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Papers, [late 1920s]-1983, of, or relating to, Idris Davies and including drafts of his poetic anthologies Gwalia Deserta (London, 1938), The Angry Summer (London, 1943), and Tonypandy and Other Poems (London, 1945); proofs of Selected Poems (London, 1953); unpublished poems and drafts and fragments of poems, novels, short stories, etc.; lecture notes; diaries for 1938, 1940, 1946, 1948, and 1951; a typescript of his radio talk 'The valleys revisited' (broadcast 1943); and correspondence of or relating to Davies, 1933-1983.

Holograph and typescript copies and cuttings of poetry by Idris Davies, among them being press and proof copies of The Angry Summer (London, 1943) and a press copy of Tonypandy and Other Poems (London, 1945) (vol. I); a typescript entitled 'The Valleys of My Fathers', with a revised copy entitled 'Gwalia My Song' (vol. II); and drafts of some 200 other poems.

Holograph and typescript copies of poetry by Idris Davies, some in exercise books, among them being drafts of 'Beyond the Black Tips', 'The Valleys of My Fathers' and 'Land of My Fathers' (an early version of Gwalia Deserta (London, 1938)) (vol. I). There are also drafts of over two hundred poems and epigrams.

A typescript transcript, [1940x1948], of the diary of Idris Davies for the period 22 August 1939-2 August 1940.

Notebook of Idris Davies, 1928-1951, containing 'Verse (1928-1932)' together with draft poems written much later, mostly extensively reworked versions of some of the original poems.

Scrapbook containing cuttings of poems by Idris Davies published in newspapers and magazines, [?1929]-[?1939], some bearing extensive autograph revision, and an autograph poem entitled Gold (ff. 10 verso-11).

Incomplete typescript text of Idris Davies, Gwalia Deserta (London, 1938) with a few autograph revisions.

Autograph draft of Idris Davies, The Angry Summer (London, 1943).

Corrected incomplete galley proofs of Idris Davies, Tonypandy and Other Poems (London, 1945).

Printed teacher's notebook containing notes of lessons by Idris Davies, September 1942-May 1943, and a considerable number of draft poems, many bearing dates between 1944 and 1948, together with a few prose items.

A collection of poems by Idris Davies, dated 1943-1951 but mostly 1950 or 1951.

Galley proofs of Idris Davies, Selected Poems (London, 1953).

Corrected page proofs of Idris Davies, Selected Poems (London, 1953).

A collection of short, epigrammatic poems by Idris Davies, [1947x1948] (see NLW MS 22414C, f. 306, and The Complete Poems of Idris Davies, ed. by Dafydd Johnston (Cardiff, 1994), p. xxix).

Poetry, [?1936]-[?1951], by Idris Davies comprising typescript poems, only one of which (f. 1) appears in any of his published volumes (no. XXXII in Gwalia Deserta), and cuttings of poems published in various newspapers and magazines (ff. 36-40). Some of both the typescript and the published poems bear autograph revision.

Miscellaneous poetry by Idris Davies, [?1932]-1953, including an English translation of 'Hiraeth' by R. Williams Parry (f. 16).

Two drafts of an incomplete autobiographical work by Idris Davies, [c. 1936], entitled 'Collier Boy' (ff. 1-53); an account of early experiences as a miner (ff. 54-77); a 'Plan For A Novel' set in Rhymney (f. 78 recto-verso); a fragment of a novel or short story (ff. 79-81); a dialogue between William Wordsworth and Greta Garbo (ff. 82-7); an account of the lying-in-state of George V (ff. 88-92); and a short piece looking forward to the publication of A. E. Housman, More Poems (London, 1936) (ff. 93-4).

Notebooks of Idris Davies, 1933-[c. 1944], comprising 'Short Story Subjects' (ff. 1-4); a draft poem (f. 17); fragments of a draft novel about a coal miner's life in the form of a diary (ff. 34-98); two drafts of the beginning of a novel or short story about a miner (ff. 103-11); a work entitled 'The Tales of Lewsin Slant' (ff. 116-33); further memories of Idris Davies's early days as a miner (ff. 151-68 verso); notes on writing (ff. 171-5, draft poem on f. 174 verso), psychology and sex (ff. 179-81); and an autobiographical memoir entitled 'Keats and After' (ff. 187-211 verso).

Miscellaneous notes by Idris Davies, [?1933]-[?1951], comprising an essay on 'Poetry & Politics' (ff. 2-6 verso); notes on early Welsh poetry and on Welsh history (ff. 7-22); notes on English literature, apparently for lectures given by Idris Davies to evening classes for the unemployed (ff. 23-56 verso); lecture notes on 'The Anglo-Welsh' (ff. 57-8 verso); draft syllabus of 'A Course in English Literature' (ff. 59-60); notes on 'Literature and Propaganda' (f. 61 recto-verso); miscellaneous literary notes (ff. 62-9); list of poems published in newspapers and periodicals, 1949-1951 (f. 70 recto-verso); and list of poems to be published in an anthology, together with a draft introduction (ff. 71-2).

Miscellaneous prose pieces by Idris Davies, [1930s]-[1940s], comprising an essay entitled 'Teify Side' (ff. 1-3); drafts of a memoir entitled 'A Schoolboy During the Great War' (ff. 4-17); 'Portrait of an Old Welsh Miner' (ff. 18-29); fragment of a novel or short story (ff. 30-4) and draft of the beginning of a novel (ff. 35-9); five brief, surrealistic prose pieces (ff. 40-51); letter to the News Chronicle about a Fascist demonstration in Trafalgar Square, 1937 (ff. 52-7); Holiday in a Mining Valley (ff. 58-73); a Welsh version of 'A Schoolboy During the Great War' (ff. 74-84); and copies of two prose pieces published in Comment, 19 September 1936 and 23 January 1937 (ff. 85-6).