Special Collections & Archives

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?> <?xml-stylesheet type="text/xsl" href="/jspui/ead/styles/eadbase4.xsl"?> <ead xmlns:ns2="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="urn:isbn:1-931666-22-9 http://www.loc.gov/ead/ead.xsd"> <eadheader repositoryencoding="iso15511" countryencoding="iso3166-1" dateencoding="iso8601" langencoding="iso639-2b"> <eadid url="http://hdl.handle.net/10339/27834 "/> <filedesc> <titlestmt> <titleproper>Inventory of the William Somerset Maugham Letters, <date normal="1938/1963">1938 - 1963</date> <num>MS590</num> </titleproper> <author>Finding aid prepared by Processed by: Megan Mulder; machine-readable finding aid created by: Megan Mulder</author> </titlestmt> <publicationstmt> <publisher>Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives</publisher> <address> <addressline>PO Box 7777</addressline> <addressline>Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27109</addressline> <addressline>336 758-5755</addressline> </address> <date>2005</date> </publicationstmt> </filedesc> <profiledesc> <creation>This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit <date>2012-12-03T11:11-0500</date> </creation> <langusage>Description is in <language langcode="eng">English</language></langusage> </profiledesc> </eadheader> <archdesc level="collection"> <did> <unittitle>William Somerset Maugham Letters,</unittitle> <unitid>MS590</unitid> <repository> <corpname>Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives</corpname> </repository> <langmaterial> <language langcode="eng"/> </langmaterial> <physdesc> <extent>0.2 linear feet</extent> <extent>4 folders</extent> </physdesc> <unitdate normal="1938/1963" type="inclusive">1938 - 1963</unitdate> <physloc id="ref2" label="Location">For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives.</physloc> <abstract id="ref3" label="Abstract"/> <abstract id="ref4" label="Abstract"/> <physdesc id="ref1" label="General Physical Description note"> <extent encodinganalog="300" unit="linear feet">0.5</extent> <extent encodinganalog="300" unit="boxes">1</extent> <extent encodinganalog="300" unit="items"/> </physdesc> <origination label="creator"> <persname source="ingest">Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965</persname> </origination> </did> <accessrestrict id="ref5"> <head>Access Restrictions</head> <p>Collection is open.</p> </accessrestrict> <userestrict id="ref6"> <head>Copyright Notice</head> <p>Copyright for all materials in the collection resides with the creators of the items in question or their descendants. Users of this collection are responsible for using the materials in conformance with U.S. copyright law.</p> </userestrict> <prefercite id="ref7"> <head>Preferred Citation</head> <p>MS 590, William Somerset Maugham Letters, Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.</p> </prefercite> <acqinfo id="ref8"> <head>Acquisitions Information</head> <p>Library purchase by Richard Murdoch from J. Howard Woolmer (dealer), $7500.00, Jan. 5, 1987.</p> </acqinfo> <processinfo id="ref9"> <head>Processing Information</head> <p>Processed by Megan Mulder, July 2005</p> <p>Encoded by Megan Mulder, July 2005</p> </processinfo> <bioghist id="ref11"> <head>Biographical/Historical note</head> <p>William Somerset Maugham (1874 - 1965) was an English novelist, playwright, and short story writer. Born in Paris, Maugham was orphaned at 10 and sent to live in England with his uncle, a vicar. He studied at the University of Heidelberg and at St. Thomas's Hospital in London. At his family's suggestion, he earned a medical degree, but chose instead to pursue a literary career.</p> <p>Maugham was married for ten years to Syrie Wellcome. He worked for British Intelligence during World War I, and during this time he met Gerald Haxton, who became Maugham's lover and companion. After Haxton's death in 1944, Maugham lived with Alan Searle. He travelled widely, and his success as an author allowed him to live in grand style.</p> <p>Maugham's best known novel is the semi-autobiographical Of Human Bondage (1915). Other well known works include The Moon and the Sixpence (1919), Ashenden, Or, The British Agent (1928), Cakes and Ale (1930), and The Razor's Edge (1944). Maugham wrote in the style of the 19th century realists, which put him at odds with the Modernist movement of the early 20th century.</p> </bioghist> <scopecontent id="ref13"> <head>Collection Overview</head> <p>The collection consists of 72 letters, 8 postcards, and 2 telegrams from <persname>William Somerset Maugham</persname>, mostly to Lady <persname>Jane Clark</persname>, wife of art historian Sir <persname>Kenneth Clark</persname>, with a few letters to Sir Kenneth himself. Also included are 35 typed letters to Jane Clark from <persname>Alan Searle</persname>.</p> <p>Most of the letters date from the 1950s. The content is mostly personal, describing Maugham's social life, travels, and health. There are mentions of <persname>Evelyn Waugh</persname>, <persname>Diana Cooper</persname>, the <famname>Sitwells</famname>, <persname>Cyril Connolly</persname>, <persname>Margery Allingham</persname>, <persname>Paul Claudel</persname>, and <persname>Sam Behrman</persname>.</p> </scopecontent> <arrangement id="ref14"> <head>Series List</head> <list type="ordered"> <item>Maugham to Jane Clark</item> <item>Maugham to Kenneth Clark</item> <item>Alan Searle to Jane Clark</item> <item>Postcards and Telegrams</item> </list> <list type="ordered"> <item> <persname source="lcnaf" encodinganalog="600">Maugham, W. Somerset (William Somerset), 1874-1965 </persname> </item> <item> <persname source="lcnaf" encodinganalog="600">Clark, Kenneth, 1903- </persname> </item> <item> <persname source="local" encodinganalog="600">Clark, Jane Martin </persname> </item> <item> <persname source="local" encodinganalog="600">Searle, Alan </persname> </item> <item> <subject source="lcsh" encodinganalog="650">Authors -- English -- 20th century -- Correspondence </subject> </item> </list> </arrangement> <dsc> <c id="ref17" level="otherlevel"> <did> <unittitle>Maugham to Jane Clark</unittitle> <container id="cid53593" type="Box" label="Mixed Materials">1</container> <container parent="cid53593" type="Folder">1</container> <unitdate>1951-1953, and undated</unitdate> </did> </c> <c id="ref18" level="otherlevel"> <did> <unittitle>Maugham to Kenneth Clark</unittitle> <container id="cid53592" type="Box" label="Mixed Materials">1</container> <container parent="cid53592" type="Folder">2</container> <unitdate>1938-1958, and undated</unitdate> </did> </c> <c id="ref19" level="otherlevel"> <did> <unittitle>Alan Searle to Jane Clark</unittitle> <container id="cid53591" type="Box" label="Mixed Materials">1</container> <container parent="cid53591" type="Folder">3</container> <unitdate>1950-1963</unitdate> </did> </c> <c id="ref20" level="otherlevel"> <did> <unittitle>Postcards and telegrams</unittitle> <container id="cid53590" type="Box" label="Mixed Materials">1</container> <container parent="cid53590" type="Folder">4</container> <unitdate>1950-1959, and undated</unitdate> </did> </c> </dsc> </archdesc> </ead>