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Archive of Robert Seymour Bridges

 Collection

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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. It also includes a significant collection of holograph poems by the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins with related letters and papers.

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].

Please see our help page for further guidance on citing archives and manuscripts.

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, including poetry by Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889).

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". Robert Seymour Bridges was a friend of the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844-1889) and posthumously edited and published his poetry.

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. The poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins, together with related letters and papers, can be found in the Anthologies and editions series under 'Poems of Gerard Manley Hopkins, (McKay 117)' (Section IV) and within the Correspondence series, Section VII.

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.

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

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