Ffeil / File AFA/1 - Letters to John Pikoulis from friends and acquaintances of Alun Lewis

Alun Lewis met Howell Davies while visiting poet and writer Edward Thomas's house in Steep, Hampshire, not far from where Lewis was at the time stationed at Longmoor military camp (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984)).

Evelyn ('Lynette') Beatrice Roberts was a poet and novelist. In 1939, she married the Welsh poet, literary journalist and editor Ronald Rees Jones (Keidrych Rhys). For further correspondence of Lynette Roberts, see Alun Lewis Papers; David Jones (Artist and Writer) Papers; Papurau D. J. Williams, Abergwaun; Glyn Jones Papers; John Legonna Paper;, Jeff Towns (Dylan Thomas) Collection; and Gwyn Jones Papers at NLW.

The novelist, writer, translator and academic Gwyn Jones was born in New Tredegar, Monmouthshire. In 1964, he was appointed Professor of English at what is now Cardiff University, a position he held until his retirement in 1975.

For A. G. Prys-Jones, see, for example: https://archives.library.wales/index.php/prys-jones-g-arthur-gl
See also, for example, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru - cyfansoddiadau a beirniadaethau archive at NLW.
For the Caseg Broadsheets (referenced in Prys-Jones's letters), see, for example: https://archives.library.wales/index.php/caseg-broadsheets and https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/mono/10.4324/9781315186337-4/alun-lewis-caseg-broadsheets-1941%E2%80%942-alison-smith.

The Anglo-Welsh novelist, poet and literary historian Morgan Glyndwr (Glyn) Jones was brought up in a Welsh-speaking environment in Merthyr Tydfil but, due to receiving his formal education through the medium of English only, had to relearn his native language in later life. See also, for example, Glyn Jones Papers at NLW.

Alun Lewis met Leslie Sykes while visiting poet and writer Edward Thomas's house in Steep, Hampshire, not far from where Lewis was at the time stationed at Longmoor military camp (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984)).

Megan McTrusty (née Lloyd Jones) was a girlfriend of Alun Lewis during the 1930s.

Born in London, Christina Agnes Lilian Foyle was an English bookseller and owner of Foyles bookshop on the Charing Cross Road. She was the daughter of William Foyle, who, with his brother Gilbert, had established the shop in 1904. Christina agreed to act as Alun Lewis's literary agent during one of the latter's visits to London in the 1930s (see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 73). See also, for example, Gwyn Jones Papers and Sam Adams Papers at NLW.

Gillian Somerville-Large was the daughter of Freda Aykroyd, with whom Alun Lewis had a brief but intensely passionate relationship from 1943 to 1944 while he was serving in India with the 6th Battalion South Wales Borderers. For both Freda Aykroyd and Gillian Somerville-Large, see under heading Freda Aykroyd. See also, for example: https://notices.irishtimes.com/death/somerville-large-gillian-lucy/60278310 and https://www.poetryireland.ie/publications/poetry-ireland-review/online-archive/view/lazy-bed.

Bernard Pile was a schoolfriend of Alun Lewis (see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 36).

For Cyril Moseley, see, for example: https://ovlhs.co.uk/ogmore-valley-workmens-hall-and-institute/.
For Morgan Bruce & Nicholas, see, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blake_Morgan_LLP.

For Ruby Griffin (letter from Sulwyn Williams), see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 46.

Irene Birdsall and her brother William were neighbours of Alun Lewis, William being also a schoolfriend of Lewis's.

For Lady Renée Hopkin, see, for example: https://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/1368556; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Hopkin.

Born in Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire, William Ronald Rhys Jones, who used the name Keidrych Rhys, was a literary journalist, editor and poet. He was editor of the periodical Wales from its inception in 1937 through to 1949, then (following a publishing hiatus) from 1958 to its demise in 1960 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keidrych_Rhys). See also, for example, the Keidrych Rhys Manuscripts at NLW.

Elonwy Kirkland (née Maddox) was a friend of Alun Lewis during the time that Lewis and his family took holidays at Penbryn, near Aberporth, Cardiganshire (see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 43).

Iris Dawes (née Jones), from Tremain, Cardiganshire, was a girlfriend of Alun Lewis during the time that Lewis and his family took holidays at Penbryn, near Aberporth, Cardiganshire (see John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), pp. 43-45).

Mansel Morris Davies was Professor of Chemistry at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Born in Aberdare, it appears that he and his parents were friends of Alun Lewis's family (see https://abgs.org.uk/FormerPupils/Mansel/mmd.htm).

Alun Lewis met Leslie Sykes while visiting Edward Thomas's house at Steep, Hampshire (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984)).

Born in London, artist Ronald John Petts was known for his engravings and stained glass works. In 1935 he married the artist, poet and writer Brenda Chamberlain and the couple set up home near Llanllechid, where they bought a hand operated printing press and in 1937 set up the Caseg Press, which produced bookplates, greeting cards and prints of local scenes. Petts and Chamberlain collaborated with Alun Lewis on illustrations for a number of Welsh-language magazines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Petts_(artist)). See also, for example: John Petts Manuscripts, Gwyn Jones Papers and NLW MS 22863C at NLW.

Alun Lewis met Jean Gilbert, librarian at the former Pontigny Abbey in Burgundy, France, while on holiday in the area in May 1937 (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984)). See also, for example: https://www.lemonde.fr/archives/article/1950/08/05/paul-desjardins-et-pontigny_2058534_1819218.html and https://www.jstor.org/stable/44811500. For Pontigny Abbey, see, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontigny_Abbey.

Lady Marjorie Linstead (née Walters) was the daughter of William David Walters and his wife Margaret (née Jones) of Trecynon, Rhondda Cynon Tâf. She was educated at Aberdare County School for Girls, the University of London
and Somerville College, Oxford from 1938 to 1940. In 1942 she married the distinguished academic chemist Professor Patrick Linstead, who was knighted whilst serving as Rector of Imperial College, London from 1954 to 1966 (https://www.abgs.org.uk/aggs2/index.htm?var1=https://www.abgs.org.uk/aggs2/CertificateCeremonies/Cert61/Lady_Linstead.html). Marjorie Walters was a close friend (though not an academic colleague) of Alun Lewis during his university years (see indexed references in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984).

Rudolf John Frederick Lehmann was an English poet, lecturer and man of letters. He founded the periodicals New Writing and The London Magazine and the publishing house of John Lehmann Limited. His three-volume autobiography comprises Whispering Gallery (1955), I Am My Brother (1960) and The Ample Proposition (1966) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lehmann).

Language note: Correspondence with Jean Gilbert includes one letter in French.