Personal and research papers of John Lloyd

Assorted correspondence, research notes and notebooks, mainly relating to book collecting and Chaucer. Also includes some postcards, family and university-related photographs, as well as caption cards for items presumably on exhibition/display. Also includes old school magazines and old university publications.

The three boxes include a file of notes relating to research on Geoffrey Chaucer, a folder entitled 'Dr Richard Farmer, 1735-1797: Shakespearean and Bibliophile', a typescript of an untitled novel, a blank notebook, a notebook entitled 'Chaucer, Richard Farmer', a notebook entitled 'On the study of Chaucer', a notebook with writings on English literature, a folder entitled 'The College, Swindon, Subject: Electricity', inscribed by R.F. Heigham, Jan 1938, with the contents including a list of proverbs, a copy of 'The Boltonian: Bolton School Magazine', Dec 1955, containing a description of a cricket match on pages 41-42, with mention of Lloyd, a copy of 'The Emmanuel College Magazine', XXXIX, 1956-1957, a copy of 'Emmanuel College, Cambridge', 'List of Members', 1959, a folder containg various correspondence and photographs, an envelope containing library catalogue cards, and a box containing three glass negative photographic plates with two images of violins.

Lloyd, Leslie John (1907-1975); was Librarian of the University College of the South West, later to become the University of Exeter, from 1946 until his retirement in 1972. He was educated at Bolton School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He joined the University College of the South West as a lecturer in English in 1930.

Lloyd held a 'high conception of the place of the library in a university', believing a library should 'have showcases full of manuscripts and specimens of fine binding' and that 'paintings, drawings and prints, sculpture and ceramics should greet the visitor' (see 'The University of Exeter: A History', by Brian William Clapp, published in 1982). Lloyd was responsible for the Library during a period in which it acquired a great many of the rare books now located in the Rare Books Collection, and he also oversaw the arrival of the first groups of literary papers, from R.D. Blackmore and Henry Williamson, which cemented the Library's commitment to collecting the archives of writers associated with the South West of England.

His publications include:

'John Skelton: a sketch of his life and writings', 1938.

'Adventures in book collecting', 'Book Handbook', vol 2 (1951-52), p 105-110.

'A Chaucer selection', 1952.

'The English traveller', 1953.

'Exeter and District', 'The House of Whitbread: magazine of the Whitbread Group', Spring 1956.

'Leofric of Exeter', 1972.

'Exeter Cathedral: a short history and description' (by Vyvyan Hope and John Lloyd), 1973.

'Dr Richard Farmer, 1735-97: portrait of a bibliophile XXI', The Book Collector, vol 26, no 4, Winter 1977.

Usual EUL arrangements apply.

This collection was bequeathed to Exeter University Library by John Lloyd's widow.

Unlisted.

Description created by Rob Ford, 2 Apr 2007. Revised by Christine Faunch 11 Aug 2010.

Usual EUL restrictions apply.

John Lloyd's rare book collection is held in Exeter University Library, Special Collections. The collection is fully catalogued and entries appear on the University Library's online catalogue.