.
By UIUC RBML Staff
Collection Overview
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Papers of Herbert G. Wells, English novelist and essayist. Includes correspondence about business and legal affairs; letters to the press; diaries, journals, drawings, publication records, manuscripts and proofs of published works; speeches; unpublished material; photographs. About forty full-length books, as well as many shorter pieces, are represented by typescripts or manuscripts, often in many drafts, which show the evolution of each work. Among these is an unpublished novel, Kipps and Waddy, an early version of Wells' copies of his printed works. These include first editions, revisions, translations. The letters contain general family correspondence, communications, from publishers, material regarding the Fabian Society, and letters from politicians and public figures, most notably George Bernard Shaw and Joseph Conrad. Among the remaining items is the diary of Wells' mother, begun before his birth, Wells' letters and stories written as a youngster, collections of clippings from newspapers and magazines, account books of his contracts and earning, and other business records.
A catalog of correspondence, arranged alphabetically by correspondent, from and to Wells is published in Volume 11 of the Catalog of the Rare Book Room, University Library, University of Illinois (G. K. Hall & Co., Boston, 1972, 547 pp.) and in a supplement 1978 edition. The main collection was acquired in two parts, labelled WELLS-1 and WELLS-2. WELLS-1 consists of over 2,500 letters from Wells and 65,000 to Wells. WELLS-2, a major collection added in 1990, supplements the extensive book collection from Wells' personal library, personal and business correspondence, and criticism. Wells-3 is the Kennard Collection which includes correspondence between H.G. Wells and Annajane Kennard and Amber Reeves. Wells-9 is a collection of supplementary items purchased separately, on an ongoing basis.
Biographical Note
Administrative Information
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Manuscripts],
[
Series 2: Picshuas [Cartoons]],
[
Series 3: Correspondence to Wells],
[
Series 4: Wells Letters],
[
Series 5: Periodical Publications],
[
Series 6: Wells Short Works],
[
Series 7: Facsimiles],
[
Series 8: Wells Letters to the Press],
[
Series 9: Photographs],
[
Series 10: Criticisms],
[
Series 11: SEC-W],
[
Series OS: Oversize materials],
[All]
- Series 1: Manuscripts
- File A-001: Anticipations of the Reaction of the Mechanical and Scientific Progress Upon Human Life and Thought
- Location: C14.03.05
- File A-002: Anticipations of the Reaction of the Mechanical and Scientific Progress Upon Human Life and Thought
- Location: C14.03.05
- File AD-001: After Democracy: Addresses and Papers on the Present World Situation
- Location: C14.03.05
- File AE-001: The Atlantic Edition
- Location: C14.03.06
- File AV-001: Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story
- Location: C14.03.06
- File AV-001a: Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story
- Location: C14.03.06
- File AV-002: Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story
- File AV-003: Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story
- Location: C14.03.06
- File AV-004: Ann Veronica: A Modern Love Story
- Location: C14.03.06
- File B-001: Bealby: A Holiday
- Location: C14.03.05
- File B-001a: Bealby: A Holiday
- Location: C14.03.05
- File BE-001: The Bromley Election
- Location: C14.03.05
- File BN-001: Boon, the Mind of the Race, the Wild Asses of the Devil, and the Last Trump, Being a First Selection...
- Location: C14.04.02
- File BN-001a: Boon, the Mind of the Race, the Wild Asses of the Devil, and the Last Trump, Being a First Selection...
- Location: C14.04.02
- File CA-001: Christina Alberta's Father
- Location: C14.04.02
- File CB-001: The Country of the Blind
- Location: C14.04.02
- File CO-001: The Common Sense of World Peace: An Address Delivered to the Reichstag
- Location: C14.04.02
- File CPM-001: Certain Personal Matters
- Location: C14.04.02
- File CS-001: The Common Sense of War & Peace: World Revolution of War Unending
- Location: C14.04.03
- File DF-001: The Discovery of the Future: A Discourse Delivered to the Royal Institution on January 24th, 1902
- Location: C14.04.03
- File DM-001: The Dream: a Novel
- Location: C14.04.03
- File EA-001: Experiment in Autobiography: Discoveries and Conclusions of a Very Ordinary Brain
- Location: C14.04.03
- File EL-001: An Englishman Looks at the World
- Location: C14.04.03
- File ER-001: Elements of Reconstruction
- Location: C14.04.03
- File FA-001: The Future in America: A Search After Realities
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FA-002: The Future in America: A Search After Realities
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FA-002a: The Future in America: A Search After Realities
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FA-003a: The Future in America: A Search After Realties
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FF-001: Faults of the Fabian
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FG-001: The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FG-002: The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FG-002a: The Food of the Gods and How it Came to Earth
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FGM-001: Floor Games
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FH-001: The Fate of Homo Sapiens: An Unemotional Statement of the Things that are Happening to Him Now...
- Location: C14.04.04
- File FL-001: First and Last Things: A Confession of Faith and the Rule of Life
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FL-001a: First and Last Things: A Confession of Faith and the Rule of Life
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FM-001: The First Men in the Moon
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FM-002: The First Men in the Moon
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FM-003: The First Men in the Moon
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FN-001: Freedom and the New World
- Location: C14.04.05
- File FT-001: '42-'44: A Contemporary Memoir upon Human Behaviour during the Crisis of the World Revolution
- Location: C14.04.05
- File GI-001: God the Invisible King
- Location: C14.04.06
- File GN-001: Guide to the New World: A Handbook of Constructive World Revolution
- Location: C14.04.06
- File HO-001: History of One
- Location: C14.04.06
- File HP-001: The History of Mr. Polly
- Location: C14.04.06
- File HP-001a: The History of Mr. Polly
- Location: C14.04.06
- File ID-001: The Island of Dr. Moreau
- Location: C14.04.06
- File IDC-001: In the Days of the Comet
- Location: C14.04.06
- File IDC-002: In the Days of the Comet
- Location: C14.04.06
- File IDC-002a: In the Days of the Comet
- Location: C14.04.06
- File IL-001: The Idea of a League of Nations
- Location: C14.05.02
- File IM-001: The Invisible Man
- C14.04.06
- File IMC-001: I Must Confess to a Certain Prejudice
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File IMD-001: Immortality of Mr. J. W. Dunne
Location:C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File IN-001: In the Land of the Cold Dry Winds
- Location: C14.05.02
- File IW-001: Idea of a World Encyclopedia
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-001: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-002: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-003: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-004: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-005: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.02
- File JP-006: Joan and Peter: The Story of an Education
- Location: C14.05.03
- File JP-007: Joan and Peter: The Story of a Education
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KI-001: The King Who was a King: The Book of a Film
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KI-001a: The King Who was a King: The Book of a Film
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KI-002: The King Who was a King: The Book of a Film
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KP-001: Keeping the Peace
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KS-001: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KS-002: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.03
- File KS-003: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File KS-004: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File KS-005: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File KS-006: Kipps: the Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File KS-007: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File KS-007a: Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul
- Location: C14.05.04
- File LL-001: Love and Mr. Lewisham
- Location: C14.05.04
- File LU-001: The Labor Unrest
- Location: C14.05.05
- File LW-001: Little Wars: A Game for Boys from Twelve Years of Age to One Hundred and Fifty...
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MA-001: Marriage
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MA-002: Marriage
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MA-003: Marriage
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MA-004: Marriage
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MB-001: Mr. Britling Sees It Through
- Location: C14.05.05
- File MB-002: Mr. Britling Sees It Through
- Location: C14.05.06
- File MB-003: Mr. Britling Sees It Through
- Location: C14.05.06
- File MB-004: Mr. Briltling Sees It Through
- Location: C14.05.06
- File MB-005: Mr. Britling Sees It Through
- Location: C14.05.06
- File MBO-001: Mr. Belloc Objects to the Outline of History
- Location: C14.05.06
- File MBR-001: Mr. Blettsworthy on Rampole Island
- Location: C14.05.06
- File ME-001: Mind at the End of Its Tether
- Location: C14.06.02
- File ME-002: Mind at the End of Its Tether
- Location: C14.06.02
- File MG-galley: Men Like Gods
- Location: C14.06.02
- File MM-001: Mankind in the Making
- Location: C14.06.02
- File MM-002: Mankind in the Making
- Location: C14.06.02
- File MPA-001: Meanwhile (The Picture of a Lady)
- Location: C14.06.02
- File MR-001: Modern Russian and English Revolutionaries
- Location: C14.06.03
- File MT-001: Memorandum on Telepherage
- Location: C14.06.03
- File MU-001: A Modern Utopia
- Location: C14.06.03
- File MU-002: A Modern Utopia
- Location: C14.06.03
- File MW-001: Meanwhile: The Picture of a Lady
- Location: C14.06.03
- File NM-001: The New Machiavelli
- Location: C14.06.03
- File NM-002: The New Machiavelli
- Location: C14.06.04
- File NM-003: The New Machiavelli
- Location: C14.06.04
- File NM-004: The New Machiavelli
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File NWO-001: New Worlds for Old
- Location: C14.06.04
- File NRM-001: Natural Rights of Man
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File NT-001: The New Teaching of History; with a reply to some recent criticisms of 'The Outline of History'
- Location: C14.06.04
- File NUA-001: The Need for a Universal Alphabet
Location: C14.03.04
In Wells 2 Box
- File NW-001: The New World Order: Whether It is Obtainable, How It Can Be Attained,...
- Location: C14.06.04
- File NWN-001: Now We Need Not Agree
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File ODK-001: Occasionally No Doubt They Killed
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File OH-001: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.04
- File OH-002: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.04
- File OH-003: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.04
- File OH-004: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.05
- File OH-005: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.05
- File OH-006: The Outline of History Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind
- Location: C14.06.05
- File OSN-001: The Outlook for the Small Nations
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File PF-001: The Passionate Friends
- Location: C14.06.05
- File PF-002: The Passionate Friends
- Location:C14.06.05
- File PF-003: The Passionate Friends
- Location: C14.06.06
- File PF-004: The Passionate Friends
- Location: C14.06.06
- File PR-001: Prelude to Revolution
Location: B34.14.01
In Print Quarto under Shelfmark: Q. Wells MS 321.041W46pr
- File PS-001: The Plattner Story and Others
- Location: C14.06.06
- File PT-001: The Phantom Tour
- Location: C14.06.06
- File PW-001: The Peace of the World
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RF-001: Reconstruction of the Fabian Society
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RI-001: The Rights of Man or What Are We Fighting For?
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RI-002: The Rights of Man or What Are We Fighting For?
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RI-003: The Rights of Man or What Are We Fighting For?
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RI-004: The Rights of Man or What Are We Fighting For?
- Location: C14.06.06
- File RM-001: The Research Magnificent
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RM-002: The Research Magnificent
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RM-003: The Research Magnificent
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RM-004: The Research Magnificent
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RM-005: The Research Magnificent
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-SE-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-QB-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-PS-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-DS-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-CE-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File RS-DK-001: Russia in the Shadows
- Location: C14.07.02
- File SB-001: The Soul of a Bishop: A Novel (with Just a Little Love in It) about Conscience and Religion...
- Location: C14.07.03
- File SB-002: The Soul of a Bishop: A Novel (with Just a Little Love in It) about Conscience and Religion...
- Location: C14.07.03
- File SBY-001a: The Stolen Body
- Location: C14.07.03
- File SBO-001: The Stolen Bacillus and Other Incidents
- Location: C14.07.02
- File SC-001: The Salvaging of Civilization
- Location: C14.07.03
- File SCU-001: Select Conversations with an Incle, Now Extinct, and Two Other Reminiscences
- Location:C14.07.03
- File SF-001: Socialism and the Family
- Location: C14.07.03
- File SG-001: The Story of a Great Schoolmaster Being a Plain Account of the Life and Ideas of Sanderson of Oundle
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SH-001: A Short History of the World
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SH-002: A Short History of the World
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SL-001: The Science of Life: A Summary of Contemporary Knowledge about Life and its Possibilities
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SL-002: The Science of Life: A Summary of Contemporary Knowledge about Life and its Possibilities
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SLD-001: The Sea Lady: A Tissue of Moonshine
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SO-001: Sandenson of Oundle
- Location: C14.07.04
- File SP-001: The Secret Places of the Heart
- Location: C14.07.05
- File SS-001: The Short Stories of H.G. Wells
- Location: C14.07.05
- File SS-002: The Short Stories of H.G. Wells
- Location: C14.07.05
- File ST-001: The Shape of Things to Come: The Ultimate Revolution
- Location: C14.07.05
- File SW-001: Science and the World Mind
- Location: C14.07.05
- File SWT-001: Stalin-Wells Talk
- Location: C14.07.05
- File TA-001: Tales of Space and Time
- Location: 14.07.05
- File TA-001a: Tales of Space and Time
- Location: 14.07.05 [Galley Proof - Same box as TA-001]
- File TC-001: Things to Come
- Location: C14.07.05
- File TH-001: Two Hemispheres or One World
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TM-001: This Misery of Boots
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-001: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-002: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-003: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-004: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-005: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.07.06
- File TO-006: Tono-Bungay
- Location: C14.08.03
- File TR-001: Travels of a Republican Radical in Seartch of Hot Water
- Location: C14.08.03
- File TS-001: Thirty Strange Stories
- Location: C14.08.03
- File TSD-001: Twelve Stories and a Dream
- Location: C14.08.03
- File TSD-001a: Twelve Stories and a Dream
- Location: C14.08.03
- File TT-001: The Time Machine: An Invention
- Location: C14.08.02
- File TT-001a: The Time Machine: An Invention
- Location: C14.08.02
- File UF-001: The Undying Fire
- Location: C14.08.03
- File UL-001: University of London Elections: An Electoral Letter
- Location: C14.08.03
- File WA-001: The War in the Air and Particularly How Mr. Bert Smallways Fared while It Lasted
- Location: C14.08.03
- File WA-002: The War in the Air and Particularly How Mr. Bert Smallways Fared while It Lasted
- Location: C14.08.03
- File WB-001: World Brain
- Location: C14.08.03
- File WC-001: War and Common Sense
- Location: C14.08.03
- File WE-001: The World Set Free
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WE-001a: The World Set Free
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WF-001: War and the Future
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WH-001: The Wife of Sir Isaac Harman
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WHC-001: The Wheels of Chance: A Holiday Adventure
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WHCH-001: The Wheels of Chance: A Holiday Adventure
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WI-001: What is Coming?: A Forecast of Things After the War
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WIL-A: Wells in Love
- Location:C14.08.05
- File WIL-B: Wells in Love
- Location: C14.08.05
- File WIL-C: Wells in Love
- Location: C14.08.05
- File WIL-F: Wells in Love
- Location: C14.08.05
- File WM-001: Whither Mankind?
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File WM-002: Whither Mankind? - A File of the Future
Location: C14.03.05
In Wells 2 Box
- File WMB-001: Wells - Manuscript Bibliography
- Location: C14.08.04
- File WMW: The Wealth of Mr. Waddy: A Novel
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WO-001: The World of William Clissold: A Novel at a New Angle
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WOW-001: The War of the Worlds
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WOW-001a: The War of the Worlds
- Location: C14.09.01
- File WP-001: Washington and the Hope of Peace
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WS-001: Will Socialism Destroy the Home?
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WSW-001: When the Sleeper Wakes: A Story of the Years to Come
- Location: C14.08.06
- File WT-001: The War That Will End War
- Location: C14.08.06
- File YC-001: You Can't Be Too Careful
- Location: C14.09.02
- File YP-001: A Year of Prophesying
- Location: C14.09.02
- Series 2: Picshuas [Cartoons]
Location: begins at C13.12.02
Framed Pichuas at C14.10.002
- Box 1
- Box 2
- Box 3
- Box 4
- Series 3: Correspondence to Wells
- Location: begins at C13.12.04
- Box 1
- Box-Folder A1-A178
- Box 2
- Box-Folder A179-B185b
- Box 3
- Box-Folder B186-B445
- Box 4
- Box-Folder B446-B518 (15)
- Box 5
- Box-Folder B518(16)-C73a
- Box 6
- Box-Folder C74-C171
- Box 7
- Box-Folder C172-C363
- Box 8
- Box-Folder C363-C510
- Box 9
- Box-Folder C511-D100
- Box 10
- Box-Folder D101-D225
- Box 11
- Box-Folder D226-E150
- Box 12
- Box-Folder E151-F200
- Box 13
- Box-Folder F201-G173
- Box 14
- Box-Folder G174-G353
- Box 15
- Box-Folder H1-H207
- Box 16
- Box-Folder H207-H371
- Box 17
- Box-Folder H372-I11m
- Box 18
- Box-Folder I11n-J60
- Box 19
- Box-Folder J61-K110
- Box 20
- Box-Folder K111-L125
- Box 21
- Box-Folder L126-L280
- Box 22
- Box-Folder L281-M80
- Box 23
- Box-Folder M80-M190
- Box 24
- Box-Folder M191-M380
- Box 25
- Box-Folder M381-N65
- Box 26
- Box-Folder N66-O60
- Box 27
- Box-Folder O61-P100
- File 28
- Box-Folder P101-P195
- Box 29
- Box-Folder P196-R67
- Box 30
- Box-Folder R68-R192
- Box 31
- Box-Folder R193-S62
- Box 32
- Box-Folder S63-S194
- Box 33
- Box-Folder S195-S410
- Box 34
- Box-Folder S411-T23
- Box 35
- Box-Folder T24-T195
- Box 36
- Box-Folder T196-W35
- Box 37
- Box-Folder W36-W99k
- Box 38
- Box-Folder W99l-W148
- Box 39
- Box-Folder W149-W216a-6
- Box 40
- Box-Folder W216a-7-W361
- Box 41
- Box-Folder W362-Z23b
- Series 4: Wells Letters
- Location: begins at C14.02.04
- Box 41
- Box-Folder WA-001-WB30
- Box 42
- Box-Folder WB-31-WD40
- Box 43
- Box-Folder WD41-WL10
- Box 44
- Box-Folder WL-11-WP20
- Box 45
- File WP21-WS40
- Box 46
- Box-Folder WS41-WZ10
- Box 47
- Box-Folder WZ11-WZ16
- Series 5: Periodical Publications
- Location: begins at C14.03.02
- Box 47
- Box-Folder Per1-Per80
- Box 48
- Box-Folder Per81-Per279
- Box 49
- Box-Folder Per280-Per382
- Series 6: Wells Short Works
- Location: begins at C14.03.03
- Box 49
- Box-Folder WSW1-WSW55
- Box 49a
- Box-Folder WSW56-WSW115
- Series 7: Facsimiles
- Box 50
- Box 51
- Series 8: Wells Letters to the Press
- Location: begins at C14.03.05
- Box 51
- Box-Folder WLP1-WLP150
- Series 9: Photographs
- Location: begins at C14.09.02
- Series 10: Criticisms
- Location: begins at C14.11.02
- Series 11: SEC-W
- Location: begins at C13.12.03
- Box 1
- Box 2
- Box 3
- Box 4
- Box 5
- Series OS: Oversize materials
- Note: 6 boxes in Oversize
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: Manuscripts],
[
Series 2: Picshuas [Cartoons]],
[
Series 3: Correspondence to Wells],
[
Series 4: Wells Letters],
[
Series 5: Periodical Publications],
[
Series 6: Wells Short Works],
[
Series 7: Facsimiles],
[
Series 8: Wells Letters to the Press],
[
Series 9: Photographs],
[
Series 10: Criticisms],
[
Series 11: SEC-W],
[
Series OS: Oversize materials],
[All]
Manuscript & Object Collect... 
