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Eden Phillpotts collection

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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. 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

Call Number:
MSS 0151
Repository:
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Extent:
11 item (1 box)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
MSS 0151, Eden Phillpotts collection, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Date:
1906-1943 (inclusive)
Creator:
Phillpotts, Eden, 1862-1960 and Beckwith, George
Form:
Manuscripts (documents) and correspondence
Abstract:
Small collection of letters and manuscripts belonging to English writer Eden Phillpotts. Most items appear to have been collected by Phillpott's friend, George Beckwith.

Eden Phillpotts was born on November 4, 1862 at Mt. Abu in India, the son of Captain Henry Phillpotts, who was an officer in the Indian Army, and Adelaide Matilda Sophia Waters, the daughter of a career civil servant. Following the death of his father in 1865, Eden Phillpotts moved to England with his mother. He spent his youth in Dawlish, Devon, and was educated at Mannamead School, Plymouth.

Phillpotts left school at the age of seventeen and moved to London where he first worked as a clerk with an insurance firm--a position he held from 1879-1889--and studied acting at a school for dramatic art. Eventually Phillpotts turned to writing and in 1888 his first book,

My Adventure in the Flying Scotsman, was published. In 1890 Phillpotts took an editorial position with Black and White, a weekly periodical. By 1899, Phillpotts decided to concentrate exclusively on his own writing and returned to Devon, living first at Torquay (1899-1929) and eventually at Broadclyst (1929-1960), where he remained the duration of his life. Phillpotts died in Broadclyst, Exeter, England on December 29, 1960.

Phillpotts was a prolific writer who is best-known for a series of eighteen novels set in and around Dartmoor, England, which was near his home. Phillpotts also wrote nine industrial novels, focussing on various English industries, and a substantial number of detective novels; he produced close to one hundred novels during the course of his career. Phillpotts was also a dramatist and wrote thirty-five plays for the stage as well as twenty radio plays. He was also a prolific author of short stories, children's books, poetry, and non-fiction.

Eden Phillpotts (1862-1960): Selected Letters, edited and with an introduction by James Y. Dayananda. New York: University Press of America, 1984.

The Eden Phillpotts Collection consists of a small collection of letters and manuscripts most of which appear to have been collected by Phillpott's friend, George Beckwith. The material is arranged in three groups: a group of four letters to various individuals and three poetry manuscripts arranged chronologically; the manuscript of Phillpott's novel

Flower of the Gods, with his presentation inscription to George Beckwith; and three letters from Phillpotts to Beckwith.

  1. Box 1: shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes (1 inch)

Processed by Tim Murray, 1991. Encoded by Caitlin Farthing, April 2013.

People
Subject

Publisher
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
Finding Aid Date
2013 April 3
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S.Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec

Collection Inventory

Duch House, Princeton. To "My Dear Colles" [William Colles]. Autograph Letter Signed., 1906 September 5.
Box 1 Folder F1
Physical Description

2 p. (1 leaf)

To Cynthia: that she may be comforted [poem]. Autograph Manuscript., 1907 October 21.
Box 1 Folder F1
Scope and Contents

Signed "E.P. / Night of 21 October 1907."

Physical Description

4 p. (1 leaf)

To Buonarroti's "Dawn" [poem]. Autograph Manuscript., 1908 May 10.
Box 1 Folder F1
Scope and Contents

Inscribed "To Frances Mary Peard with the writer's affection." Signed and dated "Florence 10 May 1908."

Physical Description

1 p. (1 leaf).

Oh leave the lyre upon his humble stone (fl.) [poem]. Autograph Manuscript., 1909 May.
Box 1 Folder F1
Scope and Contents

Fragment of poem with heading "2" at top. Signed "E.P. Rome May 1909" at the bottom.

Physical Description

1 p. (1 leaf).

Torquay. To "My dear Sir." Autograph Letter Signed, 1921 November 29.
Box 1 Folder F1
Physical Description

1 p. (1 leaf).

Torquay. To "My Dear Sir Alfred." Autograph Letter Signed, 1923 March 27.
Box 1 Folder F1
Physical Description

2 p. (1 leaf).

Kerswell, Broadclyst, Exeter. To "My Dear Elizabeth." Autograph Letter Signed, 1941 May 16.
Box 1 Folder F1
Physical Description

2 p. (1 leaf).

Flower of the gods [novel]. Autograph Manuscript., 1943.
Box 1 Folder F2
Scope and Contents

Bound manuscript of this novel which was originally published in 1942. Title page of the manuscript was originally undated and signed "Eden Phillpotts / Kerswell / Broadclyst / Devon." Phillpotts subsequently gave the manuscript to his friend, George Beckwith, and at this time included this presentation inscription: "The original manuscript for my friend, George Beckwith, February 1943."

Physical Description

303 p.

Kerswell, Broadclyst, Devon. To "Dear Mr. Beckwith." Autograph Letter Signed, 1943 February 19.
Box 1 Folder F3
Physical Description

2 p. (1 leaf).

To "My Dear Friend." Autograph Letter Signed, 1943 June.
Box 1 Folder F3
Physical Description

3 p. (2 leaves).

Broadclyst, Devon. To "My Dear Friend." Autograph Letter Signed, 1943 June 27.
Box 1 Folder F3
Scope and Contents

Contains an autograph note appended in the hand of William Beckwith describing Phillpotts's gift of the manuscript of his novel,

The Captain's Crisis. Physical Description

1 p. (1 leaf).

Print, Suggest