Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1934-[1942] (Creation)
Level of description
File
Extent and medium
22 ff.
Placed in melinex sleeves within ringed box at NLW.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Writer and artist Brenda Chamberlain (1912-1971) was born and raised in Bangor, Caernarfonshire, and educated privately before embarking on her art studies at the Royal Academy, London in 1931. In 1935 Chamberlain married the artist John Petts. The following year the couple moved to Llanllechid, where they set up the Caseg Press, producing postcards and bookplates, and also the Caseg Broadsheets - featuring poetry by Chamberlain and others - with the poet and writer Alun Lewis. Chamberlain's marriage to Petts ended in 1946. Thereafter she lived briefly in Germany before settling on Bardsey Island, where she wrote and painted until, in 1961, she moved to the Greek island of Idhra. In 1967 Chamberlain returned to Bangor, where she died in 1971. Amongst Chamberlain's major published works are the poetic anthology The Green Heart (London, 1958) (dedicated to Karl von Laer), Tide-Race (London, 1962), an account of her life on Bardsey, her only novel The Water Castle (London, 1964), A Rope of Vines (London, 1965), chronicling her time on Ydra, Poems With Drawings (London, 1969), and Alun Lewis and the Making of the Caseg Broadsheets (London, 1969).
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Nine letters, 1934-[1942], from Brenda Chamberlain, writing from Bangor and Tŷ'r Mynydd, to her husband John Petts (ff. 1-18). The correspondence reflects the increasing distance between husband and wife, and includes references to Hugh MacDiarmid (f. 14), local War experiences (f. 15), and a commission for a National Eisteddfod certificate (f. 16).
Also included is a holograph song, 1942, presented by Sydney Burkinshaw to Chamberlain (ff. 19-20), and a printed poem by Chamberlain, entitled 'Christmas Eve' (ff. 21-22).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged chronologically at NLW.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
English.
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents.
Note
Preferred citation: NLW MS 24000F.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Chamberlain, Brenda -- Correspondence (Subject)
- MacDiarmid, Hugh, 1892-1978 (Subject)
- Burkinshaw, Sydney. (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
October 2010.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Description compiled by Maredudd ap Huw.