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Commonplace book of Phyllis Playter, begun [?1937] but which may contain inserts dating from the 1960s or 1970s. The book contains copied selections of poetry and prose, some from Classical sources, and includes an incomplete prose piece by Phyllis Playter entitled 'Winter in Dorchester' (ff. 1-verso), John Cowper Powys's poem 'Y Wyddfa The Tomb' (ff. 13-verso), 'Poem to JCP By Littleton Alfred October 8, 1948' (ff. 21 verso-22), and poems - one entitled 'Early Spring: New York' - by Gamel Woolsey (ff. 26 verso-27 verso, 28 verso), together with 'Pais Dinogad' (reputedly dating from the 7th century AD) and verses entitled 'Hen Benillion', with English translations (ff. 44 verso - 46). There are also diary entries made by Phyllis Playter for the inclusive dates 4 - 6 January 1937 (ff. 4-5), 'J's List of the attitude of the members of his family to "Our Maker"' (followed by the religious views of John Cowper Powys's siblings (ff. 50 verso-52 verso)), and a bibliography of John Cowper Powys's works (ff. 54-verso). Originally loose in the volume, now inserted at the front, are copies of Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'The Bowl of Roses' and of George Barker's 'Some Confusions' in Phyllis Playter's hand, with some accompanying notes, along with a fragment of an envelope, postmark 2 July 1959, addressed to John Cowper Powys at Blaenau Ffestiniog, with rough memoranda on the back in Phyllis Playter's hand. Also originally loose in the volume are press cuttings, including poetry (now inserted at f. 18) and an envelope containing copied extracts of poetry, a birthday card made out of very thin paper and a stencil-like paper design, a stitched card depicting a cross in an embossed frame, and cut-out pictures (now inserted at f. 39). Remains of dried flowers are inserted between ff. 7 verso and 8 and between ff. 48 verso and 49, and a feather between ff. 19 verso and 20. Ff. 2, 6 verso-7, 12, 14-17 verso, 18 verso-19, 20 verso, 22 verso, 25 verso, 28, 30, 33, 38 verso, 40, 44, 48 verso, 50, 53 verso, 55, 56-verso, 57 verso, and 61 verso are blank.

Forty-nine envelopes, 1924, 1938, 1940, 1943-1946, 1949-1951, 1953-1956, 1961-1962 and indiscernible/missing date, forty-seven of which are addressed to John Cowper Powys and the remaining two to Elwyn Evans (f. 48) and Marian Powys Grey (f. 49). The correspondents include Edgar Lee Masters (6), 1944-1945, Maurice Browne (6), 1945, 1949, 1951, 1953-1954 and missing postmark, [? Francis Llewellyn Powys] (6), 1955-1956, Alyse Gregory (1), 1961, Henry Miller (1), 1962, James Hanley (1), [?1962] and Gamel Woolsey (1), indiscernible date; ff. 27-49 are from unidentified correspondents. The contents of all envelopes have been removed. These items were purchased with the letters contained in NLW MSS 23500-23504C, 23505D and should be considered as part of that collection.

Envelopes addressed to Phyllis Playter from Alyse Gregory (53, 1952-195[?3], 1956-1958, 1960-1967) (ff. 1-53), Gilbert Turner (42, 1954-1955, 1957-1958, 1960, 1963, 1969, 1976) (ff. 54-95), Littleton Charles Powys (17, 1948-1953) (ff. 96-112), [Francis Llewellyn Powys] (12, 1958-1959, 1963-1964, 1974, 1976 and indiscernible/missing postmarks) (ff. 113-122), Gerald Brenan (11, 1968) (ff. 123-133), Gamel Woolsey (1, indiscernible postmark, envelope torn in half) (f. 134), Luis José Bonito Ribeiro (1, [?1976]) (f. 135), Philippa (Katie) Powys (1, [1961]) (f. 136) and John C. Playter (1,1976) (f. 137). The contents of all the envelopes have been removed.

Seven letters, 1929-[post 1963], to Phyllis Playter from Gamel Woolsey and what appears to be a shopping list or order written by Gamel on the back of a torn-off fragment of draft letter, also in her hand. The letters contain mainly personal news and news of family and friends, together with Gamel's response on reading John Cowper Powys's Porius and Wolf Solent. Enclosed with one of the letters is a poem dated May 1929 by John Cowper Powys addressed to Gamel Woolsey and copied out in her hand.

Letters to John Cowper Powys arranged alphabetically, S-W. The correspondents are as follows: Elisabeth Schoen (3), 1957-1958, 1962 (with enclosed printed piece (in French) relating to the French translation of John Cowper Powys's Autobiography (1934)); Enid Mary Starkie (1), 1956; B. T. W. Stevenson (1), 1957; Martha Sweeney (1), 1928; Gilbert Turner (1 postcard), 1945; Bridie Wall, cousin of Gerard Casey, husband of John Cowper Powys's niece Mary Casey (1), undated (photocopy) (annotated by John Cowper Powys); Theresa Whistler (1), 1959; Louis Wilkinson (2 telegrams), 1919; Dora Williams (10), 1939, 1941, 1943-1944; Huw Menai Williams (2), 1951, 1958 and Anne, his wife (1), 1962 (together with a press cutting, 1951, relating to a luncheon held in Huw Menai's honour, and a printed flyer advertising an edition of the periodical Wales in which an article by Huw Menai appeared); Angus Wilson (3), 1956, 1962-1963; and Gamel Woolsey (2), 1951 (containing her response to John Cowper Powys's novel Porius (1951), 1952 (reference to the death of John Cowper Powys's sister Gertrude Powys).

Twenty-eight letters and two postcards, [?1926 or 1927], 1928-1931, 1934-1935, 1938-1939 and undated, from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey, with an enclosed note from [?Alyse Gregory] illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings, enclosed photographs of John Cowper Powys and Phyllis Playter, and an enclosed letter from John Cowper Powys to Gamel Woolsey, together with an undated Christmas card from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey and an undated note from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey, the bottom part of the paper torn off. The letters contain mainly personal news and news of family and friends, including Gamel Woolsey's relationship with Llewelyn Powys and with Gerald Brenan, and Llewelyn Powys's continuing ill-health.

Thirty-three letters and one enclosed postcard, 1951, 1954-1955, 1957-1960, from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey. The letters contain mainly personal news and news of family and friends, including Phyllis Playter and John Cowper Powys's prospective move from Corwen to Blaenau Ffestiniog, Augustus John's visit to execute drawings of John Cowper Powys, and Marie Canavaggia's proposed translation into French of John Cowper Powys's Weymouth Sands.

Twenty-four letters, 1961-1963, from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey, with one enclosed note from [?Alyse Gregory] and an enclosed photograph of John Cowper Powys and Louis Wilkinson. The letters contain mainly personal news and news of family and friends, including the death of Katie Powys in January 1963 and John Cowper Powys's declining health leading up to his death in June 1963.

Twenty-eight letters, 1964-1967, and one undated and apparently incomplete letter, from Phyllis Playter to Gamel Woolsey, with one enclosed postcard from [?Harry and Ramona S.]. The letters contain mainly personal news and news of family and friends, including an account of Phyllis Playter's voyage to South America early in 1964 and the death of Alyse Gregory in 1967. There are also references to publishing John Cowper Powys's letters and poems and mention of posthumous works relating to the Powys brothers.

Four letters, 1930, 1942, 1952, 1959, from John Cowper Powys to the poet and novelist Gamel Woolsey. The letters contain references to Powys's preparations prior to embarking on his novel Porius (1951), as well as his response to his brother Llewelyn Powys's novel Apples Be Ripe (1930) and to some writings of Gerald Brenan; there are references also to the death of Powys's sister Gertrude Powys in 1952. Enclosed with the letter of 1959 is a poem addressed to Gamel Woolsey by Powys entitled 'A Pity' (f. 17).

Eighteen letters, 1928-1938, from Llewelyn Powys to his brother, John Cowper Powys, mainly concerning Llewelyn Powys's relationship with Gamel Woolsey and with his wife, Alyse Gregory, together with references to both Llewelyn's and John Cowper Powys's literary work.

Thirty-six letters, 1925-1936 and undated, from Llewelyn Powys to Phyllis Playter, relating mainly to Llewelyn Powys's relationship with Gamel Woolsey and with his wife, Alyse Gregory, with references also to Llewelyn's and John Cowper Powys's literary work.

Letters largely to and between various members of the Powys family, as follows: To Lucy Penny from her mother Mary Cowper Powys (5), 1911-1912, 1914; to Marian (May) Powys from her mother Mary Cowper Powys (1), [1914]; to Margaret Powys from her son Littleton Alfred Powys (1), 1926; to Gamel Woolsey from Mary (Molly) MacCarthy (1), undated, which refers to Gamel's then contentious work One Way of Love (1930) (with a note by Powys biographer Morine Krissdottir); to Gertrude Powys from [her brother Theodore Francis Powys], (3), 1941, 1946 and undated (typescript copies); to Gertrude Powys from her sister Lucy Penny (1 postcard), [1944]; to Marian Powys from 'E. R.' (1), 1947; to Peter Powys Grey from his mother Marian Powys (1), 1948; to Bernard O'Neill from Philippa (Katie) Powys (1), 1949 (photocopy); to Francis Llewellyn Powys from his cousin Littleton Alfred Powys (1 postcard), 1951; to Littleton [?Charles] Powys from an unnamed correspondent (the letter lacking a signature and appearing incomplete) (1), 1953; to George Frederick Sims from John Cowper Powys's nephew Francis Llewellyn Powys (1), 1958 (photocopy); to Alyse Gregory, widow of Llewelyn Powys, from Francis Llewellyn Powys (1), 1960; to Jill Olson from Katie Powys (1), 1961 (photocopy) (with note by Morine Krissdottir); to Lucy Penny from her sister Marian Powys (1), [1963]; to Lucy Penny from Powys biographer Marie Canavaggia (including a note to Phyllis Playter) (1), 1964; to Lucy Penny from her niece Isobel Powys Marks (1), 1966; to Lucy Penny from her niece Rose Dyer (1), 1969; to Lucy Penny from her nephew Gilfrid Powys (1), 1969; to Lucy Penny from her great-nephew Michael (2) and her great-niece Lucy (1), 1969; to Francis Llewellyn Powys from C. Benson Roberts (1), 1970; to John Cowper Powys's brother William Ernest (Willie) Powys from Agnes [ ? ] in Poland, enclosing a photograph [?from Adrian Upfield]) (1), 2002; together with undated letters to Alyse Gregory from Lucy Penny (1) and Ty (Barbara) Powys Grey (née Tyler), first wife of Peter Powys Grey (1), an undated letter to Bernard O'Neill from Lucy Penny (photocopy), and an undated postcard from Marian Powys to an unnamed recipient (on the dorse of which is a printed notice of an auction of some of Marian Powys's lacemaking stock upon her retirement). Included separately in an envelope are photographs of Marian Powys and Peter Powys Grey, [?1936], and an obituary of Gertrude Powys, [1952].