Martin Bell Papers

Content Description

Poet Martin Bell was founding member of an organization of poets called The Group, which later resurfaced as the Writers’ Workshop. From 1935 to 1939, Bell was a member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, and from 1939 to 1946, served with the Royal Engineers. He taught in the London school system from 1956 to 1967, and was a Gregory Fellow at Leeds University 1967 to 1969. Since 1968, Bell was a part-time lecturer at Leeds College of Art and also wrote under the pseudonym, Titus Oates. The papers are organized into three categories: 1) Correspondence: handwritten and typescript letters between Bell and fellow poets and writer’s organizations, dating from 1932 to 1967. 2) Writings: twenty-three manuscript notebooks containing drafts and draft fragments of poems, reviews, and letters; handwritten drafts, typescript and carbon copy typescripts of loose poems and poem fragments including the autograph, typescript, and carbon copy typescript draft poems to be included in Collected Poems 1937-1966 (London: Macmillan, 1967); handwritten drafts, typescript, and carbon copy typescript draft book reviews, commentaries, and reviews of operas and other musical and theatre productions; transcriptions of interviews and radio broadcasts by/with other people; papers relating to The Group/Writers’ Workshop including meeting minutes, agendas, finances, membership, and poetry sheets. 3) Miscellaneous: photocopy of a newspaper article about Bell and other writers; programs for poetry readings and musical performances, some in which Bell was participating; photograph of Bell and fellow soldiers during his army days, photograph of unidentified persons planting a tree, and a photograph featuring Bell and Stass Paraskos [?]; Soldier’s Service Pay Book, Release Book; material relating to his school teaching; address book, cancelled cheques, bank statements, music concert programs, photocopied musical scores, insurance papers, Metropolitan Police citation for intoxication. Miscellaneous: photocopy of a newspaper article about Bell and other writers; programs for poetry readings and musical performances, some in which Bell was participating; photograph of Bell and fellow soldiers during his army days, photograph of unidentified persons planting a tree, and a photograph featuring Bell and Stass Paraskos [?]; Soldier’s Service Pay Book, Release Book; material relating to his school teaching; address book, cancelled cheques, bank statements, music concert programs, photocopied musical scores, insurance papers, Metropolitan Police citation for intoxication.

Acquisition Type

unknown

Restrictions Apply

No