Collection ID: LMC 2666
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Collection context

Summary

Abstract:
The Hill, A. mss., ca. 1886-2004, consist of correspondence, journal fragments, legal and financial documents, clippings, photos, and account books of Lady Anne Hill (1911–2006), author, public figure, and wife of prominent bookseller G. Heywood Hill.
Extent:
12 Boxes
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Item], Hill, A. mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

Background

Biographical / Historical:

Lady Anne Gathorne-Hardy (October 12, 1911-October 22, 2006) was born in 1911, the only daughter of the third Earl of Cranbrook and his wife, Dorothy. Her four older brothers were John (Jock) Gathorne-Hardy (1900-1974), Edward (Eddie) Gathorne-Hardy, Robert (Bob) Gathorne-Hardy, and Antony Gathorne-Hardy. The family was ennobled in the 1870's after Anne's great grandfather served in Disraeli's cabinet. She was originally engaged to James Lees-Milne, but the two parted amicably. She was an original employee of Heywood Hill book shop, named for its owner, who was a cousin of Anne's sister-in-law. Anne married Heywood in 1938; their marriage spanned nearly fifty years until Heywood's death of Parkinson's disease in 1986. They had two daughters, Harriet Frazer (previously Harriet Behrens) and Rabea (formerly Lucy) Redpath.

Lady Anne was interested in family history and relations, keeping detailed records of her ancestors' lineage dating back centuries. She was also particularly interested in Edward Trelawny, a friend of Lord Byron's, and wrote and published scholarly pamphlets and books on him, most notably Trelawny's Strange Relations (1956). Together with Heywood, she also published a volume of their wartime correspondence (during which time Heywood served in the military while Anne ran the shop) entitled A Bookseller's War.

Scope and Content:

"Heywood Hill Bookstore" "Correspondence" subseries includes letters about the shop between Lady Anne, Heywood Hill, and various other correspondents, including Mollie and Handasyde Buchanan (the latter jouned the shop in 1945 and managed the shop 1965-1974), John Saumarez-Smith (joined in 1965 and became managing director after Handasyde's departure, until 2008). Most correspondence related to Nancy Mitford (renowned 20th century author and socialite, who worked in the shop 1942-1945) can also be found here.

Much of the "Correspondence" subseries of "Lady Anne Hill" was organized to varying degrees by Lady Anne herself. As she organized mainly chronologically and thematically (e.g. "Cyprus trip 1968"), I chose to leave many non-correspondence material (such as programs, photos, catalogs, press clippings, etc.) in Lady Anne's original arrangement as they often cohere thematically or lend each other context. Notable correspondents that can be found in this series include author Frances Partridge and James Lees-Milne.

Due to the organizational system used in correspondence, a number of photos are in that subseries. Any photos without clear organizational logic, dates, or seeming relevance to the materials near which they were originally located were placed in the "Photos" subseries.

The "Personal" subseries to "Lady Anne Hill" contains many of the materials that were less organized/more loosely organized by Lady Anne. Some overlap between the folders can be found throughout the collection but especially in this subseries due to multiple processors who processed roughly half the collection.

"Jane Gathorne-Hardy" includes correspondence (some with Anne) as well as personal papers, documents, and photos of Lady Anne's aunt, Jane Ethel Gathorne-Hardy (Sept. 26, 1872-1943). According to Anne's papers, she seems to have been a suffragette and world traveler (she lived in France and Peruvian ID documents can be found under "Personal").

"Eddie Gathorne-Hardy" includes correspondence with and papers related to or belonging to Lady Anne's brother Eddie, including his correspondence with English travel writer Peter Mayne (1908-1979).

"Writings" includes Lady Anne's scholarship on Edward Trelawny, including correspondence and writings related to Trelawny's 1831 memoir, Adventures of a Younger Son (Anne contacted publishing houses to encourage them to publish a new edition in the hopes of writing the introduction) as well as Lady Anne's own book, Trelawny's Strange Relations, centered on his mother and sisters. This subseries also includes Anne and Heywood's work of compiling their wartime letters into what would become A Bookseller's War (1997), as well as some work related to a memoir. Lady Anne's "Nannies," written for a collection her nephew, Jonny Gathorne-Hardy, was working on.

Acquisition information:
Gift: 2007
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged into the following series: I. Heywood Hill Bookstore, II. Lady Anne Hill (includes A. Correspondence, B. Photos, C. Legal & Financial, D. Personal, E. Jane Gathorne-Hardy, F. Eddie Gathorne-Hardy, G. Writings), III. Miscellaneous.

Physical location:
ALF

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.

PREFERRED CITATION:

[Item], Hill, A. mss., Lilly Library, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
1200 East Seventh Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47405-5500, USA
CAMPUS:
Indiana University Bloomington
CONTACT:
(812) 855-2452
liblilly@indiana.edu