Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952
type: FindingAid
type: Document
conforms to: General International Standard for Archival Description
publisher: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
encoded as: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952
topic: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
subject: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
has part: Biographical History for: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
topic: SERIES I. LETTERS
subject: SERIES I. LETTERS
topic: Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
subject: Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
topic: Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
subject: Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
topic: Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
subject: Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
topic: Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
subject: Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
topic: Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
subject: Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
topic: Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
subject: Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
topic: Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
subject: Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
topic: Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
subject: Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
topic: Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
subject: Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
topic: Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
subject: Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
topic: Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.
subject: Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.
topic: SERIES II. POEMS
subject: SERIES II. POEMS
topic: Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
subject: Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
topic: [Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
subject: [Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
topic: Poem "Pussydise Lost".
subject: Poem "Pussydise Lost".

General International Standard for Archival Description
type: Standard

Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
type: Repository
type: Organization
type: Agent
country code: US
maintenance agency code: manoscmr
is publisher of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952
administers: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
provides access to: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
provides access to: SERIES I. LETTERS
provides access to: Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
provides access to: Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
provides access to: Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
provides access to: Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
provides access to: Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
provides access to: Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
provides access to: Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
provides access to: Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
provides access to: Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.
provides access to: SERIES II. POEMS
provides access to: Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
provides access to: [Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
provides access to: Poem "Pussydise Lost".

Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
type: SpatialThing
is administered by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952
type: EAD
type: Document
description: Finding aid encoded in NoteTab Pro. Encoded by Margaret Jessup. 2009-03-09
created: 2009-03-09
conforms to: Encoded Archival Description
conforms to: Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
encoding of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952

Encoded Archival Description
type: Standard

Encoded Archival Description (EAD) Version 2002
type: Standard

Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
type: ArchivalResource
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
level: collection
identifier: MS 308
date: 1913-1952
date created accumulated string: 1913-1952
date created accumulated start: 1913
date created accumulated end: 1952
produced in: Creation of Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
extent: 1 box
language: eng
origination: Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
has biographical history: Biographical History for: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
acquisitions: The Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Miscellaneous Manuscripts, 1913-1952 were purchased (with one exception) between 1979 and 1987 with funds of the McConnell-Bohning Bequest from various manuscript dealers. The letter of Ms. Sayers to Mary Elizabeth Clark (Smith College Class of 1926) was found in Ms. Clark's inscribed copy of Sayers's The Mysterious English (London: Macmillan, 1941).
scopecontent: Scope and Contents of the Collection The Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems are arranged chronologically in two series: I. Letters There are ten personal letters of Dorothy L. Sayers to Catherine H. Godfrey ("Tony"). In addition, there are letters to business associates and one to an American fan of Sayers's works. II. Poems There are two manuscripts of poetry and a pre-print of a published poem.
access restrictions: The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Mortimer Rare Book Room.
use restrictions: The Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems are the physical property of the Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors of the works or their legal representatives.
related material: The Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, Wheaton, Illinois has a major collection of Dorothy L. Sayers's books and manuscripts, together with her contemporaries Owen Barfield, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Charles Williams. Other libraries with collections of Dorothy L. Sayers's letters and manuscripts include: The British LibraryHoughton Library, Harvard UniversityUniversity of Michigan Library. Special Collections LibraryUniversity of Reading LibraryUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison. Libraries. Dept. of Rare Books and Special Collections
bibliography: A bibliography of work by Dorothy L. Sayers can be found on the Dorothy L. Sayers Society website (http://www.sayers.org.uk/). The following listing of the published letters of Sayers is provided. In the contents listing of this collection when a given letter is published-in whole or in part-citation is given to these volumes. The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers, chosen and edited by Barbara Reynolds. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1996-2002. 5 v. For a complete publishing description of The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers, see the Dorothy L. Sayers society website noted above.
processing: Processed by Melvin Carlson, Jr., 2008
associated with: Women authors, English-20th century-Correspondence
associated with: Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
associated with: Godfrey, Catherine H.
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: SERIES I. LETTERS
aggregates: SERIES I. LETTERS
has part: SERIES II. POEMS
aggregates: SERIES II. POEMS

collection
type: Level
type: Concept

Creation of Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
type: Creation
type: Event
product: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
involved: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
time: Time of Creation of Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
at time: Time of Creation of Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems

Time of Creation of Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
type: Interval
timeline: universaltimeline
start: 1913
interval starts: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1913
P86i contains: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1913
end: 1952
interval ends: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1952
P86i contains: http://reference.data.gov.uk/id/year/1952

1 box
type: Extent
archbox: 1

Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
type: Agent
is origination of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems

Biographical History for: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
type: BiographicalHistory
type: Document
type: DocumentPart
body: Biographical Note Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) was a British novelist, translator and apologist for the Christian faith. She was born in Oxford, England where her father, the Rev. Henry Sayers, was chaplain of Christ Church and headmaster of the Choir School. Sayers's mother was Helen Mary Leigh. Her father was subsequently posted to the village of Bluntisham, Cambridgeshire where he served as rector. Sayers entered Somerville College, Oxford in 1912 and completed there with first-class honors in 1916. She graduated from Oxford in 1920 with the M.A. After numerous relationships with men, she found herself pregnant by Bill White in 1923. She hid this fact from her parents and John Anthony was born January 3, 1924. He was promptly turned over to her aunt and cousin Amy and Ivy Amy Shipton with the understanding that her parents where never to find out John Anthony's origin. On April 8, 1926 she married Captain Oswald Atherton "Mac" Fleming, a divorced Scottish journalist. They made their home at 24 Great James Street, St. Pancras, where both continued their writing careers. Sayers became a member of the Oxford group of writers that included C. S. Lewis, Charles Williams and J. R. R. Tolkein (the "Inklings"). Sayers worked as a copywriter in S. H. Benson's advertising agency (1922-1931), as she began to pursue a writing career. Her first book Op. 1, a book of poetry, was published in 1916. During her years at Benson's she developed the character of Lord Peter Wimsey and in the subsequent years she published 15 novels and short stories based on his character. She also wrote other crime stories during this time. The work that Sayers felt was her best work was her translation of Dante's Divine Comedy. She completed translating the first two volumes (1949-1952) of the Dante work and had begun the translation work on volume three when she died in 1957. Barbara Reynolds completed the translation of the third volume.
topic: Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
subject: Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
is biographical history for: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
is part of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems, 1913-1952

Women authors, English-20th century-Correspondence
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Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
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focus: Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957

lcnaf
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Sayers, Dorothy L. (Dorothy Leigh), 1893-1957
type: Person
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type: E21 Person

Godfrey, Catherine H.
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focus: Godfrey, Catherine H.

Godfrey, Catherine H.
type: Person
type: Agent
type: E21 Person

SERIES I. LETTERS
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
is aggregated by: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
aggregates: Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
has part: Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
has part: Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
aggregates: Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
has part: Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
has part: Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
aggregates: Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
has part: Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
aggregates: Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
has part: Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
aggregates: Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
has part: Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
aggregates: Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
has part: Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
aggregates: Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
has part: Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
aggregates: Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
has part: Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.
aggregates: Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.

SERIES II. POEMS
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
is aggregated by: Dorothy L. Sayers Letters and Poems
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA
level: series
type: Aggregation
type: Collection
has part: Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
aggregates: Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
has part: [Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
aggregates: [Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
has part: Poem "Pussydise Lost".
aggregates: Poem "Pussydise Lost".

series
type: Level
type: Concept

Letter, Friday in Easter Week [1913 Apr., Blumtisham Rectory] to Tony [Catherine H. Godfrey].
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1913 Jul. 11, Bluntisham Rectory to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1913 Jul. 29, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Postcard, [1913?], Bluntisham, to C. H. Godfrey.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, [1914] Jul. 28, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, [1915] Jan. 5, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1915 Jan. 6, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, [1915] Jul. 19, Bluntisham, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, [1915?] Sep. 22, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
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access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, [1915] Nov. 23, Bluntisham Rectory, to Tony.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1934 Apr. 30, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to "Dear Aunt Ann," (Nancy Pearn)
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1934 Sep. 6, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Larkin.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1935 Nov. 13, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Mr. Hopkins.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1937 May 9, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to Nancy Pearn ("Dear Bun").
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Postcard, 1937 Sep. 30 London (postmark), to Nancy Pearn.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Letter, 1939 Sep. 27, 24 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, to M. E. Clark.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES I. LETTERS
is aggregated by: SERIES I. LETTERS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Poems to real people, by D. L. S. [1914?]
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is part of: SERIES II. POEMS
is aggregated by: SERIES II. POEMS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

[Poems], C. H. G. from D. L. S., Oxford 1915.
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES II. POEMS
is aggregated by: SERIES II. POEMS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA

Poem "Pussydise Lost".
type: ArchivalResource
is part of: SERIES II. POEMS
is aggregated by: SERIES II. POEMS
access provided by: Mortimer Rare Book Room Smith College Northampton, MA