondence with letters addressed to Ellen Terry from her son Edward Gordon Craig and Henry Irving, as well as others. The collection also holds correspondence between other individuals including letters between Edith Craig and George Bernard Shaw and letters relating to the wider Terry family.

Furthermore the collection contains material relating to Ellen Terry's acting career including photographs of her in her stage roles, and press cuttings relating to productions she starred in. The collection also contains autobiographical and legacy material, as well as a selection of Ellen Terry's personal belongings. The careers and lifes of Edith Craig, Edward Gordon Craig, James Carew, and Henry Irving are also represented in the collection.

Other material relating to Ellen Terry in the collection include information on her home Smallhythe Place and documents and photographs relating to the Terry family.

Administrative / Biographical History

Ellen Terry was born on 27th February 1847 in Coventry, where her parents were staying in theatre lodgings. The Terry family were strolling players who travelled to theatres across Great Britain to perform. Ellen Terry and her eight brothers and sisters grew up in the theatre, and seven Terry children went on to have careers related to the theatre.

Ellen Terry made her stage debut in 1856 as Mamillius in The Winter's Tale. She regularly appeared on the stage as a child and teenager, although at this point her older sister Kate (1844-1924) was considered the better actress. In 1862 Ellen Terry met the painter George Frederick Watts (1817-1904) who painted a series of pictures of her and Kate Terry. When Ellen Terry was 16 she left the stage midway through the run of Our American Cousin and married the 46-year old Watts on 20 February 1864. The marriage did not last and they separated after just 10 months.

Ellen Terry returned to the stage in 1866 and a year later first acted with Henry Irving (1838-1905) when they were cast as the lead roles in Katherine and Petruchio. Her return to the theatre was brief however, since she began a relationship in 1868 with the architect and designer Edward Godwin (1833-1886), and moved to Hertfordshire to live with him. For a period her parents did not know what had become of her and she only revealed her whereabouts when the body of a young woman was mistakenly identified as her and her parents believed her dead. Since Ellen Terry was still married to Watts she could not marry Godwin, and their children Edith Craig (1869-1947) and Edward Gordon Craig (1872-1966) were illegitimate.

With mounting financial difficulties Ellen Terry accepted an offer to return to the stage in 1874 to play Philippa Chester in The Wandering Heir. Her return to the theatre coincided with the breakdown of her relationship with Godwin, and they separated in 1875. That same year Ellen Terry played Portia in The Merchant of Venice, a role which proved hugely successful for her. Watts divorced Ellen Terry in 1877 and she soon married a fellow actor Charles Wardell (1839-1885), largely to ensure respectability for her children.

In 1878 she gained further success in the title role of Olivia, and later that year was invited to join Henry Irving's company at the Lyceum Theatre as its leading lady. Her first role at the Lyceum was Ophelia to Irving's Hamlet. Ellen Terry and Henry Irving were soon regarded as the leading Shakespearean actors in Great Britain and they achieved huge success in both Shakespeare and non-Shakespeare plays. In 1888 she gained excellent reviews for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth in Macbeth. The Lyceum Company toured extensively in both the UK and America to capacity audiences.

The exact nature of Ellen Terry and Henry Irving's relationship is uncertain. Ellen Terry separated from Charles Wardell in 1881, although they stayed married until his death in 1885, and Henry Irving was long separated from his wife. Irving had a strong bond with both Ellen Terry's children and they regularly travelled together. It is likely that Ellen Terry and Henry Irving were romantically involved for a time but had to conceal this due to the damage it would have caused their careers if knowledge of it became known.

Ellen Terry was an avid correspondent, writing several letters a day to family and friends. She began corresponding with George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) in the 1890s, exchanging hundreds of letters with him over the rest of her life. This correspondence was published after her death.

Ellen Terry's partnership at the Lyceum with Henry Irving came to an end in 1901, although they remained good friends until his death in 1905. She continued to act, playing Mistress Page in Merry Wives of Windsor in 1902 and Hirodis in The Vikings in 1903, amongst other roles. She celebrated her stage jubilee in 1906 when she played Lady Cecily Waynflete in Captain Brassbound's Conversion. Whilst on tour in America in 1907 she married the American actor James Carew (1876-1938), 30 years her junior. This marriage reached an end by 1910, although they stayed friends.

In her later years Ellen Terry gave a series of lecture tours on Shakespeare heroines, travelling to America in 1910 and Australia in 1914. She was in Australia when the First World War broke out and had to rearrange her travel plans in order to get back to Great Britain safely. Consequently she travelled via America where she had to have an operation on her eyes. In 1925 she was made a Dame of the British Empire.

She suffered from poor eyesight as she got older, as well as other ailments and spent most of her time in Smallhythe Place, the cottage in Kent she had bought in 1900, with her daughter Edith Craig living close by. Ellen Terry died at Smallhythe Place on 21st July 1928.

Ellen Terry's daughter Edith Craig had a successful career as a theatre director, producer, costume designer and established her own theatre company The Pioneer Players which was active from 1911 to 1921. She also acted on stage during her youth and was a suffragette. From 1899 until her death she lived with her close friend Christopher St John (1871-1960), and they were joined in 1916 by Clare Atwood (1866-1962). After her mother's death Edith Craig became involved in the publication of several books concerning Ellen Terry's life, including the volume of correspondence between Ellen Terry and George Bernard Shaw. She opened Ellen Terry's home Smallhythe Place to the public and bequeathed it to The National Trust as a memorial to her mother.

Edward Gordon Craig worked as an actor and director but became successful as an influential theatre scenic designer. He spent most of his adult life living in continental Europe. He had an extremely complex personal life, having several children by different women.

Arrangement

Arrangement

The original order of this archive had been lost, therefore it has been arranged into a order that would be of the most use to researchers. The archive has been separated into 48 series:

  • THM/384/1-Correspondence from Ellen Terry to Edith Craig
  • THM/384/2-Correspondence from Ellen Terry to James Carew
  • THM/384/3-Correspondence from Ellen Terry to her family and friends
  • THM/384/4-Correspondence from Edith Craig
  • THM/384/5-Correspondence from Edward Gordon Craig
  • THM/384/6-Correspondence from Henry Irving to Ellen Terry
  • THM/384/7-Correspondence to Ellen Terry from various individuals
  • THM/384/8-Correspondence to Edith Craig from various individuals
  • THM/384/9-Correspondence between Edith Craig, Christopher St John, George Bernard Shaw, and Charlotte Bernard Shaw
  • THM/384/10-Correspondence from George Bernard Shaw to various individuals
  • THM/384/11-Correspondence relating to members of the Terry family
  • THM/384/12-Other correspondence
  • THM/384/13-Material relating to Ellen Terry's life and career
  • THM/384/14-Material relating to Edith Craig's life and career
  • THM/384/15-Material relating to Edward Gordon Craig's life and career
  • THM/384/16-Material relating to James Carew's life
  • THM/384/17-Material relating to Henry Irving's life and career
  • THM/384/18-Material relating to George Bernard Shaw's life and career
  • THM/384/19-Material relating to Clare Atwood and Christopher St John
  • THM/384/20-Belongings of Ellen Terry
  • THM/384/21-Photographs of Ellen Terry relating to her stage career
  • THM/384/22-Photographs of Ellen Terry relating to her personal life
  • THM/384/23-Photographs of Edith Craig
  • THM/384/24-Photographs of Edward Gordon Craig
  • THM/384/25-Photographs of Henry Irving
  • THM/384/26-Photgraphs of the extended Terry family
  • THM/384/27-Photographs of friends and other individuals
  • THM/384/28-Photographs of Smallhythe Place
  • THM/384/29-Photographs of places
  • THM/384/30-Negatives
  • THM/384/31-Prints, drawings and illustrations
  • THM/384/32-Press cuttings relating to Ellen Terry
  • THM/384/33-Press cuttings relating to Edith Craig
  • THM/384/34-Press cuttings relating to Edward Gordon Craig
  • THM/384/35-Press cuttings relating to Henry Irving
  • THM/384/36-Press cuttings relating to the Terry family
  • THM/384/37-Other press cuttings
  • THM/384/38-Ellen Terry autobiographical, biography and legacy material
  • THM/384/39-Henry Irving biography and legacy material
  • THM/384/40-Information regarding the publication of Ellen Terry and George Bernard Shaw, A Correspondence
  • THM/384/41-Terry family history documents
  • THM/384/42-Information relating to Smallhythe Place
  • THM/384/43-Music sheets
  • THM/384/44-Materials relating to the Lyceum Theatre
  • THM/384/43-Essays and criticisms relating to plays and productions
  • THM/384/46-Loose diary and budgeting sheets
  • Papers relating to previous attempts to organise the collection
  • THM/384/48-Unrelated and unidentified material

Conditions Governing Access

Access to some files may be restricted. These are identified at file level.

Conditions Governing Use

Archive material may not be photocopied. Arrangements can be made to photograph material in the search room using non-flash photography.

Acquisition Information

This collection was purchased by the V&A's Department of Theatre & Performance in 2010 from a vendor who wishes to remain anonymous.

Custodial History

This collection had been in the custody of Ellen Terry's family until its purchase.

Archivist's Note

Biographical infromation on Ellen Terry's extended family has been provided at file level.

Related Material

The following files and archive collections relating to Ellen Terry are also held by the V&A's Department of Theatre & Performance:

V&A Department of Theatre & Performance Biographical File: Ellen Terry

V&A Department of Theatre & Performance Production File: Lyceum Theatre

Godwin Collection (THM/3)

Edward Gordon Craig Collection (THM/60)

Edward Gordon Craig/Lindsay Newman Archive (THM/356)

Sir Henry Irving Speeches (THM/206)

Sir Henry Irving Knighthood Memorial Volume (THM/208)

Sir Henry Irving - Bodleian Library Papers (THM/210)

Laurence Irving Archive (THM/37)

Laurence Irving Archive (THM/39)

The following repositories hold material relating to Ellen Terry:

British Library

Smallhythe Place

Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge

Selected Publications

Cockin, Katharine. The Collected Letters of Ellen Terry, Volume 1. Pickering and Chatto, 2010, 288p.

Craig, Edith and St. John, Christopher. Ellen Terry's Memoirs. London Victor Gollancz Ltd, 1933, 359p.

Holroyd, Michael. A Strange Eventful History. London Vintage Books, 2008, 620p., ill.

Melville, Joy. Ellen and Edy, a biography of Ellen Terry and her daughter, Edith Craig, 1847-1947. Pandora Press, 1987, 293p., ill.

Melville, Joy. Ellen Terry. Haus Publishing Limited, 2006, 256p., ill.

St. John, Christopher, ed. Ellen Terry and Bernard Shaw A Correspondence. London Max Reinhardt, 1949, 434p.

Subjects

Theater--Great Britain--History--19th century.
Theater--Great Britain--History--20th century.
Leading ladies (Actresses)--Drama.
Women in the theater--England--London--History--19th century
Women in the theater--England--London--History--20th century.
Actors--Great Britain--Biography.

Personal Names

Craig, Edith. ( 1869-1947)
Gordon Craig, Edward. ( 1872-1966)
Terry, Ellen. Dame ( 1847-1928)
Irving, Henry. Sir ( 1838-1905)
Carew, James. ( 1876-1938)
Bernard Shaw, George. ( 1856-1950)
St. John, Christopher. ( 1871-1960)

Family Names

Terry family.

Corporate Names

Lyceum Theatre -- London, Great Britain

Geographical Names

Smallhythe Place -- Smallhythe, Kent Google Maps

Cataloguing Info

TitleThe Ellen Terry Collection
Sub-titleCatalogue of records in the Victoria and Albert Museum: Theatre & Performance
AuthorCatalogued by Carys Lewis
Revisions

Correspondence from Ellen Terry to Edith Craig

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1
Dates of CreationSept 1884-Apr 1926
Physical Description 47 files

Scope and Content

The material in this series consists of correspondence between Ellen Terry and Edith Craig. The correspondence contains information on the productions and projects Ellen Terry and Edith Craig worked on, details of their daily activities, and news relating to family and friends. The correspondence in this series was originally sent all over the world, in the late 1880s Edith Craig studied in Germany and Ellen Terry wrote to her regularly duing this period, whilst Ellen Terry herself travelled extensively. There are letters from her to Edith Craig from the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to name just a few of the countries from which she wrote to her daughter.

Arrangement

This series has been arranged in chronological order by year where this information is known. Where the date was not known the letters have been studied and arranged by the decade in which they were most likely written. A previous custodian of this collection had previously arranged some of the letters alphabetically in a box file and this order has been retained. Additionally an unknown individual had written dates in pencil on some of the letters, where it is known that they are accurate (i.e. by checking calendars for the years in question) they have been placed in the relevant file. Where they were not accurate or there was no way of knowing if they were correct, they have been placed in the file for the decade of the date.

Correspondence dated 1884

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/1
Dates of CreationSept 17 1884
Physical Description 1 letter

Scope and Content

This letter contains information on Ellen Terry suffering from a bad hand, and that she is missing Edith Craig and looking forward to seeing her again.

Correspondence dated 1887

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/2
Dates of CreationJan 04 1887-June 03 1887
Physical Description 13 letters

Scope and Content

These letters were written to Edith Craig whilst she was studying in Germany. They typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions Ellen Terry was working on. Some of the letters have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1888

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/3
Dates of CreationFeb 24 1888-Dec 29 1888
Physical Description 12 letters

Scope and Content

Most of these letters were written to Edith Craig whilst she was studying in Germany, although one of the letters is addressed to Edith Craig and Edward Gordon Craig and details a trip to Venice with Henry Irving in August 1888. The letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions Ellen Terry was working on, including details on the rehearsals for 'Macbeth'. One of the letters details the expulsion from school of Edward Gordon Craig. Some of the letters were written whilst Ellen Terry was on the Lyceum Company tour of 1888. Some of the letters have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1889

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/4
Dates of CreationJan 03 1889-Dec 29 1889
Physical Description 20 letters

Scope and Content

These letters were written to Edith Craig whilst she was studying in Germany. The letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working, including reactions to the success of 'Macbeth'. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1890

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/5
Dates of CreationJan 05 1890-Feb 19 1890
Physical Description 4 letters

Scope and Content

These letters were written to Edith Craig whilst she was studying in Germany. The letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working.

Correspondence dated 1891

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/6
Dates of CreationApr 1891-Dec 1891
Physical Description 3 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1896

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/7
Dates of CreationApr 02 1896-Sept 22 1896
Physical Description 15 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. One of the letters was originally sent to Ellen Terry by Elizabeth Malleson, and Ellen Terry forwarded it to Edith Craig with a note. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1897

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/8
Dates of CreationMar 03 1897-Dec 14 1897
Physical Description 13 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1898

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/9
Dates of CreationJan 24 1898-Dec 23 1898
Physical Description 29 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. Some of the letters were written by Ellen Terry whilst she was on the Lyceum Company's Provincial Tour of 1898. One of the letters contains a note from Edith Craig to Ellen Terry to which Ellen Terry has responded, verso.

Correspondence dated 1899

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/10
Dates of Creation1899
Physical Description 16 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. Some of the letters were written by Ellen Terry whilst she was on the Lyceum Company's Provincial and American Tour of 1899-1900. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1900

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/11
Dates of CreationJan 02 1900-Nov 18 1900
Physical Description 10 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions on which Ellen Terry was working. Some of the letters were written by Ellen Terry whilst she was on the Lyceum Company's Provincial and American Tour of 1899, and the Lyceum Company's Provincial Tour of 1900. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

Correspondence dated 1901

Reference Number(s)GB 71 THM/384/1/12
Dates of CreationJan 29 1901-Dec 21 1901
Physical Description 3 letters

Scope and Content

These letters typically consist of news of family and friends, and information on productions Ellen Terry was working on. Some of the letters were written by Ellen Terry whilst she was on the Lyceum Company's Provincial Tour of 1901, and whilst she was in America at the end of the year. One of the letters is addressed to both Edith Craig and Edward Gordon Craig. Some of the letters in this file have pages missing.

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