Finding Aid for the Edith Craig Papers, ca. 1884-1939, Bulk 1932-1939
Processed by Charlotte Payne; machine-readable finding aid created by Alight Tsai
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
© 2002
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Note
Finding Aid for the Edith Craig Papers, ca. 1884-1939, Bulk 1932-1939
Collection number: 1003
UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
Manuscripts Division
Los Angeles, CA
Contact Information
- Manuscripts Division
- UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
- Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
- Box 951575
- Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
- Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific
Time)
- Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
- URL: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/special/scweb/
- Processed by:
- Charlotte Payne, March 1976
- Additions by:
- Charlotte Payne, May 1976
- Encoded by:
- Alight Tsai
- Encoding supervision by:
- Caroline Cubé
- Text converted and initial container list EAD tagging by:
- Apex Data Services
- Online finding aid edited by:
- Josh Fiala, April 2002
© 2002 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Edith Craig Papers,
Date (inclusive): ca. 1884-1939, Bulk 1932-1939
Collection number: 1003
Creator: Craig, Edith, 1869-1947
Extent:
2 boxes (1 linear ft.)
Repository:
University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: Edith Craig (1869-1947) was a member of the Lyceum Theatre Company for many years, working with her mother and brother, Edward
Gordon Craig, under the direction of Henry Irving. She designed and made costumes for many London productions, but in later
years became engaged in stage management and play productions. In 1929, she converted an Elizabethan barn adjacent to her
mother's house at Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent into a memorial theatre and directed yearly Shakespearean drama until 1939.
The collection consists of 260 letters, most dated between 1932-39, during Craig's organization of the festivals and programs
for the Barn Theatre, Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department
of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Restrictions on Use and Reproduction
Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections. Literary rights, including
copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds
the copyright and pursue the
copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where The UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
Restrictions on Access
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE AT SRLF: Advance notice required for access.
Additional Physical Form Available
A copy of the original version of this online finding aid is available at the UCLA Department of Special Collections for in-house
consultation and may be obtained for a fee. Please contact:
- Public Services Division
- UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections
- Room A1713, Charles E. Young Research Library
- Box 951575
- Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575
- Telephone: 310/825-4988 (10:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m., Pacific
Time)
- Email: spec-coll@library.ucla.edu
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
- Hamill and Barker, purchase, 1962.
- Stevens and Brown, purchase, 1968.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Edith Craig Papers (Collection 1003). Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research
Library, University of California, Los Angeles.
UCLA Catalog Record ID
Biography
Edith Craig was born in Hertfordshire, England, December 9, 1869; the daughter of actress Ellen Terry, she made her first
stage appearance at the Court Theater in 1878 during a run of
Olivia; was a member of Lyceum Theatre Company for many years, working with her mother and brother, Edward Gordon Craig, under the
direction of Henry Irving; at one time designed and made costumes for many London productions, but in later years became engaged
in stage management and play productions; as stage director of the Pioneer Players from 1911-21, she produced over 150 plays;
in 1929, she converted an Elizabethan barn adjacent to her mother's house at Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent into a memorial
theatre and directed yearly Shakespearean drama until 1939; formed the Barn Theatre Society, which attracted leading actors
from the London stage; died in 1947.
Biographical Narrative
Edith Craig was born in Hertsfordshire, England, the daughter of the famous Shakespearean actress, Ellen Terry, and the sister
of Edward Gordon Craig. For many years, she was a member of the Lyceum Theatre Company under the direction of Henry Irving,
working with her mother and brother. In later years she became involved with stage management and production in the Little
Theatre movement, founding and directing the Pioneer Players in over 150 productions between 1911 and 1921. After Ellen Terry's
death in 1928, Edith Craig converted the Elizabethan barn adjacent to Ellen Terry's house at Small Hythe into a memorial theatre
where she directed yearly performances of Shakespearean drama in commeration of the anniversary of Ellen Terry's death. In
addition, she formed the Barn Theatre Society, producing plays utilizing the talents of many of London's most prestigious
stage performers. The bulk of the correspondence in the collection is dated from 1932 to 1939 and relates to this period of
Edith Craig's organization of the festivals and programs for the Barn Theatre, Small Hythe, Kent.
Charlotte Payne
May 1976
Scope and Content
Collection consists of 260 letters, most dated between 1932-39, during Craig's organization of the festivals and programs
for the Barn Theatre, Small Hythe, Tenterden, Kent. Correspondents include:
Dame Peggy Ashcroft,
Dame Edith Evans, Elsa Lanchester,
Sir Michael Redgrave, and Vita Sackville-West. Also contains Craig's guestbook, a sketchbook, prompt books of Upton Sinclair's
Singing Jailbirds, George Bernard Shaw's
Back to Methuselah, and a presentation copy of Annancy stories by Pamela Colman Smith. Also includes a book written for Craig,
The Golden Book With Prose, Verse and Quotations.
Organization and Arrangement
Arranged in the following series:
- Correspondence (Box 1).
- Manuscript materials, prompt books, sketchbook, presentation copy (Box 2).
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Craig, Edith, 1869-1947--Archives.
Stage managers--Great Britain--Archival resources.
Women theatrical producers and directors--Great Britain--Archival resources.
Correspondence
Scope and Content Note
The bulk of the correspondence is dated 1932-1939, the period of Edith Craig's organization of the festivals and programs
for the Barn Theatre, Small Hythe, Kent. Prominent correspondents listed.
Box 1, Folder 1
- A -
Physical Description: 18 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 1
Albery,
Sir Bronson, 1881- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 1
Armstrong, William, 1882-1952.
Physical Description: 5 items.
Box 1, Folder 1
Aschroft,
Dame Peggy, 1907- .
Physical Description: 3 items.
Box 1, Folder 1
Ashwell, Lena, 1871-1957.
Physical Description: 3 items.
Box 1, Folder 2
- B -
Physical Description: 11 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 2
Baddeley, Angela Clinton-, 1904-1976.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 2
Baddeley, Hermione, 1906- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 2
Bishop, George Walter, 1886-1965.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 3
- C -
Physical Description: 17 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 3
Cochran,
Sir Charles Blake, 1872-1951.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 3
Collins, Arthur Pelham, 1863-1932.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 4
- D -
Physical Description: 20 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 4
Davies, Gwen Ffrangcon-, 1896- .
Physical Description: 4 items.
Box 1, Folder 4
Disher, Maurice Willson, 1893-1969.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 4
Drinkwater, John, 1882-1937.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 4
Du Maurier,
Sir Gerald, 1873-1934.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 5
- E-F -
Physical Description: 18 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 5
Evans,
Dame Edith, 1888- .
Physical Description: 10 items.
Box 1, Folder 5
Forbes-Robertson, Jean, 1905-1962.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 5
Fraser, Claud Lovat, 1890-1921.
Physical Description: 4 items.
Box 1, Folder 6
- G -
Physical Description: 8 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 6
Greet,
Sir Philip (Ben), 1857-1936.
Physical Description: 4 items.
Box 1, Folder 7
- H -
Physical Description: 17 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 7
Hamilton, Cicely, 1872-1952.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 7
Harraden, Beatrice, 1864-1936.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 7
Harvey,
Sir John Martin-, 1863-1944.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 7
Hicks, Sir Edward Seymour, 1871-1949.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 7
Hudd, Walter, 1898-1963.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 7
Hunt, Martita, 1900-1969.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 8
- I-K -
Physical Description: 13 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 8
Jackson,
Sir Barry Vincent, 1879-1961.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 8
Kaye-Smith, Sheila, 1887-1956.
Physical Description: 3 items.
Box 1, Folder 8
Kelly, Francis Michael, 1879-1945.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 9
- L -
Physical Description: 9 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 9
Lanchester, Elsa, 1902- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 9
Lonsdale, Frederick, 1881-1954.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 9
Lucas, Edward Verrall, 1868-1938.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 10
- M -
Physical Description: 16 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 10
McCarthy, Lillah, 1875-1960.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 10
MacColl, Dugald Sutherland, 1859-1948.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 10
MacKaye, Percy Wallace, 1875-1956.
Physical Description: 2 items.
Box 1, Folder 10
Moira, Gerald, -1959.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 10
Monck, Walter Nugent, 1878-1958.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 10
Moore, Gerald, 1899- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 11
- N-P -
Physical Description: 12 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 11
Nicolson, Lionel Benedict, 1914- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 11
Novello, Ivor, 1893-1951.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 11
Pearson, Hesketh, 1887-1964.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 11
Playfair,
Sir Nigel Ross, 1874-1934.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 12
- Q-R -
Physical Description: 11 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 12
Redgrave,
Sir Michael, 1908- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 12
Robson,
Dame Flora, 1902- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 12
Rothenstein,
Sir William, 1872-1945.
Physical Description: 3 items.
Box 1, Folder 13
- S -
Physical Description: 26 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 13
Sackville-West,
Hon. Victoria Mary, 1892-1962.
Physical Description: 11 items.
Box 1, Folder 13
Shaw, George Bernard, 1856-1948.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 13
Smith, Edward Percy, 1891-1968.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 13
Speaight, Robert William, 1904- .
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 14
- T -
Physical Description: 31 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 14
Tempest, Dame Marie Susan, 1866-1942.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 14
Terry, Julia (Neilson), 1869-1957.
Physical Description: 4 items.
Scope and Content Note
(Mrs. Fred Terry)
Box 1, Folder 15
- U-V -
Physical Description: 13 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 15
Vanbrugh,
Dame Irene, 1872-1949.
Physical Description: 6 items.
Box 1, Folder 15
Vanbrugh, Violet, 1867-1942.
Physical Description: 6 items.
Box 1, Folder 16
- W-Z -
Physical Description: 20 items, total.
Box 1, Folder 16
Wynyard, Diana, 1906-1964.
Physical Description: 1 item.
Box 1, Folder 17
Correspondent unidentified.
Physical Description: 37 items.
Box 1, Folders 18-19
Signatures cut from body of letters.
Physical Description: Approximately 75 items. In two folders.
Item: 1
Guestbook. n.p., 1899-1934.
Physical Description: 25 leaves, signed. 21 × 16.5 cm.
Scope and Content Note
Guestbook belonging to Edith Craig and signed by friends and visitors. Includes sketches by Pamela Colman Smith. Signed by
Laurence Irving, Ellen Terry, Gordon Craig, Pamela Colman Smith and Christopher St. John.
Box 2
Item: 2
St. John, Christopher Marie(?)
The Golden Book. n.p., 1911.
Physical Description: 58 leaves in black leather journal. 17.5 × 11 cm.
Scope and Content Note
Holograph manuscript of prose, verse and quotations written for Edith Craig.
With this: Ephemera. n.p., n.d. 7 items. Newsclippings, postcard and bookmark.
Box 2
Item: 3
Shaw, George Bernard.
Back to Methuselah; a Metabiological Pentateuch. London: Constable and Company, Limited, 1922.
Physical Description: 267pp.
Scope and Content Note
Prompt copy used by Edith Craig in the stage presentation of the play. Tipped-in photographic reproductions of the cast. Signed
by members of the cast, including
Dame Edith Evans. A Court Theatre production, n.d.
Box 2
Item: 4
Sinclair, Upton.
Singing Jailbirds. Pasadena, California, 1924.
Physical Description: 95pp.
Scope and Content Note
Presentation copy of the play to Edith Craig. Her pencilled annotations and stage directions throughout.
Box 2
Item: 5
Wardell, Edith [pseudonym for Edith Craig] Drawing book. n.p., 1884.
Physical Description: 10 leaves. 17.5 × 26.5 cm.
Scope and Content Note
Drawings and sketches for practice in rendering. Pencil, wash, and pen. Drawings annotated by Ellen Terry.
Box 2
Item: 6
Smith, Pamela Colman.
Annancy Stories. New York: Russell, 1899.
Physical Description: 79pp.
Scope and Content Note
Presentation copy to Edith Craig with inscription and original sketches by Pamela Colman Smith on front flyleaf.