Collection consisting mainly of letters to Kerstin Hegarty by writer Henry Williamson and by Father Brocard Sewell. Including also literary papers concerning the series 'Return to Hell' [annotated drafts and published articles] and the series 'Indian Summer Notebook' [published articles] which were kept with the letters in a leather satchel; Kerstin Hegarty's papers relating to Henry Williamson.
Kerstin Hegarty worked for Henry Williamson in Ilfracombe as a secretary, cook and housekeeper in 1960s. The 164 letters by HW, 1963-1975, give an insight in Henry Williamson's work, including 'Tarka the Otter' and 'A Chronicle of Ancient Sunlight', and personal life, including references to people he knew well like Ronald Duncan and his family and other people like T E Lawrence and Ted Hughes. Some of the letters contain newspaper cuttings, a photograph of young HW as a soldier during war time and one of him in his studio at Ox's Cross, in North Devon, a poem 'Feb 1915'. His journey to France in 1964 is also covered, when he went with Kerstin and a photographer to re-visit the 1914-1918 battle fields after being commissioned to write a series of articles for the 50th anniversary of the First World War, 'Return to Hell'.
The letters by Father Brocard Sewell to Kerstin Hegarty date 1977-1999, after Henry Williamson's death.
Kerstin Hegarty's papers about HW include an essay on HW, which she wrote in 1969, obituaries, hymns and a memorial for Henry Williamson's funeral, a copy of Henry Williamson's portrait by Rose Marie Duncan.