The Willow Wray Collection of the Writings of Lord Dunsany
Finding aid prepared by Errol Stevens(?)
William H. Hannon Library
Loyola Marymount University
One LMU Drive, MS 8200
Los Angeles, CA 90045-8200
Phone: (310) 338-5710
Fax: (310) 338-5895
Email: special.collections@lmu.edu
URL: http://library.lmu.edu/collections/archivesandspecialcollections/
© 2012
Loyola Marymount University. All rights reserved.
The Willow Wray Collection of the Writings of Lord Dunsany
Collection number: 004
William H. Hannon Library
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
- Processed by:
- Errol Stevens(?)
- Encoded by:
- Clay Stalls
© 2012 Loyola Marymount University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: The Willow Wray Collection of the Writings of Lord Dunsany
Dates: 1947-1959
Collection number: 004
Creator:
Dunsany, Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Baron, 1878-1957
Collector:
Wray, Willow
Collection Size:
6 archival document boxes, 1 oversize box
2.7 linear feet
Repository:
Loyola Marymount University. Library. Department of Archives and Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90045-2659
Abstract: The Willow Wray Collection of the Writings of Lord Dunsany consists of signed and unsigned manuscripts, letters, photographs,
clippings, and numerous published works of Lord Dunsany.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
Collection is open to research under the terms of use of the Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon
Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Publication Rights
Materials in the Department of Archives and Special Collections may be subject to copyright. Unless explicitly stated otherwise,
Loyola Marymount University does not claim ownership of the copyright of any materials in its collections. The user or publisher
must secure permission to publish from the copyright owner. Loyola Marymount University does not assume any responsibility
for infringement of copyright or of publication rights held by the original author or artists or his/her heirs, assigns, or
executors. The estate of Lord Dunsany retains all copyright and literary rights to his works.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Series number, Box and Folder number, The Willow Wray Collection of the Writings of Lord Dunsany,
004, Department of Archives and Special Collections, William H. Hannon Library, Loyola Marymount University.
Acquisition Information
Loyola Marymount University (then Loyola University) purchased the collection in 1962 from Willow Wray, Lord Dunsany's literary
agent. Accession Number: 1995.9
Processing History
Based on internal departmental documentation, it seems likely that Dr. Errol Stevens, then head of the Department of Archives
and Special Collections, processed the collection, circa 1995.
Lord Dunsany Biography
The author and playwright Edward John Moreton Drax Plunket, better known as Lord Dunsany, deeply influenced the development
of the literary genres of horror and fantasy. He was born in London in 1878 to Anglo-Irish family of Plunkett, lords of Dunsany
Castle, in County Meath, northwest of Dublin, Ireland. The future Lord Dunsany was educated in public school at Eton, which
seems to have been unpleasant for him, until the age of sixteen, when his father had him entered into Sandhurst, the British
military academy, in 1896. Lord Dunsany graduated and entered British military service as an officer with the Coldstream Guards,
serving in the Boer War and seeing action at such battles as Modder River. This took place in 1899, the same year that Lord
Dunsany inherited Dunsany Castle on the death of his father.
In 1901 Dunsany returned to civilian life. In 1904 he married Lady Beatrice Child-Villiers, whose father was the Earl of Jersey;
the couple made Dunsany Castle their principal residence for the next twenty years. Randal Arthur Henry, the couple's first
and only child, was born in 1906.
Lord Dunsany settled down to the country life of an Anglo-Irish nobleman, but he had greater ambitions. In 1903, he had begun
experimenting in writing in short stories. The end result was
The Gods of Pegana, a collection of short stories concerning mythological gods and lands, both with a malevolent bent. In short Dunsany was
creating, or at least helping to create, "sword and sorcery" fantasy. He had to pay for the publication of this first work,
but
The Gods of Pegana enjoyed strong enough sales that he never had to pay to publish his works again. Over the next decade he published six more
books, all of which concerned mythological fantasy.
In 1914, Lord Dunsany became a playwright with the production of his first play, at Dublin's famous Abbey Theatre, the one-act
"The Glittering House." It was the first of many, for Dunsany continued to write plays through the 1930s. Ironically, his
plays were more popular in the United States than they were in either England or Ireland.
In World War I, Lord Dunsany re-joined the British Army, gaining the rank of captain with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
As a Unionist, he fought against the Irish Nationalists in the Dublin Uprising of 1916, and in the brutal trench warfare on
the continent, Lord Dunsany saw combat at the Battle of the Somme that same year.
After the war Lord Dunsany continued to write fantasy fiction and plays. His 1924 novel, The
King of Elfland's Daughter, marked a notable entry in the field of fantasy fiction. He also wrote short stories related to themes in Irish culture,
as well as pieces related to his experiences in World War I. The most important development in his writings was the creation
of the character "Mr. Joseph Jorkens," who first appeared in 1931. Jorkens is a member of a London gentleman's club, and a
raconteur who spins tales for other members, tales which have a more than a touch of fantasy and oddness.
After World War II, Lord Dunsany's reputation declined, and he is best known today for his influence on such writers as
H. P. Lovecraft and
Arthur C. Clarke and their development of science fiction and horror genres. In short, Lord Dunsany is now considered a minor writer, more
important for his initial role in developing fantasy fiction with correlative influence on other genres, especially science
fiction and horror.
Sources for this biography include:
-
Knepper, B. G. "Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Lord Dunsany (24 July-25 October 1957)."
Dictionary of Literary Biography. Volume 10 (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1982): 152-162.
- Wessells, Henry, "Lord Dunsany: Pioneer of Modern Fantasy."
AB Bookman's Weekly 102, no. 16 (1988): 703-706.
Chronology of Life of Lord Dunsany
| 1878 |
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunket, Lord of Dunsany, born in London to Anglo-Irish family of Plunkett, owners of Dunsany Castle,
in the County Meath, northwest of Dublin, Ireland.
|
| 1896 |
Edward Plunkett (Lord Dunsany) enters Sandhurst. |
| 1899 |
Edward Plunkett inherits title "Lord Dunsany" on death of his father, John Edward, Lord of Dunsany. |
| 1899 |
Lord Dunsany serves in Boer War with the Coldstream Guards as an officer. |
| 1904 |
Marries Lady Beatrice Child-Villiers. |
| 1905 |
His first collection of fantasy fiction,
The Gods of Pegana, published.
|
| 1909 |
The Glittering Gate, his first play, performed in the Abbey Theatre of Dublin.
|
| 1912 |
His
Book of Wonder, a collection of fantasy short stories, published.
|
| circa 1916-1918 |
Serves in the trenches of World War I as captain in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. |
| 1922 |
His novel
Don Rodriguez: Chronicles of Shadow Valley published.
|
| 1924 |
His novel
The King of Elfland's Daughter published.
|
| 1931 |
His
Travel Tales of Jorken published.
|
| 1957 |
Lord Dunsany dies. |
Collection Description
The collection consists of signed and unsigned manuscripts, letters, photographs, clippings, and numerous published works
of Lord Dunsany.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into the following series:
- 1. Short Stories, Plays, Essays
- 2. Poems
- 3. Book Materials: "Another Year"
- 4. Correspondence
- 5. Photographs of Lord Dunsany
- 6. Clippings
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
English Literature
Dunsany, Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Baron, 1878-1957
Authors, Irish -- 20th century
Fantasy fiction, English -- Irish authors -- 20th century
Mythologists -- 20th century
Related Collections
Series 1:
Short Stories, Plays, Essays.
undated
Physical Description: 3 archival document boxes (Materials in Box 3 overlap with materials in Series 2).
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of short stories, plays, and essays that Lord Dunsany authored. At least some of the plays were known
to have been produced, eg,
The Strange Lover, staged in Dublin in 1938. Many of the short stories concern "Joseph Jorkens," the lead character in some of Lord Dunsany's
best short stories. The format is typescripts or carbons of typescripts unless otherwise noted. Some items are signed. All
are undated.
Box 1, Folder 1
At the Scene of the Crime (signed).
Box 1, Folder 2
At the Stavlokratz Chess Club.
Box 1, Folder 3
A Bit of Counter-Espionage (4 copies, 1 signed).
Box 1, Folder 4
The Black Mamba (3 copies).
Box 1, Folder 5
The Chambermaid of the Splendide.
Box 1, Folder 6
A Channel Rescue (3 copies).
Box 1, Folder 7
The Charm Against Thirst.
Box 1, Folder 8
A Conscience in Trouble (signed).
Box 1, Folder 11
A Deal with a Witch (4 copies).
Box 1, Folder 12
The Earth's Secret (3 copies).
Box 1, Folder 14
The Escape from the Valley (3 copies).
Box 1, Folder 16
The Glittering Gate (A play--3 copies).
Box 1, Folder 17
Greek meets Greek (3 copies).
Box 2, Folder 19
The Homecoming (A play--3 copies).
Box 2, Folder 22
Jorkens' Regret (4 copies).
Box 2, Folder 27
Murder in a Flat (A play).
Box 2, Folder 29
The Quiet Laugh (2 copies).
Box 2, Folder 31
A Romance of the Suburbs (signed).
Box 2, Folder 32
The Slugly Beast (3 copies).
Box 2, Folder 33
A Snake Story (3 copies).
Box 2, Folder 35
The Strange Lover (a three-act play).
Box 3, Folder 36
The Strange Lover (a three-act play).
Box 3, Folder 37
The Strange Lover (a three-act play).
Box 3, Folder 38
The Tale of Abu Laheeb (3 copies).
Box 3, Folder 40
The Two Bottles of Relish.
Box 3, Folder 42
The Two Scientists (3 signed copies).
Box 3, Folder 43
Two Young Officers (signed).
Box 3, Folder 45
Where Two Ages Meet (signed).
Box 3, Folder 46
A Wonderful Day (signed).
Box 3, Folder 46a
Bibliography of Dunsany's Writings.
Series 2:
Poems.
1950
Physical Description: 1 archival document box (in Box 3, which also contains materials from Series 1).
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of poems by Lord Dunsany, either on manuscript or on typescript or in some cases both (unless otherwise
noted). Lord Dunsany signed some of the pieces. The poems noted as "manuscript" are in the hand of Lord Dunsany
all except for "Fossils" were unpublished.
That, not conincidentally, is the only one dated; all others are undated.
Box 3, Folder 46b
A Day in California--2 copies (manuscript and typescript, both signed)
Box 3, Folder 47
A Dialogue--2 copies (one is a carbon of manuscript, signed)
Box 3, Folder 48
A Farewell to California--3 copies (one is a manuscript, signed)
Box 3, Folder 49
Fossils (published in
Tomorrow, August 1950)
Box 3, Folder 50
In a Kentish Church (carbon of manuscript?)
Box 3, Folder 50a
In a Time of Scorn for the Muses
Box 3, Folder 51
The Listener (manuscript, signed)
Box 3, Folder 52
Man and Moth (manuscript)
Box 3, Folder 54
The Ruler (carbon of manuscript)
Box 3, Folder 57
[untitled] (manuscript, signed)
Series 3:
Book Materials: "Another Year".
1947-1948
Physical Description: 1 archival document box.
Scope and Content Note
This series contains photocopies of the typescript of Lord Dunsany's unpublished book "Another Year." Each month of the year
stands as a chapter. A few chapters have dates written in pencil on them.
Box 4, Folder 58
Original file folder for 2 copies of typescript for "Another Year" with note: "Please return to Miss Willow Wray…"
undated
Series 4:
Correspondence.
1953-1956
Physical Description: 1 archival document box.
Scope and Content Note
This series consists of the correspondence of Lord Dunsany with his agent in California, Willow Wray.
Box 5, Folder 99
Undated correspondence.
undated
Box 5, Folder 100
Envelopes: Lord Dunsany to Willow Wray.
1953-1958 (dates broken)
Series 5:
Photographs of Lord Dunsany.
1931, 1954
Physical Description: 1 archival document box.
Scope and Content Note
This series contains photographs (and negatives) of Lord Dunsay. These include portraits, group scenes, and Lord Dunsany reading
from his works.
Below is a list of the photographers in this series, along with the folder numbers of their photographs.
- S.M. Boland. Folders 101-104
- Jack Case. Folders 105-106. Photographs are dated 3/28/54
- Al Frederick. Folders 107-111
- Bob Lynds. Folder 112
- George F. Weld. Folders 113-130. Note: The photogrpahs in these folders (all portraits) are identified by his photographer's
number.
- Photographs by unidentified photographers. Folders 131-139.
- Negatives are in folders 140-142.
Box 6, Folder 101
"Lord Dunsany speaks on lyric verse." Photograph of Serge Ivanoff portrait of Lord Dunsany (1953)
Box 6, Folder 102
"Lord Dunsany…Reading from his book of verse,"
Box 6, Box 103
"Lord Dunsany reading 'Lilith' "
Box 6, Folder 104
"Lord Dunsany observations on ultra modern poetry"
Box 6, Folder 105
Lord Dunsany with a man and woman
Box 6, Folder 106
Lord Dunsany with a man and woman. Note on verso: "Many thanks again for a great show. We have been receiving many compliments
for you."
Box 6, Folder 107
Lord Dunsany seated in front of bookcase
Box 6, Folder 110
Lord Dunsany seated and looking down at a book
Box 6, Folder 111
Lord Dunsany standing next to a grotto
Box 6, Folder 112
Lord Dunsany seated, holding cup
Box 6, Folder 118
number 20A (3 copies; negative is in folder 140)
Box 6, Folder 130
Unnumbered (7 copies; negative is in folder 141)
Box 6, Folder 131
"Lord Dunsany, Red Skelton taken on the set of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY…"
Box 6, Folder 132
"Walter Plunkett, Lord Dunsany and Red Skelton taken on the set of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's THE GREAT DIAMOND ROBBERY…"
Box 6, Folder 133
"Lord Dunsany, Stewart Granger taken at lunch in the MGM commissary…"
Box 6, Folder 134
Stanly (?), Sol Baer Fielding, Dunsany, and Gene Kelly
Box 6, Folder 135
Johnny Greer (?), Sonya Levier (?), Chas. Fitzsimmons, Mitzi Fielding, Lord Dunsany, Jack Cummings, Sol Baer Fielding, Dorothy
Kingsley, Wm. Ludwig, Saul Kaplan (?)
Box 6, Folder 136
Sol Baer Fielding, Dunsany, Edmund(?) Given, Charles Fitzsimmons
Box 6, Folder 137
Lord Dunsany writing, (2 copies; negative is in folder 142)
Box 6, Folder 138
Lord Dunsany standing with cane, color photo
Box 6, Folder 139
Photographs of political demonstrations in Berlin, circa 1931 (19 images)
Box 6, Folder 140
Negative of George Weld print number 10a (see folder 118 for print)
Box 6, Folder 141
Negative of unnumbered George Weld print (see folder number130)
Box 6, Folder 142
Negative of Lord Dunsany writing (see folder 137 for print)
Series 6:
Clippings.
1950-1959
Physical Description: 1 oversize document box.
Scope and Content Note
All clippings concern the work of Lord Dunsany or else are by him.
Box 1ov
Scrapbook of clippings.
1950-1959
Box 1ov, Folder 143
New Yorker clippings mentioning Lord Dunsany.
undated
Box 1ov, Folder 144
Lord Dunsany. "The Romance of His Life."
Harper's Bazaar.
March 1952
