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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.

Includes letters from John Pikoulis; Raymond Garlick (4); Gillian Clarke (2); Cary Archard (3); Meic Stephens (8); Ronald Lowe; Jeremy Hooker (4); A. G. Prys-Jones (4); Glyn Jones (4); J. P. Ward; John Davies (3); Ruth Bidgood (9); Nigel Jenkins; Jon Dressel; Ray Howard-Jones (2); and Sally Roberts Jones.