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A holograph draft of a section of Dylan Thomas’s story 'The Outing'.

One page of untitled holograph notes by Dylan Thomas, 1953, written whilst composing his last poem, the unfinished 'Elegy' to his father, David John (D.J.) Thomas, who died on 16 December 1952.
The work first appeared in print, as a 'previously unpublished poem', in Encounter, 6/2 (February 1956), and was included by Vernon Watkins as an appendix to the Collected Poems after 1956. For a copy of the poem as completed by Vernon Watkins, see NLW MS 22552E.

The music manuscripts of the composer David Harries, 1952-1995, comprising mainly drafts and scores of chamber and instrumental music, orchestral music, choral and organ, and voice and piano arrangements.
A second donation made in August 2021 contains further music manuscripts of David Harries, 1953-1993, and includes works by Harries' contemporary William Mathias (1934-1992) in addition to Harries' own compositions of chamber and instrumental music, orchestral music, choral and organ, and voice and piano arrangements.

Correspondence and other papers, 1952-1990, of Morag Owen (née McLennan; later married name Bulbrook), relating to her friend the painter-poet David Jones, including eighteen letters and cards to her from Jones, 1952-1973 (ff. 1-15, 17-25), and one to her first husband Richard Owen, 28 July 1965 (f. 16), mostly concerning personal matters, Jones's health, Welsh grammar and placenames and the 'Old North'.
Four of the items are photographic reproductions of Jones's inscriptions, sent as Christmas, and other, cards (ff. 1, 3, 9-10); in three instances Jones has altered the photographs with the addition of further painted inscriptions (ff. 3, 9-10). A copy of the 1961 Faber Christmas card, designed by Jones, was sent by him as a ' Spring 1962' card (ff. 11-12; for a clean copy of the same card see ff. 39-40). Also included are letters to Morag from Barbara, [Countess of] Moray, 31 August 1977 (f. 26), Diana L. Austin, Oxford, April-May 1978 (ff. 27-31), and Thomas Dilworth, University of Windsor, Ontario, 1986-1990 (ff. 33-35), all concerning David Jones, as well as two draft inscriptions, presumably by Jones (ff. 36-37), a photograph of him, [1950x1970] (f. 38), a pencil drawing by Jones of a young woman in profile, [c. 1967] (f. 41), and press cuttings of three book reviews from The Times, 15 May 1978, p. 12 (f. 44), The Tablet, 3 June 1978, pp. 532-3 (ff. 45-46) and The Sunday Times, 18 June 1978, p. 40 (f. 47).

Some thirty letters, 1951-1960, from John Cowper Powys to Ron[ald] Hall, [?Coventry and Exeter] (ff. 1-61), three of which are incomplete (ff. 5, 11-13) and seventeen of which are in the hand of Powys's companion Phyllis Playter, as his amanuensis (ff. 14-57). The letters, some of which include line drawings by Powys, refer mainly to literary topics, including Powys's own works in progress, and to health and family matters. There are references throughout to Henry Miller. Also included are typescript transcripts of the letters, [?2000s] (ff. 62-93).
Extracts from the first two letters (ff. 1-4) were published in John Cowper Powys, Letters to Henry Miller, introduction by Ronald Hall (London: Village Press, 1975), pp. 13-14.

Three letters, 1951-1953, from Dylan Thomas and his parents to Dylan's cousin, Mai Griffiths of Cross Hands.
They consist of: a letter from Dylan, 16 December 1952, informing Mai of the death of his father that day (ff. 3-4; apparently unpublished); a letter from his father David John (Jack), 28 June 1951, sympathising with Mai on the recent loss of her husband and giving family news (ff. 1-2); and a letter from his mother Florence (Florrie), 4 May [1953], on the recent death of Florence's daughter Nancy (ff. 5-6).

A presentation copy of The Letters of Elizabeth Myers, ed. by Littleton C. Powys (London, 1951), inscribed by Powys, 8 November 1951, to Mrs [Dorothy May] Meech, his typist on this and other books, together with three letters, 1951-1955, from Powys to Mrs Meech (ff. 2-4), the first of which accompanied the book. Also included is a presentation copy of Littleton C. Powys, The Powys Family (Yeovil, 1952), inscribed by the author, October 1952, to the antiquarian Joseph Fowler, together with a letter, 26 October 1952, from Powys to Fowler (f. 1).
The letters have been placed in an archival envelope.

A collection of papers, [1950s]-2013, relating to Brenda Chamberlain, comprising three letters, 1955-[?1964], from Chamberlain on Bardsey Island and Ydra, Greece, to her friend Henry [Mitchell], concerning personal news and her work (ff. 1-6), together with one letter, 27 September 1971, from Joan Rees, Bangor, to Mitchell, belatedly informing him of Chamberlain's death (ff. 7-8); and manuscript fair copies, probably in Chamberlain's hand, [?1950s], of four poems, 'Endymion's Sleep', 'Midwinter', 'Islandman' and 'What the old man said' (ff. 9-13).
The letters discuss Chamberlain's painting 'The Acrobats at Practice', then recently purchased by Mitchell (ff. 1-2 verso), and a funeral on Ydra (ff. 3-4). A version of 'Islandman' was published in The Green Heart (London, 1958), p. 27; drafts of 'Midwinter' are NLW MS 21508B, ff. 1-6. Also included are newsletters, 2011-2013, of Cyfeillion Murluniau Brenda Chamberlain ar Enlli / The Friends of the Brenda Chamberlain Bardsey Murals (ff. 15-22) and a cutting from The Times, 21 September 1955, p. 3 (f. 14).

Two personal copies of the journal Dock leaves which belonged to the artist Arthur Giardelli (1911–2009). Dock leaves, vol. I, no. 2 (Easter 1950), includes his article : ‘The Glyn Vivian art gallery’, and a letter, dated June 1950, from Raymond Garlick. Dock leaves, vol. II, no. 5 (May 1951), contains two letters, dated October 1951, from Friedrich R. Könekamp, author of the article ‘Artists and specialists’, published in this edition.

Photographic copy of a typescript of 'Gwaith Siôn Tudur', edited by Enid P. Roberts.

Seventeen letters, 1950-1972, from David Jones, artist and writer, to Kathleen Raine.

Records of the School, 1950-1975, and of TG Richards, Headmaster 1965-1973. The records comprise a school log book, 1950-1969; a pupils' leaving book, 1957-1968; newspaper cuttings, [1965x1975]; notes compiled by the donor about his father, TG Richards, [2016]; photocopy of a short history of the School, written in 1967; and a CD containing scenes of school events and activities, compiled from 8mm cine film taken by TG Richards in the 1960s.

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).

Personal and literary papers of Christopher Morgan.

Literary papers of Professor Gwyn Williams including typescript texts of This Way to Lethe with notes and correspondence, [c. 1962]; notes for The Avocet, [c. 1970]; material relating to his poetry collections including manuscript and typescript drafts, [1970]-[1980]; typescript and manuscript texts for Troelus a Chresyd, 1954-[1976]; papers relating to Person and Persona, [c. 1981], An Introduction to Welsh Literature, [c. 1978], and ABC of (D.) G. W., [c. 1981]; material relating to translations of Welsh poetry, [1950]-[1976]; material relating to The Land Remembers book and series, [c. 1977]; radio scripts, 1954; texts, drafts, notes, correspondence, maps and photographs relating to his travel writing, [1963]-[1975]; and correspondence with publishers and the BBC, 1951-1978.

Additional literary papers including manuscript works and notes, typescript poems, plays, articles and reviews were received in July 2018; a list and bibliography compiled by the family are inserted in the first box.

Teipysgrif yn dwyn y teitl 'Barddoniaeth Waldo Williams'. (Gynt Bob Owen MS.) Prynwyd oddi wrth Mrs Bob Owen, Croesor, Rhagfyr 1963.

Literary papers of John Tripp, [1950s]-1985, including drafts and notes of published and unpublished poetry, 1968-1985; prose works comprising plays for radio and television, mostly not broadcast, miscellaneous prose drafts and notes, 1969-1985; correspondence mostly with other Anglo-Welsh and Welsh authors, 1967-1986; critical reviews of and by J.T., 1968-1985; and personal and miscellaneous papers, [1950s]-1986, such as press cuttings, papers relating to literary organisations and events, J.T.'s employment, photographs and other personal ephemera, and drafts or published versions of works by other writers given to or collected by him.

An additional consignment of papers of John Tripp comprising correspondence and some prose works. This group remains uncatalogued.

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.

Six letters and cards, [c. 1950]-1971, from Brenda Chamberlain to the Rev. Michael Reakes-Williams, containing personal news (ff. 2-6, 10 verso-13); together with two to him from Alan Clodd of the Enitharmon Press, 1972 (ff. 15-16), and one each from Peter Jones and Meic Stephens of the Welsh Arts Council, 1972 (ff. 17-18), all concerning Chamberlain.
Included in the Chamberlain letters are ink sketches relating to a visit to Schleswig-Holstein, West Germany, in 1958 (f. 4 recto-verso), a typescript poem commissioned by the Welsh Arts Council, 1971 (ff. 12-13), and greetings cards designed by her (ff. 2-3, 5-6). Also included are a pen and ink sketch of a woman on horseback, [?1949], and a pen and watercolour drawing of a fish, 1949, both by Chamberlain (f. 1 recto-verso); a programme for a dance recital at the Lamda Theatre Club, [?1964] (ff. 7-10); and a copy letter, 16 January 1959, from Reakes-Williams to a Mrs Armstrong on behalf of Chamberlain (f. 14).

Some fifty-six letters, [1950]-[1962], from Helen Thomas to the writer Rex Taylor (ff. 4-71), together with three letters, 1948-1964, to the poet Basil Dowling (ff. 1-3 verso); they contain mainly personal news, comments on Edward Thomas and on the work of Rex Taylor.