Guide to the Kate Rennie Archer Papers, 1907-1970
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The University Library
Special Collections and Archives
University Library
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California, 95064
Email: specoll@library.ucsc.edu
URL: http://library.ucsc.edu/speccoll/
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Note
Geographical (By Place)--California--Bay Area
Arts and Humanities--Literature--American Literature
Guide to the Kate Rennie Archer Papers, 1907-1970
Collection number: MS 66
The University Library
Special Collections and Archives
University of California, Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz, California
Contact Information:
- Special Collections and Archives
- University Library
- University of California, Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz, California, 95064
- Email: specoll@library.ucsc.edu
- URL: http://library.ucsc.edu/speccoll/
- Processed by:
- UCSC OAC Unit
- Date Completed:
- February 2003
- Encoded by:
- UCSC OAC Unit
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Kate Rennie Archer papers,
Date (inclusive): 1907-1970
Collection number: MS 66
Creator:
Archer, Kate Rennie
Extent:
2.5 linear ft
6 boxes
Repository:
University of California, Santa Cruz. University Library.
Special Collections and Archives
Santa Cruz, California 95064
Abstract: Archive contains correspondence, manuscripts of published and unpublished poems and stories, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings,
photographs and miscellaneous items documenting the literary activity of a San Francisco Bay area poet and a poetry teacher
Kate Rennie Archer.
Physical location: Stored offsite at NRLF: Advance notice is required for access to the papers.
Language:
English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators
of the records and their heirs. For permission to publish or to reproduce the material, please contact the
Head of Special Collections and Archives.
Preferred Citation
Kate Rennie Archer Papers. MS 66. Special Collections and Archives, University Library, University of California, Santa Cruz.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Kate Rennie Archer, 1966.
Outgoing correspondence to Mrs. Specker donated by Mrs. Lewis Specker, 1971.
Biography
Scottish poetess, Kate Rennie Archer (given name Catherine), was born in Glasgow to a traveling shipping family. She spent
most of her childhood moving around the Europe, as well as lived both in Malta and Algiers. She married a Scottish Royal Horse
Artillery Captain, Douglas Archer in 1912. She was not only a trained teacher specializing in literature, folk lore and music,
but she served in the Red Cross as a qualified nurse during the World War I. Her husband's unstable health forced the couple
and their young son Douglas Jr. to move from Edinburgh, in search of a milder weather, to California in 1927. Always known
for her active spirit, she and her 10-year-old son made history by traveling on a 'shoestring budget from San Francisco to
Glasgow' in the 1930's, a voyage which received wide press coverage in the US. At the outbreak of the World War II the Archer's
supported the war efforts in the Bay Area while their son Douglas Jr. Archer joined the military serving under the Royal Canadian
Air-Force in Great-Britain. Deeply effected by the sights and aftermath of the two wars, many of her writings are about war
and portrayals of the psychological effects of these events.
Kate Rennie Archer's lifelong passion for writing poetry started at a very early age. Her first poem was published in "Glasgow
Weekly" at 12 years of age. In the Bay Area she devoted over a decade to teaching creative writing at Dominican College in
San Rafael, and established a Poetry Workshop at 1515 Gough Street in San Francisco in the 1950's. Never forgetting her roots,
she was passionate interpreter and advocate of Scottish poetry through lectures, readings, and radio programs. Authoring either
under a name of Kate Rennie Archer or K.R.A., she steadily contributed poetry through out her life to newspapers and journals, such as
New York Times,
Oakland Tribune,
San Francisco Chronicle,
Maple Leaf,
The Carmel Pine Cone-Cymbal.
Her main body of work remains the following published collections of poetry:
-
Jock Tamson's Bairns: and other poems, Glasgow, Gowans, 1934.
-
Tumbleweed Trail, San Francisco, Ca, Canterbury Press, 1936.
-
Petals of the Quelder-Rose. Mills College, Oakland, ca, Eucalyptus Press, 1940.
-
Recurrent Vigil, Berkeley, Ca, Gillick Press, 1943.
-
Coffee Shop, Berkeley, Ca, Gillick Press, 1947.
-
Persimmon Harvest, San Francisco, Ca, The Abbey Press, 1955.
-
Night Clerk, Western Union: of time and communications, Glenwood Edition, 1960's
Kate Rennie Archer on the vocation of a poet:
"We are not spectacular because poetry as an art has no pictures to show, no music to soothe and charm, it is a reserved and
solitary process, and only comes to notice as protest or prophecy, as encouragement or condemnation in emergency".
Scope and Content of Collection
The archive covers Kate Rennie Archer's literary and teaching activities between 1930-1960. The bulk of the material consists
of manuscripts of poems and stories that portray her observation on regional and world events, especially the Great Wars,
and captures various California scenary and locals during her time. The archive also consists of correspondence, personal
papers, realia, photographs, scrapbooks and miscellany publications. Negatives and published books have been separated from
the archive (see Separated Material for more detailed listing.)
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Archer, Kate Rennie--Archives.
Poets, American--20th century--California.
Poets, American--California--San Francisco Bay Area.
Women poets, American--20th century.
Women poets, Scottish--California.
Material Cataloged Separately
Negatives have been transferred to the Negative Collection, McHenry Library.
Books authored by Kate Rennie Archer have been cataloged and physically separately from the archive:
-
Call frae the heather; Published Mills College, Oakland, Calif., The Eucalyptus press, 1940. [PS3501.R335C3]
-
Night clerk western union (of time and communications). [N.p.] Glenwood editions [n. d.] [PS3501.R335N5 ]
-
Persimmon harvest. San Francisco, The Abbey Press, 1955. [PS3501.R335P4]
-
Petals of the guelder rose. Berkeley, Calif., Gillick Press [c1941]. [PS3501.R335P44]
-
Tumbleweed trail. San Francisco, the Canterbury Press, [c1936]. [PS3501.R335T8]
Related Material
Collection of Personal Papers
Kate Rennie Archer. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Manuscript Division (Papers, 1931-1969).
Collection Contents
Box-folder 1:1-5
I. Correspondence, 1915-1970,
Physical Description:
5 folders
Scope and Content Note
Consists of outgoing, and incoming correspondence. Correspondents included are Julia Altrocchi, Helen Faulkner, Florence R.
Keene, Frona Lane, Arthur L. Price, and Jennette Yeatman. Majority of the outgoing correspondence consists of letters written
to Mrs. (Gita) Lewis Specker, a friend from a San Francisco Browning Society.
Arrangement
Incoming letters are arranged alphabetically by a corporate or last name.
Box-folder 1:1
Outgoing, 1932, 1953, 1963-1970
Box-folder 1:2
Letters in regards to publishing & other literary activity, A-Z, 1915,1939-1963
Box-folder 1:3
Letters from friends and fans, A-Z, 1915-1968
Box-folder 1:4
Fan mail redirected from radio KFRC after reading of "The Constant Heart", Feb 1932
Box-folder 1:6-9
II. Biographical, 1914-1962,
Physical Description:
4 folders
Scope and Content Note
Contains biographical notes, legal documents, articles written about Kate Rennie Archer, and her business card.
Scope and Content Note
Chronological arrangement.
Box-folder 1:6
Biographical notes by Mrs. Archer
Box-folder 1:7
Finance, contracts & other legal documents, 1914-1955
Box-folder 1:8
Newspaper Articles about K.R.A., 1931-1962
Box-folder 1:10-11
III. Family Papers, 1907-1963,
Physical Description:
2 folders
Scope and Content Note
Contains material relating to Douglas Archer Sr.'s music activity in Edinburgh, as well as correspondence from the son Douglas
Archer Jr. and his family.
Arrangement
Chronological arrangement.
Box-folder 1:10
Douglas Archer Sr., Opera programs and clippings, 1907, 1910, 1922
Box-folder 1:11
Douglas Archer Jr. and his family, Correspondence to his parents, 1942-1963
Box-folder 2:1-6
IV. Activity, 1936-1963,
Physical Description:
6 folders
Scope and Content Note
Correspondence and various printed material regarding to Kate Rennie Archer's literary and teaching activity.
Arrangement
Arrangement chronologically where possible.
Box-folder 2:1
Poets of the Pacific, programs, journal, certificate of merit, 1941, 1943
Box-folder 2:1
California Writer's Club, roster, 1951
Box-folder 2:1
California Federation of Chaparral Poets, certificate
Box-folder 2:1
The Poetry Society of America,
Bulletin,
Dec 1944, Feb-Mar, May 1953, Dec 1956, May 1963
Box-folder 2:2
Technical Adult School, Oakland, printed copy of "Original Poems by Class in Poetry and Verse, 1948-1949
Box-folder 2:3
Dominican Grammar School, Collection of student poems, 1949,1951-1952
Box-folder 2:4
Incoming & outgoing correspondence, 1955
Box-folder 2:5
Notes, publicity drafts, newspaper clippings, blank contest entry form
Box-folder 2:6
Programs and announcements for lectures and readings, 1936, 1953,n.d.
Box-folder 3:1-5:7
V. Manuscripts, [1927]-1967,
Physical Description:
2 boxes and 7 folders
Scope and Content Note
Contains typed and hand written manuscripts of published and unpublished poems, stories, as well as broadcast scripts and
speeches, a score, a notebook, miscellany draft fragments, notes, and writing source material.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by title, where possible. Untitled groups of poems, which were found attached as a set, were kept
intact.
Box-folder 3:1
Source material; newspaper clippings of stories & publisher information,
1934-1966
Box-folder 3:2
"Afternoon in a park, Bad Sassendorff, Germany, and other works", 1967
Box-folder 3:3
"Broadcast script", KYA, corrected & annotated typescript, Jun 1949
Box-folder 3:4
"Bus Trip", set of 3 poems, typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 3:5-6
Corrected typescript (poems were broadcasted over KYA), n.d.
Box-folder 3:7
Corrected and edited scripts for a dramatic reading, 1936
Box-folder 3:8-9
"Coffee Shop", corrected typescripts, Oct 1946, n.d.
Box-folder 3:10
"Epicure Evening", Handmade pamphlet of poems and sketches in a menu, n.d.
Box-folder 3:11
"For One Who Stayed", poems, typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 3:12
"Frae the Heather" broadcast outlines of Scottish songs, typescripts, Nov 1949
Box-folder 3:13
"The Gipsy in Me", collection of stories, corrected typescript, [1927]
Box-folder 3:14
"Growth", poem which received a Browning Society Award, 1962
Box-folder 3:15
"Harvest of War", corrected typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 3:16
"Make Straight the Way", corrected typescripts, n.d.
Box-folder 3:17
"My Son Enlist", a poem, corrected typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 3:18
"Night Clerk Western Union", corrected typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 3:19
"Persimmon Harvest", incomplete set of poems, and receipts, 1954
Box-folder 3:20
"Personality", writing of nine different human personalities [by K.R.A ?], n.d.
Box-folder 3:21
"Return Freight", narrative picture poem, corrected typescript, 1934
Box-folder 3:22
"Roses and Fire: Lyrics", corrected typescript, n.d.
Box-folder 4:1
"Saga of Service: For City Hospitals Everywhere", 3 corrected typescripts
Box-folder 4:2
"Seeing the World at One and Three Fifty Cents per Mile: 8000 miles for 1.22 dollars", article sent to N.Y. Post, typescript, 1931
Box-folder 4:3
"Tumbleweed Trail", 2 corrected typescripts and notes, 1936
Box-folder 4:4
"Song of a Little Brother", complete and incomplete typescript sets, corrected
Box-folder 4:5-7
Single poems by title, A-Z, typed and hand written versions
Box-folder 4:8-9
Untitled groups of poems, corrected and uncorrected typescripts
Box-folder 5:1-2
Short stories and essays by title, B-W
Box-folder 5:3
Story and essay fragments, outlines
Box-folder 5:4
Speeches; "Child Poetry Lines and Laughter", "Old Songs and New", "Poetry Day 1953", "Shakespeare and Stratford Today", "These
are Scots"
Box-folder 5:5
Score for "The Gray Ship", music and words by K.R.A, scripted by hand, n.d.
Box-folder 5:6
Notebook, contains drafts for poems, addresses, and misc. notes
Box-folder 2:7-15
VI. Printed Material, 1934-1960,
Physical Description:
9 folders
Scope and Content Note
Contains galley proofs, a collection of periodicals and newspaper clippings of K.R.A.'s poems and articles, as well as clippings of miscellany publicity and bookreviews.
Arrangement
Newspaper clippings are devided into groups by a periodical title.
Box-folder 2:7
"Frae the Heather", 2 corrected copies
Box-folder 2:8
"Petals of the Guelred-Rose", 3 corrected copies
Box-folder 2:9
"Night Clerk Western Union", Glenwood ed. [pamphlet], 1960's
Box-folder 2:11
Poems in journals; "Daphne in Change",
Envoi, and "Wild Halcyons",
The Navy, v.61:10, Oct 1956
Box-folder 2:12
Poems; newspaper clippings from:
Box-folder 2:12
The Albany Herald, featured in "The Red Kite", 1937-1942
Box-folder 2:12
The Carmel Pine Cone-Cymbal, featured in "Poetry", 1942-1952
Box-folder 2:12
The Courier, featured in "The Poetic View", 1933-1934
Box-folder 2:12
The Oakland Tribune, featured in "Other Fellows", 1928-1958
Box-folder 2:12
The San Francisco Examiner, 1939, 1941-1942
Box-folder 2:13
Poems; newspaper clippings from misc. publications, 1935-1958, n.d.
Box-folder 2:14
Articles in journals and newspapers, 1934, 1954, n.d
Box-folder 2:15
Book publicity and book reviews, flyers & clippings, 1935, 1937, 1941, 1943, 1955
Box-folder 6:1-2
VII. Scrapbooks, 1933-1937, 1951-1952,
Physical Description:
2 books
Scope and Content Note
Contains two scrapbooks of newspaper clippings documenting Mrs. Archer's and her son's budget travel across the Atlantic in
1930's, and miscellany publicity in regards to her literary activity in early 1950.
Scope and Content Note
Chronological arrangement.
Box-folder 5:8
VIII. Photographs, [1890-1960],
Physical Description:
1 folder
Scope and Content Note
Contains 30 photographs, including individual and group portraits of Kate Rennie Archer (1910's, 1960's), Douglas Archer
Sr. ([1890], 1930's, 1960's), and Douglas Archer Jr. (1930-1960). Negatives removed from the archive, see separated material.
Arrangement
Arranged by size; 8x11, 5x7,and 4x5
Box-folder 2:16
IX. Realia, 1912, n.d.,
Physical Description:
1 folder
Scope and Content Note
Contains a framed drawing of Kate Rennie Archer and a package of wedding rice.
Arrangement
No arrangement.
Box-folder 5:10-12
X. Miscellany, 1928, 1944-1956,
Physical Description:
3 folders
Scope and Content Note
Collection of writings by other than K.R.A. and other miscellany publications.
Arrangement
No arrangement.
Box-folder 5:10
Poetry by other than K.R.A., booklets and copies:
Box-folder 5:10
A Dozen New Poems, by Gavin Arthur, [inscribed by author], 1954
Box-folder 5:10
Tropic Earth, by Clifford Gessler, [inscribed by author], 1944
Box-folder 5:10
Typed and hand written copies of Nora May French's poems
Box-folder 5:11
Writings by other than Kate Archer:
Box-folder 5:11
"Yada Lecture", unknown author, Feb 1956
Box-folder 5:11
"Fire & Ice: The Two Satan's", by Jennette Yeatman, carbon copy
Box-folder 5:12
The West Minster Magazine, v.35:3, Autumn 1946
Box-folder 5:12
"The Truth About the War", Major George A. Drew, reprint of MacLean's, Canada's National Magazine, Jul 1928
