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Add MS 89727
- Record Id:
- 032-004565896
- Hierarchy Root Ancestor Record Id:
- 032-004565896
- MDARK:
- ark:/81055/vdc_100190335334.0x000001
- LARK:
- SLARK:
- Format:
- ISAD(G)
- Reference (shelfmark):
- Add MS 89727
- Title:
- Correspondence of Dorothy L Sayers
- Scope & Content:
- Extensive collection of letters received by Dorothy L. Sayers, with copies of many of her replies, covering her entire writing career. Correspondents include Dennis Wheatley, Arthur Machen, John Gawsworth, A. P. Herbert, Violet Vanbrugh, Charles Oppenheimer, Violet Bonham-Carter, Tom Driberg, Howard Coster, Angus McBean, Tenniel Evans, Eric Partridge, Storm Jameson, Athene Seyler, Barbara Reynolds, and Cecil Day Lewis. Longer sequences of correspondence with Vyvyan Holland, Basil Smallpeice, book sellers, the Society for Theatre Research, donors of post-war food parcels, and her cousin Gerald Sayers are also present.
The correspondence touches on all aspects of her professional and domestic life, including:
- Many fan letters.
- Invitations to speak to all manner of clubs, societies, associations, church groups, schoolchildren, conferences, organisations, and military bases.
- Social invitations.
- Requests to open fetes and fairs.
- Invitations to join clubs, societies, associations, and organisations, and offers of honorary presidencies.
- Domestic matters such as parking disputes, applications for domestic situations with references, orders for furniture and household goods, insurance, and banking.
- Praise for her written work and radio broadcasts.
- Requests for writers’ supplies such as typewriter ribbons, paper, and typewriter repairs.
- Requests for advice from budding authors; unsolicited manuscripts and poetry.
- Suggestions of subjects she should write about.
- Requests for autographs.
- Requests for writings for journals and magazines.
- Requests for charitable donations such as cash or signed books.
- Writers wishing to engage her in debates on Christianity, theology, religion, philosophy, morality, and society.
- Discussions of literature.
- Productions of her plays.
- Her work on translating Dante.
- Collection Area:
- Western Manuscripts
- Project / Collection:
- Additional Manuscripts
- Hierarchy Tree:
- [{ "id" : "032-004565896", "parent" : "#", "text" : "Add MS 89727: Correspondence of Dorothy L Sayers" },{ "id" : "036-004566064", "parent" : "032-004565896", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1: Special correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers" },{ "id" : "040-004566744", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/1: Correspondence with, and invoices from, book sellers" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566745", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/2: Correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers and Gerald Sayers" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566748", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/3: Correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers and Carrie Quick" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566749", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/4: Correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers and Basil Smallpeice" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566754", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/5: ‘File of correspondence from donors of food parcels from abroad’" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004567128", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/6: Correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers and friends in Germany" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004567185", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/7: Papers relating to the Society for Theatre Research" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566752", "parent" : "036-004566064", "text" : "Add MS 89727/1/8: Correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers and Vyvyan Holland" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "036-004566065", "parent" : "032-004565896", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers" },{ "id" : "040-004566077", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/1: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1909-1937" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566078", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/2: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1938" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566079", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/3: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1939" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566080", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/4: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Mar 1940" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566082", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/5: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Apr-Jun 1940" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566083", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/6: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Sep 1940" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566084", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/7: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Oct-Dec 1940" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566088", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/8: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Mar 1941" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566089", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/9: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Apr-Jun 1941" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566090", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/10: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Sep 1941" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566091", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/11: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Oct-Dec 1941" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566092", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/12: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Apr 1942" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566093", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/13: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers May-Aug 1942" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566094", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/14: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Sep-Dec 1942" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566095", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/15: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Apr 1943" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566096", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/16: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers May-Aug 1943" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566098", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/17: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Sep-Dec 1943" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566099", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/18: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Apr 1944" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566100", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/19: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers May-Aug 1944" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566101", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/20: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Sep-Dec 1944" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566103", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/21: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Apr 1945" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566104", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/22: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers May-Dec 1945" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566105", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/23: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Jun 1946" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566106", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/24: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Dec 1946" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566108", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/25: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Jun 1947" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566109", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/26: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Dec 1947" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566110", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/27: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Jun 1948" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566111", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/28: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Dec 1948" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566113", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/29: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Jun 1949" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566115", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/30: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Dec 1949" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566116", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/31: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jan-Jun 1950" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566117", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/32: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers Jul-Dec 1950" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566119", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/33: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1951" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566120", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/34: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1952" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566122", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/35: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1953" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566123", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/36: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1954" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566223", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/37: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1955" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566224", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/38: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1956" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566285", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/39: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers 1957" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566323", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/40: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers - undated correspondence I" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566336", "parent" : "036-004566065", "text" : "Add MS 89727/2/41: General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers - undated correspondence II" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} },{ "id" : "040-004566641", "parent" : "032-004565896", "text" : "Add MS 89727/3: Other papers collected by Dorothy L. Sayers" , "li_attr" : {"class": "orderable"} }]
- Hierarchy Record Ids:
- 032-004565896
- Is part of:
- not applicable
- Contains:
- Add MS 89727/1 : Special correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers
Add MS 89727/2 : General correspondence of Dorothy L. Sayers
Add MS 89727/3 : Other papers collected by Dorothy L. Sayers
Click here to View / search full list of parts of Add MS 89727 - Hierarchy:
- 032-004565896
- Container:
- View / search within Archive / Collection: Add MS 89727
- Record Type (Level):
- Fonds
- Extent:
- 50 files
- Digitised Content:
- Languages:
- English
- Scripts:
- Latin
- Start Date:
- 1909
- End Date:
- 1957
- Date Range:
- 1909-1957
- Era:
- CE
- Access:
-
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- User Conditions:
- Former Internal References:
- Dep. 10762
- Source of Acquisition:
- Acquired at Sotheby's, 10 July 2013.
- Arrangement:
- Sayers employed several secretaries over the 50 years covered by this correspondence and they employed a number of different filing and classification systems, none of which was used throughout the whole period. As a result there was a number of overlapping and inconsistently applied groupings within the collection: by correspondent, chronological, and by subject. To simplify matters, the collection has been arranged into two series: one by subject or correspondent where there is a significant number of letters to or from a particular correspondent or relating to a particular subject; the other arranged chronologically. It should be noted, however, that given the idiosyncrasies of the original filing systems it is possible that correspondence with the individuals, or relating to the subjects, which comprise the special correspondence series might also be found in the general correspondence series.
- Publications:
- Other Sayers correspondence, much of it held at the Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Illinois, has been published in the four volume The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers, edited by Barbara Reynolds, 1995-2000.
https://blogs.bl.uk/english-and-drama/2023/10/wartime-correspondence-of-dorothy-l-sayers.html.
- Material Type:
- Archives and Manuscripts
- Legal Status:
- Not Public Record(s)
- Names:
- Sayers, Dorothy Leigh, author, 1893-1957
- Related Material:
- Other significant collections of Sayers material are held by the Marion E. Wade Center, Wheaton College, Illinois; the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center Library, Austin, Texas; and the Bodleian Library, Special Collections.