Collection context
Summary
- Abstract:
- The Gay mss. II, 1945-1977, consist of letters written to Kenneth Charles Gay, 1912-1995, librarian and curator of the Poetry Collection at SUNY Buffalo until his retirement in 1978.
- Extent:
- 1 Box (1 standard)
- Language:
- Materials are in English .
- Preferred citation:
[Item], Gay mss. II, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Background
- Biographical / Historical:
The Gay mss. II, 1945-1977 contains the letters of librarian Kenneth Charles Gay (1912-1995). Born in Germany, Gay began his professional work as a graphic artist but later left his country amid the rise of Nazism. In 1934, Gay moved to Majorca and befriended author Robert Graves. During World War II, Gay served in the Pioneer Corps and afterward the Royal Navy. After the war, Gay continued to work for Graves, now as his secretary, until in 1965 when Graves grew ill, Gay began to work at the State University of New York University Libraries system in Buffalo.
- Scope and Content:
The Gay mss. II, 1945-1977, consist of letters written to Kenneth Charles Gay, 1912- , librarian and curator of the Poetry Collection at SUNY Buffalo until his retirement in 1978. Most of the letters are from poets, critics, and editors who discuss their current work or talk about the activities of other writers. Several letters in particular discuss Robert Graves and his work.
Correspondents in the collection include Nicolas John Barker, Donald F. Boyd, Jacob Bronowski, John Cotton, Douglas Day, Esme Valerie (Fletcher) Eliot, Ruth Fainlight, Colin Falck, Irving Feldman, Kenneth Charles Gay, Brendan Gill, Michael Hamburger, Paul Hogarth, Alan Hodge, Jane Aiken Hodge, Harry V. Kemp, Anthony Kerrigan, Robert Latona, David Low, Robin Magowan, Thomas Stanley Matthews, John Montague, Michael Mott, Charles Plumb, Omar Shakespear Pound, Kevin Power, Robert Duguid Forrest Pring-Mill, James Reeves, Alastair Reid, Anthony Rudolph, George Oswald Schanzer, Marjorie (Harris) Seymour-Smith, Martin Seymour-Smith, Alan Sillitoe, Robin Skelton, Nathaniel Tarn, Ann Thwaite, Ruthven Todd, and Ted Walker.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchase: n.d.
- Arrangement:
The contents of this collection are arranged chronologically.
- Physical location:
- Lilly - Stacks
Indexed Terms
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
This collection is open for research.
Many collections are housed offsite; retrieval requires advance notice. Please make an appointment a minimum of one week in advance of your visit.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Photography and digitization may be restricted for some collections. Copyright restrictions may apply. Before publishing, researchers are responsible for securing permission from all applicable rights holders, then filling out the Permission to Publish form.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
[Item], Gay mss. II, Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
-
1200 East Seventh StreetBloomington, Indiana 47405-5500, USA
- CAMPUS:
- Indiana University Bloomington
- CONTACT:
-
(812) 855-2452liblilly@indiana.edu