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Literary: correspondence with consultants (mainly volumes 5 and 6) and others on WSC's war memoirs ("The Second World War"), G-Z., Feb 1947 - Jul 1953

 File
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CHUR 4/25A-B

Scope and Contents

Correspondents include: Air Chief Marshal Sir Guy Garrod (3); Denis Kelly [WSC's literary assistant] (19); Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall (21); William Deakin (5); General 1st Lord Ismay (7); Prime Minister's Private Secretary John Colville (4); Henry Luce [owner and editor of Time Magazine] (28); Daniel Longwell [editor of Life Magazine] (2); Walter Graebner [London representative of Time-Life International]; Charles Wood [WSC's literary assistant] (64); Arthur Hayward [Chief Editor], Cassell and Company. Also includes notes and copies of correspondence from secretaries Lettice Marston [later Lettice Shillingford], Jo Sturdee ("N S") [later Lady Onslow], Chips Gemmell, Christine Taylor, Elizabeth Gilliatt, Jane Portal [later Lady Williams of Elvel], Grace Hamblin, and Anne Hipwell.Subjects include: matters concerning production and printing including comments on the proofs by some of the individuals above and Lord Mountbatten of Burma, time considerations and the effect of the domestic political situation on WSC's ability to complete the volumes, the structure of the text, books consulted including the memoirs of Generals Heinz Guderian and Maxime Weygand, and conventions of style and punctuation; discussion of matters arising from the memoirs, including the raid on Dieppe [France], Far East strategy, the situation in Greece towards the end of the war, President Franklin Roosevelt's death, the fighting in Italy and north Africa, the war in western Europe, and British anti-aircraft defences; matters concerning the Life serialisation, including Time-Life paying for WSC's stay at Marrakesh [Morocco] (1947), Luce's thanks for a painting and photograph from WSC, and Luce meeting WSC in 1949; United States Jewish views on Britain and Palestine; world affairs including the Korean War; WSC providing signed copies of the memoirs; Wood's work and payment.Also includes: copy of March 1944 message from Chiefs of Staff and relevant galley proofs from volume 5 ("Closing the Ring"); draft 1950 text by WSC on economics; extract from letter by Sir Alexander Korda; copy of essay on WSC by Harold Nicolson; poem from Punch; note from 1st Lord Layton comparing the lengths of words used by celebrated authors.

Dates

  • Creation: Feb 1947 - Jul 1953

Conditions Governing Access

Open

Extent

2 file(s) (2 files (532 loose folios))

Language of Materials

English