Correspondence with Graham Greene

Title

Correspondence with Graham Greene

Shelfmark

MS. 9696/1

Summary

The letters are very affectionate and include details of daily life, of their two children, of books read and plays and films watched, of friends and family, of his business/literary affairs and their personal finances. Comprises:

correspondence, 1925-1935, mostly letters from Graham to Vivien. Also contains items relating to their wedding in 1927, including the invitation, order of service, two photographs and a press cutting. Graham moved into a flat at 8 Heathcroft, Hampstead Way, London in March 1927 and after their marriage, the couple lived here together until the end of February 1931 when they moved to Chipping Campden. They lived at Little Orchard in Chipping Campden, Mar 1931-Jun 1933. As finances improved they moved to 9 Woodstock Close in Oxford in June 1933. Their first child, Lucy, was born in Oxford in December 1933. In April 1935 they moved back to London, renting a house at 14 North Side, Clapham Common and their son Francis was born in September 1936. Undated letters from the period are at the end of the folder. [Most of the letters written from Graham to Vivien during their courtship, 1925-1927, are at the Harry Ransom Center, Texas.]

correspondence, 1939-1944. From 1941 the letters are mostly from Vivien. At the outbreak of war Vivien and their two children went to live with Graham's parents at Incents, Beacon Road, Crowborough. He remained in London where he worked at The Spectator. Their London home (14 North Side, Clapham Common) was destroyed by bombs in 1940. In January 1941 Vivien and the children moved to Oxford and lived in the President's Lodgings, Trinity College. In December 1941 Graham went to Lagos, Nigeria (Jan-Mar 1942) and then to Freetown, Sierra Leone (Apr 1942-Feb 1943) as part of his work for MI6. He returned to London in March 1943 and began working for the publisher Eyre & Spottiswoode. They continued to live apart due to the war. In May 1944 Vivien and the children moved to 15 Beaumont St, Oxford. Undated letters from this period are at the end of the folder.

Date

1925-1944

Language

English

Physical extent

1 box