Robin Waterfield papers

Collection

Identifier: SCA-RBSC-SPX-026

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Robin Waterfield papers consist of correspondence, drafts of poetry and other writings, publicity materials, and contains materials relating to Iris Murdoch, John F. X. Harriot, and Sarah J. Maw.

Folders 1-6 in Box 1 contain extensive Waterfield correspondence with Iris Murdoch, as well as other records concerning the compiling and publishing of Stella Aldwinckle's poems Christ's Shadow in Plato's Cave (1990).

Folders 7-14 in Box 2 record the history of John F.X. Harriott's Farewell to True Bookshops (1984), from its first being commissioned in October 1983 and the arrival of the first copy at Christmas 1984, to its general publication in February 1985 and its reception.

Folders 15-17 in Box 3 contains correspondence with the poet Sarah J. Maw along with several typescripts of poems by Maw.

Dates

Creation: 1980-1999

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research under the terms of the NIU Rare Books and Special Collections.

Photographs and photocopies of collection require prior approval.

Conditions Governing Use

Property Rights are transferred to the University Libraries per the signed Deed of Gift Document. Literary Rights are retained by the content creator. Any copyrights so stated in the materials remain in force.

Biographica Note

Throughout his life, Robin (Robert Everard) Waterfield (1914-2002) was an active book dealer, publisher, and writer. Waterfield worked for a series of publishers and booksellers early in his career, and in 1974 founded Robin Waterfield Ltd., an antiquarian bookshop. He ran this bookshop until being forced to retire in 1980.

Waterfield remained productive during his retirement publishing the acclaimed Farewell to True Bookshops along with several poetry books. In addition to his publishing work, in 1980 he set up a self-help group in Oxford where he offered private counselling.