File NLW ex 947. - Idris Davies Papers,

Identity area

Reference code

NLW ex 947.

Title

Idris Davies Papers,

Date(s)

  • 1932-1992. (Creation)

Level of description

File

Extent and medium

1 box.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Idris Davies (1905-1953), poet and schoolteacher, was born in a Welsh-speaking household and community in Rhymney, Monmouthshire, but spent much of his life living and working in London. It was, however, the industrial landscape of the South Wales valleys which was to have the greatest influence on his work, in which Davies frequently denounces the grimness and desolation of the surroundings while also reflecting the idealism and protest of its people during a time of great economic, social and religious change. His first volume of poetry, Gwalia Deserta (London, 1938), written at Rhymney, took as its theme the South Wales valleys during the Depression years of the 1930s. The Angry Summer, written at Meesden in Hertfordshire and published in 1943, is considered to be Davies's finest poem. Tonypandy and Other Poems (London, 1945) was completed while Davies was teaching in Treherbert in the Rhondda valley. In 1947 Davies returned as schoolmaster to his native Rhynmney, where he continued to write, broadcast and lecture. Selected Poems (London, 1953), the last volume to be produced during Davies's lifetime, was published less than a month before the poet's death in April 1953. Some of Davies's later material appeared posthumously in The Collected Poems of Idris Davies (Llandysul, 1972).

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The Rev. Islwyn Jenkins & Mr Eben Morris, Davies's cousin and brother-in-law respectively; Carmarthen and Rhymney; Donation (with NLW MSS 22397-415); 1987

Dr Jean Jenkins (widow of the Rev. Islwyn Jenkins); Carmarthen; Donation (with NLW MS 23539D); October 1996; A1996/121.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of the poet Idris Davies (1905-53) of Rhymney, including newspaper cuttings, some concerning him and his work; college notebooks, academic essays and a dissertation; letters to Idris Davies from children of Cwmsyfiog school, 1953, and letters concerning him and his work, 1954-77; together with additional papers, 1932-1992, including research notes compiled, 1954-1955, by his cousin and biographer the Rev. Islwyn Jenkins, Carmarthen, two photographs of Idris Davies, manuscript and typescript addresses and scripts concerning him, musical settings of his poems, programmes and leaflets.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Usual copyright laws apply.

Language of material

Script of material

Language and script notes

English.

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Note

Preferred citation: NLW ex 947.

Alternative identifier(s)

Virtua system control number

vtls004396568

GEAC system control number

(WlAbNL)0000396568

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

Related subjects

Related people and organizations

Related genres

Related places

Physical storage

  • Text: NLW ex 947.