National Library of Wales Archives and Manuscripts

NLW MS 23695E
File
1901-1985

Seventy-six letters, 1901-1917, from the poet Edward Thomas to his friend, the Rev. Jesse Berridge, containing personal and family news and references to the progress of his work (ff. 1-102; see The Letters of Edward Thomas to Jesse Berridge, ed. by Anthony Berridge (London, 1983); for letter no. 63 in the series see NLW MS 10617B).
Also included are transcripts of two letters from the poet to Mrs Edna Berridge, 1912 (ff. 103-104); one letter, [1940s], to Jesse Berridge from Helen Thomas, the poet's widow (f. 123), and two letters, 1957-1961, and a card, [?1950s], from Eleanor Farjeon (ff. 125, 127-128 verso), together with related papers, notably Berridge's draft of his short memoir of Edward Thomas, 1947 (ff. 106-111; see Letters, pp. 84-90), a typescript address, 1985, by R. George Thomas (ff. 131-134) and press cuttings, 1907-1978 (ff. 135-144), including articles by Helen Thomas, 1962-1963 (ff. 139-142). The collection also contains sketches by Edward Thomas, 1902 (f. 24 recto-verso), and references to W. H. Davies, 1905 (f. 52 recto-verso), Gordon Bottomley, 1907 (ff. 56, 58), Robert Frost, 1957 (f. 127), and to the First World War, 1915-1917 (ff. 92-102), together with a copy of a letter, 1947, to Rowland L. Watson, secretary of the Edward Thomas Memorial Committee (f. 105).

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Letter sent 1 Jan 1917,

424/1/1/1/1/215.
File
1917, Jan. 1 /

Letter from Edward Thomas to Helen Thomas, addressed Lydd, Kent. Formerly in envelope postmarked 2 Jan 1917.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Letter sent Dec 1916,

424/1/1/1/1/213.
File
1916, Dec. /

Letter from Edward Thomas to Helen Thomas, addressed Lydd, Kent, dated 'Friday'.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

March the 3rd,

424/2/47/1.
File
1915, Mar. 23 /

First line: Here again (she said) is March the third. Written in Steep. Typescript. Manuscript alterations in Eleanor Farjeon's hand, lines 6-8 the most heavily corrected, also 9, 13 and 20, which probably reflect the editing mentioned in Thomas' letters to her, printed in E. Farjeon, Edward Thomas: The Last Four Years (1958), p. 132. (1) 'Perhaps I shall be able to mend March the 3rd. I know it must be either mended or ended'. (28 Apr 1915); (2) 'I have mended March 3rd too, you see'. (29 Apr 1915).

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

The sun used to shine,

424/2/119/2.
File
1916, May. 22 /

First line: The sun used to shine while we two walked. Written at Hare Hall. Typescript, with corrections in Eleanor Farjeon's hand. The typescript matches the version in the Blue Notebook (in private ownership), and Eleanor's annotations match the second draft which is held in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

[The Dark forest],

424/2/131/1.
File
1916, Jul. 1-10 /

First line: Dark is the forest and deep, and overhead. Written at Steep and Hare Hall Camp, Gidea Park, Romford. Manuscript draft in ink. Varies from a version printed in R. George Thomas, The Collected Poems of Edward Thomas (1978) by one word - 'born' rather than 'sown' in line 3.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

The sun used to shine,

424/2/119/1.
File
1916, May. 22 /

First line: The sun used to shine while we two walked. Written at Hare Hall. Manuscript draft in ink. Not recorded in R. George Thomas, The Collected Poems of Edward Thomas (1978).

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Letter sent 21 Jan 1917,

424/1/1/1/1/219.
File
1917, Jan. 21 /

Letter from Edward Thomas to Helen Thomas. Formerly in envelope postmarked 21 Jan 1917, Codford, Wiltshire.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Letter sent 5 Dec 1916,

424/1/1/1/1/208.
File
1916, Dec. 5 /

Letter from Edward Thomas to Helen Thomas. Formerly in envelope postmarked Lydd, Kent, 6 Dec 1916.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Melancholy,

424/2/67/1.
File
1915, Apr. 25 /

First line: The rain and wind, the rain and wind raved endlessly. Written in Steep. Typescript.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Digging [2],

424/2/86/1.
File
1915,Jul. 21 /

First line: What matter makes my spade for tears or mirth. Written in London. Typescript.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Two houses,

424/2/87/1.
File
1915, Jul. 22 /

First line: Between a sunny bank and the sun. Written in London. Typescript.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Birds' nests,

424/2/9/1a.
File
1914, Dec. /

First line: The summer nests uncovered by autumn wind. Written in Steep. Typescript. Version A.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

The Hollow wood,

424/2/15/1.
File
1914, Dec. 31 /

First line: Out in the sun the goldfinch flits.Written in Steep. Typescript.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Old man,

424/2/4/1.
File
1914, Dec. 6 /

First line: Old Man, or Lad's-love,--in the name there's nothing. Written in Steep. Typescript.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

R. George Thomas (Edward Thomas) Research Papers

GB 0210 RGTHOS
Fonds
1897-1967

Research papers of Professor R. George Thomas, mostly comprising typescript transcripts and photocopies of letters (the originals of which are held in English, American and Canadian repositories, and in private hands) from the poet Edward Thomas (1878-1917). The letters were assembled by R. George Thomas in preparation for his edition of Edward Thomas: Selected Letters (Oxford University Press, 1995), and are duplicates of copies deposited in the Edward Thomas Archive at Cardiff University.

Thomas, R. George.

Edward Thomas letters to O. M. Edwards

NLW MS 23222B.
File
1900-1902

Twelve letters, 1900-1902, from Edward Thomas to Sir Owen M. Edwards, his erstwhile tutor at Lincoln College, Oxford, written shortly after Thomas had left university, their main purpose being to ask for guidance in seeking employment; they also reflect his attachment to Wales and his interest in the Welsh language.

Thomas, Edward, 1878-1917

Letters of Anglo-Welsh writers

NLW MS 22003E.
File
1901-1991

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.

Clarke, Gillian, 1937-