Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- [1980-2002] (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 file
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.
Carmen Callil is best known as a publisher- during her career in the field she founded Virago Press in 1972. She has also written a number of books in her own right.
Repository
Archival history
GB 2108 KUAS110 [1980-2002] Collection (fonds) 1 file Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author
Callil , Carmen , b. 1938 , publisher
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.
Carmen Callil is best known as a publisher- during her career in the field she founded Virago Press in 1972. She has also written a number of books in her own right.
Purchased by the Iris Murdoch Archives Project for the collection at Kingston University Archives and Special Collections.
Approximately 30 cards and letters from Iris Murdoch to her publisher Carmen Callil, with some additional invitations to events celebrating the life and work of Iris Murdoch.
Original order
Letters are available to view by appointment in the Archives and Special Collections. Please request appointments at least 24 hours in advance by emailing archives@kingston.ac.uk
Letters and cards can not be copied at this time.
English
Collection is not yet fully catalogued, once it is the listing will be available on our online catalogue at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk
29 Jun 2015 People by occupation Personnel Communication personnel Publishers Literature publishing Records and correspondence Letters (documents) Information sources Documents Cards Invitation cards Prose Novels Publishing industry Publishing Editing Literature Literary forms and genres Fiction People Creative writing Writing (composition) Books Publications Communications media Information sciences Letter writing Writing Communication skills Communication process Postcards Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author x Murdoch , Iris Language instruction
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased by the Iris Murdoch Archives Project for the collection at Kingston University Archives and Special Collections.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Approximately 30 cards and letters from Iris Murdoch to her publisher Carmen Callil, with some additional invitations to events celebrating the life and work of Iris Murdoch.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Original order
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Letters are available to view by appointment in the Archives and Special Collections. Please request appointments at least 24 hours in advance by emailing archives@kingston.ac.uk
Conditions governing reproduction
Letters and cards can not be copied at this time.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Collection is not yet fully catalogued, once it is the listing will be available on our online catalogue at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Personnel
- Communication personnel
- Communication personnel » Publishers
- Information sources
- Documents
- Literary forms and genres » Prose
- Literary forms and genres » Prose » Novels
- Publishing industry
- Publishing industry » Publishing
- Publishing industry » Publishing » Editing
- Literature
- Literary forms and genres
- Literary forms and genres » Fiction
- Language instruction » Writing (composition) » Creative writing
- Language instruction » Writing (composition)
- Books
- Information sciences
- Communication process » Communication skills » Writing
- Communication process » Communication skills
- Communication process
- Language instruction
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