John Betjeman fonds
| Record No. | SC015 |
| Main Entry | Betjeman, John, 1906-1984 |
| Title | John Betjeman fonds |
| Dates | 1913-1986 |
| Physical Description | 24 m of textual records. |
| Bio/Admin History | John Betjeman was a poet, journalist, free-lance writer, architectural commentator, broadcaster, and television personality who was popular in England in the 1960s and 1970s and was active in the campaigning for the preservation of churches, buildings and landscape. He was knighted in 1969 and became poet laureate in 1972. During his time at Oxford University, Betjeman's active social life included writers such as Evelyn Waugh, Bryan Guiness, Graham Greene, and W.H. Auden. He married Penelope Chetwood in 1933; and travelled extensively in Europe, North America and the Middle East between 1948 and 1975 giving lectures, slide shows and readings. He was an officer and patron of more than 40 organizations, including Royal Commissions of Fine Art and of Historic Monuments. With all his public exposure, he became Britain's most popular poet by 1962, when his "Collected Poems" sold more than 100,000 copies. His poetry publisher throughout most of his career was John Murray. |
| Scope and Content | The fonds consists of correspondence, published and unpublished literary works, notebooks, sketchbooks, desk diaries, financial accounts and agreements, and ephemera. Correspondents include family and friends, professional and business associates, and aspiring poets and fans. Many letters include enclosures such as pamphlets, manuscripts, drawings, reports, plans, contracts, scripts, clippings, and bills. The correspondence series include occasional replies from Betjeman. Major correspondents (more than 35 letters) include: J.R. Ackerly, John Arlott, Betjeman family, John Edward Bowle, Maurice Bowra, B.B.C., Bryan House School, Hugh Casson, Leonard Clark, William Clonmore, J.N. Comper, Patrick Cullinan, Curtis Brown, Daily Telegraph, Tom Driberg, T.S. Eliot, Frederick Etchells, Faber and Faber, Peter Fleetwood-Hesketh, The Georgian Group, Grand Opera Productions, Great Britain Department of Environment, Great Britain Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Greater London Council, Ken Griffiths, Samuel Gurney, David Higham Associates, Bevis Hillier, Historic Churches Preservation Trust, Helen Holmes, Edward James, Wilfrid Jarvis, Oliver Kenross, G.A. Kolkhurst, Osbert Lancaster, Brazley Mitchell, John Murray Publishers, National Association of Alms Houses, National Trust, Edmund and Margaret Penning-Rowsell, John and Myfanwy Piper, Percy Popkin, Alan Pryce-Jones, Ann Reed, Royal Fine Art Commission, Camilla Russell, Martyn Skinner, John Sparrow, The Spectator, Olivar Stonar, John Summerson, Geoffrey Taylor, Time and Tide, Victorian Society, Evelyn Waugh, Keith Wedmore, Weekend Telegraph, and Mary Wilson. |
| Title Source | Title based on the contents of the fonds. |
| Finding Aids | Card files exist for most of the fonds, but only approximately one-half of the correspondents. |
| Online Finding Aids | Betjeman Concordance Betjeman Correspondence Betjeman MS Poems Betjeman MS Prose |
| Restrictions | |
| Notes | |
| Provenance | Betjeman, John, 1906-1984 |
| Repository | University of Victoria Libraries Special Collections |
| Subject Headings | Ackerley, J. R. (Joe Randolph), 1896-1967 Architecture, Modern--19th century--England Arlott, John Authors and publishers--Great Britain Betjeman, John, 1906-1984 Bowle, John Bowra, C. M. (Cecil Maurice), 1898-1971 British Broadcasting Corporation Brown, Curtis, 1866-1945 Bryan House School Casson, Hugh Maxwell, Sir, 1910-1999 Clark, Leonard Comper, Ninian, 1864-1960 Cullinan, Patrick Daily telegraph (London, England) David Higham Associates Driberg, Tom, 1905-1976 Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965 Etchells, Frederick, 1886-1973 Faber and Faber Fleetwood-Hesketh, Peter, 1905-1985 Georgian Group (London, England) Grand Opera Productions Great Britain. Dept. of the Environment Great Britain. Ministry of Housing and Local Government Great Britain. Royal Fine Art Commission Greater London Council Griffiths, Ken Gurney, Samuel Hillier, Bevis, 1940- Historic Churches Preservation Trust (Great Britain) Holmes, Helen, 1876-1972 James, Edward Frank Willis, 1907-1984 Jarvis, Wilfrid John Murray (Firm) Kenross, Oliver Kolkhorst, G. A. (George Alfred), 1897-1958 Lancaster, Osbert, 1908-1986 Literature Mitchell, Brazley Motion pictures National Association of Alms Houses National Trust (Great Britain) Newspapers--Great Britain Penning-Rowsell, Edmund. Penning-Rowsell, Margaret Piper, John, 1903-1992 Poetry, Modern--20th century--England Poets, English--20th century--Biography Poets, English--20th century--Manuscripts Popkin, Percy Pryce-Jones, Alan, 1908-2000 Reed, Ann Russell, Camilla Skinner, Martyn Sparrow, John Hanbury Angus, 1906-1992 Spectator (London, 1828- ) Stonor, Oliver, 1903- Summerson, John, 1904-1992 Taylor, Geoffrey, 1900-1956 Television Broadcasting--England Time & tide (London, England) Victorian Society Waugh, Evelyn, 1903-1966 Wedmore, Keith Weekend Telegraph Wicklow, William Cecil James Philip John Paul Howard, Earl of, 1902-1978 Wilson, Mary, 1916- |
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