Autograph manuscripts of poems by John Betjeman, together with a typed letter from his secretary

This material is held atUniversity of Leeds Special Collections

  • Reference
    • GB 206 Elliott Collection MS Betjeman
  • Dates of Creation
    • ca. 1966
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
    • English
  • Physical Description
    • 2 items, held in 2 vols; manuscript and typescript. Item (1) is held in transparent plastic envelopes within an olive green custom-made case bearing on the spine the gilt lettering 'John Betjeman/ Poetical drafts'; (2) is held inside Mount Zion, or In touch with the infinite, by Betjeman.

Scope and Content

Comprises the following items: (1) Autograph manuscript drafts of Betjeman's poems 'Monody on the death of Aldersgate Street Station', 'Thoughts on The diary of a nobody', and 'Felixstowe or The last of her order' (n.d.); and (2) Typed letter from Lee Sturgeon, Betjeman's secretary (1966), held with a copy of Betjeman's printed book Mount Zion, or In touch with the infinite (1931) and addressed to Dick Hansen, an earlier owner of it.

Administrative / Biographical History

Sir John Betjeman (1906-1984), the poet laureate, writer on architecture, and broadcaster. For fuller details of his life and achievements see the Dictionary of National Biography.

Access Information

Access is unrestricted.

Acquisition Information

The gift of Fay and Geoffrey Elliott, 2002.

Note

In English.

Other Finding Aids

The Betjeman items, both manuscript and printed, are described in greater detail in the Library's handlist of the Fay and Geoffrey Elliott Collection (handlist 148) http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/handlists/148Elliott.pdf

Additional Information

The Betjeman section of the Elliott Collection also contains printed items, which are catalogued separately.