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Margaret McHenry papers

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Held at: University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts [Contact Us]3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6206

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Margaret McHenry earned her doctorate in English from the University of Pennsylvania in 1931. Her dissertation was titled "The Ulster Theatre in Ireland." Following her graduation, she taught English at Roxborough High School in Philadelphia and continued to write.

In 1939, she published Belief and the Age of Science (Philadelphia, Magee Press). She also wrote poems; "Thomas Eakins who painted" (privately printed for the author); "Dr. S.Weir Mitchell: the Physician Who Wrote;" and "England in English;" none of which appear to have been published.

This collection contains writings by Margaret McHenry. The collection is arranged in four series: I. "The Ulster Theatre in Ireland;" II. Poetry; III. Biography of S. Weir Mitchell; and IV. "A Booklover's Britain," later "England in English." For the most part, each of her works is represented by a nearly finished copy; and in some cases, with drafts and notes.

The first series, "The Ulster Theatre in Ireland," is by far the most well represented in the collection. Written as her dissertation, McHenry's correspondence, research, and drafts are included. Researchers interested in the Ulster Theatre will find letters to and from individuals working at various theaters in Ireland who provided information on plays performed by the Ulster Players; galley proofs of the first three chapters; draft materials; notes from interviews; scripts of plays; and transcriptions of newspaper articles about the Ulster Theatre. In addition to providing a fair amount of information about the topic; this series also provides information on the way that McHenry researched and wrote.

The second series, Poetry, includes two volumes of poems written by McHenry. "Some Irish Capitals," completed in 1933, contains poems that are fairly religious in nature and appear to focus on divine inspiration and guidance for her writing. Each poem is illuminated with a colored capital letter and occasionally a few other decorations. "20 Poems," includes three thematic sets of poems, "Dance Fantasia," "Twelve Sonnets in Thanksgiving for a Return to the Wissahickon," and "Eastern View."

Series III. Biography of S. Weir Mitchell includes a letter, notes, and typescript versions of the final product about a much-lauded Philadelphia physician, scientist, and novelist, considered by many to be the father of neurology.

The final series, Series IV. "A Booklover's Britain," later "England in English" includes three typescripts. Several are heavily corrected and annotated. The third version appears to be close to her final version and includes photographs.

Gift of the estate of Margaret McHenry, 1950.

Publisher
University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Finding Aid Author
Holly Mengel
Finding Aid Date
2019 August 5
Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Use Restrictions

Copyright restrictions may exist. For most library holdings, the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania do not hold copyright. It is the responsibility of the requester to seek permission from the holder of the copyright to reproduce material from the Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Collection Inventory

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Correspondence (letters from Annie Malloy of Abbey Theatre; the Cork Opera House Company, Ltd. (including two playbills); Dorothea Cray, Lynn Doyle, Gaiety Theatre in Dublin; Grand Opera House; Whitford Kane; W.W. Kelly; Charles E. Kerr; Rutherford Mayne; G.W. Morrow; the National Library of Ireland; the Opera House, Londonderry; the Playhouse, Liverpool; George Shiels; the Talbot Press; Norman F. Wells; and Cornelius Weygandt; and letters from Margaret McHenry to Miss MacNie and Cornelius Weygandt).
Box 1 Folder 1-19
Galley proofs for chapters 1 to 3.
Box 1 Folder 20-29
Abstract.
Box 1 Folder 30
Draft materials (including illustrations, fragments, notes, and manuscripts and typed versions).
Box 1 Folder 31-37
Source material: notes from interviews with Lynn Doyle, Richard Hayward, Bulmer Hobson, and Rutherford Manye.
Box 1 Folder 38
Source material: notes from interviews with Harry Morrow and George Shiels.
Box 1 Folder 39
Source material: script for The Dark Hour by Robert Christie (from Charles E. Kerr).
Box 1 Folder 40
Source material: script for Huge Love, by Richard Hayward.
Box 1 Folder 41
Source material: script for Brian of Banba, by Bulmer Hobson.
Box 2 Folder 42
Source material: script for The Lone Man, by Charles E. Kerr.
Box 2 Folder 43
Source material: script for The Quare House, by Charles K. Ayre.
Box 2 Folder 44
Source material: script for The Mist on the Bog, by Gerald Macnamara.
Box 2 Folder 45-46
Source material: script for No Surrender, by Gerald Macnamara (prologue and Act I).
Box 2 Folder 47
Source material: script for Suzanne and the Sovereigns, by Gerald Macnamara and Lewis Purcell (Acts II-IV).
Box 2 Folder 48-49
Source material: script for The Tumility Case, by William Paul.
Box 2 Folder 50
Source material: newspaper transcriptions from Uladh, 1904-1905.
Box 2 Folder 51
Source material: newspaper transcriptions from Richard Hayward's scrapbook, 1920-1929.
Box 2 Folder 52
Source material: The Ulster Theater scrapbook (possibly Margaret McHenry's reproduction of the original), including articles and reviews from 1906-1922.
Box 3 Folder ?
Source material: newspaper transcriptions from Sinn Fein from 1913 to 1914, 1930.
Box 4 Folder 53
Source material: newspaper transcriptions about the Abbey Theatre and plays by George Shiels from 1923 to 1930.
Box 4 Folder 54-55
Source material: newspaper transcriptions about the Abbey Theatre and plays by Rutherford Mayne from 1911 to 1930.
Box 4 Folder 56
Source material: newspaper transcriptions about the Abbey Theatre and plays by Joseph Campbell from 1912.
Box 4 Folder unknown container

"Some Irish Capitals," bound volume, with illuminated initials, 1933.
Box 4 Folder 58
"20 Poems," bound volume, 1937.
Box 4 Folder 59

Letter from William N. Bradley, containing story of the Mitchell fireplace, 1949 August 12.
Box 4 Folder 60
Notebooks (largely containing notes rather than manuscript drafts).
Box 4 Folder 61-66
"Dr. S. Weir Mitchell: the Physician Who Wrote," three typescript copies with handmade bindings, 1948 July.
Box 5 Folder 67-69

A Booklover's Britain, typescript in a handmade binding , 1940.
Box 5 Folder 70
"A Booklover's Britain," typescript, heavily corrected and annotated, 1940.
Box 6 Folder 71
"England in English," bound typescript copy, including photographs and corrections , 1940.
Box 6 Folder 72

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