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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).

A photocopy, [20 cent., third ¼], of a children's story entitled 'The edge of the world', written and illustrated by Berta Ruck and presented to Oliver Onions in December 1907.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, 1907-1914, containing impressions of people and places, various ideas for fiction and sketches in ink or pencil (ff. 5, 9 verso-10, 17, 23, 29 verso-30, 33 verso, 38, 51 verso, 52 verso).
The volume includes descriptions of Équihen-Plage, France, July 1907 (ff. 1-3 verso), and Pennal, Merioneth, 8 June 1911 (f. 35, 45), and notes describing the lifestyle and duties of nurses (ff. 39 verso-44 verso).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, June 1918-September 1919, containing impressions of wartime life in North Wales and London and of her visit to the USA in 1919, later reworked and incorporated into chapters 16-25 of her autobiographical volume A Story-teller tells the Truth (London, 1935); also included are commonplace entries and extracts from letters received.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, September 1919-March 1920, containing impressions of her visit to the USA and comparing British and American life; a press cutting of a review of her novel The Immortal Girl (London, 1925) has been inserted on f. 57 verso.

Drawings, [1900x1920], by Berta Ruck, including illustrations for publications and rough sketches.
They include ink, pencil and charcoal illustrations, some coloured; the main subjects are children at play, mothers with babies and scenes of daily life, some probably in France and Holland. Two leaves from the children's magazine The Jabberwock, [1905x1907], contain four illustrations by Ruck (ff. 30-31 verso). A portrait of Mrs Patrick Campbell is on f. 7. Also included are some miscellaneous notes (ff. 16, 17, 27 verso).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, March 1920-January 1921, recording visits to Oxford and London and holidays in Brittany and Scotland; a few extracts were later incorporated in her autobiographical volume A Story-teller tells the Truth (London, 1935).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, 1914-[1922], containing draft passages of fiction, including passages from The Wrong Mr Right (London, 1922) (ff. 8-26 verso, 35 verso, 62 verso), together with notes and journal entries giving impressions of life in wartime in both Britain and France, March 1914-November 1915.
There are extensive notes concerning a journey to Paris and Bordeaux, apparently in the company of Menié Muriel Dowie, October-November 1915 (ff. 43 verso-48, 50-55, 56 verso-62, 63-64, 66 verso-67); as well as visits to aircraft works, 1914 (ff. 29 verso-32, 64 verso-66); and to Aberystwyth and the family home at Esgair, 1914-1915 (ff. 2, 3, 35, 41 verso-42). There are a number of pen and ink drawings by Ruck (notably ff. 24-25, 59 verso, 61).

Notebook of Berta Ruck, December 1922-January 1923, containing a journal of a visit to the south of France and Corsica (ff. 1-21).
The journal records her car journey from Paris to Cannes, in the company of Ménie Muriel FitzGerald, December 1922 (ff. 1 verso-5), her stay at Cannes, including visits to Nice and Monte Carlo, December 1922 (ff. 5-11) and her visit to Corsica, December 1922-January 1923 (ff. 11 verso-21). There are also fragments of journal entries from September 1921 (f. 49) and October 1921 (f. 50 recto-verso). A letter from Dr George Williamson to a Mrs Hueffer, 6 June 1923, possibly about Ruck, is f. 22a. A leaf containing cartoons and jottings is f. 52a.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, March 1921-June 1924, containing diary entries, ideas for fiction, comments on the progress of her work and impressions of holidays in Vichy, Brittany and Haute Savoie, France; a few extracts were later incorporated in her autobiographical volume A Story-teller tells the Truth (London, 1935).
Letters and papers, 1921-1933, found loose inside have been filed separately (NLW MS 23569iiC).

Notebook, July 1924-July 1926, of Berta Ruck containing diary entries and impressions of her visits to Switzerland, Paris, Germany and Austria; theatre programmes, letters to her and press cuttings relating to her work and to contemporary events have been pasted in.

Fragments of notebooks of Berta Ruck, 1914-1926, containing impressions of travels in England and Merioneth, Wales, 1914-1916 (ff. 1-11), New York, [22]-23 September 1919 (ff. 12-16), Vienna, Austria, 1926 (ff. 17-30 verso), and France, 1926 (ff. 31-36), together with a few notes for fiction. Ephemera (in German) and nine letters, postcards and telegrams, mainly from family, July-August 1926, have been pasted in.
There are references to the First World War, [1914] (f. 2 recto-verso), 1916 (ff. 5 verso, 7 recto-verso), including a description of a Red Cross auction in Corris, Merioneth, 3 June 1916 (f. 7 recto-verso). Ink drawings by Ruck are on ff. 2 verso, 12. A photograph, [1926], of Ruck with her son, Arthur, is on f. 36 verso.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, October 1926-September 1927, containing a journal, mainly of her visits to Le Portel, near Boulogne, October 1926 (ff. 1-6), August-September 1927 (ff. 19-70 verso), and notes for fiction. Some sixteen letters, playbills and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Sir E. Ray Lankester, November [1926]-August [1927] (ff. 9, 64 verso), Edgar Wallace, 8 February 1927 (f. 18 verso), and Rebecca West, [8] July 1927 (f. 58). There are references to Rebecca West (f. 12 verso) and the late E. Nesbit (f. 23), and descriptions of a travelling French theatre company at Le Portel (ff. 30-31 verso, 33 recto-verso, 35, 45 verso-47 verso, 52-53 verso, 56-57 verso, 65), and of a visit to Paris (ff. 24 verso-28). Ink, pencil and watercolour sketches by the author are on ff. 4 verso, 32, 36 verso-37, 38 verso, and a photograph of her is on f. 55 verso. A ticket for a lecture in Pantperthog, 26 February 1895, is on f. 15.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, September-November 1927, containing a journal mainly of her visits to Le Portel, near Boulogne (ff. 1 verso-14 verso), the Côte d'Azur (ff. 31 verso-58 verso), and Paris (ff. 59-68 verso), France, and notes for fiction. Some twelve letters from family and friends, playbills and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Ivor Nicholson, 28 September 1927 (f. 23 verso), and S[alomon] Reinach, 1 October 1927 (f. 24). There are references to Norman Haire (f. 15 verso), the death of Isadora Duncan (f. 9), and Sir Ray Lankester's ill health (ff. 25 verso-26 verso, 31, 34 verso, 47 verso). Also included are ink, pencil and watercolour sketches by Ruck (inside the front cover and on ff. i recto-verso, 3, 4 verso, 7, 8, 10 verso, 28, 40, 57, 65) and photographs of her (ff. 13 recto-verso, 14 verso), and her family (f. 22 verso). The photograph on f. 13 was published in A Story-Teller Tells the Truth (London, 1935), facing p. 276.

Notebook of Berta Ruck, November 1927-May 1928, containing journal entries including an account of her visit to France (pp. 1-12), the deaths of her aunt, Sister Mary Gabriel (Mary D'Arcy), on 15 December 1927, and her mother, Elizabeth, on 10 March 1928, and drafts of articles. Thirty-three letters, cards and telegrams from family and friends and ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Alec Waugh, [1928] (p. 42), Rebecca West, 20 February 1928 (p 57), Ménie Muriel Fitzgerald, [March 1928] (p. 64), Marda Vanne, [March 1928] (p. 77), Capt. Geoffrey de Havilland, 7 November 1928 (p. 103), Sir E. Ray Lankester, [November 1928] (p. 104), and Vyvyan Holland, 25 November 1928 (p. 107). A photograph, 1923, of Ruck with her parents is on p. 62; ink sketches by her are on pp. 1, 5, 21, 29, 47, 106. A menu for a Forum Club Welsh Group dinner, 12 December 1927, signed by David Lloyd George, is on p. 15. There are also references to the death of Thomas Hardy, January 1928 (pp. 36-37), and an anecdote relating to Colette, the French novelist (p. 8). The volume includes three folios, November 1928 (pp. 103-108), and two letters (ff. i b-e), removed from other volumes.

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 1930-March 1931, containing journal entries, including accounts of her visits to Sweden, July 1930 (ff. 14-22), Germany, July, November 1930 (ff. 22 verso-28 verso, 69 verso-81 verso), Vienna, Austria, July-August, November-December 1930 (ff. 28 verso-42 verso, 82-91), and the French Riviera, August-September 1930 (ff. 44-61), and notes for fiction. Some fifty-two letters, cards and telegrams from family and friends, photographs, cuttings, programmes and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The correspondents include Marda Vanne, June-[December] 1930 (ff. 4, 62, 91), Oliver Onions, July-[August] 1930 (ff. 13, 30, 53), Alec Waugh, 22 June 1930 (f. 38), Hermon Ould, 30 September 1930 (f. 65 verso), Vicki Baum, 4 November 1930 (f. 78), Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies, [December] 1930 (f. 91), Norman Haire, [December] 1930 (f. 114 verso), Vita Sackville-West, 3 November 1930 (f. 121), and Cynthia Stockley, [December] 1930 (f. 129). The volume contains sketches and drawings (ff. 2 verso, 28 verso-29, 48-49, 87, 92 verso, 109, 123 verso) and poetry (ff. 67 verso, 73a-b, 88, 91-92 verso, 94 verso, 101 verso) by Ruck. The photographs include three of her with her sons (inside front cover, ff. 54, 60; the latter was published in A Story-Teller Tells the Truth (London, 1935), facing p. 166). Among the friends and acquaintances referred to in the volume are Ernst Hanfstaengl (79 verso, 80 verso-81 verso) and the writers Rebecca West (ff. 45 verso, 50 verso -51), Geoffrey Moss (ff. 49 verso-50, 54 verso, 57 verso), Vicky Baum (f. 71 verso) and Otto Friedländer (ff. 82 verso, 83, 84).

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, July-August 1931, containing journal entries and notes on her visit to Vienna and Carinthia, Austria. Four letters, March 1931-September 1932 (ff. 10 verso, 18, 28, inside back cover), photographs and postcards, playbills and other ephemera have been pasted in.
The volume contains a photograph of Ruck (f. 15) and verse by her (ff. 1 verso, 4 verso). There are fragments of text on the stubs of ff. 13-14, 16-17, 21-28 and on the unfoliated stubs between ff. 17 and 18.

Letters and papers of Berta Ruck, 1921-1933, found loose inside her 1921-1924 notebook (NLW MS 23569iB).
The correspondents include her father, A. A. Ruck, [1933] (f. 7), and Gerald Gould, 1933 (f. 8).