[ Winston Churchill ] Papers of the South African historian Brian Roberts (b.1925) relating to his ‘Churchills in Africa’ (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1970).

The book – centring on Winston Churchill’s ‘exploits in South Africa as correspondent, escaped prisoner of warm and army officer’ – was well-received: see for example a review in the Times Literary Supplement, 8 January 1971. The contents of a large box file, comprising autograph material (mostly contained in ten notebooks); correspondence to and from Roberts; material relating to publication on three continents; newspaper cuttings and photocopies. In good condition, lightly-aged. ONE: Ten notebooks of autograph transcriptions from contemporary books and periodicals, with titles including: ‘Sarah Wilson & Florence Dixie’, ‘Churchill (plus Livingstone bibliography), ‘Churchills in Africa’ and ‘Lord Randolph Churchill’. Folder of further transcriptions, mostly in autograph, titled ‘Notes for Churchills in Africa (Mafeking)’. Envelope of ‘Correspondence (marriage & death certificates)’. TWO: Small bundle of correspondence relating to the subject and book, comprising original letters to Roberts, and copies of some of his own letters, 1965-1972. Includes letters to Roberts from: the Campbell Collections of the University of Natal; the Department of Cultural Affairs, Pretoria; the City of Johannesburg Africana Museum; the Ministry of Defence, London; A. Temple Patterson; Peter Townend of Burke’s Peerage; Daphne Hurndall; Ellen M. Johnstone; Jill Buss; Mary Cassidy (‘"Sister" Cranford’s daughter’), Sister M. Philomena of the Convent of Mercy, Mafeking; William Hillcourt of ‘Boys’ Life’. THREE: Folder of ‘Churchills Publicity’, 1970-1971. Including letters between Roberts and the book’s three publishers (Hamish Hamilton, London; Taplinger, New York; William Collins, South Africa); copies of two typed press releases; letters to Roberts from his agent Laurence Polinger and J.W.R. Sutton of the Sunday Times (South Africa). FOUR: Small bundle of newspaper cuttings, mostly reviews of the book, 1970-1971. FIVE: Large bundle of photocopies of printed material relating to the subject, the originals dating from 1895-1966.