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Miscellaneous letters from and to Celia Furse, [1515], 1891-1969, bulk: 1891-1969

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Shelfmark: MS. 23701/32
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Folder 1: Letters from Celia:

  1. Letter from Celia Furse to Francis Newbolt, 1907, on the 'Jink' - when she and her teenage friend Freddie Evans dressed up as independent young ladies and fooled 'Aunt' Anna and her companion Ethel Stevenson at their Gym [see also letter to Margaret Bridges, with sketches, and the photographs in the maroon album]
  2. Letters from Celia to Ralph Furse (seven letters), one from Venton days (1927-1942) and the remainder 1950s. Includes a letter ('Friday / Halsdon / 1954') with unrelated pencil notes by Ralph in the margin ('G.M.' in the notes = Grandmother, that is Celia's mother Margaret Newbolt)
  3. Letters from Celia to Ella Coltman (three letters)

Folder 2: Letters to Celia from:

  1. Brydde Amery: 1968
  2. 'Aunt Jane': 1943
  3. William Bateson: two letters, 1912, 1913
  4. Laurence Binyon, 1940, a copy by Celia of a note from him to Ella Coltman that comments on a poem by Theresa aged 13
  5. Robert Bridges: n.d.
  6. Betty Chichester: 1964
  7. Frances Cornford (nee Darwin): seven letters, [1925], 1945, 1948, 1959, n.d.
  8. 'The Cousins': letter and card, 1964, from Celia's cousins (on the Duckworth side) congratulating her and Ralph on their Golden Wedding Anniversary
  9. Margot Fonteyn: note only, n.d.
  10. Ralph Furse: 1966
  11. Gwen Herbert: 1941?
  12. Verena Holland: two letters, 1965
  13. Mrs. Hopper: draft letter from Celia to Mrs. Hopper, n.d.
  14. Sylvia Horton-Fawkes (née Duckworth, first cousin of Celia): two letters, 1964 (enclosing one letter from T'Evie Duckworth to Margaret Newbolt, 1924)
  15. Percy Lubbock: two letters, 1949, 1958, including a photograph greetings card showing Percy Lubbock at Gli Scafari, Lerici, with a further copy by Celia of Percy Lubbock's 1949 letter
  16. Francis Newbolt: four letters and a postcard, 1964-1965, including a letter discussing Ella Coltman's request that Henry Newbolt's love letters to her be destroyed. With a further two letters relating to Lady [Margaret] Newbolt's estate, 1965, and a draft letter from Celia to Francis, 1964
  17. Peter Newbolt: 1964
  18. Rose Paul: 1940, annotated in pencil by [Theresa Whistler]
  19. Elizabeth Willes Philipson-Stow (née Chitty): two letters, 1964-1965
  20. Una Reynell (née Shaw-Stewart): four letters, addressing Celia as 'Celuna', a combination of their names, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1948. With a further letter from Rupert Reynell to Celia, 1916
  21. Naomi Richardson: two letters, 1966
  22. Oliffe Richmond: 1967
  23. Hester Smith (first cousin of Margaret Newbolt): two letters, 1968, n.d.
  24. Alison Uttley: four letters and a greetings card, 1951-1954, 1969
  25. Mrs Winthrop-Young (Peter Newbolt's mother-in-law): two letters, 1964

Folder 3: Poems:

  1. Poem by Emily Newbolt about her granddaughter, Celia Newbolt, at 1 year old, 1891, and her notes on Celia's nature at 2 years old, 1892. The poem is in Celia's hand
  2. Poem to Celia by Fredegond Maitland (later Shove), 1909
  3. 'Ballad for Celia' possibly by Charles Milnes Gaskell, written on writing paper of Tillypronie, Tarland, Aberdeenshire, n.d.
  4. Small poem written in pencil on a scrap of paper, unknown author, n.d.

Folder 4: Small black ringbinder containing 'Oddments. Keep Pro Tem' gathered by Celia in the 1950s or 1960s, including:

  1. List in Margaret Newbolt's hand about batches of typed Henry Newbolt letters received from Alice Hylton
  2. Two letters from Catherine 'Katie/Katy' Barham-Johnson (an old cousin) to Margaret Newbolt, 1954
  3. Two pages listing jewellery and furniture
  4. Page of pencil notes on 'Elves in Ireland', 'The Cluricaune' [sic] and 'Elves in Scotland'
  5. Pencil extracts from early correspondence between Celia and Margaret Bridges, 1904-1907
  6. 'Oddments to keep', possibly gathered for 'Undercurrents'. Includes a letter (incomplete) from Evie Duckworth on the birth of Sylvia Duckworth and a letter (incomplete) from Margaret Newbolt 'Merva' to Helen Holland after reading the pseudonymous novel by Bernard Holland A Reported Change in Religion by Onyx
  7. Poem, 'Ageless miracle, ageless birth...', by A.F.N.?, 1939
  8. Other miscellaneous scraps

Folder 5: Blue-grey cover of school exercise book containing 'Comments, Notes etc.', containing:

  1. Eight letters from Margaret Newbolt to Celia Furse, 1957-1960, some written from Shiels (a nursing home in Surrey?)
  2. One letter from Ruth Darwin to Celia Furse, 1960, following a visit to Margaret Newbolt
  3. Postcard of a house, possibly Shiels nursing home, Surrey?
  4. 'Theresa 5 leaved clover', n.d.
  5. Three childhood documents by Celia and Francis Newbolt, 1901-1902, n.d., including handmade Hippodrome programme (see Smallbrook chapter in 'Undercurrents')
  6. Letter from Lily Noble to Celia Newbolt and one each to her from Celia and Francis Newbolt, 1902
  7. Draft page of Smallbrook chapter in 'Undercurrents', 1 page, n.d.
  8. Poem, 'The Sky is blue...', n.d.

Folder 6: Pale brown ringback cover marked by Theresa Whistler 'Scraps of MCF MSS notes diaries Halsdon years not yet read':

  1. 'Jan 1960', five pages about leaving Halsdon for a visit somewhere, semi-autobiographical but with Ralph as 'Adrian'?
  2. 13 page draft story of 'Hilary' visiting an old cottage-woman to tell her she must pack and leave, n.d.
  3. Two page draft 'The Estate agent or a touch of 'flu' (that is, the agent for the estate, not someone who sells houses), n.d.
  4. Outline of 'Windover', based on Celia and Ralph but she is 'Clare' and he is 'Adrian' (three pages, incomplete), 1907-1913 but not including engagement
  5. Typed transcript of letter from Fra Giovanni to the Contessa Allagia della Aldobrandini Firenze, Christmas Eve, [1515]
  6. Draft page from 'Undercurrents' about visiting Granny at Edenhurst, n.d.
  7. Printed leaflet about silver spoons being found in Netherhampton chicken run in 1906, 'Treasure Trove at Netherhampton. Valuable Spoons dug up in a Poultry run'
  8. Three page introduction to a love story written by Celia as a teenager? Addressed 'to the Reader'
  9. Other miscellaneous scraps

Dates

  • Creation: [1515], 1891-1969
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1891-1969

Extent

1 box (6 folders)

Language of Materials

  • English

Shelfmark

MS. 23701/32

Related Materials

See also Celia's unpublished novels 'Windover: An Edwardian Romance' and 'Undercurrents' (MSS. 23701/33-36).

Repository Details

Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository

Contact:
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom