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Papers of author and academic John Pikoulis 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 contribured 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.

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.

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

Photocopies (from originals and from printed sources) and typescript and manuscript transcripts of letters and cards to/from Alun Lewis, the correspondents comprising: Jean Gilbert, librarian of the former Pontigny Abbey in Burgundy, France (1938-1939); novelist, poet and literary historian Glyn Jones (1939-1941), the majority of the letters being photocopies of transcripts made by Alun John; Richard Mills ([1939-1941, 1943-1944]) (suggested dates inserted in John Pikoulis's hand), with accompanying notes by Pikoulis, some of which appear to refer to earlier correspondence between Lewis and Mills; poet and man of letters John Lehmann (1940-1943 and undated); Sir Bryan and Lady Renée Hopkin ([1940] (suggested date inserted in Pikoulis's hand)-1942), with annotations and rough notes in Pikoulis's hand; artist and engraver John Petts and his wife, artist, poet and writer Brenda Chamberlain (1940-1944 and undated), with annotations, including suggested dates of letters, in the hands of John Petts and John Pikoulis, with some items annotated by the poet, writer and literary critic Roland Mathias, and rough notes in the hand of John Pikoulis, also a batch of mostly duplicate letters (1941-1944 and undated) from Alun Lewis to John Petts and Brenda Chamberlain which have been annotated with observations in red ink by Roland Mathias (see also note under System of arrangement, below); poet and novelist Lynette Roberts and her husband, literary journalist, editor and poet Keidrych Rhys ([1941],1943 and undated) (suggested date of 1941 inserted by Pikoulis), with rough notes and annotations by Pikoulis; publishing houses Chatto & Windus (1941), Faber & Faber (1941) and Thomas Moult, editor of The Best Poems of 1941 (Jonathan Cape, 1942) ([1941]); photocopies of originals and transcripts of letters between poet, novelist and critic Robert Graves and Alun Lewis (1941-1944), together with related letters to John Pikoulis from Professor Paul O'Prey (1980, 1981) and Louisa Bowen at the Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Illinois (1982) and rough notes in Pikoulis's hand; Leslie and Bill Sykes (1942 and undated); novelist Llewelyn Wyn Griffith (1942) (see also John Pikoulis: Alun Lewis: A Life (Poetry Wales Press, 1984), p. 306); Professor Bonamy Dobrée (1942); Alun Lewis family members (parents Thomas J. and Gwladys Lewis (undated), uncle and aunt Timothy and Nellie Lewis (undated) and sister Mair Lewis (later Fenn) (1943)) (see also under Gweno Lewis, under Gwladys Lewis and under Other Lewis family members); Wendon Mostyn (aft. Jones) (1944) (this letter is referenced in a 1986 letter to John Pikoulis from Wendon Jones (see under Letters to John Pikoulis from academic and work colleagues of Alun Lewis and from academic institutions)); and poet and editor Seumas (or Seamus) O'Sullivan (undated).

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

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

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.

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,.

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.

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.

Letters, cards and notes, 1975-1999 and undated, from Freda Aykroyd to John Pikoulis. The material largely discusses Lewis and Aykroyd's brief but intensely passionate relationship during the years 1943 to 1944, with reference also to Lewis's literary work. Many of the letters are undated, apparently incomplete/fragmentary, or are heavily-annotated drafts included along with fair-copied counterparts; some of the undated correspondence may be of a later provenance than the 1999 cut-off date of the dated letters. One letter, dated 9 January 1981 encloses a poem by Freda Aykroyd titled 'Rosehip'.
See also New Welsh Review Archive at NLW.

Draft and fair-copied letters, 1975, 1977 and undated, to Freda Aykroyd from John Pikoulis. Some items fragmentary/incomplete.

Photocopies of letters, [1943-1944], sent to Freda Aykroyd from Alun Lewis, the orginals housed in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Some annotations in John Pikoulis's hand. Alun Lewis's letters to Freda Aykroyd were published as A Cypress Walk (Enitharmon Press, 2006).

Letters, 1996-1997, to Freda Aykroyd from literary and talent agency Curtis Brown.

Undated draft letter from Freda Aykroyd to Mike Felton of Poetry Wales Press/Seren Books.

Envelopes marked with name of correspondent and date of correspondence.

Alun Lewis's letters to 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.

Printed email from Gillian Somerville-Large, daughter of Freda Aykroyd, to her sister Juliet Lacey, containing notes titled 'Memories of Alun Lewis by Gillian Somerville-Large'.

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.

Correspondence of Gweno Lewis with regard to the life and work of Alun Lewis and which involves John Pikoulis's research into the same, the correspondents including John Pikoulis, Professor Christopher Cheney and Robert Graves.

Envelopes marked with name of correspondent and date (if applicable) of correspondence.

Correspondence of Gweno Lewis with regard to the life and work of Alun Lewis and which involves John Pikoulis's research into the same, comprising:

Photocopied letter, 6 March 1944, to Gweno Lewis from Alun Lewis's commanding officer, (then) Lieutenant-Colonel Robin S. Cresswell, informing Gweno of Lewis's death.

Photocopied undated letters to Gweno Lewis from poet, writer and critic Robert Graves, which largely discuss Graves's proposed foreword to Ha! Ha! Among the Trumpets, a posthumous anthology of Alun Lewis's poetry published in 1945 (see, for example: https://www.harringtonbooks.co.uk/pages/books/58551/alun-lewis-robert-graves-foreword/ha-ha-among-the-trumpets-poems-in-transit). With annotations in what appears to be John Pikoulis's hand.
Photocopied letters and card, 1944 and undated, from Gweno Lewis to Robert Graves, also largely discussing Graves's foreword to Ha! Ha! Among the Trumpets.

Photocopied transcripts by Alun John of letters, 1944, 1946 and undated, from Gweno Lewis to novelist, poet and literary historian Glyn Jones, with annotations in what appears to be John Pikoulis's hand.

Photocopied letter, 1947, from Gweno Lewis to translator, biographer, journalist and dramatist Michael Meyer, with rough note at bottom left in what appears to be John Pikoulis's hand.

Postcard, 1949, and undated letter from Gweno Lewis to Professor Christopher Cheney, one of Alun Lewis' former tutors at the University of Manchester.

Letters and postcards, 1971-1985 and undated, from Gweno Lewis to John Pikoulis.
What appear to be fair copies of letters, 1975, to Gweno Lewis from John Pikoulis.
Rough manuscript notes by Pikoulis on the contents of letters, 1943-1944, sent to Gweno Lewis by Alun Lewis and on the contents of a hitherto unpublished journal kept by Lewis while stationed in Karachi (now Pakistan). The letters from Alun Lewis to Gweno Lewis referenced here differ from the published versions found in Gweno Lewis (ed.): Letters to my Wife (Seren Books, 1989) (for material relating to the publication, see under General research material). Pikoulis was given access to the letters and journal by permission of Gweno Lewis.

See also under Correspondence of Alun Lewis (photocopies, typescript copies and transcripts) .

Envelopes marked with name of correspondent and date (if applicable) of correspondence.

Notes and transcripts of interviews with Gweno Lewis.

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.

Biographical and literary notes by Gweno Lewis which relate to Alun Lewis's life and work.

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'.

Material of, or relating to, Gwladys Lewis, mother of Alun Lewis, in relation to John Pikoulis's research into the life and work of Alun Lewis.

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.