Letters from Henry Reed to Ed and Sharon Leimbacher

A small number of personal letters written by Henry Reed (1914-1986), poet, radio dramatist, translator and journalist. The letters are addressed to Ed and Sharon Leimbacher of Seattle, USA. Each letter was written whilst Henry Reed was living at 9 Upper Montagu Street, London. The letters describe Reed's state of mind during the 1960s, his inability to find satisfying work and his eagerness to leave London and return to work at the University of Washington in Seattle. A number of letters illustrate Reed's wit as well as his complaints about life in London, his health and the weather. The letters also hint at Reed's ongoing struggles with depression, his increasing reclusiveness and his reliance on alcohol. Reed's literary work is rarely mentioned, although the final letter, dated 4 February 1969, briefly mentions his translation of the Italian play 'The Advertisement'.

Ed Leimbacher (b.1943) was a poet in the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes taught by Henry Reed (1914-1986) at the University of Washington in the mid-1960s. During this time Reed held various short term academic appointments at the University: Visiting Professor of Poetry, 1964; Assistant Professor of English, 1965-1966; and Visiting Professor of Poetry, 1967. Reed mentored Leimbacher and the two became friends, often dining together where Reed held forth on matters of literature and poetry. Reed became part of the family: Ed's and Sharon's son, Glenn, affectionately called Reed 'Henny' and Reed was godfather to their daughter, Krista, who was born in 1967. Their connection lasted until the early 1970s. After Reed returned to London he became somewhat reclusive, more reliant on alcohol, aging and ill. Reed discouraged further contact with the Leimbachers (along with other acquaintances) and their friendship effectively ended.

Further details of the life of Henry Reed can be found in MS31.

Sources: letters from Henry Reed to Ed and Sharon Leimbacher; information supplied by the donor, Ed Leimbacher; Critical and biographical information presented on Henry Reed website (http://www.solearabiantree.net) viewed 28 January 2011.

These letters have been arranged in chronological order.

Open. Access to all registered researchers.

Letters presented to Special Collections by Ed Leimbacher in 2009.

Please see full catalogue for more information.

Papers arranged and described by Mark Eccleston, January-February 2011.

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. Special Collections will assist where possible with identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

Full catalogues of the following collections relating to Henry Reed are available for:

MS2: the papers of Walter Allen, a contemporary of Henry Reed during their time at the University of Birmingham in the 1930s;
MS31: papers of Henry Reed;
MS61: papers of, and collected by, John Phillips which relate to Henry Reed;
MS672: letters addressed to Ed and Sharon Leimbacher from Henry Reed;
MS902: a DVD listening and viewing copy of the reminiscences of Michael Ramsbotham, produced in June 2016;
MS969: papers of Alan Michell relating to Henry Reed.

A copy of Jon Stallworthy's book, 'Henry Reed: Collected Poems', Manchester: Carcanet Press, 2007 (shelfmark: r PR 6035.E3). A review of the collection can be found in the Special Collections department's publication 'Research Libraries Bulletin', Number 6, Autumn 1998.

The Shakespeare Institute library holds 'Hilda Tablet and others: four pieces for radio' by Henry Reed, London: British Broadcasting Corporation, 1991 (shelfmark: PR 6035.E4).

Associated Materials
Other isolated material relating to Henry Reed can be found on the University of Reading's Location Register: www.locationregister.com

Five of the letters have been retained with their original air mail envelopes. One letter is partially torn.