[ R.P. Lister (Richard Percival Lister), novelist, poet, travel-writer ] Substantial Literary Archive of R.P. Lister

R.P. Lister (Richard Percival Lister) (1914-2014), was an English author, poet, artist and metallurgist. See Wikipedia.The archive summarised below mainly represents his literary achievement, poetry and fiction. His travel writings (from notebooks to typescripts) will be listed separately although much of the correspondence listed below would relate to the non-literary aspects of his life.His unpublished history of the Bohemian group of poets called "The Saturdays" (the day they met), with other related material by him (lists of members etc) is offered separately. A. MANUSCRIPT POETRY:Forty-Four (44) mainly full notebooks (many exercise books) of Lister's MS. poetry, worked on, 4to, cr.8vo, a few 12mo. Many unpublished. Dates appear within volumes, if not marked on cover.a. Sequence numbered [1]-19, dating 1944 to 1952. In other words, much if the period when he was one of "The Saturdays", a society of poets and literary people inc. Kenneth Hopkins, Nancy Cunard (description of Lister's history of the society available).b. Seven "Century Notebooks", dated 14-7-50 to 21.2.53.c. Folder containing typewritten and manuscript poems marked (For typing", dating 1946-51.d. Fourteen volumes, different bindings, (one without cover), of holograph poems, dating 1945-1960 (many poems dated).e. Two "Atholl Series" notebooks, 12mo, 27.5.60 to 12.8.60f. Notebook, 12mo, 3/12/66 to 28/2/67, mixed poems and notes.B. DIARIES, 1945-1949, two 4to, three 8vo (association with "The Saturdays" (see separate description of his 'history') evident in entries. Packed with information at a formative time in the poet's life.C. CORRESPONDENCE:This includes miscellaneous correspondence with many people (none with resonant names) but also a particularly large quantity of letters from Lister to Winifred ("Winnie") Lister [= Mrs W.E. Lister, 21 Dalhousie Terrace, Edinburgh], who, like John Lister the brother, lives in Edinburgh, with her letters to him. 1952-1954: Letters, mainly typed but some holograph, from Lister, all to Winnie most substantial. Subjects range from the garden to royalties to current writing.1954: Letters, both typed and holograph, from Lister to Winnie (as above), includes news of his becoming "General Editor to publishers, Macdonald and Evans".1955-8: As 1952-41958-9:1959: As 1952-4.1960-61:1962-4: Includes commissioning of Lapland book.June-Oct. 1964: To Winnie from Lapland.Jan.-Aug.1965; To Winnie, partly Turkey.Oct. 1965-Jan. 1967: To WinnieJan.-Nov. 1967: Letters to WinnieOct. 1967-Oct. 1968: To Winnie.1968-9; To Winnie as 1952-4. Includes one letter dated 1928, from schoolboy Lister to Grandparents.1970: To Winnie, mainly typed.1971-2: To Winnie.1964-6: "Miscellaneous Personal Correspondence", to Lister, inc. John Lister (journalist brother - many, and usually substantial and Winnie Includes some copy letters of Lister's.Feb. 1966- Sep. 1967: "Misc. Pers. Corresp."1971-2: "Miscellaneous Personal Corresp.", mainly handwritten.hiatus1975, 1976, 1977; "Misc. Private Corres.", inc. substantial copy letter from him outlining his political development and Christian ethic.1979-80: "Misc. Private Corres.", inc. many copy letters from him related to incomers.1980-2: "MPC" ("Miscellaneous Personal Corres.")hiatus1988-9: Miscellaneous Personal Corres.1989-90; Miscellaneous Personal Corres.1991: Miscellaneous Personal Corres.1992-3: Miscellaneous Personal Corres.Relationships with women; work for the Probation Service; Publisher, John D. Macdonald calls him a "considerable poet"; personal relations; travels; current work; people in his life; learning Turkish (1970); his paintings; employment; living circumstances; poverty; etc etc.This correspondence occupies ¾ banana box. Most letters substantial and readable, and to Winnie (Mrs Winifred E. Lister, degree of relationship unknown) with whom he discusses all details of his life, and responding to a stream of gifts to keep his head above water (clothes, tobacco, whisky, etc.). His many letters to Winnie Lister constitute an autobiography of sorts. D. [BAGNOLD Enid, LETTERS TO FRANK HARRIS, & OTHER FRIENDS. Edited and Introduced by R.P.Lister Whittington Pres and Heinemann, 1980] Package: " BAGNOLD LETTERS | Photocopy by Whittington Press OF EB's Letters and Journal Album | Rejected pages from draft. | Proofs."F. Three folders: "The Covered City a novel by R.P. Lister". Typescript. Apparently unpublished. AND: Package: "Covered City | Ist Draft & Orig. MSS". AND: Package: "The Covered City | Chaps I to XX". G. [The Questing Beast (1965)] Package: "Notes and Early Drafts: The Questing Beast" H. Bundle of periodicals and pages detached from newspapers/periodicals with contributions by Lister. I. Package: "The Animal Kingdom (Orbis) | All papers except corresp. & contract etc | Draft | Typescript | Captions | Notes". Apparently unpublished. J. [The way backwards (Collins, 1950)] Package: "The Way Backwards || Notebook & Drafts". K. Package: "Spare Copies of Printed Prose & Verse", mainly extracted from periodicals. L. Folder containing typescripts of articles by Lister, with annotation in his hand about publication. Marked "A-L". M. Folder containing typescripts of articles by Lister, with annotation in his hand about publication. Marked "Accepted Articles M-Z". N. Folder containing typewritten and manuscript material labelled "Dreams" - a record of his dreams. O. [The Oyster and the Torpedo (1951)] Package marked "O & T MS" and "Sketches & Drafts Oyster and Torpedo". P. [Rebecca Redfern (1953)] Package: "Rebecca Redfern | Ist Draft | (Notebooks)". Q. Eight albums of personal photographs, seven 4to, one obl.fol. R. Large brown envelope (bulging): "All Press Cuttings (Reviews). S. Copies of printed works (usually mint): The Idle Demon. A Collection of Verse (5 copies, 1958); The Rhyme and the Reason (Gollancz, 1963); The Rhyme and the Reason (Harcourt, Brace, 1963); 9 Poems (14 copies, variant covers, Eashing 1970); One Short Summer (Milton House, 1974); The Travels of Herodotus (1979) T. [The Rhyme and the Reason (Gollancz, 1963)] "Ist Draft (1953) of The Rhyme and the Reason (unfinished; Ran off the Rails). Notebooks. U. Folder labelled "Fan Mail 2". "Fan Mail 1" not present. V. Three notebooks and some loose pages, 16mo. "Miscellaneous Expenses]". 1963-4, 1971-2, 1974-5. Loose pages dated 1966.