Diary, 2 April 1945-28 February 1950

Containers:

Box 1

Component identifier:

File 3

Content Summary:

Maroon paper boards, entries black, blue and occasionally green ink or pencil entries, inscribed with Plumstead address. Start of years illustrated with drawings, 1949 with putti holding a crown over a cornucopia. Some notes on expenditure at end, also addresses and telephone numbers. Inserts inside front cover: letters 2 and 21 July 1948 from Aubrey Toppin, York Herald, College of Arms London re work on his pedigree; cutting of letter by Boyd to the Times April 1945 on the place of the Classics; an airletter from Julian Smith, Cheam Surrey 25 August 1948 thanking Martin for a visit and book token; letter addressed just to 'Martin Boyd, author' from Jan Flier, Breda, Holland, 26 July 1948, praising Scandal of Spring and Lucinda Brayford and inviting him to visit him in Breda. Inserts inside back cover include: notes for a proposed book called The Savage Race, 'an idea for a novel on the times of Virginia Woolf in Orlando but not with one character'; scrap with 'coat of arms' of Martin a'Beckett Boyd, astrological workings; and miscellaneous scraps re books read or to read and music.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers of Martin Boyd that were retained by his sister, Lady Nolan (nee Mary Boyd), following his death in 1972 and after her death in 2016 by her immediate family from whom the collection was acquired.

Subjects:

Arts

Access and use