West Family Correspondence, 1923-1924 | Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Title: West Family Correspondence, 1923-1924

ID: 01/02/02/POST-1650 MS 0502

Primary Creator: Macleod, Alison (1920-)

Other Creators: Wells, H. G. (Herbert George) (1866-1946), West, Anthony (1914-1987), West, Rebecca (1892-1983)

Extent: 19.0 Items

Arrangement: The collection is arranged in two series. The H. G. Wells letters are arranged alphabetically by correspondents' surnames and then by date, with undated items placed at the end. The Anthony West correspondence is arranged alphabetically by the authors' surnames and then by recipients' surnames.

Subjects: Education - Great Britain - History - 20th Century, Ill Persons, Sick - Family relationships, Victims of bullying, World War, 1939-1945

Languages: English

The West Family Correspondence consists of 19 items. The first series, H. G. Wells letters, consists of letters written by H. G. Wells about or to his son, Anthony West.  The second series, Anthony West correspondence, consists of correspondence from Rebecca West to Anthony West, her son; correspondence from Anthony West to his aunts, Lettie Fairfield and Winnie Macleod; and several sketches.

Link to catalog record: https://i-share-uiu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_UIU/gpjosq/alma99656180612205899

Anthony "Panther" West (1914-1987) was the son of Rebecca West and H. G. Wells.  West was a well-respected English author with novels such as On a Dark Night, Another Kind, and The Vintage.  West based many of his novels' characters off of his own life, most notably in his fictionalized autobiography, Heritage.  In addition to Heritage, West also wrote a biography of his father; H. G. Wells: Aspects of a Life explores the relationship between H. G. Wells and Rebecca West.  West was a dairy farmer before becoming a journalist for the BBC Overseas Service, 1943-1947 and then an essayist and critic for The New Yorker, 1950-1972.

Anthony West had a close relationship with his mother's two older sisters, Letitia ("Lettie") Fairfield and Winifred ("Winnie") Macleod.

Alison Macleod Selford is a TV critic and novelist.  She is the daughter of Winifred and Norman Macleod and niece to Rebecca West.

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, screenwriter, and political figure and is considered to be the father of modern science fiction through works such as The Time Machine, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds.  Wells had a decade-long relationship with Rebecca West from 1912-1923.

Sources

Hodson, L. (1983). "Anthony (Panther) West." In B. S. Oldsey (Ed.), Dictionary of Literary Biography. Vol. 15: British Novelists, 1930-1959. Online Edition, 2007.

Parrinder, Patrick. "Wells, Herbert George (1866-1946)." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Online edition. 2011. doi: 10.1093/ref:odnb/36831

Education - Great Britain - History - 20th Century
Ill Persons
Sick - Family relationships
Victims of bullying
World War, 1939-1945

Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Access Restrictions: The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions:

This collection is the physical property of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, may reside with the materials' creator(s) or their heirs.

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Related Materials: The Rare Book & Manuscript Library holds many additional collections related to H. G. Wells, including manuscripts, books, and artifacts. Please search the library's finding aids or contact the library for more information.

Preferred Citation: West Family Correspondence, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Box and Folder Listing

Series 1: H. G. Wells letters

Box 1

Folder 1

Item 1: Note from H. G. Wells, Dunmow, to Winifred Macleoad, 1924 April 13

1 item (2 pages): manuscript. Addressed to "Mrs. Norman Macleod." Asks after Anthony and Rebecca West.

Item 2: Letter from H. G. Wells, Dunmow, to Winifred Macleoad, undated

1 item (2 pages): manuscript. Addressed to "Mrs. Norman Macleod." Informs Mrs. Macleod that he is unable to attend Christmas as he is ill. Mentions his wife and Rebecca West.

Item 3: Note from H. G. Wells, London, to Winifred Macleoad, undated

1 item (2 pages): manuscript. Addressed to "Auntie Winnie." Asks after Anthony and provides an update on Rebecca West.

Folder 2

Item 4: Letter from H. G. Wells, London, to Winifred Macleoad, undated

1 item (3 pages): manuscript. Addressed to "Mrs. Norman Macleod." Discusses Wells's concern about Anthony's inability to read and Wells's desire for Anthony to have better schooling.

Folder 3

Item 5: Letter from H. G. Wells, RMSP Andes, to Anthony West, 1924 January 4

1 item (8 pages): manuscript. Signed "Your Daddy Wellsie." Discusses the bullying that Anthony is receiving. Wells reflects upon his own childhood bully and the strategy he used to discourage the bully.

Item 6: Note from H. G. Wells, Dunmow, to Anthony West, undated

1 item (2 pages): manuscript. Informs Anthony that Wells is sick with influenza and will have to cancel their plans. Mentions Rebecca West.

Series 2: Anthony West correspondence

Box 1

Folder 4

Item 1: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Aunt, 1924 June 8?

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed "Dear Aunty." Discusses his conversion to Catholicism and the school's new buildings.

Item 2: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Aunt, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed "Dear Aunty." Informs his aunt that visiting day is canceled due to a measles outbreak.

Item 3: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Aunt, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed "Dear Aunty." Discusses his progress in school.

Item 4: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Aunt, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed "Dear Aunty." Discusses the upcoming term and the potential arrival of "Panther" (Rebecca West).

Item 5: Note from Anthony West to Aunt, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed "Dear Aunty." Requests more school books.

Folder 5

Item 6: Postcard from Anthony West, Harlyn Bay, to Letitia Fairfield, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed to "Lettie." Wishes Lettie better health and updates her on "my butterflys."

Item 7: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Letitia Fairfield, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed to "Aunt Lettie." Discusses the masters at school, church, and his swimming.

Item 8: Note from Anthony West, Maidenhead, to Letitia Fairfield, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed to "Aunty Letty." Discusses his conversion to Catholicism and a strange dream he had.

Item 9: Letter from Anthony West to Letitia Fairfield, undated

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Addressed to "Lettie." Discusses the bombs and the safety of his children.

Item 10: Letter from Anthony West, Ecchinswell, to Letitia Fairfield, undated

1 item (2 pages): typescript. Addressed to "Letty." Discusses the harvesting for Chapel Farm and World War II troop strategy, specifically with regard to Russia.

Folder 6

Item 11: Postcard from Rebecca West, Capri, Italy?, to Anthony West, 1923?

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Signed "Panther." Describes the fisherman Spadaro, who is featured on the front of the postcard.

Item 12: Postcard from Rebecca West, Capri, Italy?, to Anthony West, 1923?

1 item (1 page): manuscript. Signed "Panther." Discusses the letters he sent her and describes the photograph on the front of the postcard.

Folder 7

Item 13: Drawing, undated

1 item (2 pages): A sheet of paper with several sketches.