Add MS 89094/5

Twenty-one communications:

• 1. Worthing, 17 May 1965 (postmark). Pinter to Woolf. Autograph lettercard (torn, missing small portion of text). Cryptic communication, beginning: 'M. said nothing to J. about meeting us. Nor did he explain why he was a little late home that evening. I have said nothing to J.'
• 2. Q[ueen's] G[ate] P[lace] S.W.7. 31 March [1966]. Pinter to Woolf. Typed letter (1 sheet), together with a volume of Woolf's poems that Pinter has had privately printed in a limited edition as a surprise gift. Pinter writes: 'My one great regret is that I'm not there to see your face when you open this parcel.' The volume is entitled Poems, by Henry Woolf (1966). Limited edition note at the back of the volume: 'Two hundred copies of this book have been privately printed by Benham and Company Limited at the direction of Mr Harold Pinter'.) The copy held (number 141) has been added to this letter, as a representative book from the parcel Woolf received, from various printed materials acquired from Woolf at the time the present manuscript collection was acquired.
• 3. [London], April 20 [1966]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Further letter on Woolf's Poems.
• 4. 33 Launceton Place, London W8 5RN. April 28 [?1977]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Pinter was 'deeply moved & impressed' by Woolf's performance as Hancock. Refers to the play, Hancock's Last Half Hour, by Heathcote Williams (1977). Shortly after moving to Canada (in 1978), Woolf won the Edmonton Critics Best Actor Award for his performance as Hancock. However, the Launceton Place letterhead to this letter (Pinter moved to Campden Hill Square in August 1977 - William Baker, A Harold Pinter Chronology, p. 75) suggests Pinter is referring to a prior English performance.
• 5. 52 Campden Hill Square, London W8 7JR. November 18 [19]82. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Pinter refers to his son, Daniel ('He & I are actually very close at the moment'), and is glad that Daniel has written to Woolf ('I hope he accepts your invitation').
• 6. 52 Campden Hill Square. September 17 [19]83. Pinter to Woolf. Typed letter (1 sheet). Pinter has had 'a very unsettled year': he has resigned from the National Theatre, 'can't write', may do another film with Joseph Losey, and is depressed by American politics (Reagan).
• 7. 52 Campden Hill Square. Feb 6 [1990]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet), enclosing a photocopy of a long letter from Ronald V Percival to Pinter (3 sheets, dated 5 February 1990). Pinter comments: 'Has he always been this mad, do you think?' A copy of Percival's letter (which is critical of The Satanic Verses and of Pinter's public support for Salman Rushdie) was also copied and sent at the same time to Michael Goldstein (see Add MS 89083/1/1/6). The final page of Percival's letter has been subsequently annotated in pencil by Woolf (24 October 2012), identifying Percival as 'a primal member of our "gang".'
• 8. 52 Campden Hill Square. November 8 [1993]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Pinter regrets that Woolf will miss Moonlight (Almeida Theatre, September 1993), has strolled through Hackney with 'Moishe' ('The bandstand has gone'), and has sent Woolf his poem 'God' (also 1993, in Various Voices).
• 9. 52 Campden Hill Square. Sep. 13. [19]98. Pinter to Woolf (in Canada). Typed letter (1 sheet, with envelope). Pinter sends his congratulations to Woolf and actors on the production of Ashes to Ashes in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Pinter is 'in the middle of a pretty long stint of acting in a film of Mansfield Park', and is 'excited about the imminent publication' of Various Voices ('the political section is particularly important for me').
• 10. 52 Campden Hill Square. Dec. 27 [19]98. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (2 sheets). 'We go to New York on Jan. 9. "Ashes to Ashes" & "The Hothouse" in rehearsal. I'm giving a reading at Princeton, followed by a public question & answer. Might be quite interesting!' The letter also refers to Augusto Pinochet.
• 11. 52 Campden Hill Square. Jan. 19 [c. 2000]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Brief note: 'Here's my new piece. Good to talk to you.'
• 12. 52 Campden Hill Square. Aug. 7 2001. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet). Pinter and Woolf have recently met in New York. Pinter has seen Trevor Nunn about Monologue: 'I think it might happen. Keep yourself free.'
• 13. [52 Campden Hill Square]. November 2002 (postmark). Pinter to Woolf. No message. Copy of Pinter's speech, 'Turin Honorary Doctorate - November 27th 2002' (2 sheets, with envelope and unsigned 'With compliments' card).
• 14. 52 Campden Hill Square. Feb 19 2002. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph communication sent by fax (1 sheet). 'Woolf certainly left his mark on London. Terrific!' Sends good luck for The Birthday Party.
• 15. 52 Campden Hill Square. March 4 2002. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph communication sent by fax (1 sheet). 'To Susan, Henry & "The Birthday Party" company. The best of the best from everyone at the Ethical Hall, Bayswater and Monty Pinter.'
• 16. 52 Campden Hill Square. March 20 2002. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph communication sent by fax (1 sheet). Sending thanks for 'the cardigan'.
• 17. 52 Campden Hill Square. 26th September 2005. Pinter to Woolf. Typed letter (1 sheet) sent by fax. 'I can't tell you how much it means to me to know that you're knocking the old bones for me across the world. Clapton Pond, where are you? Here, in the heart.' The letter continues with reference to Pinter's health.
• 18. 52 Campden Hill Square. June 20, 2005. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph letter (1 sheet, with envelope).
• 19. 52 Campden Hill Square. 29th November 2005. Anne Hudson to Woolf. Typed letter (1 sheet) sent by fax. 'Unfortunately, Harold has had to go into hospital again.' The letter includes the revised arrangements for Stockholm (Nobel Lecture).
• 20. 52 Campden Hill Square. No date [c. 2005]. Pinter to Woolf. Autograph card. 'Great to see you. Here's the book. Good luck for "One For The Road".'
• 21. [London], no date. Pinter to Moishe [Morris Wernick]. Typed letter (1 sheet, copy, unsigned). 'What you and me, Henry and Mick share, is something absolutely unique. We may be miles away from each other geographically but the spirit does not die. It won't even die after we're all dead.'