Item 31 - Copy of a letter from N. V. H. Symons to Otto Skutsch

1 sheet

(Lymington, Hants.?)—Expresses support for the proposed edition of A. E. Housman’s articles, and offers related advice.

(Carbon copy.)

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Transcript

Professor O. Skutsch, Dr. Phil.
University College, | London.
20 Dec. 1960

Dear Professor Skutsch,

Thank you for your letter of the 15th Dec. which reached me yesterday.

I am the nearest surviving relative of A. E. Housman, the next relatives are my nephews, and I think I can speak better than anyone else on behalf of his family. On behalf of the family I would raise no objection at all to the kind of publication you contemplate for the purpose of promoting scholarship. I feel very strongly on the question of the dead imposing their wills on the living and I think the living are entitled to use their own judgment and discretion in carrying out testamentary directions.

But you will have to be careful to keep on the right side of the law and the position as regards this is as follows:—

(1) Barclays’s Bank were appointed by A. E. H. as his executors & trustees.

(2) He gave & bequeathed all his copyrights to the Bank on trust for the last survivor of his brothers & sisters absolutely.

(3) The last surviving brother or sister was Laurence Housman and he left everything to his great nephew R. E. Symons whose address is Box 1328 Salisbury, S. Rhodesia. All A. E. Housman’s copyrights now vest in R. E. Symons.

(4) A. E. H.’s directions in his will regarding his classical writings are:—

“Lastly I expressly desire and wish my desire to be made as widely known as possible that none of my writings which have apeared† in periodical publications shall be collected and reprinted in any shape or form and I expressly forbid the Bank to allow the reprinting of any such artcles† the copyright of which is vested in myself.”

The points that arise are:—

(1) Which, if any, of the writings it is desired to publish are still protected by copyright?

(2) If there are any such, does the embargo imposed on the Bank as regards reprinting apply in any way to R. E. Symons?

(3) If not, is he willing to allow reprinting?

If you decide to aproach† R. E. Symons on point 3, I suggest that you should give him the facts on point 1 and that you should take legal opinion on point 2 and furnish him with it.

I would also request you to send him a copy of this letter so that he will know my attitude which is, of course, not in the least binding on him.

I am informing Barclay’s Bank of what has transpired so far.

Yours sincerely,
(Sd) N. V. H. Symons

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1 sheet. Carbon copy of a typed original. The last line was added by hand.

† Sic.

This description was created by A. C. Green in 2023.