Violet Van der Elst - Writing and Compositions

This material is held atHarlaxton Manor Archives

Scope and Content

  • vde/2/1 List of Van der Elst writing. See also: Index to Science Fiction Anthologies and Collections http://www.philsp.com/homeville/isfac/d163.htm#A5142 [accessed 23/03/2017]
  • vde/2/2 Copy of the cover of The Torture Chamber (1937). (Colour inkjet copy)
  • vde/2/3 Advertisement for On the Gallows from Grantham Journal, September 17, 1938
  • vde/2/4 Extract from On the Gallows. Chapter 4 and 5, p. 76-95. 2 copies
  • vde/2/5 Copy of cover for The Brain Master. (Monochrome, poor quality)
  • vde/2/6 My Travels . Copy of cover (monochrome, poor quality), and first page.
  • vde/2/7 The compositions of Violet Van der Elst . Doge Press. Information about copy held in Grantham Public Library L.786.4. Various images from book.
  • vde/2/8 Van der Elst, Mrs. My struggle. Picture Post, September, 1939. (Photocopy, original copy held in archives)
  • vde/2/9 Scan of On the Gallows book dedication, Violet Van der Elst, Sep 28, 1942. Provenance: Bruce Allen, January 2015.
  • vde/2/10 Copies of 3 x book covers: Mummy comes to life;The Satanic Power; Torture Chamber

Administrative / Biographical History

Mrs. Van der Elst composed over 100 symphonies, concertos and preludes, which were collected and bound into a book (copy held in archives). Because Van der Elst could not play the piano, she hummed her tunes and hired professional composers to write them down. Van der Elst also wrote several books of fiction including The Torture Chamber and Other Stories, a collection of ghost stories, and pieces tied to her activism such as the book, On the Gallows (both dated 1937) and articles in her own newspaper, Humanity .

Access Information

By appointment

Location of Originals

Reference only.

  • Van Der Elst, V. (1937) Collected Works Composed by Violet Van der Elst. [Music] 1st edn. London: The Doge Press. (copy held in archives, shelf 5)
  • Van Der Elst, V. (1937) On the gallows. London: Dodge Press. (R12709, R28020; 3 copies including 1 signed held in archives, glass bookcase)
  • Van Der Elst, V. (1937) The torture chamber, and other stories, with some personal reminiscences. London: Doge Press. (R22154 signed copy held in archives, glass bookcase)
  • Gattey, C.N. (1972) The incredible Mrs Van der Elst. London: Frewin. (R12698 copy held in archives, glass bookcase)
  • Van der Elst, Violet (1937). Collected works 1st album. London: Doge Press. (R26170 copy of original held in archives)