Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1940-1959] (Creation)
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20 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.
William Wallace Robson was a scholar and a literary critic. He and Iris Murdoch were engaged to be married for a brief period.
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Archival history
GB 2108 KUAS121 [1940-1959] Collection (fonds) 20 items Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author
Robson , William Wallace , 1923-1993 , scholar and literary critic
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.
William Wallace Robson was a scholar and a literary critic. He and Iris Murdoch were engaged to be married for a brief period.
Purchased for the Archives and Special Collections by the Iris Murdoch Archives Project at Kingston University
Nine letters and eleven poems from Iris Murdoch to William Wallace Robson, to whom she was briefly engaged in the 1940s. Many of the letters and poems are on their relationship.
Original order, the letters precede the poems.
Letters and poems are available to view in the Archive by appointment. Please contact us at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment by emailing archives@kingston.ac.uk
Letters and poems can not be copied at this time.
English
Letters are not currently catalogued. Once they are catalogue listings will be available online at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk
29 Jun 2015 Writing Letter writing Literature Literary forms and genres Poetry Poems Authors Writers Poets Information sources Records and correspondence Letters (documents) Communication skills Communication process Romance Behaviour Love Emotions Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author x Murdoch , Iris
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased for the Archives and Special Collections by the Iris Murdoch Archives Project at Kingston University
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Nine letters and eleven poems from Iris Murdoch to William Wallace Robson, to whom she was briefly engaged in the 1940s. Many of the letters and poems are on their relationship.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Original order, the letters precede the poems.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Letters and poems are available to view in the Archive by appointment. Please contact us at least 24 hours in advance of your appointment by emailing archives@kingston.ac.uk
Conditions governing reproduction
Letters and poems can not be copied at this time.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
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Finding aids
Letters are not currently catalogued. Once they are catalogue listings will be available online at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk
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Language(s)
- English