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A set of four children's books entitled 'The Children's Miscellany' which once belonged to Marianne Cowper Johnson (née Patteson), mother of Mary Cowper Powys; and a book of stories for children, of unknown provenance but kept with the other books. The inside front covers of the 'Children's Miscellany' are inscribed 'M Patteson'.

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.

Commonplace book, 1955, of Phyllis Player. The book contains diary entries for 17-21 May 1955 inclusive (ff. i verso-12), memoranda (ff. 13 verso-15 verso), and the single word 'Death' on f. 93 verso (inverted text). Ff. i, 12 verso-13, 16-93 are blank.

Commonplace book, [1960x1970], of Phyllis Playter containing poetry and prose extracts and some memoranda. The remains of a [?]moth are inserted between ff. 92 verso and 93. Ff. 42-104 are blank. Numerous items found loose inside the volume have been kept separately in an envelope and include extracts of poetry, prose, maxims, etc. in Phyllis Playter's hand, press cuttings, the remains of dried flowers, and a postcard, 1961, addressed to Phyllis Playter from the American Library in London.

Three commonplace books, [1937x1970s], of Phyllis Playter containing copied selections of poetry and prose (including pieces by John Cowper Powys and by Phyllis Playter herself), memoranda and diary entries, and various inserts.

Letters addressed to the Rev. Charles Francis Powys from his mother Amelia Powys, other family members and various other correspondents.

Letters to Mary Cowper Powys from members of her family, including her parents, children and grandchildren.

A typescript, ?1928, containing six chapters which were deleted from the final proof of John Cowper Powys's novel Wolf Solent (1929). Powys summarised these chapters in a revised Chapter 19, but with significant events omitted. The manuscript of these six chapters is at Syracuse University Library, New York. The typescript was made by Ms Boyne Grainger, a neighbour of John Cowper Powys in New York, from the holograph manuscript pages now at Syracuse University.

Provenance for the typescript may be established from The Powys Journal Volume XXXI (2021) Supplement: Wolf Solent, The Six Deleted Chapters, available on JSTOR at https://www.jstor.org/journal/powysj. I am indebted to Mr Kevin Taylor, editor of The Powys Journal, for this updated information.

Diaries of Phyllis Playter containing memoranda and various inserts, including press cuttings, address labels, photographs and preserved dried plants.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1931. The volume contains diary entries for the inclusive dates 1-6 January (pp. 1-6), 8-14 January (pp. 8-14), 21 January - 11 February (pp. 21-42), 13-15 February (pp. 44-46), 17-23 February (pp. 48-54), 8 March (p. 67), 10 March (p. 69), 17-19 March (pp. 76-78), 10 May - 6 July (pp. 130-187), 8-10 July (pp. 189-191), 13-28 July (pp. 194-209), 8-9 August (pp. 220-221), 15-19 August (pp. 227-231), 25 August (p. 237), 10 September (p. 253), 20-23 September (pp. 263-266), 7-8 October (pp. 280-281), 17-18 October (pp. 290-291) and 24-31 December (pp. 358-365), with some memoranda on pp. 366-367, the remaining leaves being left blank. Several press cuttings and a rough pencil draft of [?]poetry in the hand of Phyllis Playter, originally loose in the volume, are inserted at p. i and p. 112 respectively, and two photographs (no identification), also originally loose in the volume, are inserted at pp. 109 and 111. Two feathers are inserted between pp. 62 and 63, the remains of a [? dried and discoloured plant] between pp. 202 and 203, and the remains of a dried flower between pp. 206 and 207. The remains of a ribbon and a [? dried and discoloured plant] are inserted between pp. 194 and 195 and another fragment of ribbon inserted between pp. 360 and 361. Inserted in an envelope at p. 191 by an archivist at a recent date are the remains of a dried plant, with a note that the fragments "caused considerable staining on several pages", this staining being visible on pp. 180-209.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1969. The volume contains diary entries for the inclusive dates 1-12 January (ff. 10-15 verso) and 16-19 January 1969 (ff. 17 verso-19), the remainder of the volume (ff. 19 verso-199) having been left blank. The diary is inscribed inside the frontispiece 'Best wishes for 1969 Elsie'.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1971, with possible further usage in 1973. The volume contains copious diary entries for the inclusive dates 1 January - 6 May (ff. 9-27), thereafter becoming intermittent, with general memoranda on ff. i verso, 6 verso-7, 19 verso, 27, and 62 verso. Press cuttings, originally loose in the volume, have been inserted inside the frontispiece, and fragments of paper containing addresses, address labels and memoranda, also originally loose in the volume, have been inserted at the back. Inside the front cover is inscribed 'Best wishes Elsie Price'. On ff. 27 verso-33 the printed year '1971' at the top of each page has been altered to '1973'. Ff. 7 verso-8 verso, 18, 29-verso, 30 verso, 31 verso, 32 verso-35, 36-41, 43-44, 48 verso-49, 50-51 verso, 52 verso, 54-56, 57 verso, 58 verso, 60-verso, and 62 are blank.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1972. The volume contains memoranda on f. 2 verso and diary entries for the inclusive dates 2 January - 8 February (ff. 6 verso-25) and 12 February - 21 February (ff. 27-31 verso), thereafter becoming intermittent. On 1 March (f. 36) the death of Marian Powys "about 1 AM New York time" is noted. Ff. 3-6, 25 verso-26 verso, 32-35 verso, 36 verso-59, 60-84 verso and 85 verso-191 verso are blank.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1930. The diary is written up for the inclusive dates 1 January - 3 February (pp. 1-35), 12 February - 6 March (pp. 43-65), 11-24 March (pp. 70-83), 27 March - 1 April (pp. 86-91), 12-23 April (pp. 102-113), 1-8 May (pp. 121-128), 10 May (p. 130), 22-31 May (pp. 142-151), 4 September (p. 247), 15 September (p. 258) and 13-23 November (pp. 317-327) and there are memoranda on pp. 366-370 but the volume is otherwise blank. A dried plant is inserted between pp. 160 and 161 and a feather between pp. 314 and 315. A press cutting relating to Philippa (Katie) Powys's novel The Blackthorn Winter (1930) and a receipt dated 8 June 1929 from Mme Bernier, clothing establishment ("robes & manteaux"), Paris, both originally loose in the volume, have been inserted at p. i.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1978. The volume contains diary entries and memoranda, most of which are brief, for the inclusive dates 22 January (f. 20 verso), 7 February (f. 28 verso), 10 March (f. 44), 15-16 March (ff. 46 verso-47 verso), 18 March (f. 48), 23-29 March (ff. 50 verso-53 verso), 1-2 April (f. 55-verso), 9-10 April (f. 59-verso), 13 April (f. 61), 15 April (f. 62), 17-20 April (entry for 18 April deleted) (ff. 63-64 verso), 22-23 April (ff. 65 verso-66), 28 April (f. 68 verso), 15-16 May (entry for 16 May deleted) (f. 77-verso), 20-21 May (entry for 21 May deleted) (ff. 79 verso-80), 27 May (f. 83), 31 May (f. 85), 8 June (f. 89), 12 June (f. 91), 23 June (f. 96 verso), 5 July (f. 102 verso), 19 July (f. 109 verso), 1-4 August (ff. 116-117 verso), 19 August (f. 125), 21 August (f. 126), 25-26 August (entry for 26 August deleted) (f. 128-verso), 28 August ('X' mark) (f. 129 verso), 1 September (f. 131 verso), 6 September (f. 134), 8 September (f. 135), 12-16 September (entries for 13 & 16 September deleted) (ff. 137-139), 18-20 September (entries for 18 & 20 September deleted) (ff. 140-141), 23-26 September (entry for 25 September deleted) (ff. 142 verso-144), 30 September (f. 146), 2 October (f. 147), 6 October (f. 149), 10 October (f. 151), 12 October (f. 152), 20 October (f. 156), 28 October (f. 160), 30-31 October (f. 161-verso), 7 November (f. 165), 21 November (f. 172) and f. 198 verso. Ff. 6 verso-20, 21-28, 29-43 verso, 44 verso-46, 47 verso, 48 verso-50, 54-verso, 56-58 verso, 60-verso, 61 verso, 62 verso, 65, 66 verso-68, 69-76 verso, 78-79, 80 verso-82 verso, 83 verso-84 verso, 85 verso-88 verso, 89 verso-90 verso, 91 verso-96, 97-102, 103-109, 110-115 verso, 118-124 verso, 125 verso, 126 verso-127 verso, 129, 130-131, 132-133 verso, 134 verso, 135 verso-136 verso, 139 verso, 141 verso-142, 144 verso-145 verso, 146 verso, 147 verso-148 verso, 149 verso-150 verso, 151 verso, 152 verso-155 verso, 156 verso-159 verso, 160 verso, 162-164 verso, 165 verso-171 verso, and 172 verso-198 are blank. Press cuttings, previously loose inside the volume, are inserted at f. i.

Diary of John Cowper Powys for the period 1 June-31 December 1929, the first in an unbroken series that ends in 1961 (see NLW MSS 22206-41B). Commencing with his departure from New York on a visit to England, it was probably started for the benefit of his companion, Phyllis Playter, who remained in the USA (cf. NLW MS 23172C, f. 7). The diary also includes accounts and miscellaneous jottings (f. iv; pp. 1, 5, 14-19, 46, 400). Selections from the diary have been published in Petrushka and the Dancer: The diaries of John Cowper Powys 1929-1939, ed. by Morine Krissdóttir (Manchester, New York and Paris, 1995).

A heavily worked draft of an unpublished novella by John Cowper Powys, apparently written in 1952 (see f. 46), entitled 'The Death of God or Jack and Jill and the Absolute'; together with notes on Classical Greek (ff. 61-72), written during Powys's later years.

Two incomplete draft novels by John Cowper Powys, the first (ff. 1-13, originally numbered 86-98, headed 'Chapter 2') being a fragment apparently excluded from a draft of Rodmoor (1916), the second (ff. 14-128, originally numbered 2-115) being a draft of chapters 1-4 of a novel set in East Sussex in 1920.

An exercise book containing draft manuscript poetry by John Cowper Powys, titles including 'A modern Melody' and 'By the Arun'. Ff. 7-verso, 11 verso, 12 verso, 16 verso, 17 verso, 18 verso, 19 verso, 20 verso-22 verso and 25 verso-39 verso blank.