Papers relating to the Claire Rayner novels The Performers, a twelve book series about London which traces a family from the 1800s. The series contains draft manuscripts of each volume along with research, time lines and notes on political events, dress, religion, travel, medicine, foreign affairs, industry and agriculture covering the period during which the novels are set.

The archive consists of birth and marriage certificates (1876-1880); film, theatre and publishers' contracts for EM Hull's works (1919-1956); one photograph thought to be EM Hull in her wedding dress (one of the only known photographs of the author) (c.1900); one copy of Sir Walter Scott's Poetical Works (1865) that belonged to EM Hull's father James Henderson; an article by Cecil Hull 'Six Weeks in Southern Algeria' (1930); Edith Maud Hull's suitcase; the following eight books by Edith Maud Hull inscribed to her daughter Cecil Winstanley Hull:

*E M Hull, The Sheik, 1921, Small Maynard and Co

*E M Hull, The Shadow of the East, 1921, Eveleigh Nash and Grayson

*E M Hull, The Desert Healer, 1923, Eveleigh Nash and Grayson

*E M Hull, Camping in the Sahara, 1926, Eveleigh Nash and Grayson

*E M Hull, The Sons of the Sheik, 1926, Eveleigh Nash and Grayson

*E M Hull, The Lion Tamer, 1928, Eveleigh Nash and Grayson

*E M Hull, The Captive of the Saharah, 1931, Dodd, Mead and Co

*E M Hull, The Forest of Terrible Things, 1939, Hutchinson and Company

These were popularly known as 'Desert Romances' and in 2005 were still classed by many booksellers as 'Erotic Fiction'. The archive provides an insight into the contractual and financial affairs of a popular female novelist of the early 20th century.

Papers and correspondence, 1929-1975 and undated, of Julia Frances Strachey, including diaries, notebooks, manuscripts and typescripts, 1929-1975 and undated; letters to Julia, 1924-1956 and undated, the writers including Dora Carrington; letters to Stephen Tomlin and Julia, 1923-1930 and undated, the writers including Lytton Strachey; correspondence between Stephen Tomlin and Julia, 1930-1931; correspondence between Julia and Lawrence Gowing, 1939-1971 and undated, and other letters to Julia, 1952-1967 and undated; personalia, including a copy of a divorce certificate, 1967, a will, 1971, a business diary, 1971, an appointment diary, 1974, passports, and an undated address book; postcards and photographs, largely undated, mainly miscellaneous works of art but also including Lytton and Oliver Strachey, Dora Carrington, and Stephen Tomlin; a scrapbook, 1932-1971, mainly comprising press cuttings including reviews of Strachey's novels, with a few miscellaneous letters inserted.

Private papers of Duffy, [1960-1994], mainly comprising typescripts, manuscripts and proofs of her novels, plays and poems including The single eye (Hutchinson, London, 1964), The erotic world of faery (Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1972), Capital (Cape, London, 1975), Gor saga (Eyre Metheun, London, 1981), Illuminations (Sinclair-Stevenson, 1991), Occam's razor (Sinclair-Stevenson, London, 1993), and Henry Purcell (Fourth Estate, London, 1994); notes, reviews, performing scripts, talks and related material concerning her writings.

Records of the H G Wells Society, 1960-1988, comprising: Correspondence, 1963-1971, particularly on the commemoration of the centenary of Wells' birth (1966); circulars and duplicated matter, 1962-1970; financial payments and receipts, 1962-1964; personal papers of Dr Hugh Schonfield, a founder-member of the Society, 1960-1988; manuscript letter from H G Wells to Lady Russell, commenting on a 'break' between Wells and Lord Russell, undated; correspondence, papers and pamphlets on Cosmopolis, [formerly the H G Wells Society] the Open Conspiracy and the Federation of Progressive Societies and Individuals, 1935-1938; catalogue of the H G Wells Correspondence in the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with copy of the sale contract, 1954.

Sixteen books formerly owned by Iris Murdoch- they either have dedications to her, or notes of her name written in the front. One book is partially annotated.

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.

Notebooks and other items belonging to Iris Murdoch from her home at Charlbury Road, Oxford. Includes:

1) File containing typed draft of paper 'Evil is to Love, what Mystery is to Intelligence' by Martin Andic dated 26 Feb 1995, plus typed text draft of the opening pages of John Bayley's 'Iris: A Memoir of Iris Murdoch'

2) Bundle containing handwritten notes by Iris Murdoch on Martin Heidegger, plus typed notes on philosophy with handwritten annotations by Murdoch c. early 1990s

3) 16 notebooks containing notes on the Greek language 1960s- 1980s

4) 4 notebooks with planning notes for the novel 'The Good Apprentice'

5) Notebook with notes on 'The Message to the Planet'

6) Notebook with notes on 'The Book and the Brotherhood'

7) 8 notebooks with notes on philosophy, including notes on the Gifford Lectures and 'Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals'

8) 2 notebooks from Iris Murdoch's trip to China 1979

9) Notebook from trip to India/ Australia 1967

10) Appointment diaries 1978 and 1980

11) 2 notebooks on unknown subjects (possibly philosophy)

12) Notebook on Hebrew 1979

13) Indexed notebook with topics noted in top right hand corner, possibly for Greek words. However pages are empty.

14) Notebook dated 26 Jan 1954- first few pages have been removed, otherwise the notebook is empty

15) Notebook dated 1955- 1958. One page of notes on ethics in the back, and several pages have been ripped out from the front. Otherwise empty. Possibly originally used as a journal?

16) Notebook noted as belonging to Iris Murdoch at HM Treasury dated 12 Mar 1944. Several pages have been ripped out from the front. Otherwise empty. Possibly originally used as a journal?

17) Blank nature notebook

18) 2 photographs of Iris Murdoch's desk, labelled on reverse by John Bayley 'Iris Murdoch's table'

19) Piece of blotting paper used by Iris Murdoch when writing letters

20) 23 empty envelopes either addressed to Iris Murdoch and / or John Bayley, or addressed by Iris Murdoch to other people

21) 3 pieces of Berkeley Department of English Headed Paper, one with beginnings of a letter written by Iris Murdoch to unknown recipient

22) 5 blank postcards from St Catherine's College, and 3 blank pieces of notepaper. Murdoch has written the Cedar Lodge address on the back of one of the postcards.

23) 2 blank postcards

24) Blank postcards with Reynold Stone's name and address at the top

24) Blank notepaper with La Valencia Hotel printed at the top

25) Two blank pre-printed invitation cards

26) 5 blank pieces of notepaper printed with the Conservation Society logo

27) Blank postcard from New College Oxford

28) Postcard advertising opening of an exhibition by Lesley Foxcroft at the Riverside Studios

29) Invitation to Iris Murdoch and John Bayley to attend an event at Parker and Son Ltd 14 Nov 1984

30) Invitation to cocktails at Timothy Dwight College 28 Feb 1983

31) Blank black notebook

32) Blank Basildon Bond notepad

33) 3 blank WH Smith notebooks

First editions of some of Iris Murdoch's novels, and other rare texts- 13 volumes in total. Consists of:

KUAS25/1 Limited edition playscript for The One Alone (Colophon Press, 1995)

KUAS25/2 Copy of A Year of Birds poems by Iris Murdoch, engravings by Reynolds Stone (Compton Press, 1978)

KUAS25/3 Unrevised proof copy of The Time of the Angels (Viking Press, 1966)

KUAS25/4 Copies of Sartre; Romantic Rationalist by Iris Murdoch (Bowes and Borwes, 1953)

KUAS25/5 Playscript of The Italian Girl: A Play,/i> by Iris Murdoch and James Saunders (Samuel French, 1968)

KUAS25/6 Unrevised proof copy of The Italin Girl the novel (Viking Press, 1964)

KUAS25/7 Reprint of Existentialists and Mystics by Iris Murdoch (Delos Press, 1993)

KUAS25/8 Programme for the play The Black Prince adapted by Iris Murdoch's from her novel The Black Prince (1973)

KUAS25/9 First edition of Iris Murdoch's first novel, Under the Net (London, Chatto and Windus 1954). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/10 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Sandcastle (London, Chatto and Windus 1957). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/11 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Good Apprentice (London, Chatto and Windus - The Hogarth Press 1985). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/12 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Book and the Brotherhood, (London, Chatto and Windus 1987). With original dust jacket.

KUAS25/13 First edition of Iris Murdoch's novel, The Message to the Planet, (London, Chatto and Windus 1989). With original dust jacket.

Holograph manuscripts of Powys' novels. SL V 76 is Dialogue on Genesis, 1906. SL V 77 is Mark Only, 1922. SL V 78 is The Dewpond, 1928 and SL V 79 is The House with the Echo, 1928.

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.

Letters sent from Iris Murdoch to her friend and fellow author Brigid Brophy. Murdoch and Brophy met in 1954 and maintained a friendship from then until Brophy's death in 1995. The period of the mid-1950s to the end of the 1960s was a time when the two were particularly close, although the letters do show the passionate nature of the relationship as Brophy sometimes sent accusing or angry letters to Murdoch, and these letters show Murdoch responding in kind. The letters also cover Murdoch's work and travels, plus views on current events, music, literature and art.

The letters are split into 7 files- the first three are letters from Murdoch which Brophy had separated out into a filing cabinet, and the fourth are letters from Murdoch to Michael Levey with a selection of other items such as photographs. File 5 contains dated letters arranged in chronological order, File 6 previously undated letters, and File 7 postcards and lettercards.

The papers of author Wendy Perriam. This includes the working papers for all of her novels including idea notebooks, research, drafts, correspondence and notes on publicity. The collection also contains materials relating to her poetry and short story collections, plus her teaching, public speaking and other work. In addition there is material relating to her personal life.

Items relating to Iris Murdoch presented to the archives by Anne Rowe. Includes:

1) Papers on a proposed Festschrift on Iris Murdoch collated by Peter Conradi

2) Copies of the newsletter for the Iris Murdoch Society of Japan

3) Press articles on Iris Murdoch

4) Letters written to Anne Rowe and Peter Conradi regarding Iris Murdoch

5) Original text copies of the Iris Murdoch Society Newsletters Nos 1-19

6) Unpublished essay by Rachel Cusk on Iris Murdoch

Letters sent from Iris Murdoch to French author and poet Raymond Queneau, dating from 1946 to 1975. Iris met Queneau while doing war work with the UNRRA, and enjoyed a regular correspondence with him. She claimed that she owed much of her writing to her friendship with Queneau, and dedicated her first novel 'Under the Net' to him. The letters cover a number of topics including the early days of Murdoch's writing and philosophical views, her work with the UNRRA, and early relationships.

With some articles collected by Queneau on the work of Iris Murdoch

Papers of the writer Sir Richard Rees, c1920-1970 and undated.

Manuscripts and typescripts for Rees' published and unpublished work include material for an unpublished book of essays; a typescript of his unpublished novel; unpublished shorter pieces, including lectures on literary and cultural subjects, among them George Orwell and Simone Weil.

Miscellaneous personal papers and writings, 1926-1960s, include notes on dreams; travel notes on the USA, 1929; a Russian diary, 1935; papers relating to the Spanish Civil War; typescript papers of the International Commission for War Refugees, 1941-1944, and other correspondence and papers on its work; papers relating to Rees' service in World War Two; correspondence concerning Rees' membership of the committee of the Pilgrim Trust; papers relating to sales of Rees' books; printed papers, comprising various articles and book reviews relating to Rees' interests.

Correspondence, c1920-1970, comprises items to Rees and carbon copies or drafts of his letters, the correspondents including prominent literary and other public figures, for example David Astor, Vanessa Bell, Joseph Conrad, Victor Gollancz, Frieda Lawrence, Iris Murdoch, Sonia Orwell, Sir Herbert Read, Hugh Trevor-Roper, A L Rowse, John Sparrow, Stephen Spender, R H Tawney, and many others, and including letters relating to George Orwell, J Middleton Murry, R H Tawney, and Simone Weil; correspondence with his literary agents A D Peters and with publishers, on his publications and broadcasts; letters to the press; personal papers, including c100 letters from Rees to his mother, c1938-c1942, other family letters, and snapshots; correspondence with J Middleton Murry and his wife, 1936-1937, relating to personal matters leading to Rees' resignation from the Adelphi, and other papers relating to the Adelphi, 1935-1936.

Other material includes a notebook including typescript reviews and letters to editors; memoranda of agreements with publishers for books, articles, etc, 1954-1969; press cuttings on various political, literary, artistic, and other subjects, including reviews of some works by Rees; typescript diary of a visit to Italy, 1959.

Rees' papers on George Orwell, 1949-1963, relating to his role as literary executor include correspondence and papers, some relating to Orwell's death, adopted son Richard, and proposed posthumous publications, and including material relating to his wife Sonia; papers on the George Orwell Archive Trust; typescript transcripts of poems Orwell contributed to the Adelphi, 1933-1936; two book reviews by Orwell, 1943-1944.

Rees' papers on Simone Weil largely comprise translations, typescripts and proofs for Rees' publications on Weil. There are also some writings by Weil; a photograph of her, 1942; letters to Rees from Weil's mother and brother, André, and other correspondence on Weil, 1958-1970; press cuttings on Rees' publications on Weil.

Rees' papers on R H Tawney, relating to his role as literary executor, include correspondence and papers of Tawney; Rees' correspondence on Tawney, largely dating from 1960-1970; correspondence and papers relating to the sale of Tawney's belongings and his will, with other personal documents relating to Tawney and his wife; correspondence relating to the disposal of Tawney's collection of books on economic history, 1952. The correspondents include a number of prominent literary and other public figures.

The later deposit comprises a typescript on Orwell and a typescript and corrected proofs on Murry.

Holograph manuscripts of novels. SL V 51 is The Withered Root (1927). SL V 52 is Arfon (1930). SL V 53 is Rings on Her Fingers (1930) SL V 55 is Count Your Blessings (1931) and SL V 54 is a collection of the author's manuscripts of short stories and poems.

Notes and papers, 1911-1952, of David Morrice Low, including scrapbook of news cuttings and pictures, 1911-1913; printed Marlborough school lists, 1914-1918, and extracts from school rules, 1916; list of Oriel men on service; notes on Italy and Latin, 1924-1925 and undated; notes on teaching classics and mathematics [1914-1921]; notes, manuscripts and typescripts for novels or short stories; material relating to Low's novel Twice Shy (1933) including notes, reviews, and a contract with Chatto & Windus; other material relating to Chatto & Windus, 1927-1933; notes on Greece and Nice; manuscript notes and letter, 1927, from V H Collins on 'Scotticisms'; manuscript personal notes on his mother, childhood, first memories, use of language and attitude to women; typescript note on role as examiner of English, 1940; notebooks on Edward Gibbon, some dated 1934-1935, from various sources including Gibbon's journal and letters; printed catalogue of Gibbon's library, 1934, and typescript essay on it; photographs of portraits of Gibbon and places associated with him; typescripts on 'The Grand Tour'; notes on aeronautical terminology in Spanish and Portuguese [1941-1943]; offprint of E M Wilson, 'La Estroga Sexta de la Cancion a la Flor de Guido', Miscelanea (1952), dedicated to Low; Enid Marx, The Pigeon Ace [undated].

Records of Customs and Excise, comprising 'poundage and premium' ledgers relating to pensions arrangements for Customs and Excise staff, 1867-1868. Also letters to Customs and Excise from authors whose books had been counterfeited, 1905-08.

Manuscript of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell [Robert Noonan], c 1910, with a short history of the original manuscript, and its publication history by Fred Ball

A holograph manuscript of the novel Bonnet and Shawl, 1928 written by Philip Guedalla.

Correspondence and papers of and relating to Frederick Denison Maurice, c1830-1972, including a letter from Maurice to his mother, 1833; the manuscript, c1830-c1834, of Maurice's novel Eustace Conway (published in three volumes, Richard Bentley, London, 1834); ordination certificates and licences to preach, 1834-1871; various pamphlets by Maurice, 1841-1859, including a letter to Samuel Wilberforce on reasons for not joining a party in the church, 1841, one on education, 1847, and a plan for a female college, 1855; five manuscript letters, undated [? 1843], to Sara Coleridge, daughter of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, on religious subjects and bereavement and commenting on her Essay on Rationalism (1843); King's College London correspondence, comprising letters from Maurice, 1841-1853 and undated, pertaining to teaching, students, academic and College matters, including his professorship of Divinity, 1846, and correspondence between Maurice and Richard William Jelf, Principal of King's College London, to be laid before Council, 1853; printed material including copies of the correspondence between Maurice and Jelf, 1853; manuscript letter from Maurice to 'My dear Friends' via Brooke Lambert on leaving King's, 1853; manuscript letter from J[ulius] C Hare to [Derwent] Coleridge (son of Samuel Taylor Coleridge), 1853, concerning a protest against Maurice's expulsion from his theological professorship at King's College; newspapers and news cuttings on Maurice's dismissal by the Council of King's College, 1853; a copy of Maurice's The Doctrine of Sacrifice (1854), inscribed by him; manuscript letter from Charles Kingsley, 1859, soliciting Maurice's help in finding a curate; engraving of Maurice, 1860; manuscript sermon by Maurice on Proverbs c XII v 20, 'Deceit is in the heart ... ', given at St Peter's, Vere Street, [1860s]; copy of Maurice's The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven (1864), inscribed to his son J F Maurice. A scrapbook contains two letters from Maurice to Miss Duncan, one dated 1868 and thanking her for a gift; printed obituaries of Maurice, including news cuttings; portraits of Maurice, including a photograph; a printed catalogue of his works; a printed leaflet on the Working Men's College, London, 1872; manuscript notes (not Maurice's) on sermons preached by him; a printed sermon on Maurice by Charles Kingsley, 1873, for an industrial school for girls in Charlotte Street, Portland Place, London (established by Maurice in 1867); manuscript extracts of letters from T[homas] Hughes (the author?) to Maurice. Other printed material comprises articles and sermons on Maurice's death in 1872, and items relating to a dinner held at Lincoln's Inn, 1972, for its centenary. A manuscript letter from Emily Hill to Mrs Shaen, 1872, describes Maurice's death and a manuscript letter from Charles Kingsley to Maurice's widow, 1872, thanks her for a Greek testament. Other memorabilia relate to Maurice, his family, and friends.