Fonds GB 0096 AL361 - Dobson, Alban Tabor Austin and Symington, John Alexander: correspondence

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0096 AL361

Title

Dobson, Alban Tabor Austin and Symington, John Alexander: correspondence

Date(s)

  • 1938 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

7 items

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Alban Tabor Austin Dobson, the son of the poet and critic Henry Austin Dobson, was born in Ealing, Middlesex, and died in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He worked as a civil servant and served as Secretary to the International Whaling Commission. However, he is best known for collecting editions of his father's works; he donated this collection to the University of London in 1946 and it is now held in Senate House Library.

J A Symington (known as Alex Symington) was born in Yorkshire into a family of book dealers and printers. He became librarian to the manufacturer and philanthropist Lord Brotherton and built up a significant collection of books; he remained in charge of the collection when it was given to the University of Leeds following Lord Brotherton's death in 1930, but left in 1938 following disagreements with the university authorities. Symington was also a noted bibiliographer and a founding member (and, for a time, curator) of the Bronte Museum, Haworth.

Archival history

See archivist

GB 0096 AL361 1938 fonds 7 items Dobson , Alban Tabor Austin , 1885-1962 , civil servant

Alban Tabor Austin Dobson, the son of the poet and critic Henry Austin Dobson, was born in Ealing, Middlesex, and died in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. He worked as a civil servant and served as Secretary to the International Whaling Commission. However, he is best known for collecting editions of his father's works; he donated this collection to the University of London in 1946 and it is now held in Senate House Library.

J A Symington (known as Alex Symington) was born in Yorkshire into a family of book dealers and printers. He became librarian to the manufacturer and philanthropist Lord Brotherton and built up a significant collection of books; he remained in charge of the collection when it was given to the University of Leeds following Lord Brotherton's death in 1930, but left in 1938 following disagreements with the university authorities. Symington was also a noted bibiliographer and a founding member (and, for a time, curator) of the Bronte Museum, Haworth.

See archivist

Purchased from G F Sims (1967).

Three letters from Dobson to Symington and carbon copies of 4 of Symington's replies to Dobson. Aug-Oct 1938. Topics covered include the book collection of Dobson's late father, Henry Austin Dobson; Dobson senior's correspondence with Edmund Gosse and others; Dobson's intentions to deposit his father's correspondence at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; arrangements for the correspondents to meet and library work.

Autograph and typescript; Dobson's letters bear signatures but the copies of Symington's do not.

See hard copy catalogue.

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to individual items in Senate House Library archives collections may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

English

Typescript catalogue available in the Library's Palaeography Room.

Presumably, Miss Treadwell retained the original letters after relinquishing these copies; the current whereabouts of the original letters is unknown.

Entry compiled by Sarah Drewery.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Jul 2008 Gosse , Sir , Edmund William , 1849-1928 , Knight , poet, biographer and literary critic Dobson , Henry Austin , 1840-1921 , poet and literary biographer Dobson , Alban Tabor Austin , 1885-1962 , civil servant Bibliology Libraries Symington , John Alexander , 1887-1961 , librarian University of Cambridge x Cambridge University Information/library research

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Purchased from G F Sims (1967).

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Three letters from Dobson to Symington and carbon copies of 4 of Symington's replies to Dobson. Aug-Oct 1938. Topics covered include the book collection of Dobson's late father, Henry Austin Dobson; Dobson senior's correspondence with Edmund Gosse and others; Dobson's intentions to deposit his father's correspondence at Emmanuel College, Cambridge; arrangements for the correspondents to meet and library work.

Autograph and typescript; Dobson's letters bear signatures but the copies of Symington's do not.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

See hard copy catalogue.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access to this collection is unrestricted for the purpose of private study and personal research within the supervised environment and restrictions of the Library's Palaeography Room. Access to individual items in Senate House Library archives collections may be restricted under the Data Protection Act or the Freedom of Information Act. Please contact the University Archivist for details. 24 hours notice is required for research visits.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies may be made, subject to the condition of the original. Copying must be undertaken by the Palaeography Room staff, who will need a minimum of 24 hours to process requests.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Typescript catalogue available in the Library's Palaeography Room.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Presumably, Miss Treadwell retained the original letters after relinquishing these copies; the current whereabouts of the original letters is unknown.

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Senate House Library, University of London

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area