Finding Aid for the George MacBeth Papers, 1950-1964

Processed by UCLA Library Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Alight Tsai
UCLA Library Special Collections
UCLA Library Special Collections staff
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.

Finding Aid for the George MacBeth Papers, 1950-1964

Collection number: 994

UCLA Library Special Collections

UCLA Library Special Collections staff



Los Angeles, CA

Contact Information

  • UCLA Library Special Collections staff
  • UCLA Library 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:
UCLA Library Special Collections staff
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, May 2002
© 2002 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: George MacBeth Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1950-1964
Collection number: 994
Creator: MacBeth, George
Extent: 3 boxes (1.5 linear ft.)
Repository: University of California, Los Angeles. Library Special Collections.
Los Angeles, California 90095-1575
Abstract: George MacBeth (1932-1992) is regarded as having a powerful influence on British poetry. His radio programs featured new poets and he was praised for his ability to recognize poetic excellence. He also wrote novels and nearly twenty volumes of verse. The collection consists of typescript and holograph manuscripts of MacBeth's poetry.
Physical location: Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library 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 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 Library Special Collections for in-house consultation and may be obtained for a fee. Please contact:
  • Public Services Division
  • UCLA Library 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

John Nomland, purchase, 1967.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], George MacBeth Papers (Collection 994). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.

UCLA Catalog Record ID

UCLA Catalog Record ID: 2221095 

Biography

MacBeth was born in Scotland on January 19, 1932; graduated with honors in Classical Greats, New College, Oxford, 1955; worked at British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), London, 1955-76; producer, BBC Overseas Talks Department, 1957-58 and producer, BBC Talks Department 1958-76; regarded as a powerful influence on British poetry, his radio programs featured new poets, winning praise for his ability to recognize poetic excellence; wrote novels and nearly twenty volumes of verse, including The Broken Places and A Form of Words; edited poetry collections, including The Penguin Book of Victorian Verse; received Sir Geoffrey Faber Award, 1964; died in Ireland on February 17, 1992.

Scope and Content

Collection consists of typescript and holograph manuscripts of MacBeth's poetry. Also includes related articles, broadcast scripts, and ephemera.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
MacBeth, George--Archives.
Radio producers and directors--Great Britain--Archival resources.
Poets, Scottish--20th century--Archival resources.


Box 1

1. Sheffield Anti-Communist League. 1950. George MacBeth was Chairman.

Scope and Content Note

A Newsletter-3pp. qto-typed; 5 foolscap duplicated Newsletters; and 2 publicity leaflets: (only surviving copies).
Box 1

2. Death of a Nation.

Physical Description: 6pp. foolscap.

Scope and Content Note

A script for Radio, recorded for Youth Clubs and based on the fall of Czechoslovakia. This is the only surviving copy of the play, written by George MacBeth.
Box 1

3. King Edward VII: School Magazine. March 1950.

Scope and Content Note

Contains Poem Choice and Thought, later revised as Thoughts on Choosing. Signed G.M. MacBeth.
Box 1

July 1950. Selections from narrative poem The Suburban Scene.

Box 1

July 1951. Poem, The Terminus -- on Mother's death; also poem South Bank -- on Festival of Britain; photo (3 copies of School Magazine with early work).

Box 1

4. A few newspaper cuttings and articles including a visit to U.S.A. in 1951.

Box 1

5. Pre-publication copy of A Form of Words. Fantasy Press. 1954.

Physical Description: Cloth folder with gilt titles/containing loose sheets of text.
Box 1

6. Corrected typescripts and holograph working sheets for item 5.

Physical Description: 39pp. quarto.
Box 1

7. Unpublished poems. 1953.

Physical Description: 7pp. typescript-holograph manuscript.
Box 1

8. Typescripts-working notes for Captain Carlsen, entered for the Newdigate prize, Oxford. MacBeth entered under a pseudonym-Don Juan: unpublished.

Physical Description: 21pp. quarto.
Box 1

9. Critical prose, published in Isis and elsewhere.

Physical Description: 12pp. drafts. Typescripts and holograph manuscripts.
Box 1

10. Poems published in Isis and other magazines.

Physical Description: 20pp. quarto. Typescript and holograph manuscript with corrections.
Box 1

11. Isis magazine. October 27, 1954.

Scope and Content Note

Contains a profile of George MacBeth with photo. Together with a copy of CherwellMay 12, 1953 that contains a further interview.
Box 1

12. Oxford Tory. 1954.

Scope and Content Note

Contains article A Stake in the Country by George MacBeth. Also article by Anthony Thwaite about the Oxford poets.
Box 1

13. 5 issues of Trio, edited by George MacBeth: contains poem and reviews by/of George MacBeth.

Physical Description: Copies.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 1

14. Adelphi. vol.30 no.3. 1954. Contains two poems by George MacBeth.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 1

15. Listen. vol.1 no.3. 1954. Contains poems by George MacBeth.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 1

16. Poems, prose, contributions to periodicals.

Physical Description: Typescripts and holograph working notes. 101pp.
Box 1

17. Thoughts on Time published in New Lines 2, a proof copy of which is also included.

Physical Description: 39pp. typescripts, holograph manuscripts and working notes.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 1

18. FolioSpring 1956/.

Scope and Content Note

Contains the first and only appearance of two poems by George MacBeth.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 1

19. A collection of 4 Fantasy Press publications. 1954.

Scope and Content Note

Philip Larkin, Donald Davie, Jonathan Price, and Anthony Thwaite. George MacBeth was a joint editor at that time.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 1

20. Working notes, poems and contributions to periodicals. 1954-1963/.

Physical Description: 200pp. Collection typescripts, holograph manuscripts.
Box 1

21. GG ( Guildhall Gazette). no.118. December 1962. Contains poem The Cellar.

Box 1

22. New Departures. April 1962. Contains Concrete Poem by George MacBeth.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 1

23. The Carlton Miscellany. Winter 1963. Contains two poems by George MacBeth.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
 

24. Copies of Magazines:

Note

(Catalogued in Collection 1000)
Box 1

The Poetry Review. Spring 1963.

Box 1

Critical Quarterly. Summer 1964.

Box 1

London Magazine. April 1963 and January 1962.

Box 1

Paris Review, no.29.

Box 1

Transatlantic Review, no.11.

Box 1

The Review, no.2.

Box 1

25. Contributions to Waysgoose, no.1. Together with copy of magazine.

Physical Description: 22pp. typescripts-holograph, working notes for poems.
Box 1

26. Lecture to the Trainees, Fantasy Press. Together with copy of the book.

Physical Description: 54pp. typescripts-holograph, working notes and poems.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 1

27. The Broken Places.

Physical Description: 400pp. typescripts, holograph manuscripts and working notes

Scope and Content Note

In some cases there are 20 versions of the same poem, together with working notes for unpublished poems: (superb collection of manuscripts).
Box 2

28. First stage of the finished manuscript of The Broken Places.

Physical Description: 56pp. typescripts, holograph.
Box 2

29. The Broken Places, together with newspaper cuttings, reviews and Poetry Society bulletin.

Box 2

30. A collection of galley proofs for poetry and prose.

Physical Description: 12 items.
 

31. Two Off-Prints, Critical Quarterly. 1962 no.4:

Box 2

The Sick Rhetoric of War prose.

Box 2

Lee-Hamilton and the Romantic Agony prose.

Box 2

32. Broadcast script. 1963. The Sick Rhetoric of War.

Physical Description: 20pp., foolscap.

Scope and Content Note

Item no.31 was based on this script.
Box 2

33. Broadcast script. 1962. Interview with George MacBeth about his two poems The Tin and Bedtime Story.

Physical Description: 8pp., foolscap.
Box 2

34. Broadcast script. 1961. Selection of poems by George MacBeth.

Physical Description: 21pp., foolscap.
Box 2

35. Manuscript. 1960.

Physical Description: A carbon corrected typescript.

Scope and Content Note

The only surviving copy of The Fragments of an Autobiography. A collection of 28 poems, not published.
Box 2

36. Prose and prose drafts. Published and unpublished. Including articles on Hemingway-Sandburg-Jeffers.

Physical Description: 125pp. Typescripts and holograph working notes.
Box 2

37. Material relating to The Penguin Anthology of Sick Verse.

Scope and Content Note

Introductory notes, letters, photostats and typescripts. Holograph manuscripts and working notes. Complete collection of all the material relating to this anthology: together with copy of the book and reviews.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 2

38. Complete galley proofs for item no.37.

Box 2

39. Original working sheets for The Doomsday Show.

Physical Description: 42pp. Quarto-corrected typescript.

Scope and Content Note

This is the script and scenario for a cabaret show held at The Establishment. London.
Box 2

40. 2nd stage of the script (item no.39), a printed script with holograph corrections.

Physical Description: 39pp. A bound copy.
Box 2

41. Final revised script of item no.39 and 40.

Physical Description: 43pp. Bound copy.
Box 2

42. A copy of the original programme and proof-programme as well as newspaper reviews relevant to item no.39 and 41.

Box 3

43. Penguin Modern Poets, no.6.

Physical Description: 4pp. holograph notes.

Scope and Content Note

With typescript of the poem The Crucifix which was first published in this anthology/together with copy of the book.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 3

44. A Doomsday Book. Comparable to item no.27.

Physical Description: 200pp. typescripts and holograph manuscripts with complete working notes.
Box 3

45. Copy of item no.44 with reviews-with galley proofs.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 3

46. Missile Commander.

Physical Description: 29pp. typescripts and holographs.

Scope and Content Note

Together with copy of the booklet which was published in a limited edition of 150 copies only.
Box 3

47. The Calf.

Physical Description: 5pp. typescript-holograph.

Scope and Content Note

Together with a copy of the booklet/which was published in a limited edition of 50 copies.
Box 3

48. Poems, contributed to Lines. Summer 1964.

Physical Description: 42pp. typescripts-holograph working notes.
Box 3

49. Workbook with the holograph manuscript and notes of The Humming Birds.

Physical Description: Approximately 200pp.
Box 3

50. Typescript with holograph correction of item no.49 and copy of Ark journal containing the published work.

Physical Description: 62pp. quar.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.
Box 3

51. Complete galley proofs of The Penguin Book of Animal Verse with book and reviews. Together with tape recordings of interview.

Note

Catalogued in Rare Books.
Box 3

52. Collection of material relevant to Penguin Book of Animal Verse. Typescript, introduction, photostats and ephemera.

Box 3

53. GROUP sheets: The reverse of one of the sheets has a holograph letter to Stephen Spender.

Physical Description: 4 items.
Box 3

54. Poems read at the GROUP meetings.

Physical Description: 71pp. typescripts-holograph manuscripts and working notes.
Box 3

55. All the poet's unpublished material written during the period 1957-1960/.

Physical Description: 300pp. typescripts, holograph manuscripts and working notes.

Scope and Content Note

Contains at least 50 unpublished poems. In actual fact there are more than 300 pages of autograph material as the poet has used the reverse side, in many cases, of each sheet. Again a superb collection.
Box 3

56. Copies of magazines containing contributions by AMBIT: 3 issues and a copy of Modern Poetry in Translation. George MacBeth is one of the editors.

Note

Catalogued in Collection 1000.