Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1939-1995 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
11 items
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
GB 2108 KUAS211 1939-1995 Fonds 11 items 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.
Kindly presented to the Archive by Miles Leeson.
Items relating to Iris Murdoch from 1939 to 1995. Includes:
1) Uncorrected Proof Copy of Iris Murdoch's 'The Book and the Brotherhood'
2) Booklet: Theology in Scotland Occasional Paper No 1 Apr 1995- 'Iris Murdoch's Giffords' A Study of the 1982 Gifford Lectures Edited by RA Gillies
3) Original copy of 'The Cherwell' magazine Vol LVI No 6 dated Week Ending 03 Jun 1939, including Iris Murdoch's piece 'The Irish- Are they Human?'
4) 6 original letters from Iris Murdoch to a bookseller regarding seeing first editions from the 1980s, with a letter from The Paris Review to Iris Murdoch regarding an interview dated 14 Mar 1977 and a photograph of a book shop.
Original order.
Available to view by appointment in the Kingston University Archives and Special Collections search room.
Some copying possible. Please contact Kingston University Archives and Special Collections for more information.
English
Please see Kingston University Archives and Special Collections online catalogue.
December 2017 Information sources Records and correspondence Letters (documents) Essays Communication process Communication skills Writing Information sciences Communications media Publications Booklets Prose Novels Publishing industry Publishing Editing Authors Writers Literature Literary forms and genres Fiction Philosophers Social scientists Articles Booksellers Communication personnel Personnel People by occupation People Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author x Murdoch , Iris
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Kindly presented to the Archive by Miles Leeson.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Items relating to Iris Murdoch from 1939 to 1995. Includes:
1) Uncorrected Proof Copy of Iris Murdoch's 'The Book and the Brotherhood'
2) Booklet: Theology in Scotland Occasional Paper No 1 Apr 1995- 'Iris Murdoch's Giffords' A Study of the 1982 Gifford Lectures Edited by RA Gillies
3) Original copy of 'The Cherwell' magazine Vol LVI No 6 dated Week Ending 03 Jun 1939, including Iris Murdoch's piece 'The Irish- Are they Human?'
4) 6 original letters from Iris Murdoch to a bookseller regarding seeing first editions from the 1980s, with a letter from The Paris Review to Iris Murdoch regarding an interview dated 14 Mar 1977 and a photograph of a book shop.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Original order.
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 possible. 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
Finding aids
Please see Kingston University Archives and Special Collections 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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Subject access points
- Information sources
- Literary forms and genres » Prose » Essays
- Communication process
- Communication process » Communication skills
- Communication process » Communication skills » Writing
- Information sciences
- Literary forms and genres » Prose
- Literary forms and genres » Prose » Novels
- Publishing industry
- Publishing industry » Publishing
- Publishing industry » Publishing » Editing
- Authors
- Authors » Writers
- Literature
- Literary forms and genres
- Literary forms and genres » Fiction
- Social scientists » Philosophers
- Social scientists
- Communication personnel » Booksellers
- Communication personnel
- Personnel
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English