The Papers of John Davy Hayward

The collection contains papers relating to Hayward's editions of works by Jonathan Swift and others; some of his own writings and broadcasts; bibliographical papers; and correspondence.

John Davy Hayward was born on 2nd February 1905. He was educated at Gresham's School and in France before coming up to King's in 1923. He studied English and Modern Languages; during his time at King's he edited the 'Collected Works of the Earl of Rochester', published while he was still an undergraduate. After graduation in 1927 he lived in London, working as an editor, critic, anthologist and bibliographer. He edited many of Jonathan Swift's works. He shared a house with close friend T. S. Eliot for 11 years from 1946, acting as his critic and gathering together his papers - Hayward styled himself 'Keeper of the Eliot Archive'. Their friendship lapsed on Eliot's surprise marriage to his secretary in 1957. Hayward suffered from muscular dystrophy from his undergraduate days; he died in 1965, a few months after Eliot. He bequeathed his collection of Eliot's papers to King's College.

For further biographical information about John Davy Hayward, the reader is directed to the obituary of John Davy Hayward in 'King's College Annual Report', 1965, pp. 30-33.

These papers are available for consultation at King's College, Cambridge, four days a week most of the year, by appointment only. For further details or to make an appointment please email archivist@kings.cam.ac.uk

The Hayward papers were given to King's College by Mrs Diana Oakley (nee Hayward) in 1965.

A full catalogue of The Papers of John Davy Hayward is available as an html document on the University's Janus website.

All enquiries concerning copyright in the published and unpublished writings of John Davy Hayward should be directed in the first instance to The Archivist, King's College, Cambridge, CB2 1ST.