The volume comprises autobiographical notes relating to 'The Old Century' along with drafts of the early chapters. Many sections are dated, with annotations by Sassoon, including comments on the progress of his work, revisions, and occasional word counts. Drafts and notes are often intermingled. Headings include: - 'Notes on scheme of whole'/'Notes on total scheme': /3r-3v. - 'Preliminary notes for early recollections': early draft and notes on family history and the death of his father: /4r. - 'Water Cross Well': /15v. - 'Note on constructing narrative': /20r. - '(Dreams as clues to childhood?)': /21v. - 'History and Geography' and 'Influence of books': /23v. - 'Astringent interlude to note-making': /24r. - 'My father and mother': /24v. - 'Note on early dissatisfaction as a main theme': /34v. - 'Note No 9999': /37v. - 'Notes about Aunt Rachel': /38r. - 'A note for 1908-10 - Clothes': /39v. - 'Note on Music': /40v. - 'Notes on Marlborough': /41v. - 'Note on construction of Vol. 1': /42v. - 'Note on the character of Vol. 1 in relation to later Vol (or Vols!)': /43v. - 'Note. May 31st': /44v. - 'Eleven or twelve years old': /45v. - 'Edingthorpe': /48v. - 'Note on "Avoidance of reality" in these memories': /55v. - 'A family [?tree]': /58v. - 'Chapter 2' (draft relating to chapter III of the published book): /63r. - 'Chapter 3' (draft relating to chapter IV): /68r. - 'Third part or (Chap. 4)' (draft of the final section of chapter IV): /74r, with note marked 'Grumpy Sunday. Sunday July 26': /76r. It also includes: - two watercolour frontispieces entitled 'Sillifying the future' and 'Prettifying the past': /1-2. - quotations: Walt Whitman, 'The unknown want, the destiny of me'; and quotation beginning 'Half one's life is spent trying to understand things': /2v. - journal entries for 28 August 1935 to 1 November 1936, concerning T.E. Lawrence and Stephen Tennant, Hester Sassoon, the outbreak of War, and social engagements: /77r-89v (written from the reverse, with sections removed by Sassoon). - pasted in newspaper cutting on the birth of his son George: /84r. - two watercolour frontispieces entitled 'Journal' and 'To Myself': /89v and /89v. NB. Foliation by Sassoon is incomplete; new foliation has been added by the archivist in square brackets. All references in this description refer to the archivist's foliation. Five enclosures are housed in separately.