Raymond Williams Papers,

The collection comprises: papers relating to Raymond Williams's published works, 1958-1990, including working papers, draft and final typescripts, notebooks and files containing outlines of books, page proofs, and a small quantity of correspondence, some with Mrs Joy Williams; papers relating to Raymond Williams's unpublished works, 1948-1980s, including parts of novels, various notes and jottings.

Raymond Williams (1921-1988) was a social historian, critic and novelist born in Y Pandy, Monmouthshire, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge where his studies were interrupted by war service. He returned to Cambridge after the war and was later appointed staff tutor with the Oxford University Extra-Mural Delegacy. In 1961 he was elected Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. His volumes Culture and Society (1958) and The Long Revolution (1966) brought him considerable recognition as a cultural historian. He engaged in political activity throughout his life, was very close to the 'New Left' position in Britain, having resigned from the Labour Party in 1966. He served as Professor of Drama at Cambridge from 1974 until his retirement in 1983. He published a large number of books and articles and was a frequent contributor to the New Welsh Review. He also published an important trilogy of novels, namely Border County (1960), Second Generation (1964) and The Fight for Manod (1979). Several of his works, some important, were published posthumously.

Arranged as follows: papers relating to Raymond Williams's published works; papers relating to Raymond Williams's unpublished works.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions noted on the 'Modern papers - data protection' form issued with their Readers' Tickets.

Dr Merryn Williams; Wootton, Bedfordshire; Donation; 1991

Raymond Williams (1921-1988) was a social historian, critic and novelist born in Y Pandy, Monmouthshire, and was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge where his studies were interrupted by war service. He returned to Cambridge after the war and was later appointed staff tutor with the Oxford University Extra-Mural Delegacy. In 1961 he was elected Fellow of Jesus College, Cambridge. His volumes Culture and Society (1958) and The Long Revolution (1966) brought him considerable recognition as a cultural historian. He engaged in political activity throughout his life, was very close to the 'New Left' position in Britain, having resigned from the Labour Party in 1966. He served as Professor of Drama at Cambridge from 1974 until his retirement in 1983. He published a large number of books and articles and was a frequent contributor to the New Welsh Review. He also published an important trilogy of novels, namely Border County (1960), Second Generation (1964) and The Fight for Manod (1979). Several of his works, some important, were published posthumously.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available at the National Library of Wales.

August 2006.

Compiled by J. Graham Jones for the ANW project. The following source was used in the compilation of this description: NLW, List of the Raymond Williams Papers; Meic Stephens (ed.), The New Companion to the Literature of Wales (Cardiff, 1998);

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records presented to the National Library have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Further papers, 1931-1988, including correspondence, drafts of works and notebooks, are held at Swansea University Archives.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales