Papers of Robin Tanner

This collection consists primarily of letters written by Robin Tanner, along with some sketches, collected verses, and draft and final versions of his autobiography and volume of collected letters.

Robin Tanner was born in 1904 in Bristol, England. In 1928, he studied art at Goldsmith's College, London. In 1931, he married Heather Spackman. Between 1935 and 1964 he held the position of HM Inspector of Schools. In 1939, the Tanners registered as conscientious objectors and published Wiltshire Village. He was an artist and produced etchings which were included in many exhibitions. Together with Heather, he published A Country Alphabet (1984) and A Country Book of Days (1986). He published his autobiography, Double Harness, in 1987, and died on 19 May 1988.

Box 1: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, A-C. Box 1: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, A-C. Box 2: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, C-G. Box 2: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, C-G. Box 3: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, H-M. Box 3: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, H-M. Box 4: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to Edith Moorhouse. Box 4: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to Edith Moorhouse. Box 5: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, P-T. Box 5: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, P-T. Box 6: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, T-W, and anthologies of verse and historical letters. Box 6: Facsimile and original letters from Robin Tanner to correspondents, T-W, and anthologies of verse and historical letters. Box 7: Typescript and notes for the 1991 edition of the collected letters of Robin Tanner, pamphlets concerning local nature, and an obituary of Heather Tanner. Box 7: Typescript and notes for the 1991 edition of the collected letters of Robin Tanner, pamphlets concerning local nature, and an obituary of Heather Tanner. Box 8: 3 volumes of manuscript autobiography, entitled Teacher and Etcher, by Robin Tanner, written between c.1972 and 1985. Published in 1987 as Double Harness.

Accessible to all bona fide readers

The papers were deposited in University of Bristol Special Collections by Robin Tanner's family in 1992.

Description compiled by Martin Hall, Assistant Archivist, University of Bristol Special Collections

Typescript catalogue available in University of Bristol Special Collections

Special Collections holds copies of his printed works: Special Collections holds copies of his printed works: Wiltshire Village, Robin Tanner, 1939. Wiltshire Village, Robin Tanner, 1939. Children's Work in Block Printing, Robin Tanner, 1942. Children's Work in Block Printing, Robin Tanner, 1942. The Etcher's Craft, Robin Tanner, 1980. The Etcher's Craft, Robin Tanner, 1980. Robin Tanner, Catalogue of exhibition at City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1980. Robin Tanner, Catalogue of exhibition at City of Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, 1980. Double Harness, Robin Tanner, 1987. Double Harness, Robin Tanner, 1987. A Country Book Of Days, Heather & Robin Tanner, 1988. A Country Book Of Days, Heather & Robin Tanner, 1988. The More Angels Shall I Paint, Robin Tanner, 1991. The More Angels Shall I Paint, Robin Tanner, 1991. From Old Chapel Field, Robin Tanner, 1991.

Permission must be obtained from the University of Bristol Special Collections

The letters were collected by Heather Tanner and Dietrich Hanff (their adopted son) after Robin Tanner's death, and a selection were published in From Old Chapel Field.

No further accruals expected