Letters of Marie Corelli

Five letters written by Marie Corelli and addressed to Violet Severn at Brantwood [on Coniston Water]. Letters dated 22 December 1906 to 2 May 1910. With four accompanying envelopes.

Mary Mackay (1855-1924), known by her pseudonym Marie Corelli, was an English novelist who lived at Mason Croft in Stratford-upon-Avon from 1901 until her death.

The artist John Ruskin (1819-1900) used to own Brantwood on Lake Coniston. Ruskin was friends with the artist Arthur Severn (1842-1931), Violet's father, who inherited Ruskin's house and also was married to Ruskin's neice. Marie Corelli had a close relationship with Arthur Severn, writing daily letters to him from 1906 to 1917 and sometimes communicating in babyish language. She called him 'Pendragon'. Arthur Severn stayed at Mason Croft, using a room as his studio and Marie Corelli visited him at Brantwood. It is said that her novel 'The Life Everlasting' features a disguised version of Severn.

Open to all registered researchers.

Donated January 2022

A full catalogue of the collection can be found at:
https://calmview.bham.ac.uk/TreeBrowse.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&field=RefNo&key=XDSH33

Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Director of Special Collections (email: special-collections@contacts.bham.ac.uk). Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. The Shakespeare Institute Library: Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Marie Corelli's letters to Arthur Severn are at the University of Detroit, she destroyed his letters to her after their relationship broke down.