Helm Papers

Papers of Alex Helm, c1950-1970, comprising manuscript notebooks and working papers for the published works 'A Geographical Index of the Ceremonial Dance in Great Britain', 'English Ritual Drama, a Geographical Index', and 'The Chapbook Mummers' Plays'; typescript drafts for lectures and unpublished works; material for proposed publication on English traditional ceremonial costume, includes photographs; correspondence; collected source and published material; and offprints of related published works of co-authors.

Alex Helm was a writer and Fellow of the Folklore Society. Starting in 1955, he collected together material relating to British folk drama, which he hoped to publish as a complete geographical index. Later, joined by Dr E C Cawte and N Peacock, Helm produced the first part of this work, 'A Geographical Index of the Ceremonial Dance in Great Britain', in 1960, and the second, 'English Ritual Drama, a Geographical Index', in 1967.

Open

The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.

Bequeathed to University College London Library in 1970 and received in two deposits in 1975 and 1980.

A detailed catalogue is available on the online catalogue.

Normal copyright restrictions apply.