Requests for information about Mervyn Peake and his work for reference publications: Novels and Novelists, Who's Who in Europe, Contemporary Authors and Dictionary of British Book Illustrators.
Letters to Maeve Gilmore from Eyre Methuen, Methuen London, Methuen Children's Books and Associated Book Publishers. Letters pertain to both Mervyn Peake and Maeve Gilmore's literary and artistic works, including the intended edition of Bleak House, illustrated by Mervyn, that was not ultimately...
Comprises four notebooks containing two drafts: A. Draft in pencil with minor revisions. Invoice at end dated 18 October 1967. B. Continuation of pencil draft, undated. C. Later revised draft, in ink, March 1968-April 1968. D. Continuation of later draft to end, May 1968.
Poems Written at Virginia Water Hospital circa 1960-1961. Holloway Sanatorium
Scope & Content:
Autograph and typescript poems: 'Heads move ['float' inserted] about me...'; 'Swallow the sky: chew up the stars...'; 'Course [Coarse] as the sun is blatant...' (with two sketches of heads); 'Through the voluminous foliage of the mind...'; 'On fishing up a marble head'; 'That lance of light that...
Working notebook for what Peake referred to as Book 1 and Book 2 [two parts of Titus Groan], in pencil, crayon and ink. Includes continuation of manuscript with authorial revisions and [editorial?] corrections in red pencil. Also includes drafts of introduction (crossed out) and chapter listing....
Autograph manuscript in various colour inks, with authorial revisions and [editorial?] corrections in red pencil. Dated August 1943. Drawings in ink include: front cover: Steerpike; f.12: doodle of legs and feet; f.15: rough sketches [perhaps of nun]; ff.40v-f.41: satyrs [may be preparatory ske...
Fragments Re Fourth Titus Book [later entitled Titus Awakes]
Scope & Content:
Comprises: list in Mervyn Peake's hand of possible ideas, chapters or titles, headed 'Titus among the -' (pasted onto leaf from diary for 7 January 1963); p.135 of typescript draft [conversation between Mrs Sempleton? and Titus]; undated [1970s?]; photocopy of Peake's prologue and first chapter ...