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Manuscripts, 1934-1971, of the artist and writer Brenda Chamberlain, including drafts of various poems and poetry collections, 1941-[1960s]; drafts of the novel The Water-Castle (London, 1964), [1953x1962], and the memoirs Tide-race (London, 1962), [1962], and A Rope of Vines (London, 1965), 1964-[1965]; other prose fiction, [1940s]-[1960s]; plays, 1956-[c. 1968]; film scripts, [1969x1971]; other miscellaneous prose, [1945]-[?1970]; original journals, [1951]-1966; sketches and studies in various media, [1930s]-1965; correspondence, 1952-1971; and printed matter, 1950-1968.

Papers, [c. 1928]-1970, of Brenda Chamberlain comprising correspondence, notebooks and diaries, sketch books, broadsheets, some printed material, woodcuts, sketches, slides and photographs. The collection includes a few letters sent by her mother to her father, Tom Chamberlain; and drafts of works and a notebook belonging to Peter Petts. These papers (4 large boxes, donated by Mrs Joan Rees, Bangor, June 2001) remain uncatalogued.

Notebook containing sketches and studies (pen-and-pencil, water-colour), together with notes and some prose.

A volume containing photographs of paintings by Brenda Chamberlain, 1934-1965, with notes by her on where they were exhibited, by whom purchased, whether painted out or known later whereabouts.

Twenty-six letters and cards, 1961-1969, from Brenda Chamberlain to Alan Clodd of Enitharmon Press, relating mainly to the publication of her Poems with Drawings (1969) and Alun Lewis and the Making of the Caseg Broadsheets (1969). Also included are a few sketches, poems and photographs, 1936-1969, presented by Chamberlain to Clodd.

Notebook containing sketches and studies and a draft of a children's story.

Typescript translations into English, by B. J. Morse, of Rilke's Duino Elegies. Five of the ten were published (nos 1, 3, 5, 9, 10).

Successive versions of 'The Boy and the Simnel Cake', a story for children, apparently unpublished.
They comprise a typescript of earliest version, entitled 'The Magic Comb', [1940x1959] (ff. 1-9); part of an autograph revision, [?1960s] (ff. 10-14); typescript of revised version (ff. 15-22); typescript of later revised version (ff. 23-31); and water-colour illustrations, probably contemporary with the earliest version, the largest being c. 400 x 250 mm. (ff. 32-49).

Notebook containing sketches (pencil, pen-and-ink, wash, crayon), prose, some poetry, and notes on a visit to Scotland and on A. E. Housman.

Notebook, dated May 1941 (inside cover) and used 1941-1942, containing drafts of poems, including some collected in The Green Heart; copies of poems by Alun Lewis and Dorothy Wellesley. On f. 40r-v is a list of poems, probably poems under consideration for Caseg Broadsheets. On ff. 34v-35v are notes on poems of Brenda Chamberlain published or rejected by periodicals.

Typescript drafts, [1941x1942], of six poems by Brenda Chamberlain, sent by her to Alun Lewis. Two of the poems, 'Would it not move to pity ...' and 'Dead Ponies', were published in The Dublin Magazine, 16 (July-September 1941), pp. 7-10; the others are apparently unpublished.

Notebook containing draft prose fragments (a Welsh mountain setting) and a few poems, dated February 1944 (inside cover).

Miscellaneous items of prose comprising: typescript with autograph revision of the prose pieces published in Life and Letters Today, May 1945, under the title 'From a Journal', together with other related pieces, including on f. 2 a poem (ff. 1-12); typescript of an article, 'Prehistoric painting in the cave of Lascaux' (ff. 13-21) and related notes (ff. 22-26); a typescript account of being in hospital apparently intended for Mabon (see f. 27) but never published, [?1970] (ff. 27-34), with three earlier drafts of the same (ff. 35-49); transcript of a discussion with Brenda Chamberlain on the BBC of an exhibition of her paintings at Bangor in 1968 (ff. 50-54); typescript note by Brenda Chamberlain on her painting and writing under the title 'The relationship between art and literature' (ff. 55-58); typescript of a piece of prose with the title 'In Holstein I long for the Midi' (ff. 59-61); and fragments of prose relating to Bardsey Island (ff. 62-68).

Notebook, dated January 1947 (on cover), containing a description of a visit to Bardsey (ff. 1-14, 25-27); a brief diary describing her subsequent move to Bardsey in May 1947 and the first days on the island (ff. 36-34, inverted text); and other prose, including Bardsey material.

Uncollected and largely unpublished poems, mostly typescript, some autograph. These poems, which were on loose leaves, have been given some sort of order, as indicated below. Where a poem is represented by several drafts the aim has been to place the earliest draft first followed by the later ones in chronological order.
They comprise: a series of twenty poems, all in several drafts arranged in the order of a typescript list drawn up by Chamberlain (f. 1), perhaps intended as the basis of a collection, [1961x1967] (ff. 1-107); a sequence of poems in draft, numbered 1 to 23, not quite complete, some of which are prose poems, [1961x1967] (ff. 108-126); drafts of poems, mostly typescript, some connected with the play The Protagonists, [1961x1967] (ff. 127-160) [cf. NLW MSS 21491-21494D]; disjointed draft material, some connected with The Protagonists (ff. 161-170); worked typescript drafts of eight poems, found clipped together, [?1950s] (ff. 171-195); drafts and fair copies of poems, [?1950s], those on ff. 196-198 appear in The Green Heart, the five on ff. 213-222, [c. 1953?], were printed in the New York Times (ff. 196-222); a typescript poem, Ossian, by Jennifer Farley (f. 223); drafts of a poem Pan-ic, [1961x1967] (ff. 224-228).

Notebook, dated April 1950 (inside cover), containing drafts of poems, notably 'Christmas Eve' which was collected in The Green Heart, others of them appear in typed drafts in NLW MS 21485E; extracts from Flaubert's letters; prose, some relating to Tide-race and a few pen-and-ink sketches. On ff. 82-93 (inverted text) is a journal of a visit to France, October-November [1951]. From f. 94 verso to the end are notes of poems of Brenda Chamberlain published or rejected by periodicals.

Printed matter, some items with notes added by Brenda Chamberlain, comprising a catalogue of show of paintings at Gimpel Fils, March 1950, with notes of buyers, etc.; catalogue of show at Gimpel Fils, April 1952; notice of show at Zwemmer Gallery, Sept. 1962; catalogue of show at Zwemmer Gallery, Sept. 1962; catalogue of Welsh Arts Council travelling exhibition, 1963-1964; programme of dance recital by Rovertos Saragas and Nahami Abbell, Nov. 1964 (poems of Brenda Chamberlain were used in this recital, and a drawing and note for the programme); programme for first performance of The Protagonist, Oct. 1968; notice of Brenda Chamberlain's exhibition 'Word & Image', Cardiff April 1970; order of carol service, in German, Christmas 1952; and an interview with Brenda Chamberlain in Forecast (Bangor students' paper) [c. April 1968]. All catalogues, etc., are of Brenda Chamberlain's work.

Some forty letters, 1952-1971, to Brenda Chamberlain from Karl von Laer of Löhne, West Germany, and his close relatives and friends, many of the letters being illustrated with sketches. Several of them inspired passages in The Water-Castle (see NLW MS 22493C, ff. 234-247).

Letters to Brenda Chamberlain, with a few associated documents, all relating to her professional activities, such as publication of her books, exhibitions of her paintings, etc.
The correspondents are Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 1961-1970 (ff.1-82); Oxford University Press, 1961-1964 (ff. 83-85); Alan Clodd (Enitharmon Press), 1968-1970 (ff. 86-136); Juliet Standing (Daedalus Press), 1968-1969 (ff. 137-143); Arts Council, later Welsh Arts Council, 1956-1959, 1968-1971 (ff. 144-199); Women's International Art Club, 1952 (f. 200); BBC, 1952-1964 (ff. 201-204); Edwin [Morris], archbishop of Wales, 1962 (f. 205); Zwemmer Gallery, 1962 (f. 206); National Museum of Wales, 1962 (f. 207); National Library for the Blind, 1964 (f. 208); Paintings in Hospitals, 1965 (f. 209); Welsh National Theatre Company, 1968 (f. 210), North Wales Association for the Arts, 1968 (f. 211); Cyngor Gwlad Môn, 1969 (f. 212); David Tinker (UCW, Aberystwyth), 1969 (ff. 213-214); National Library of Wales, 1969 (ff. 215-221); UCNW, Bangor, 1969 (f. 222); Wrexham Literary Group, 1970 (f. 223); Alun John, 1970 (ff. 224-226); New York Times, 1970 (f. 227); Glyn Tegai Hughes (Gregynog), 1970 (ff. 228-230); Mabon, 1970 (f. 231); Harlech Television Ltd, 1970 (f. 232); Belgrade Theatre Coventry, 1970 (ff. 233); and Meic Stephens, 1970-1971 (ff. 234-235).

Typescript draft, [1953x1962], with autograph revision, of Brenda Chamberlain's autobiographical novel The Water-Castle (London, 1964), containing passages not included in the published text.

Drawing book begun by a child and later used by Brenda Chamberlain (ff. 13, 18, 34-5 only). Includes Karl von Laer material. Dated 'New Year's Day 1954' (f. 13).