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Notebook of Berta Ruck, 1906, containing jottings in English and German, and pencil, ink and charcoal sketches, many made during a visit to Holland.
Notes, May 1906, relating to Holland are on ff. 34 verso-36 verso (inverted text).

Miscellaneous papers of Berta Ruck, 1902-[early 1970s], including autograph and typescript drafts of verse, [1920s]-[1930s], many in multiple copies (ff. 1-123); lecture notes, [c. 1935]-[c. 1945] (ff. 124-224); a short story, 'April Folly', [c. 1935], apparently related to her novel Half Past Kissing Time (London, 1936) (ff. 225-248); and some thirteen letters to the author in English and German, [1903x1904]-1971 (ff. 264-283).
The correspondents include Clement Scott, [1903x1904] (f. 264), Marda Vanne, 9 October 1936 (f. 280), Harold Nicolson, 14 June 1962 (f. 281, on the death of his wife, Vita Sackville-West), and Quentin Bell, September 1971 (ff. 282-283, concerning his biography of Virginia Woolf); there are also three letters, 1929, from 'Harry', her Austrian lover (ff. 265-272, mostly in German). Also included are two leaves from Ruck's journal, June 1930 (ff. 249-250); reminiscences, [early 1970s], of Lydia Lopokova (ff. 251-259) with a photograph of her, [?1920s] (f. 260); press cuttings of an article by Ruck, September 1936 (f. 261), and of two articles relating to Virginia Woolf, 1972 (ff. 262-263); W. R. Oliver's school report at Shrewsbury School, 1929 (f. 284); programme for 'My Lady Molly' at the Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, 1902 (ff. 285-286); and page proofs for Chapter 8 of A Smile for the Past (London, 1935) (ff. 287-292).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, October 1931-August 1932, containing journal entries, including an account of her stay in Vienna, October-November 1931 (ff. 2-31), notes for fiction, verses and sketches by the author and a record of her dreams. Some twenty-seven letters, postcards and telegrams from family and friends, photographs, cuttings and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Oliver Onions, [October 1931] (f. 21), Doris Langley Moore, December 1931-February [1932] (ff. 53, 87), Marie Belloc-Lowndes, [1932] (f. 54 verso), Marda Vanne, [1932] (ff. 70 verso, 76a), and Ferdinand Deutelmoser, October 1931, April 1932 (ff. 73, 91). The volume also contains ink sketches (ff. 60, 70, 71, 81 verso) and verse (ff. 47 verso, 66, 68, 93 verso) by Ruck, and a German translation by Deutelmoser of another of her verses (f. 25 verso).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, December 1934-July 1935, containing journal entries and notes for fiction and for her autobiography. Some thirty-seven letters and cards, November 1934-July 1935, as well as press cuttings, photographs, theatre programmes and other ephemera, have been pasted into the volume.
The correspondents include Gwen [Ffrangcon-Davies], [November 1934] (f. 1a verso), Marda Vanne, 24 November 1934 (f. 1g verso), Hermon Ould, [22] December 1934 (f. 13 verso), Alec Waugh, December 1934-[1935] (ff. 16 verso, 28 verso), Vita [Sackville West], 6 January 1935 (f. 20 verso), and A. A. Ruck, 6-16 June 1935 (f. 34 verso, 37). The volume includes accounts of a visit to the 'Flower Medium' (ff. 6 verso, 12-13 verso), a description of Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies and Marda Vanne's cottage in Essex (f. 21), and a brief description of meeting Amy [Johnson] and her husband (f. 44). Ink sketches by Ruck are on ff. 9, 22 verso-23; photographs of her and of family members are on ff. 16 and 34. Cuttings pasted into the volume include her short story 'Selling Rodney' (f. 26) and the obituary for her uncle, Major-General Sir R. M. Ruck, from The Times, 19 March 1935 (f. 27 verso). A call sheet, 28 March 1935, for the film Car of Dreams (1935) is on f. 31.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, October 1929-May 1930, containing journal entries recording her social life, family life and work in Windsor and London, as well as an account of her excursion to Zurich, Vienna and Budapest, April 1930 (ff. 41-47), a detailed description of the plane journey from Croydon, via Le Bourget, to Zurich, 17 April (ff. 36 verso-40 verso), and a typescript draft of a satirical play entitled 'Guests on Sunday' (ff. 12, 13 verso-18 verso). Some forty letters, cards and telegrams from family, friends and fans, photographs, cuttings, programmes and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Sheila Kaye-Smith, 12 January [1930] (f. 19 verso), Evelyn Waugh, [?1930] (f. 24), A. M. Ludovici, 27 March 1930 (f. 29 verso), and Alec Waugh, April 1930 (ff. 50, 52 verso). The volume contains sketches and drawings (f. 13, inside back cover) and poetry (inside front cover, f. 1) by Ruck. There are two lines of mirror writing on f. 29.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, May-October 1936, containing journal entries recording her social and family life in Henley-on-Thames and London, and notes for fiction, in particular the novel Half-Past Kissing-Time (London, 1936) and various Christmas themed short stories. Some twenty-six letters and telegrams, mostly from family and friends, cuttings, programmes and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include her father A. A. Ruck, June-October 1936 (ff. 14, 79 verso), sister Ursie [Ursula Griffith], July-August 1936 (ff. 47 verso, 56 verso, 60), and husband O[liver Onions], 16 September 1936 (f. 67), Noel Langley, 10 July 1936 (f. 29), Alec Waugh, [n.d.] (f. 60), Gertrude Lawrence, 14 September 1936 (f. 64 verso) and Rebecca [West], [n.d.] (f. 79). The volume contains references to Amy [Johnson] Mollison (ff. 1, 8 verso) and Norman Haire (ff. 37 verso, 43 verso, 44 verso) and includes ink sketches by Ruck (ff. 52, 68) and the seating plan and menu for H. G. Wells' 70th birthday party on 13 October 1936 (ff. 75 verso-76).

Manuscripts of Berta Ruck, [c. 1890]-[1974x1978], including notebooks, 1906-1946; manuscripts and typescripts of literary and autobiographical works, 1955-[1974x1978]; letters, [c. 1890]-1971; poetry, [1920s]-[1930s]; and sketches, [1900x1920].
The notebooks typically contain notes and ideas for fiction, drawings and sketches, pasted in letters and ephemera, and journal entries. These detail her home life and travels and give news of her sons Arthur and Bill Oliver, husband Oliver Onions and other family and friends.

Three volumes containing a draft, mainly autograph with typescript insertions bearing autograph revision, of Berta Ruck's autobiographical volume, A Smile for the Past (London, 1959).