Papers of John Davidson

Photocopies of manuscript poems in the John Davidson Collection, Princetown University Library

John Davidson was born in Barrhead, Renfrewshire on 11 April 1857, the son of Rev. Alexander Davidson, a minister of the Evangelical Union. From 1879 - 1889 he taught, initially as a pupil teacher, at various schools in Greenock, Glasgow, Paisley and Perthshire, but in 1890 moved to London, where he became well established as a poet and playwright. He had already begun writing reviews and articles in the Glasgow Herald and the Speaker before his poetry began to attract attention, and from the late 1880s until his death in 1909, published many works, including Bruce: a Chronicle Play (1886); Smith: a Tragic Farce (1888); The Great Men, In a Music Hall and other poems (1891); The Triumph of Mamon (1907); and Mamon and his Message (1908). For further details see Who Was Who 1897 - 1916, p 183.

None observed - listing in process

Open, subject to signature accepting conditions of use at reader registration sheet

This collection was acquired by a research student engaged in a thesis on Davidson's works, and purchased by the University in Feb 1969

Very brief collection level description available on Aberdeen University Library Catalogue, accessible online http://www.abdn.ac.uk/diss/library/

Not known

Subject to the condition of the original, copies may be supplied for private research use only on receipt of a signed undertaking to comply with current copyright legislation.

Permission to make any published use of material from the collection must be sought in advance from the Head of Special Libraries and Archives (e-mail: speclib@abdn.ac.uk) and, where appropriate, from the copyright owner. Where possible, assistance will be given in identifying copyright owners, but responsibility for ensuring copyright clearance rests with the user of the material.

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

No accruals expected

Deposited in British repositories Letters to William Archer, 1894 - 1905 (British Library, Manuscript Collections: Add MS 45291) Letters to William Archer, 1894 - 1905 (British Library, Manuscript Collections: Add MS 45291) Letters to George Bernard Shaw, 1901 - 1908 (British Library, Manuscript Collections: Add MS 50533) Letters to George Bernard Shaw, 1901 - 1908 (British Library, Manuscript Collections: Add MS 50533) Letters to John Lane, 1894 - 1908 (National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division: MSS 3356-57) Letters to John Lane, 1894 - 1908 (National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division: MSS 3356-57) Letters (15) to various publishers, 1893 - 1901 (National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division: MS 20437) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Letters (15) to various publishers, 1893 - 1901 (National Library of Scotland, Manuscripts Division: MS 20437) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Letters (13) to Charles Elkin Mathews, 1892 - 1894 (Reading University Library: MS392/1/1) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Letters (13) to Charles Elkin Mathews, 1892 - 1894 (Reading University Library: MS392/1/1) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Letters (10) to Edmund Gosse, 1895 - 1901 (Leeds University, Brotherton Library: Library Publications no 3) (NRA 9840 Gosse)

Deposited in American repositories Correspondence and literary papers (Pierpont Morgan Library) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Correspondence and literary papers (Pierpont Morgan Library) (see Location register of 20th century English literary MSS 1988) Correspondence, literary MSS and papers (3 boxes) (Princeton University Library) (see NUC MS 61-840) Correspondence, literary MSS and papers (3 boxes) (Princeton University Library) (see NUC MS 61-840) Correspondence (c100 items) with John Lane (University of Texas at Austin: Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center Library) (NRA 23022 Lane)

Details of published works have not been established

Original records in Princeton University Library