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Papers of and relating to the novelist John Cowper Powys (1872-1963) and other members of his family, including his correspondence with family, friends and associates, as well as published and unpublished literary works, diaries, lectures, essays, and material relating to his estate and literary executorship. Also included are correspondence and literary and personal papers of Powys's companion Phyllis Playter (1893-1982), as well as personal and estate papers of members of the Powys family including his father, Charles Francis Powys, his paternal grandfather, Littleton Charles Powys, his uncle, Littleton Alfred Powys, his aunts, the Johnson sisters, and his nephew, Francis Llewellyn Powys.

Two letters, undated, to Minnie H. Playter from Jane [?Keany] and from Stella Creamer, and a letter, undated, from Franklin Playter to 'Frank'.

A copy of Y Faner, dated 27 June 1980, showing on the cover a portrait of the bust made of John Cowper Powys by Jonah Jones and including a short article on the Powys family on p. 8. There are annotations by Phyllis Playter on pp. 8 and 9.

Three copies of a list of John Cowper Powys manuscripts sold, retained, given away or otherwise disposed of, two of the lists bearing emendations in Phyllis Playter's hand. Also two notebooks, 1955-1960 (ff. 8-19, 21 verso-58 blank) and 1956-1963 (ff. 1, 5, 23 verso-58 blank, inserted note at f. 9), in Phyllis Playter's hand, the cover of the 1955-1960 notebook inscribed 'Sims' (a reference to antiquarian bookseller George F. Sims) and containing accounts relating to the sale of John Cowper Powys manuscripts, mostly to George F. Sims, while the 1956-1963 notebook contains details of royalties received from John Cowper Powys's publications.

Three address books, [?1930s-?1940s], [1960s-1970s], of Phyllis Playter. Enclosures include name and address labels and cards (including an inscribed address card of Raymond Garlick), memoranda, press cuttings (including obituary notices), photographs, business receipts and a typescript letter, 1971, to Phyllis Playter from Sarah J. Whitfield of the Tate Gallery regarding an offer made relating to the correspondence between Augustus John and John Cowper Powys.

Passports, issued 1923, 1938, 1963 and 1974, a certificate of registration (under the Aliens Order, 1920), 1934, together with related documentation, 1963 and undated, of Phyllis Playter; and a savings book, 1936-1950, of Phyllis Playter (issued in the name of both Phyllis Playter and of her mother, Minnie H. Playter).

Passports, a savings book and address books of Phyllis Playter, together with a notebook and lists relating to John Cowper Powys manuscripts and a copy of Y Faner dated 27 June 1980.

Commonplace book, [1960x1970], of Phyllis Playter containing poetry and prose extracts and some memoranda. The remains of a [?]moth are inserted between ff. 92 verso and 93. Ff. 42-104 are blank. Numerous items found loose inside the volume have been kept separately in an envelope and include extracts of poetry, prose, maxims, etc. in Phyllis Playter's hand, press cuttings, the remains of dried flowers, and a postcard, 1961, addressed to Phyllis Playter from the American Library in London.

Commonplace book, 1955, of Phyllis Player. The book contains diary entries for 17-21 May 1955 inclusive (ff. i verso-12), memoranda (ff. 13 verso-15 verso), and the single word 'Death' on f. 93 verso (inverted text). Ff. i, 12 verso-13, 16-93 are blank.

Commonplace book of Phyllis Playter, begun [?1937] but which may contain inserts dating from the 1960s or 1970s. The book contains copied selections of poetry and prose, some from Classical sources, and includes an incomplete prose piece by Phyllis Playter entitled 'Winter in Dorchester' (ff. 1-verso), John Cowper Powys's poem 'Y Wyddfa The Tomb' (ff. 13-verso), 'Poem to JCP By Littleton Alfred October 8, 1948' (ff. 21 verso-22), and poems - one entitled 'Early Spring: New York' - by Gamel Woolsey (ff. 26 verso-27 verso, 28 verso), together with 'Pais Dinogad' (reputedly dating from the 7th century AD) and verses entitled 'Hen Benillion', with English translations (ff. 44 verso - 46). There are also diary entries made by Phyllis Playter for the inclusive dates 4 - 6 January 1937 (ff. 4-5), 'J's List of the attitude of the members of his family to "Our Maker"' (followed by the religious views of John Cowper Powys's siblings (ff. 50 verso-52 verso)), and a bibliography of John Cowper Powys's works (ff. 54-verso). Originally loose in the volume, now inserted at the front, are copies of Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'The Bowl of Roses' and of George Barker's 'Some Confusions' in Phyllis Playter's hand, with some accompanying notes, along with a fragment of an envelope, postmark 2 July 1959, addressed to John Cowper Powys at Blaenau Ffestiniog, with rough memoranda on the back in Phyllis Playter's hand. Also originally loose in the volume are press cuttings, including poetry (now inserted at f. 18) and an envelope containing copied extracts of poetry, a birthday card made out of very thin paper and a stencil-like paper design, a stitched card depicting a cross in an embossed frame, and cut-out pictures (now inserted at f. 39). Remains of dried flowers are inserted between ff. 7 verso and 8 and between ff. 48 verso and 49, and a feather between ff. 19 verso and 20. Ff. 2, 6 verso-7, 12, 14-17 verso, 18 verso-19, 20 verso, 22 verso, 25 verso, 28, 30, 33, 38 verso, 40, 44, 48 verso, 50, 53 verso, 55, 56-verso, 57 verso, and 61 verso are blank.

Three commonplace books, [1937x1970s], of Phyllis Playter containing copied selections of poetry and prose (including pieces by John Cowper Powys and by Phyllis Playter herself), memoranda and diary entries, and various inserts.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1978. The volume contains diary entries and memoranda, most of which are brief, for the inclusive dates 22 January (f. 20 verso), 7 February (f. 28 verso), 10 March (f. 44), 15-16 March (ff. 46 verso-47 verso), 18 March (f. 48), 23-29 March (ff. 50 verso-53 verso), 1-2 April (f. 55-verso), 9-10 April (f. 59-verso), 13 April (f. 61), 15 April (f. 62), 17-20 April (entry for 18 April deleted) (ff. 63-64 verso), 22-23 April (ff. 65 verso-66), 28 April (f. 68 verso), 15-16 May (entry for 16 May deleted) (f. 77-verso), 20-21 May (entry for 21 May deleted) (ff. 79 verso-80), 27 May (f. 83), 31 May (f. 85), 8 June (f. 89), 12 June (f. 91), 23 June (f. 96 verso), 5 July (f. 102 verso), 19 July (f. 109 verso), 1-4 August (ff. 116-117 verso), 19 August (f. 125), 21 August (f. 126), 25-26 August (entry for 26 August deleted) (f. 128-verso), 28 August ('X' mark) (f. 129 verso), 1 September (f. 131 verso), 6 September (f. 134), 8 September (f. 135), 12-16 September (entries for 13 & 16 September deleted) (ff. 137-139), 18-20 September (entries for 18 & 20 September deleted) (ff. 140-141), 23-26 September (entry for 25 September deleted) (ff. 142 verso-144), 30 September (f. 146), 2 October (f. 147), 6 October (f. 149), 10 October (f. 151), 12 October (f. 152), 20 October (f. 156), 28 October (f. 160), 30-31 October (f. 161-verso), 7 November (f. 165), 21 November (f. 172) and f. 198 verso. Ff. 6 verso-20, 21-28, 29-43 verso, 44 verso-46, 47 verso, 48 verso-50, 54-verso, 56-58 verso, 60-verso, 61 verso, 62 verso, 65, 66 verso-68, 69-76 verso, 78-79, 80 verso-82 verso, 83 verso-84 verso, 85 verso-88 verso, 89 verso-90 verso, 91 verso-96, 97-102, 103-109, 110-115 verso, 118-124 verso, 125 verso, 126 verso-127 verso, 129, 130-131, 132-133 verso, 134 verso, 135 verso-136 verso, 139 verso, 141 verso-142, 144 verso-145 verso, 146 verso, 147 verso-148 verso, 149 verso-150 verso, 151 verso, 152 verso-155 verso, 156 verso-159 verso, 160 verso, 162-164 verso, 165 verso-171 verso, and 172 verso-198 are blank. Press cuttings, previously loose inside the volume, are inserted at f. i.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1972. The volume contains memoranda on f. 2 verso and diary entries for the inclusive dates 2 January - 8 February (ff. 6 verso-25) and 12 February - 21 February (ff. 27-31 verso), thereafter becoming intermittent. On 1 March (f. 36) the death of Marian Powys "about 1 AM New York time" is noted. Ff. 3-6, 25 verso-26 verso, 32-35 verso, 36 verso-59, 60-84 verso and 85 verso-191 verso are blank.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1971, with possible further usage in 1973. The volume contains copious diary entries for the inclusive dates 1 January - 6 May (ff. 9-27), thereafter becoming intermittent, with general memoranda on ff. i verso, 6 verso-7, 19 verso, 27, and 62 verso. Press cuttings, originally loose in the volume, have been inserted inside the frontispiece, and fragments of paper containing addresses, address labels and memoranda, also originally loose in the volume, have been inserted at the back. Inside the front cover is inscribed 'Best wishes Elsie Price'. On ff. 27 verso-33 the printed year '1971' at the top of each page has been altered to '1973'. Ff. 7 verso-8 verso, 18, 29-verso, 30 verso, 31 verso, 32 verso-35, 36-41, 43-44, 48 verso-49, 50-51 verso, 52 verso, 54-56, 57 verso, 58 verso, 60-verso, and 62 are blank.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1969. The volume contains diary entries for the inclusive dates 1-12 January (ff. 10-15 verso) and 16-19 January 1969 (ff. 17 verso-19), the remainder of the volume (ff. 19 verso-199) having been left blank. The diary is inscribed inside the frontispiece 'Best wishes for 1969 Elsie'.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1931. The volume contains diary entries for the inclusive dates 1-6 January (pp. 1-6), 8-14 January (pp. 8-14), 21 January - 11 February (pp. 21-42), 13-15 February (pp. 44-46), 17-23 February (pp. 48-54), 8 March (p. 67), 10 March (p. 69), 17-19 March (pp. 76-78), 10 May - 6 July (pp. 130-187), 8-10 July (pp. 189-191), 13-28 July (pp. 194-209), 8-9 August (pp. 220-221), 15-19 August (pp. 227-231), 25 August (p. 237), 10 September (p. 253), 20-23 September (pp. 263-266), 7-8 October (pp. 280-281), 17-18 October (pp. 290-291) and 24-31 December (pp. 358-365), with some memoranda on pp. 366-367, the remaining leaves being left blank. Several press cuttings and a rough pencil draft of [?]poetry in the hand of Phyllis Playter, originally loose in the volume, are inserted at p. i and p. 112 respectively, and two photographs (no identification), also originally loose in the volume, are inserted at pp. 109 and 111. Two feathers are inserted between pp. 62 and 63, the remains of a [? dried and discoloured plant] between pp. 202 and 203, and the remains of a dried flower between pp. 206 and 207. The remains of a ribbon and a [? dried and discoloured plant] are inserted between pp. 194 and 195 and another fragment of ribbon inserted between pp. 360 and 361. Inserted in an envelope at p. 191 by an archivist at a recent date are the remains of a dried plant, with a note that the fragments "caused considerable staining on several pages", this staining being visible on pp. 180-209.

Diary of Phyllis Playter for 1930. The diary is written up for the inclusive dates 1 January - 3 February (pp. 1-35), 12 February - 6 March (pp. 43-65), 11-24 March (pp. 70-83), 27 March - 1 April (pp. 86-91), 12-23 April (pp. 102-113), 1-8 May (pp. 121-128), 10 May (p. 130), 22-31 May (pp. 142-151), 4 September (p. 247), 15 September (p. 258) and 13-23 November (pp. 317-327) and there are memoranda on pp. 366-370 but the volume is otherwise blank. A dried plant is inserted between pp. 160 and 161 and a feather between pp. 314 and 315. A press cutting relating to Philippa (Katie) Powys's novel The Blackthorn Winter (1930) and a receipt dated 8 June 1929 from Mme Bernier, clothing establishment ("robes & manteaux"), Paris, both originally loose in the volume, have been inserted at p. i.

Diaries of Phyllis Playter containing memoranda and various inserts, including press cuttings, address labels, photographs and preserved dried plants.

Personal volumes and papers, 1923-[1970s], of Phyllis Playter comprising six diaries, 1930-1978, three commonplace book, [1937]-[1970s], passports and savings books, 1923-1974, address books, [?1930s]-[1970s], and lists and a notebook relating to John Cowper Powys manuscripts, [1955]-1963.

Fifty-four manuscript and typescript items, [1912x1934], of Phyllis Playter comprising mostly draft prose and poetry, some of which is fragmentary, together with a prose piece copied by Phyllis Playter from the works of Rainer Maria Rilke (ff. 96-8), a poem by Phyllis Playter copied out in a later (cataloguer's) hand (f. 41 recto-verso) and three items taken from printed sources, namely 'The Man in the Moon' by François de Curel, translated from the French by Phyllis Playter (ff. 123-6 verso), a play entitled 'Good-Bye, Georgette' by Phyllis Playter (ff. 127-8), and 'Dialogues of the Dead' by Bernard de Bovier de Fontenelle, translated from the French by Phyllis Playter (ff. 129-45) (photocopy). Some of the items are duplicated and one poem, 'The Dead', is also found in Phyllis Playter's 'Precious, Precious' collection. Inserted into the papers are photocopied notes on the material by Morine Krissdottir.