The papers of Bridges include drafts and fair copies of his poetical, dramatic, and prose works, anthologies and editions, and church music; personal and miscellaneous papers; correspondence; correspondence of Mrs. M. Monica Bridges; and correspondence and papers of Edward, 1st Baron Bridges.
Dates
- Creation: 1865-1969
Extent
13.2 Linear metres (137 physical shelfmarks)
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, eg. Dep. Bridges 1, fols. 1-2].
Full range of shelfmarks:
MSS. Bridges 1-125 (formerly Dep. Bridges 1-125)
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 6944, 12622
Abstract
Archive of Robert Seymour Bridges, Poet Laureate, 1865-1969.
Biographical / Historical
Robert Seymour Bridges (1844-1930) was Poet Laureate 1913-30. Edward, 1st Baron Bridges (1892-1969), a civil servant, was his son. Details are given in G.L. McKay, "A bibliography of Robert Bridges" (1933) and the "Dictionary of National Biography".
Arrangement
The most important part of this collection of the papers of Robert Bridges consists of drafts and fair copies of his published works. Many of them were bound up with related correspondence and papers by his son, Edward, 1st Baron Bridges. Some groups of papers had been arranged in this way but had not been bound, when the collection came to the Library; in these cases we have, when possible, followed the arrangement indicated by Lord Bridges in his lists and notes, keeping such lists with the papers to which they refer. The literary papers have been arranged chronologically within groups of poetical, dramatic and prose works, anthologies and church music. The number assigned to each work in G.L. McKay, (1933) has been given in the catalogue. Each work for which material survives in the collection has been included in the index under its title. Such correspondence as had not been sorted by Lord Bridges has been arranged alphabetically by correspondent and is described in Section VII. Correspondence of Lord Bridges relating to his father's papers and his scheme for their arrangement are described in Section IX.
Custodial History
This archive was owned by his son, Edward, 1st Baron Bridges.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Most of the archive was deposited in the Bodleian Library by the 2nd Baron Bridges, 27 January 1978. 23 letters from John Masefield to Margaret Bridges (Dep. Bridges 94) were desposited by the 2nd Baron Bridges, 10 August 1989. The archive in its entirety was allocated to the Bodleian under the Acceptance in Lieu of Tax Scheme on 6 November 2018.
Topical
- Title
- Archive of Robert Seymour Bridges
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Elizabeth Turner
- Date
- 1982, EAD version 2017
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk