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A collection of fifty-seven letters, 1920-1960, including fifty-four, 1920-1923, received by Amabel Williams-Ellis from poets and other literary figures, mainly in her capacity as poetry editor (1921) and literary editor (1922-3) of The Spectator.
The correspondents include Robert Baden-Powell, 8 November 1921 (f. 25), Edmund Blunden, 9 July 1921 (f. 12), John Buchan, 8 November 1921 (f. 24), [Lord] Dunsany, 29 October 1921 (f. 20), Edith Evans, 29 October 1921 (f. 21), Hugh I'A[nson] Fausset, 8 December [1923] (f. 53), Ford Madox Ford, Cap Ferrat, 25 January 1923 (ff. 41-42; concerning Ezra Pound), Alfred Perceval Graves, Harlech, April-September 1921 (ff. 7-8, 17), Robert Graves, Boar's Hill, Oxford, 7 March [1921] (f. 5), Richard Hughes, S.S. Saxonia, 4 July [1921], and Penrhyndeudraeth, [1922] (ff. 13, 30), Aldous Huxley, 3 April 1923 (f. 47; concerning [Boris] Anrep), Rudyard Kipling, 2 February 1921 (f. 2), Stephen Leacock, 7 November 1921 (f. 23), Edwin L. Lutyens, 16 February 1923 (f. 45), Rose Macaulay, 20 February 1923 (f. 46), Walter de la Mare, June-December 1921 (ff. 11, 28-29), Harriet Monroe, 30 May 1923 (f. 52), Harold Nicolson, 11 December 1923 (f. 54), Edith Sitwell, [April 1922]-[?1923] (ff. 33, 39, 56), Osbert Sitwell, February-August 1921 (ff. 3, 10, 14), Sybil Thorndike, 10 February 1923 (f. 43), Alec Waugh, 11 September 1922 (f. 38), and H. G. Wells, 24 May 1923 (f. 49). Some letters are apparently addressed to Amabel's predecessors or to the Poetry Editor generally (ff. 1, 3-4, 6-7, 9-12, 18, 21, 38); a few are possibly intended for her husband, Clough Williams-Ellis. Some, mostly later, letters concern invitations to social gatherings (ff. 2, 19, 26, 29, 40, 43-46, 48-56). Also included are letters to a Miss Tarry from A. Maude Royden, 26 January 1924, (f. 57), and to Mrs Hulse [?secretary to Williams-Ellis] from Storm Jameson, 29 May 1933, and V[ita] Sackville-West, 1 September 1960 (ff. 58-59).

A letter, 24 August 1973, from the writer Alec Waugh, Tangier, to the novelist Berta Ruck, Aberdovey, containing personal news and referring to a newspaper article on Ruck (see Jim Tucker, 'Mrs Onions knows her romance', The Times, 20 August 1973, p. 14).

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).