Guide to the William Sharp Papers, 1869-1904 (bulk 1889-1904)
Processed by Jerry Dear
The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California, 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu
© 2003
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Guide to the William Sharp Papers, 1869-1904 (bulk 1889-1904)
Collection number: BANC MSS 72/90 z
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, California
Contact Information:
- Collection Processed By:
- Jerry Dear
- Date Completed:
- August 2004
- Finding Aid written by:
- Jerry Dear, completed by Alison E. Bridger
© 2003 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: William Sharp papers,
Date (inclusive): 1869-1904
Date (bulk): (bulk 1889-1904)
Collection Number: BANC MSS 72/90 z
Creator:
Sharp, William, 1855-1905
Extent:
Number of Containers: 2 boxes.
Linear ft.: 0.8
Repository: The
Bancroft Library
Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Abstract: Consists of a small amount of correspondence, manuscripts, personal writings, and reviews that span a portion of William Sharp's
literary career. Correspondence includes letters from Amelia Robertson Hill, concerning the bust she was making of Sharp,
with notes concerning her work. Manuscripts contain excerpts, notes and fragments of Sharp's writings, some under the pen
name, Fiona Macleod. Personal writings include 1893 diary of Elizabeth A. Sharp, his wife, describing travels in Africa. Reviews
of Sharp's biographies of Heinrich Heine and Percy Bysse Shelley.
Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog
Languages Represented:
English
Information for Researchers
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to The Bancroft Library. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts
must be submitted in writing to the appropriate curator or the Head of Public Services for forwarding. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of The Bancroft Library as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission
of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], William Sharp papers, BANC MSS 72/90 z, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Related Collections
William Sharp papers, 1897-1905, BANC MSS 82/59 z
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Sharp, William, 1855-1905--Archives.
Sharp, William, 1855-1905--Portraits.
Sharp, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Amelia), 1856-1932--Diaries.
Authors, English.
Africa--Description and travel.
Diaries.
Photographs.
Manuscripts for publication.
Hill, Amelia Robertson Paton.
Macleod, Fiona, 1855-1905.
Sharp, Elizabeth A. (Elizabeth Amelia), 1856-1932.
Administrative Information
Provenance
The William Sharp papers were transferred from the Rare Books and Special Collections in 1971.
Biographical Information
William Sharp
William Sharp, born on September 12, 1885 in Paisley, Scotland to David Galbraeth and Katherine Brook Sharp, had a distinguished
literary career as a Scottish poet, novelist, short story writer, biographer, essayist, and dramatist. He attended Glasgow
Academy at an early age and later in life enrolled at Glasgow University. Sharp wrote many works under the pen name, Fiona
Macleod, whose topics and themes revolved around Celtic legends, folklore, and mythology. Through these writings, Sharp achieved
literary fame, earning him the reputation as the foremost Scottish writer of the Celtic Renaissance during the late nineteenth
century.
Scope and Content of Collection
The William Sharp Papers, 1889-1904, consist of a selection of correspondence, personal writings, manuscripts, reviews, and
photographs that span a portion of William Sharp's literary career.
Correspondence includes original and transcripts of letters form Amelia Robertson Hill, a sculptress who made a bust of Sharp
and an outgoing letter to a Mr. Stedman. Writings consist of short stories by Sharp, some written under the pen name Fiona
Macleod, three notebooks containing various literary quotes and poems, an annotated printed pamphlet, and a journal by Sharp's
wife, Elizabeth A. Sharp, recounting her travels in Africa.
Includes reviews of Sharp's biographical writings on Heinrich Heine and Percy Bysse Shelley and some miscellaneous quotes
and poems. Photographs consist of several black and white photos of Sharp and some busts and sculptures.
Microfilm is also available for the short story, "The House of Sand and Foam," (BANC FILM 2246) and Elizabeth A. Sharp's diary,
"Travels in Africa," (BANC FILM 2247).
Box 1, folders 1-2
SERIES 1:
Correspondence and photographs, 1869-1890
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically and chronologically
Scope and Content Note
Contains letters from Amelia R. Hill, describing her sculptures, an original letter from Feb. 4, 1889 and remaining letters
are transcripts. Also includes a letter from William Sharp to a Mr. Stedman. Includes black and white photographs of William
Sharp and busts and sculptures of Amelia R. Hill. Also available on microfilm.
box 1, folder 1
Hill, Amelia Robertson Paton, 1869-1889
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 2
Sharp, William letter to Mr. Stedman, 1890 July 21
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 10
Photographs, undated
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
Box 1, folders 3-6 and box 2
SERIES 2:
Writings, 1877-1904
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically and alphabetically
Scope and Content Note
Divided into 4 sub-series: manuscripts, personal writings, reviews and Elizabeth A. Sharp's personal writings.
Box 2
Series 2.1:
Manuscripts, undated
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically
Scope and Content Note
11 manuscripts contain literary drafts of William Sharp's works in progress, some written under the pseudonym, Fiona Macleod.
Most of the manuscripts are undated. One short story by William Sharp, "The House of Sand and Foam," also available on microfilm.
box 2, folder 1
By the Yellow Moonrock, Undated
box 2, folder 2
The Divine Adventure, 1899
box 2, folder 3
The Enchanted Valleys, undated
box 2, folder 4
The Glory of the King, 1897
box 2, folder 5
The House of Sand and Foam, Undated
Scope and Content Note
Also available on microfilm BANC FILM 2246
box 2, folder 7
The Mountain Lovers, 1895
box 2, folder 8
Sweet Scented Spring, undated
box 2, folder 9
The Tower of Silence, undated
box 2, folder 10
Transcripts from Nature, undated
box 2, folder 11
The Wells of Peace, undated
Box 1, folders 4-6, 9
Series 2.2:
Personal Writings, undated
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically
Scope and Content Note
Contains 3 notebooks, a printed pamphlet "Light on the Path" with annotations and some loose notes, containing random poetry
writings, prose excerpts and quotes from literary figures such as G.K. Chesterton, and Henry David Thoreau. Also available
on microfilm.
box 1, folder 4
Notebook 1, 1877
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 5
Notebook 2-3, undated
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 6
"Light on the Path" (with annotations), 1904
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 9
Notes, 1897
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
Box 1, folder 7-8
Series 2.3:
Reviews of William Sharp's works, 1887-1889
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically
Scope and Content Note
Contains two reviews of Sharp's biographies on Shelley and Heine. Also available on microfilm.
box 1, folder 7
Review: "Life of Shelley", 1887-1888
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
box 1, folder 8
Review: "Life of Heine", 1888-1889
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2246
Box 1, folder 3
Series 2.4:
Elizabeth A. Sharp's Personal Writings, 1893
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically
Scope and Content Note
Contains the diary of Elizabeth A. Sharp's travels in Africa.
box 1, folder 3
"Travels in Africa" diary, 1893
Scope and Content Note
Also available on BANC FILM 2247
