Idris Foster Papers,

Papers of Sir Idris Foster comprising correspondence; personal papers, 1953-1978; papers, 1963-1978, relating to the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries; radio and television scripts, [1949x1984]; notes and correspondence relating to his work on `Culhwch ac Olwen', including copies of his MA thesis, 1935-1961; scholarly and academic notes; papers relating to the National Eisteddfod, 1960-1985; material on Ireland and the Irish language, 1958-1982; copies of university dissertations, 1924-[1980]; drafts and typescript versions of articles, lectures and broadcasts received by Foster, 1949-1983; and index slips of Old and Middle Irish and Middle Welsh words; papers relating to the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1947-1978, the University of Wales, 1936-1984, including the Board of Celtic Studies,1955-1975; Jesus College and Oxford University, 1960-1984, the Church in Wales, 1957-1983, archaeological bodies, the Ancient Monuments Board for England and Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, 1960-1985, the National Eisteddfod, 1960-1985, Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg, 1973-1977, and other councils, committees and societies, 1951-1984.

Idris Llewelyn Foster (1911-1984), Celtic scholar, was born in Carneddi, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. After attending Bethesda County School he went to the University College of North Wales, Bangor, graduating in Latin and Welsh, and was awarded a MA in 1935. He spent time in Dublin and Bonn before being appointed Head of the Department of Celtic at the University of Liverpool in 1936. After serving in Naval Intelligence during World War Two he became Jesus Professor of Celtic at Oxford and a Fellow of Jesus College, where he stayed from 1947 until his retirement in 1978. He was noted as a scholar and teacher in the fields of Medieval Welsh and Irish. He wrote on early Welsh poetry and was pre-eminent in the study of Medieval Welsh prose, his most important research being into the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen. He wrote numerous articles and essays and co-edited the volumes Culture and Environment (1963) and Prehistoric and Early Wales (1965). His edition of Culhwch ac Olwen was published posthumously by the University of Wales Press (1992), edited by Rachel Bromwich and D. Simon Evans. He also edited the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1954-1977. He was involved with many organisations and committees, including the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries and Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg. He was Chairman of the Council and President of the Court of the National Eisteddfod, Treasurer and Vice-President of the National Library of Wales, President of the Cambrian Archaeological Association and a member of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales. He was knighted in 1977. Following his retirement he lived in Carneddi and died there in 1984.

Arranged by date of deposit, with original order retained. The correspondence is mainly arranged alphabetically.

Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to sign the 'Modern papers - data protection' form.

Deposited by Idris Foster, 1978. Converted into a donation by his nephew and niece, the Rev. Gareth Foster and Mrs. Sian Thomas, who donated further papers in 1984.

Idris Llewelyn Foster (1911-1984), Celtic scholar, was born in Carneddi, Bethesda, Caernarfonshire. After attending Bethesda County School he went to the University College of North Wales, Bangor, graduating in Latin and Welsh, and was awarded a MA in 1935. He spent time in Dublin and Bonn before being appointed Head of the Department of Celtic at the University of Liverpool in 1936. After serving in Naval Intelligence during World War Two he became Jesus Professor of Celtic at Oxford and a Fellow of Jesus College, where he stayed from 1947 until his retirement in 1978. He was noted as a scholar and teacher in the fields of Medieval Welsh and Irish. He wrote on early Welsh poetry and was pre-eminent in the study of Medieval Welsh prose, his most important research being into the tale of Culhwch ac Olwen. He wrote numerous articles and essays and co-edited the volumes Culture and Environment (1963) and Prehistoric and Early Wales (1965). His edition of Culhwch ac Olwen was published posthumously by the University of Wales Press (1992), edited by Rachel Bromwich and D. Simon Evans. He also edited the Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1954-1977. He was involved with many organisations and committees, including the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries and Cyngor yr Iaith Gymraeg. He was Chairman of the Council and President of the Court of the National Eisteddfod, Treasurer and Vice-President of the National Library of Wales, President of the Cambrian Archaeological Association and a member of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales. He was knighted in 1977. Following his retirement he lived in Carneddi and died there in 1984.

Title supplied from contents of fonds.

A hard copy of a box list is available at the National Library of Wales.

February 2003

Compiled by Rhys Jones for the ANW project. The following sources were used to compile this description: NLW, Rhestr Gryno o Bapurau Idris Foster (Summary List of Idris Foster Papers); Stephens, Meic, Oxford Companion to the Literature of Wales (Oxford, 1986); Evans, D. Ellis, 'Sir Idris Foster' in Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion (1985), pp. 331-336.

Usual copyright regulations apply.

Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained..

Accruals are not expected.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales