Item 34 - Letter from John Carter to N. V. H. Symons

26 Carlyle Square, London, SW3.—Proposes giving the A. E. Housman letters in his possession to University College, London.

(A note of Symons’ reply indicates his preference for Cambridge.)

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Transcript

26 Carlyle Square, London, SW3
5th January 1961

Dear Symons

I wrote to you three or four weeks ago but either you have been away or the letter must have gone astray, since I have had no answer to my enquiry.

You will recall that when, after your Mother’s death, two batches of AEH’s letters were turned over to me—(1) letters to her, (2) earlier letters to his Stepmother which Mrs Symons had kept—it was with the understanding that these should ultimately be deposited in a suitable institutional library. I have decided that I would rather put this arrangement into effect now than leave it among the minor worries my executors will have to face; and I have come to the conclusion that the most suitable repository would be the Library of University College London. Neither Cambridge nor Oxford have, as you know, shown any great interest in Housmanian matters, while UCL, which is very proud of him, notably has, and the librarian, Joseph Scott, is an enthusiast.

But I did not want to do this without making sure that you approved of the arrangement, and I should be glad to hear that you do.
With the compliments of the season,

Yours sincerely
John Carter

N. V. H. Symons, Esq. CIE, JP,
Lymington,
Hants.

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Typed, except the initial and final greetings and the signature. The letter-head describes the writer as a Bibliographical Consultant. At the foot the recipient has written: ‘R. 7.1.61. Cambridge pre-ferred for reasons given but leave decision to him. N.V.H.S.’