Literary manuscripts of David Jones, with manuscript drafts of In Parenthesis: Seinnyessit e gledyf ym penn mameu; The Anathemata: Fragments of an attempted writing; Epoch and Artist: Selected writings by David Jones; The Sleeping Lord and other fragments; The Dying Gaul and other writings, and The Roman Quarry and other sequences. There is a substantial body of letters to David Jones from friends, editors and others, 1910-1976; draft letters from David Jones to friends, newspaper editors and others, 1929-1982; and letters by David Jones, 1919-1985, published in Dai Greatcoat: A self-portrait of David Jones in his letters. There are some examples of David Jones' art, and material relating to David Jones as an artist, as well as personal documents, financial papers, family papers, photographs, and accumulated research material.
Fifty-three letters and cards, 1948-1974, from the artist and writer David Jones to Saunders Lewis, discussing his creative work, the Welsh language, aspects of Welsh and Classical antiquity and literature, the Roman Catholic faith and culture in general. Drawing on f. 51 and inscriptions on ff. 10-13, 29 verso, 36 verso, 44 verso. Also included are three letters, 1937, from David Jones to Margaret Lewis, written during her husband's imprisonment (ff. 91-3 verso) and a copy of a speech by David Jones, delivered in absentia when he was awarded the honorary degree of DLitt by the University of Wales in 1960 (ff. 21-7).
Photocopies of some fifty letters, 1931-1944, from the artist and writer David Jones (1895-1974) to the artist H.S. Ede ('Jim' Ede, 1895-1990), including manuscript and typescript autobiographical accounts by David Jones. The originals (L.9.1977-L.60.1977) are held at Kettle's Yard, Cambridge, founded by Jim Ede in 1957.
Six letters, 1969-1972, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Colin Hughes concerning the attack made by the 38th (Welsh) Division on Mametz Wood, 1916, in which David Jones took part, and the re-creation by him of the attack in part 7 of his In Parenthesis (London, 1937). The recipient quotes from these letters in his short study entitled David Jones, The man who was on the field: 'In Parenthesis' as straight reporting (Manchester: The David Jones Society, 1979).
Seven letters and a postcard, 1953, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Elwyn Evans, principally concerning the arrangements for broadcasting 'Wales and the Crown', a radio talk by David Jones (see David Jones, Epoch and Artist, ed. Harman Grisewood (London, 1959), pp. 39-48); with some related papers, 1953-1962.
Over a hundred letters, 1901-1991, of miscellaneous provenance from twentieth-century Anglo-Welsh writers to various recipients; the correspondents include Gillian Clarke (10, and three poems) 1986-1988, Rhys Davies (10) 1928-1929, 1975-1978, W. H. Davies (13, together with press cuttings, 1905-1950s, and four printed poems) [1909x1913]-1925, David Jones (8) 1960-1973, John Cowper Powys (7) 1927-1953, Dylan Thomas (10) 1938-1952, Edward Thomas (7) 1901-1912, Gwyn Thomas (2) 1952-1953, R. S. Thomas (6) 1956-1960 and Vernon Watkins (5) 1962-1966.
Thirty-three letters and cards, 1926-1929, 1954-1965, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Douglas Cleverdon. The earlier series (ff. 1-37) concerns David Jones's engravings on copper for the edition of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner published by Douglas Cleverdon in 1929.
Letters from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to Maurice Percival (11 and a postcard), 1950-1972, and Mrs R. H. Cobb (3), 1953, some embellished with inscriptions (ff. 1-23); together with autograph prose draft and notes (ff. 24-27).
Letters to Rachel Bromwich from David Jones, artist and writer (3) 1961-1965, together with a copy of Agenda, vol. 4, no. 1 (April-May 1965), containing David Jones's poem The Hunt, with notes and corrections in the author's hand, and from Colin Wilcockson, Cambridge (2) 1974, one enclosing a copy of a letter, 1974, from David Jones (ff. 39-46).
Thirty-four letters from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to Petra Tegetmeier, 1930-1970, mostly 1930-1935, including letters from Egypt in 1934. Drawings on ff. 24, 35v, 36 and 54; inscriptions on ff. 28 ('Exsultet iam angelica turba ...') and 53 ('Gloria in excelsis ...').
Twenty letters, 1964-74, from David Jones (1895-1974), artist and writer, to the archaeologist Nancy K. Sandars. As well as containing references to his work, the letters discuss a range of topics including the history and prehistory of Wales.
Five letters, 1949-51, from David Jones to Mildred Mary Ede, mother of Jim Ede, founder of Kettle's Yard, Cambridge. The letters refer mainly to the painting 'Vexilla Regis' purchased by Mrs Ede and now at Kettle's Yard. Also included is a letter, 1951, from David Baxandall of the Manchester City Art Gallery, concerning a proposed exhibition.
Ten letters, 1953-1964, from David Jones, artist and writer, to the painter and engraver Richard Shirley Smith and his artist wife Juliet Wood, mostly written, 1960-1961, while the latter were abroad studying in Italy. The letters, containing comments on David Jones's work and that of the recipients, were published in a limited edition, David Jones, Ten Letters ..., ed. by Derek Shiel (London: Agenda Editions, 1996); copy no. 1/150 was acquired with the letters and is filed with them.
Nine letters and one card, 1953-1967, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Stuart Piggott (d. 1996), Abercromby Professor of Prehistoric Archaeology, University of Edinburgh, 1946-77 (ff. 1-11); together with a photocopy, 1996, of a journal entry by the latter, 16 June 1967, describing a visit to David Jones (ff. 12-14).
A letter, November 1954 (dated 'Calan Gaeaf MCMLIV' [1 November 1954] but completed at a later date), and decorated with a coloured inscription, from the artist and writer David Jones to the dramatist, poet and critic Saunders Lewis. The letter contains personal news and refers to the Lewis's contribution to a radio broadcast about David Jones transmitted on the Welsh Home Service, 29 October 1954 (see NLW, Alun Oldfield-Davies Papers 27 for a copy of the script).
Five letters, 1942-1943, from the artist and writer David Jones to the art historian and critic Robin Ironside, relating to the preparation of Ironside's illustrated booklet David Jones (Harmondsworth, 1949). Jones discusses painting from nature and the selection of paintings for the volume. A sketch of a balcony view is on f. 4.
