Dangos 65 canlyniad

Photocopied and transcribed correspondence (from originals and from printed sources) and photocopied fair-copied and draft poetry (one signed) of Alun Lewis, many of the correspondence items annotated by Pikoulis and others, together with notes by John Pikoulis.

Each envelope marked with correspondent(s') name(s) and date(s) of correspondence.

Dates or estimated dates noted are those of original items, not of copying/transcription.

Correspondence of Freda Aykroyd, largely comprising letters exchanged between Freda Aykroyd and John Pikoulis in the course of Pikoulis's research into the life and work of Alun Lewis. Together with a printed email titled 'Memories of Alun Lewis' by Gillian Somerville-Large, daughter of Freda Aykroyd.

Dates noted are those of original letters, not of photocopying.

Printed email from Gillian Somerville-Large, daughter of Freda Aykroyd, to her sister Juliet Lacey.

Biographical and literary notes by Gweno Lewis which relate to Alun Lewis's life and work, comprising:

Undated explanatory notes by Gweno Lewis, presumably addressed to John Pikoulis, relating to some of Alun Lewis's letters; with, enclosed, a typescript copy of an anonymous 15th/16th-century poem titled 'The Bridal Morn' (referred to in Gweno's notes), annotated in Pikoulis's hand.

Gweno Lewis's undated handwritten responses to John Pikoulis's queries regarding Alun Lewis's letters to Professor Christopher Cheney, Lewis's History tutor at Manchester University.

Notes by Gweno Lewis in response to a 1978 article, presumably by John Pikoulis, titled 'Alun Lewis and the vocation of Poetry'.

Correspondence of Gwladys Lewis sent to or obtained by John Pikoulis in the course of his research into the life and work of Alun Lewis.

Correspondence between John Pikoulis and those who were friends and acquaintances of Alun Lewis as part of Pikoulis's research into the life and work of Alun Lewis.

Each envelope marked with name(s) of correspondent(s) and date(s) (where applicable) of correspondence.

Rough notes taken by John Pikoulis during interviews with friends and acquaintances of Alun Lewis in the course of his research into Lewis's life and work.

Letters to John Pikoulis from former work and academic (both school and university) colleagues of Alun Lewis and from academic institutions previously attended by Alun Lewis, the correspondents comprising: Richard (Dick) Mills (1977-1987 and undated); Chris Germanacos (1979, 1981); D. W. Thomas (1979); Glyn Rees (1979); Professor Christopher Cheney (1979-1980), together with notes by John Pikoulis on Lewis/Cheney correspondence, which includes a chronology of events in Lewis's academic life (for further notes on Alun Lewis's letters to Professor Cheney, see under Gweno Lewis (Alun Lewis research papers): Biographical and literary notes)); Andrew Davies (1980); Gwyn Prosser (1980); Department of History, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth (1980-1981); Registrar's Office, University of Manchester (1980); Barrie Davies (1980); Sir Idwal Vaughan Pugh (1981); Gwynfor Evans (1981); Dr Charles Franklin (1981); Haydn Evans (1981); Cledwyn Hughes, Lord Cledwyn, Baron Cledwyn of Penrhos (1981); John Jones, Gresford (1981); the John Rylands University Library of Manchester (1981); D. [?V.] Marks, St David's University College, Lampeter (1981); [?Nans] Richards (1981); Dewi Lewis (1981); Evan J. Hopkins (1983); poet, literary critic and translator Dyfnallt Morgan (1986); Wendon Jones (née Mostyn) (1986); and Matt Jones (1995).

Each envelope marked with name of correspondent and date(s) of correspondence.

Rough notes taken by John Pikoulis during interviews with former work and academic (both school and university) colleagues of Alun Lewis, the interviewees comprising: newspaper editor Gwyn Prosser (undated); Andrew Davies (undated); Barry Davies (undated); university lecturer David Sims (undated); civil servant Sir Idwal Vaughan Pugh (undated); Bryn Edwards (undated); and school principal Glyn Rees (undated).

Correspondence addressed to John Pikoulis from various sources other than those having had personal acquaintance with Alun Lewis but which have relevance to Alun Lewis and/or his literary work and therefore to Pikoulis's research into Lewis. Some items annotated in Pikoulis's hand.

Note that cross-referencing of names inevitably occurs between friends and acquaintances, military colleagues and academic/work colleagues of Alun Lewis - please refer to all relevant categories.

Each envelope marked with name of correspondent and date(s) (if applicable) of correspondence.

Letters, 1974-1988, to John Pikoulis from publishing companies, the correspondence largely relating to the publication of Pikoulis's Alun Lewis: A Miscellany of his Writings (Poetry Wales Press, 1982) and Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984) and to articles contributed by Pikoulis to literary publications. Correspondents comprise: Poetry Wales magazine and Poetry Wales Press/Seren Books, the representative correspondents being Sam Adams (Poetry Wales magazine), Cary Archard (Poetry Wales magazine and Poetry Wales Press) and Mike Felton (Poetry Wales Press and Seren Books); Peter Leek of publishers George Allen & Unwin Ltd (together with a rough draft of a report by John Pikoulis on John Parker's submitted typescript of his biography and photocopied texts of poetical works (one signed) by Alun Lewis); Philip Unwin, formerly of George Allen & Unwin publishing company (1981), and Philip Unwin's widow, Evelyn Unwin (together with rough manuscript notes by John Pikoulis); and Farrar, Straus & Giroux Inc, New York.

Material which bears no apparent direct relevance to Pikoulis's research into Alun Lewis but which has nevertheless been obtained by Pikoulis or was in his possession during or following his period of research. This includes papers of John Pikoulis, papers of Freda Aykroyd and papers of members of the Lewis family where contents are not directly related to Alun Lewis.

Correspondence of John Pikoulis which bears no apparent direct relevance to his research into Alun Lewis but which was in his possession during his period of research.
Each envelope bears name of correspondent and date of correspondence.

Miscellaneous material in John Pikoulis's possession which bears no apparent direct relevance to his research into Alun Lewis but which was in his possession during his period of research. The items comprise a piece by David (Dai) Smith titled 'Confronting the Minotaur' and an untitled piece by Smith (annotated by Smith and with a note by Smith directed at John Pikoulis at top of first folio); a response by John Pikoulis to a piece by Dai Smith (annotated by Smith and with a note by Smith directed at John Pikoulis at top of first folio); the second draft of 'Supertramp (W. H. Davies)', a film for television by Paul Islwyn Thomas, scripted by Manon Rhys, with covering note from Paul Islwyn Thomas and John Pikoulis's signature and date '27-1-95' at top right; and section of The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan (1678), written in a fair manuscript with hand-illuminated capitals (author not apparent).

Each item kept in marked envelope.

Papers of author and academic Dr John Pikoulis, almost all of which relate to his research into the life of Second World War Anglo-Welsh poet Alun Lewis (1915-1944) in the course of editing his anthology of Lewis's works Alun Lewis: A Miscellany of his Writings (Poetry Wales Press, 1982) and of compiling his two memoirs Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984, 2nd ed. 1991) and Alun, Gweno and Freda (Seren Books, 2015), the latter focusing on Lewis's relationship with his wife Gweno and with Freda Aykroyd, his mistress and muse whilst he was on active service in India from 1942 to 1944, the 'central feature' of the collection - as expresssed by Pikoulis in his accompanying note - being the voluminous correspondence between Pikoulis and Freda Aykroyd, which spans over three decades and provides an eloquent and heartfelt account of Aykroyd's brief but passionate relationship with Lewis. The archive comprises correspondence between John Pikoulis and members of Lewis's circle of family, friends and acquaintances and with Lewis's military and work/academic colleagues, as well as correspondence with individuals who had no direct acquaintance with Alun Lewis but who contributed to Pikoulis's research and correspondence between Pikoulis and his publishers Poetry Wales Press/Seren Books regarding publication of Alun Lewis: A Life (1984) and Alun, Gweno and Freda (2015); notes taken during interviews conducted by John Pikoulis with Lewis's family, friends and colleagues, together with Pikoulis's own biographical notes on Alun Lewis; photocopied and transcribed poetry, prose and correspondence of Alun Lewis; Pikoulis's general research material comprising press cuttings, articles and other material relating to Alun Lewis and to others of the 'war poets', which includes commemorative poetry following Lewis's death and material relating to the centenary of Lewis's birth; and other papers of family, friends and colleagues of Alun Lewis which directly relate to Lewis, including responses to queries from Pikoulis or to Pikoulis's published works on Alun Lewis.
The archive also includes a small amount of material not directly related to John Pikoulis's research into the life and work of Alun Lewis, but which nevertheless was in the possession of or had been obtained by Pikoulis during his period of research.

A sheet of typescript notes by John Pikoulis, kept in Box 1 of the collection, comprises background information to this archive.

Many of the individuals mentioned within the archive - for example, correspondents of John Pikoulis - may be found via the index in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984).

Many names are cross-referenced throughout the archive, particularly within correspondence.

CONTENT WARNING: Researchers are advised that suicide and suicidal motives are discussed within this archive.

Photocopies (from originals and from printed sources) and typescript and manuscript transcripts of letters and cards to/from Alun Lewis.

Photocopied draft and fair-copied manuscript poetry by Alun Lewis, one signed.

Photocopied draft and fair-copied manuscript poetry by Alun Lewis, one signed, sent to Gweno Lewis, apparently in the hope that she might find a publishing outlet for them (notes in Lewis's hand suggest a few sources - Horizon, The New Statesman, The Listener, The Spectator). The poems comprise 'Song of Sleep' (with note in Lewis's hand addressed to Gweno, in which he explains an image in his poem 'Raiders' Dawn', references hers and his mother's birthdays and also John Lehmann's publication New Writing in Europe (Pelican Books, 1940 - for which, see, for example: https://countryhouselibrary.co.uk/products/new-writing-in-europe-by-john-lehmann-pelican-1941); 'Karanje Village'; 'Song'; 'The Fisher-Girl' (a note in John Pikoulis's hand states that this poem was unpublished but was given to Andrew Davies, Lewis's fellow-teacher at the Lewis Boys' Grammar School, Pengam (for Andrew Davies, see under Letters to John Pikoulis from academic and work colleagues of Alun Lewis and from academic institutions) and published in the Aberystwyth University magazine The Dragon (see reference in John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 300); 'Thoughts on the Eve of a Great Battle'; and an untitled rough corrected draft beginning 'For the darkness [ ? ] is throbbing now through all the desolate countries ....'. 'Song of Sleep' would eventually be published (as 'Songs of Sleep') in Alun Lewis's first anthology Raiders' Dawn and other poems (George Allen & Unwin, 1942) (for which, see, for example: https://www.library.wales/discover-learn/digital-exhibitions/europeana-rise-of-literacy/poetry-volumes/raiders-dawn-and-other-poems).

Estimated dates are those of composition, not of photocopying,.

Papers of Gweno Lewis, wife of Alun Lewis, in relation to John Pikoulis's research into the life and work of Alun Lewis, comprising correspondence of Gweno Lewis; notes of interviews conducted with Gweno Lewis; and responses by Gweno Lewis to Alun Lewis's work and to an article by John Pikoulis relating to Alun Lewis's work.

Rough handwritten notes taken by John Pikoulis during interviews, 1980 and undated, with Gweno Lewis (only one batch of notes dated).
Typescript transcript of an interview with Gweno Lewis conducted by radio executive producer and director Kate McAll and recorded in Aberystwyth in 2007.