Cecil Day Lewis collection, 1924-1926

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Summary

Creators:
Day Lewis, C. (Cecil), 1904-1972
Abstract:
A collection of letters and poems related to Cecil Day Lewis, Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom.
Extent:
1.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Cecil Day Lewis collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of poems, correspondence and ephemera related to Cecil Day Lewis and the publication of his first collection of poetry, Beechen Vigil. The correspondence is with publishers Fortune and Merriman and concerns publication details and issues; many of the letters include envelopes. The collection also includes approximately 30 poems; a typewritten, corrected proof of Beechen Vigil, with corrections by Day Lewis and the editor; printed page proofs and galleys, with corrections, of the volume; a newspaper clipping and other printed material.

Biographical / historical:

Cecil Day Lewis (1904-1972) was born in Ireland and moved to London, England when he was two years old. He attended Oxford University and published his first collection of poems, Beechen Vigil, in 1925. After university he worked as a schoolmaster and during World War II he worked as a publications editor at the Ministry of Information; after the war, he joined the publisher Chatto &Windus as a director and senior editor. Day Lewis was married twice and had four children, including actor Daniel Day-Lewis and Tamasin Day-Lewis, television chef and food critic. Cecil Day Lewis was appointed Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom in 1968, a position he held until his death in 1972.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Maggs Bros. Ltd, July 1974.
Processing information:

Processed by William Ingoldsby in 1975; in April 2025, Gayle M. Richardson created the finding aid.

Arrangement:

Arranged by individual manuscript call number.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Cecil Day Lewis collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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