Add MS 88909/158

(1) 1976.

Notice of 14th Poets Conference (National Poetry Centre, 10 January, 1976), a brief meeting to allow members to attend an Extraordinary Meeting of the Poetry Society held on the same day. With the document 'The State of Poetry - Part Two' (issued at 14th Poets Conference, and re-issued with corrections and additions at 15th Poets Conference, September 1976).

Other documentation for 1976:

• some notes in Cobbing's hand;
• letter circulated to Poetry Society Members by the Poetry Reform Group (4 June, 1976, 6 sheets);
• 'Manifesto' (with corrections) issued at 15th Poets Conference;
• a statement [1976] by General Council (Nuttall, Upton, Cobbing and Mottram) in response to the Arts Council Report (Witt), with original manuscript draft by Cobbing;
• statement (manuscript) inaugurating the National Poetry Centre Bookshop (5 March 1976) signed by various poets including Cobbing.

(2) 1977.

• Notice of 16th Poets Conference (The Haverstock Arms, 23 July 1977), with various notes by Cobbing.
• Press Statement (26 March 1977) concerning resignations from Poetry Society, and further Statement (25 November 1977) headed 'Poets Boycott Poetry Society' concerning Manifesto.
• Statements on Anglo/French Translation Conference (20-21 October 1977) and Latin America Festival Poetry Reading (27 October 1977).

(3) 1978.

• Notice of 17th Poets Conference (Leeds Polytechnic, 9 June 1978), with 'Ten Questions to the Poetry Society' (duplicated typescript and Cobbing manuscript);
• 'Poets and the Arts Council of Great Britain' (11 December 1978, duplicated typescript and manuscript).

(4) 1979.

• Document issued by Poets Conference (23 January 1979) entitled 'How the Poetry Society Lost its Democratic Status' (in duplicated typescript and as a Cobbing manuscript);
• supplementary notes in the hand of Bill Griffiths.

(5) 1980. Single sheet statement concerning (un-numbered) Poets Conference held at University of Warwick, 27 April 1980.

(6) Various Poets Conference documents without date.