GB 2108 KUAS118 - Murdoch, Iris: Letters from Iris Murdoch to Rachel Fenner

1 box

GB 2108 KUAS118 1964-1993 Collection (Fonds) 1 box 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.

Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries.

Letters and cards written by Iris Murdoch to artist Rachel Fenner from 1964 onwards. Murdoch taught Fenner at the Royal College of Art and they remained friends afterwards. Topics covered in their correspondence includes Fenner's studies and later work, Murdoch's work, their travels, arranging meetings, and general family news. There are over 300 letters in total.

Original order. The letters have been grouped together roughly be year.

Can be viewed by appointment in the Kingston University Archives and Special Collections search room.

The letters can not be copied at the present time.

English

Full catalogue available on our archives catalogue at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk

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. 2014 Communication skills Writing Letter writing Artists Sculptors Personnel Educational personnel Teachers Academic teaching personnel Lecturers Authors Writers Exhibitions Cultural exhibitions Communication process Art colleges Vocational schools Higher education institutions Sculpture Fine arts Art Teaching Murdoch , Dame , Jean Iris , 1919-1999 , author x Murdoch , Iris Fenner , Rachel , fl 1964 , artist Royal College of Art Royal College of Art (Great Britain) People by occupation People Educational institutions

Purchased with the assistance of the Friends of the National Libraries.

Letters and cards written by Iris Murdoch to artist Rachel Fenner from 1964 onwards. Murdoch taught Fenner at the Royal College of Art and they remained friends afterwards. Topics covered in their correspondence includes Fenner's studies and later work, Murdoch's work, their travels, arranging meetings, and general family news. There are over 300 letters in total.

Original order. The letters have been grouped together roughly be year.

Can be viewed by appointment in the Kingston University Archives and Special Collections search room.

The letters can not be copied at the present time.

• English

• Latin

English

Full catalogue available on our archives catalogue at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk

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.

• English