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Elizabeth Jennings papers
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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
The British poet Elizabeth Jennings (1926-2001) has published more than 20 books of poetry since the 1950s. She writes short, meditative lyrics that are known for their simplicity, control, and range of feeling. These qualities have linked Jennings to a group of poets, usually referred to as The Movement, who were writing in England during the 1940s and 1950s. The members of this group, poets like Kingsley Amis, Thom Gunn, Philip Larkin, and John Wain, never consciously formed a movement, but their poetry reveals a shared love for simplicity and an acceptance of regular meter and rhyme.
Elizabeth Jennings was born on July 18, 1926, in Boston, Lincolnshire. She claims that she discovered poetry at age 13 and began to write, encouraged by a teacher and her uncle. Jennings attended St. Anne's College, Oxford, from 1945 to 1949 and was greatly stimulated by the intellectual atmosphere there. It was at this time that she began to associate with poets of The Movement; some of her first published poems appeared in
Oxford Poetry 1948, edited by Kingsley Amis and James Michie. Jennings worked in the Oxford City Library from 1950 to 1958 and as a publisher's reader from 1958 to 1960. During this time she published three books of poetry and a book for children entitled "Let's Have Some Poetry!" (1960). In the early 1960s, Jennings suffered a breakdown and was confined to a hospital. The poems she wrote after her release are collected in Recoveries (1964) and The Mind Has Mountains (1966).Jennings is an extremely prolific poet. She writes quickly, revises little, and claims that her poems "come out very clean." She differs from the other poets of The Movement in her devotion to Roman Catholicism, a theme that pervades much of her poetry. Jennings also writes about friendship, relationships, places, and art. She does not write autobiographical poems, but her religious concerns, mental illness, and other personal experiences influence the themes and insights expressed in her poetry.
Bissett, William. "Elizabeth Jennings." Dictionary of Literary Biography, Volume 27: Poets of Great Britain and Ireland 1945-1960, edited by Vincent B. Sherry, Jr. Detroit: Gale Research, 1984. pp. 163-170.The Elizabeth Jennings papers date from circa 1940 to circa 1977, bulking from 1958 to 1969. The collection contains letters from Jennings to her parents dating from 1957 to 1959. Also included are approximately 150 titled poems, 17 poetry notebooks, and miscellaneous prose works, including The Inward War, an unpublished biography of Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Jennings's autobiography, also never published.
Eight of the notebooks, dating from April 27 to June 22, 1977, contain four hundred and eighty-six poems, representing an extremely productive phase in Jennings's career. Among the miscellaneous material are two of Jennings's childhood notebooks and three BBC radio scripts from 1958.
Boxes 1-7: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
Purchases, 1968-1985.
Preliminary processing in 1973. Revised by Wendy van Wyck, 1990-1991. Encoded by Thomas Pulhamus, March 2010. Further encoding by Lauren Connolly and Tiffany Saulter, May 2016.
People
Subject
- Publisher
- University of Delaware Library Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Finding Aid Date
- 2010 March 8
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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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, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/
Collection Inventory
Letters from Elizabeth Jennings to her parents, Dr. and Mrs. H.C. Jennings, written while Elizabeth was on her frequent trips to Italy. Apparently, Jennings had won a fellowship or stipend, for in her letter of April 2, 1957, she mentions how lucky she is to have "this prize and this money and this country". Written for the most part between 1957-1959 from Rome, Florence, and Assisi, the letters express Jennings's fascination with Italian culture and her devotion to the Catholic faith. She frequently mentions Father Tindal-Atkinson (Father T-A) and Princess Caetani, both of whom she befriended in Rome. Jennings also discusses her writing, especially in reference to her articles written for
Vogue magazine and her poetry. The 63 letters are arranged chronologically.With one letter to "Fred."
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To "Fred"
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In Elizabeth Jennings's hand
Consists of autograph and typescript drafts of Elizabeth Jennings's individual poems, poetry notebooks, and proof material.
These autograph and typescript poems were probably written between 1963 and 1966. Some appear in
Recoveries, a book of Jennings's poetry published in 1964. Because few poems are dated, they have been arranged alphabetically by title. All are autograph unless otherwise noted.1 p (1 leaf)
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Initialed "EJ 17/10/64."
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Initialed "EJ 17 June."
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Original title crossed out
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Title "Getting Better" crossed out
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Signed
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Initialed "E.J."
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Initialed "EJ. 8 Nov. 1964"
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Title "Night Horseman" crossed out. Initialed "EJ."
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Signed
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Typed. Signature at end.
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Initialed "EJ 25/10/1964"
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Initialed "EJ 25/10/64"
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Signed
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Written on the back of an envelope.
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Initialed "EJ 20/10/64
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Poem titled "Indogenous Depression" on verso
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Poem titled "Water" on verso
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Original title crossed out.
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Initialed "EJ 7/10/64"
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Initialed "EJ 18 March" at end
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Original title "Daily Life in a Mental Hospital for Nerves" crossed out
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Signed
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Original title "Hospitalized" crossed out
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Signed
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Cancelled stanza on verso
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Initialed "EJ 13/10/64"
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Initialed "EJ 19/9/64"
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Signed
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Originally titled "The Mountaineers"
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Signed
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Initialed "EJ 04/01/65"
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Initialed "EJ 12 Oct. 1966"
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Signed and dated "3/10/12"
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Initaled "9 Nov. '64, EJ"
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Signed
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Long poem including sections titled "The Guilt and the Games" and "The Sea and the Guardian"
Physical Description16 p (9 leaves)
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Signed
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Poem in four parts: "The Open Capital," "The Unfolding (The Blossoming)," and "To Paint the Dawn" are the titles of the first 3 parts. Each part is signed.
Physical Description5 p (4 leaves)
Initialed "EJ"
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Initialed "EJ 4 Oct"
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Originally titled "The Recognition"
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Initialed "EJ. June 1964"
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Signed
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Originally titled "The Battle"
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Originally titled "The Unsleeping"
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Initialed "10 Nov. EJ." Poem titled "One of the old Kind" on verso
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Initialed "EJ 7/10/64"
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Originally titled "Pop Art, Kinetic Art etc. etc." Initialed "EJ 4 march 1966."
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Poem titled "Deaths" on verso
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Initialed "EJ 18/12/66" and poem titled "Limerick for Psyches" on verso
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Signed
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Initialed "EJ 30 Oct 1966"
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Signed
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Two parts ("Pisces" and "Scabes") are signed
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Consists of various autograph notebooks of poetry dating from the late 1960s to the late 1970s. The bulk of the material (8 spiral notebooks) dates from April 27, 1977 to June 22, 1977, while some of the notebooks are undated.
Originally part of a writing tablet. Some poems are signed or initialed and/or dated by the author.
Physical Description25 poems (25 leaves) 25 p
Cover labeled "Poems by Elizabeth Jennings November 1967-."
Physical Description15 poems (27 leaves) 49 p
Cover labeled "Poems and Translations May 1969- and a few more months by Elizabeth Jennings." "Poems for Children" crossed out on cover.
Physical Description37 poems (27 leaves) 49 p
Cover labeled "LUCIDITES poems by Elizabeth Jennings, 1969."
Physical Description42 poems (22 leaves) 44 p
Cover labeled "POEMS late August 1970-September 1970 Elizabeth Jennings."
Physical Description21 poems (21 leaves) 21 p
Cover labeled "POEMS by Elizabeth Jennings 18 September 1971-late October 1971."
Physical Description80 poems (81 leaves) 81 p
Cover labeled "Poems by Elizabeth Jennings April 1972."
Physical Description80 poems (79 leaves) 80 p
Cover labeled "27th April 1977-3rd May 1977."
Physical Description60 poems (60 leaves) 85 p
Cover labeled "4th May 1977-9th May 1977." Signed on inside cover.
Physical Description64 poems (64 leaves) 82 p
Cover labeled "10th May 1977-16th May 1977." Signed on the inside cover.
Physical Description60 poems (60 leaves) 70 p
Cover labeled "16th May 1977-23rd May 1977." Signed on the inside cover.
Physical Description60 poems (59 leaves) 74 p
Cover labeled "24th May 1977-1st June 1977." Signed on the inside cover.
Physical Description60 poems (60 leaves) 68 p
Cover labeled "1st June 1977-9th June 1977." Signed on the inside cover.
Physical Description60 poems (60 leaves) 75 p
Cover labeled "9th June 1977-15th June 1977." Signed on the first page.
Physical Description60 poems (58 leaves) 65 p
Cover labeled "15th June 1977-22nd June 1977." Signed on the first page.
Physical Description60 poems (60 leaves) 69 p
Small writing-paper tablet.
Physical Description2 poems (4 leaves) 2 p
Each poem is signed.
Physical Description24 poems (24 leaves) 24 p
Cover labeled "POEMS by Elizabeth Jennings."
Physical Description14 poems (18 leaves) 14 p
Includes cancelled material. Signed on the cover.
Physical Description18 poems (52 leaves) 64 p
Cover labeled "REVIEWS." Short prose piece is titled "Parts of a Precise World: Louisa M. Alcott."
Physical Description11 poems and 1 essay (9 leaves) 13 p
Poems on individual sheets collected in a hardcover folder labeled "Elizabeth Jennings - Psychiatric Series" on the binding.
Physical Description8 poems (8 leaves) 12 p
With 3 unbound corrected proofs signed "Corrected, Elizabeth Jennings."
Physical Description(12 leaves) 47 p
Includes an autograph manuscript of Jennings's critical biography of Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jennings's unpublished autobiography, and other miscellaneous prose works.
Jennings's critical biography of Gerard Manley Hopkins was scheduled to be published by The Bodley Head (in England) and in America during 1973, but the work was never published. The autograph manuscript includes numerous revisions, insertions and deletions.
Signed on the title
Physical DescriptionLoose sheets (5 leaves) 5 p
Written in a tablet
Physical DescriptionPages 1-80 (80 leaves) 80 p
Written in a tablet
Physical DescriptionPages 81-164 (83 leaves) 83 p
Loose pages
Physical DescriptionPages 165-243 (84 leaves) 84 p
Different pagination from the earlier chapters. Written in a tablet
Physical DescriptionPages 239-337 (99 leaves) 99 p
Written in a tablet.
Physical DescriptionUnnumbered pages (60 leaves) 59 p
Jennings's autograph manuscript autobiography is contained in four notebooks and is undated. The work begins with Jennings's childhood experiences and ends with the death of her father. The autobiography was rejected by her publishers.
Notebook labeled "AUTOBIOGRAPHY VOLUME I by Elizabeth Jennings." Two poems are written on the back inside cover.
Physical DescriptionNotebook (43 leaves) 45 p
Cover labeled "AUTOBIOGRAPHY II." Includes 1 poem on the back inside cover of the notebook.
Physical DescriptionBound notebook (30 leaves) 31 p
Cover labeled "AUTOBIOGRAPHY III."
Physical DescriptionNotebook (92 leaves) 92 p
Cover labeled "AUTOBIOGRAPHY IV."
Physical DescriptionNotebook (92 leaves) 40 p
Jennings wrote the introduction for a 1968 Macmillan edition of Jefferies's book.
Cover labeled "RICHARD JEFFERIES."
Physical DescriptionBound notebook (80 leaves) 14 p
Includes autograph manuscripts of various short prose works, including short stories, sketches, or prayers. Because most are undated, the works are arranged in alphabetical order by title.
6 p (6 leaves)
7 p (4 leaves)
Signed "Elizabeth Jennings, 31, Polskead Road, Oxford."
Physical Description4 p (4 leaves)
4 p (4 leaves)
Initialed "EJ 6/12/64."
Physical Description2 p (1 leaf)
Includes two childhood notebooks of drawings and poetry. Also includes three mimeographed BBC scripts which have been glued into a notebook.
Includes drawings, poem, and vocabulary exercises.
Physical DescriptionBound pocket notebook. 72 p (36 leaves)
Title on the cover is crossed. Inside coverhas 1940-1941 calendar. Includes drawings, poem, and vocabualry exercises.
Physical DescriptionBound pocket notebook. 11 p (6 leaves)
Jennings discusses and reads poetry which she wrote in Rome in 1957.
Physical Description9 p (8 leaves)
Includes extensive autographnotes for the readers.
Physical Description10 p (8 leaves)
Includes extensive autograph notes for the readers.
Physical Description9 p (7 leaves)
8 p (8 leaves)