Papers of Sir Hugh Willatt (1909-1996), solicitor and arts administrator, relating to theatre and the performing arts, 1843-1995

The collection comprises:

• Papers relating to the English Stage Company Limited and the Royal Court Theatre. The papers include correspondence, and copies of council minutes and agenda papers. 1976-1992;
• Papers relating to the National Opera Studio. The papers include correspondence, and copies of minutes and agenda papers. 1987-1988;
• Papers relating to the Nottingham Theatre Trust Limited and the Nottingham Playhouse comprising mainly printed reports and accounts. 1976-1990;
• Correspondence and other papers relating to a visit to Nottingham made by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Committee in 1959 to investigate arts provision. 1959;
• Correspondence and other papers relating to Sir Hugh's investment in the staging of the plays, Serious Money (1987), The Normal Heart (1986), and The Mystery of Edwin Drood (1987). 1986-1987;
• Typescript play scripts of 'Scenes from a voyage to India' by John Harrison and 'the Crush of Victory' by Anthony Steven. c.1970s;
• Printed programmes for theatrical, dance and musical performances at venues in the UK and abroad. The Nottingham Theatre Royal, Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham Empire, Oxford Playhouse, Oxford New Theatre, London Royal Court Theatre, London Mermaid Theatre, National Theatre, and Royal Opera House are the best represented. Programmes from performances by the Riverside Studios and Royal Shakespeare Company are also numerous. 1843-1995;
• Printed theatre listings, play bills and programmes for drama and music festivals in the UK and abroad. The festivals include: Malvern, York, Chichester, Elsinore, Dubrovnik and Glyndeborne, 1930s-1970s;
• Magazines and brochures relating to aspects of the performing arts. 1900-1988;
• Newspaper cuttings and other typescript and printed items relating to performances in the Middle East and Italy. Early 1940s;
• Assorted other personal items including membership cards for the Nottingham Philodramatic Society and Playgoers' Club, 1920s-1950s.

Hugh Willatt was born on 25 April 1909 and was educated at Repton School and Pembroke College, Oxford. After attaining his degree, Willatt joined the family firm of solicitors, Hunt, Dickens and Willatt in Nottingham and became a partner. From an early age, Willatt had a passion for theatre, both as a theatregoer and as an amateur dramatist. He returned to these interests in Nottingham after serving with the RAF in the Middle East and Italy during the Second World War. He campaigned indefatigably for a new theatre building in Nottingham to serve the Playhouse - a goal finally achieved in the opening of Nottingham playhouse in 1963.

For his contribution to the cultural life of Nottingham, Willatt was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree in 1961 by The University of Nottingham. He left Nottingham in 1959 to join the firm of Silkin and Partners (solicitors) in London.

In 1960, Hugh Willatt became chairman of the Arts Council drama panel and then, in 1968, secretary general of the Arts Council itself. He retired from this post in 1975 and was knighted for his services to the arts. His involvement in the arts continued and he became chairman of the National Opera Studio, the Ballet Rambert, the Nottingham Theatre Trust, and the Riverside Studios, Hammersmith. He was also a member of the boards of the National Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre and a trustee of Shakespeare's Birthplace. He married the artist, Evelyn Gibbs, in 1945. They had no children. Sir Hugh Willatt died on 18 October 1986.

The collection has been divided by document type into sections. Within these sections, items have been arranged chronologically.

ACCESS: Pending full cataloguing, access to the collection is limited and is possible only for registered users by advance notice and agreement.

LANGUAGE: English

This description is the only finding aid available for the collection and copyright on the description belongs to The University of Nottingham. Listing of the theatre ephemera is almost complete and may be available for consultation with advance notice.

REPROGRAPHIC: Reprographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on access status and the condition of the documents.

COPYRIGHT: Permission to make published use of any material from this collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but this can be difficult and the responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the person wishing to publish.

The library of Sir Hugh Willatt was given to The University of Nottingham in 1996. The manuscript material and theatre programmes were transferred to The University of Nottingham's Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections in October 1999.

• The University of Nottingham: ; Printed books on the subject of theatre and the performing arts.