Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1939-1997] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
9 boxes
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy.
Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being 'Under the Net' published in 1954. Other notable works include 'The Bell' and 'The Sea, the Sea', for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, 'Jackson's Dilemma', was published in 1995.
In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way.
Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.
Repository
Archival history
Material created and / or collected by the author Iris Murdoch and held at her home in Charlbury Road, Oxford prior to transfer to the Archive.
GB 2108 KUAS202 [1939-1997] Fonds 9 boxes Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author
Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy.
Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being 'Under the Net' published in 1954. Other notable works include 'The Bell' and 'The Sea, the Sea', for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, 'Jackson's Dilemma', was published in 1995.
In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way.
Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.
Material created and / or collected by the author Iris Murdoch and held at her home in Charlbury Road, Oxford prior to transfer to the Archive.
Material kindly presented by Audi Bayley.
Material created and held by author and philosopher Iris Murdoch, including 14 volumes of personal journals / diaries, notebooks of poetry (much of which is previously unpublished), planning notebooks for philosophy writing and the novel 'Jackson's Dilemma', and loose papers including items relating to the Gifford Lectures and material held by Murdoch in a wooden chest. Also includes artworks and objects from Iris Murdoch's study in her former home in Charlbury Road, Oxford.
Items have been grouped together by type or subject matter. Original order has been retained where possible.
Available to view by appointment in the Kingston University Archives and Special Collections search room.
Some copying is allowed. Please contact Kingston University Archives and Special Collections for more information.
English
Some items require careful handling. Archives staff will advise regarding this.
See Kingston University Archive and Special Collection's online catalogue.
Other objects held as part of GB 2108 KUAS191. Other notebooks can be found in GB 2108 KUAS225.
December 2017 Communication skills Writing Poetry Poems Notebooks Nonfiction Diaries Information sciences Communications media Publications Articles Social scientists Philosophers Information sources Documents Primary documents Essays Visual materials Photographs Arts Works of art Novelists Prose Novels Authors Writers Poets Literature Literary forms and genres Fiction Communication process Movable cultural property Cultural property Cultural heritage Letters (documents) Records and correspondence Art Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author x Murdoch , Iris
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Material kindly presented by Audi Bayley.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Material created and held by author and philosopher Iris Murdoch, including 14 volumes of personal journals / diaries, notebooks of poetry (much of which is previously unpublished), planning notebooks for philosophy writing and the novel 'Jackson's Dilemma', and loose papers including items relating to the Gifford Lectures and material held by Murdoch in a wooden chest. Also includes artworks and objects from Iris Murdoch's study in her former home in Charlbury Road, Oxford.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Items have been grouped together by type or subject matter. Original order has been retained where possible.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available to view by appointment in the Kingston University Archives and Special Collections search room.
Conditions governing reproduction
Some copying is allowed. Please contact Kingston University Archives and Special Collections for more information.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Other objects held as part of GB 2108 KUAS191. Other notebooks can be found in GB 2108 KUAS225.
Finding aids
See Kingston University Archive and Special Collection's online catalogue.
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English