Showing 1859 results

Archival description
Dymock Poets Special Collection
Print preview View:

5 results with digital objects Show results with digital objects

Dymock Poets Special Collection

  • DP
  • Collection
  • 1842 - 2022

On the north-west borders of Gloucestershire, in the years immediately prior to the outbreak of the First World War, a literary community was formed which came to represent a significant development in the modern poetic tradition. By August 1914, the poet and playwright Lascelles Abercrombie, Wilfrid Gibson, and the American poet Robert Frost had all taken up residence in and around the village of Dymock. Inspired by the beauty of their surroundings and encouraged by a succession of visitors, including Rupert Brooke, John Drinkwater, Edward Thomas and Eleanor Farjeon, a new literary currency was established during that final summer before the outbreak of war.

Their writings represented a movement away from the prevailing literary idiom, regarded by many as rhetorically ornate and emotionally restricted. Instead the Dymock Poets sought inspiration in natural settings and everyday experiences. In this, and their desire for a more direct, authentic register, their work can be located within the traditions of Wordsworth and the principles set out in Lyrical Ballads.

It was a productive time for all concerned, with four issues of a periodical, New Numbers, being written and printed as a true cottage industry. This period was also to see the emergence of Edward Thomas as a gifted and prolific writer of verse and to lead to Robert Frost’s formation of a new poetic philosophy.

This brief idyll was to prove short lived. Within three years both Brooke and Thomas were dead, Frost had returned to North America, and Abercrombie, Drinkwater and Gibson were involved in war work. Their writings, however, continue to form an important literary legacy to this day.

The institution has actively sought to collect material from various sources that centres on the Dymock Poets (Edward Thomas, Robert Frost, Wilfrid Gibson, Lascelles Abercrombie, John Drinkwater, Rupert Brooke) and related authors such as Eleanor Farjeon. Items are donated or deposited by a wide range of people, including some of the families of the poets. Material has also been deposited by both The Edward Thomas Fellowship and Friends of the Dymock Poets regarding the administration of both societies.

The collection is comprised of original paper-based documents, monographs, journals, articles, photographic material and multi-media. Secondary-source material is catalogued on the University’s library catalogue https://glos.on.worldcat.org/search?sortKey=LIBRARY&databaseList=1080%2C2375%2C3384%2C2272%2C251%2C197%2C1855%2C199%2C1996%2C1875%2C2007%2C233%2C950%2C3313%2C2585%2C217%2C239%2C638%2C2507%2C1715%2C2462%2C2262%2C1271%2C283%2C285%2C143%2C1842%2C2897%2C1621%2C245%2C203%2C3909&queryString=B8%3AGloucestershire&changedFacet=language&overrideStickyFacetDefault=&clusterResults=on&subscope=wz%3A18387%3A%3Azs%3A37348

Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education

"Abraham Lincoln: a play by John Drinkwater"

Re-issue for the informal reading to mark the centenary of the first performance at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre on 19 October 1918. Event held on 19 October 2018 at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham. Richard Simkin's copy, who took part in the reading. Event held alongside performances of the "Quilt Song" opera by Suzie Self

Programme for "Quilt Song" opera by Suzie Self

Inspired by the play "Abraham Lincoln" by John Drinkwater. Performed to mark the centenary of the play's first performance on 19 October 1918 at The Birmingham Repertory Theatre. "Quilt Song" performed on 19 and 20 October 2018 at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham

Copies of letters from Myfanwy Thomas to Alison Brackenbury and Robyn Marsack regarding Edward Thomas and Welsh folksongs

Typescript of letter from Myfanwy Thomas to Robyn Marsack 4 October 2004

Photocopy of letter from Myfanwy Thomas to Alison Brackenbury 4 November 2004

Letter accompanying deposit from Alison Brackenbury 29 November 2016

Digital copies of poems "Letter, 1917", "No 2, Yewtree Cottage", "Visitor" and "Edward Thomas' daughter" by Alison Brackenbury

Digital typescript of script for BBC Radio 3 programme "Singing in the Dark: Back to Brigg Fair" broadcast on 7 July 2006

Brackenbury, Alison

Friends of the Dymock Poets Newsletter Issue 66

Includes Autumn in Malvern festival leaflet 2016; Minutes for the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Dymock Poets 3 October 2015; Booking form and programme for the Annual General Meeting Weekend 2016; Friends of the Dymock Poets Constitution 2016

Administration Series

This series covers the internal administration of the collection, including minutes of the Dymock Poets Archive and Study Centre Advisory Group, events, publicity and the Occasional Papers Series

Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education

Events

Programmes and information for various events including "Edward Thomas and Contemporary Poetry: A One-day Conference" 12 March 2005, the Friends of the Dymock Poets Spring Day 25 March 2006, production of "The Songs I Had... A portrait in scenes and music of the First World War composer Ivor Gurney", "Visions and Thanksgiving: A concert in St Mary's Church, Dymock" 6 October 2012, "The Poetic Voices of John Drinkwater" talk 5 October 2013, "Return to Adlestrop" 24 June 2014, "Dymock 1914 Remembered" 11 - 12 July 2014, "The Dymock Poets and the impact of the First World War: An illustrated talk by Linda Hart" 15 November 2014 and "1914: Songs and poetry of World War I" by The Trench Choir. Includes pencil annotations

Results 1 to 50 of 1859