manoscmr10 Mary Webb Papers, 1898-1926 Finding Aid Finding aid prepared by Hannah M. Stott-Bumsted. Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Mortimer Rare Book Room, William Allan Neilson Library, Smith College
Northampton, MA
2003

Smith College. All rights reserved.

 Finding aid encoded using Perl scripts and edited in XMetal 2.0. Encoded by Eric Steven Cartier. 2003-09-15 Finding aid written in English. 2005-09-23 manoscmr10 converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02-5c.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Smith CollegeWilliam Allan Neilson LibraryMortimer Rare Book Room Mary Webb Papers, 1898-1926 Finding Aid Manuscript Number 8 Compiled by Hannah M. Stott-Bumsted October 1994 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

© 2003 Smith College. All rights reserved.

 Collection Overview Webb, Mary Gladys Meredith, 1881-1927 Mary Webb Papers1898-1926 MS 8 1 box (0.5 linear ft.) Mortimer Rare Book Room
Smith College Northampton, MA
English poet and novelist acknowledged by the Institut Français in 1926 for "the best imaginative work in prose or verse descriptive of English life by an author who has not gained sufficient recognition." Includes 30 holographs and 58 typescript drafts of 80 poems as well as a holograph draft of a book review. English and French Biographical Note

Mary Webb was born in Leighton-under-the-Wrekin, Shropshire, England, on March 25, 1881 to George Edward and Sarah Alice Meredith. She was educated at home by her schoolmaster father, but spent two years in Southport attending a private school. Webb suffered from Graves's disease throughout her adult life, her most serious attack keeping her bedridden for several years at the age of twenty. She married Henry Webb in June 1912, and lived in Shropshire until 1921 when the couple moved to London. The Institut Français presented her with the Femina/Vie Heureuse prize for Precious Bane in 1926, acknowledging "the best imaginative work in prose or verse descriptive of English life by an author who has not gained sufficient recognition."

Her writings include the novels The Golden Arrow (London: Constable, 1916; New York: Dutton, 1935), Gone to Earth (London: Constable, 1917; New York: Dutton, 1917), The House in Dormer Forest (London: Hutchinson, 1920; New York: Doran, 1921), Seven for a Secret, A Love Story (London: Hutchinson, 1922; New York: Doran, 1923), Precious Bane (London: Cape, 1924; New York: Dutton, 1926), Armour Wherein He Trusted (London: Cape, 1929; New York: Dutton, 1929), a collection of essays entitled The Spring of Joy (London and Toronto: Dent/New York: Dutton, 1917; New York: Dutton, 1937), a poetry collection Fifty-one Poems Hitherto Unpublished in Book Form (London: Cape, 1946; New York: Dutton, 1947) and two anthologies Poems and the Spring of Joy (London: Cape, 1928; New York: Dutton, 1929) and Mary Webb: Collected Prose and Poems, edited by Gladys Mary Coles (Shropshire: Wildings, 1977).

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Mary Webb Papers contain 30 holographs and 58 typescript drafts of 80 poems as well as a holograph draft of a book review. The majority of these poems were published in 51 Poems (London: Cape, 1946; New York: Dutton, 1947), a posthumously published collection. The bulk of the material is undated; those works which are dated span the years 1898-1926. Twelve manuscripts were presented to Smith College by David J. and Barbara Holmes on March 29, 1994 in memory of Ruth Mortimer, Class of 1953. The book review was purchased from the Book Press on July 18, 1990, in a red cloth folder with the bookplate of H. Bradley Martin. The remaining 77 manuscripts were purchased in May 1994 from David J. Holmes on the Fund established by Hillier Krieghbaum, in memory of his wife Katherine Lancaster Krieghbaum, Class of 1938. The 77 manuscripts were housed in a blue full leather clamshell box and in a green cloth slipcase with the bookplates of H. Bradley Martin.

 Organization of the Collection

This collection is organized into two series:

I. Review by Mary Webb II. Poems by Mary Webb, 1898-1926 Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The Mary Webb Papers are the physical property of the Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors of works or their legal representatives.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Mary Webb Papers, Mortimer Rare Book Room, Smith College.

 History of the Collection

Twelve manuscripts were presented to Smith College by David J. and Barbara Holmes on March 29, 1994 in memory of Ruth Mortimer, Class of 1953. The book review was purchased from the Book Press on July 18, 1990, in a red cloth folder with the bookplate of H. Bradley Martin. The remaining 77 manuscripts were purchased in May 1994 from David J. Holmes on the Fund established by Hillier Krieghbaum, in memory of his wife Katherine Lancaster Krieghbaum, Class of 1938. The 77 manuscripts were housed in a blue full leather clamshell box and in a green cloth slipcase with the bookplates of H. Bradley Martin.

Search Terms Webb, Mary Gladys Meredith, 1881-1927. Women novelists, English--20th century. Women poets, English--20th century. Series I. Review by Mary Webb, n.d. (1 item)

Series I. consists of one holograph entitled "Plus que de l'esprit" which is a review of Ariel (1924) and Mape (1926) by Andre Maurois (Folder 1).

 Series II. Poems of Mary Webb, 1898-1926, n.d. (88 items)

Series II. consists of 88 holograph and typescript drafts of 80 poems. Two drafts exist for the following titles: "Buds," "The Dance," "The Footpath," "Hazel Buds," "Praise," "The Thought," and "The White Moth". Forty-five of these poems are published in Fifty-one Poems (London: Cape, 1946; New York: Dutton, 1947), six are published in Poems and the Spring of Joy (London: Cape, 1928; New York: Dutton, 1929) and twenty-nine are unpublished.

 Series I. Review by Mary Webb, n.d. (1 item) 1 "Plus que de l'esprit": holograph, signed, n.d. 6 leaves (6 pages); 22 cm.

Address: Spring Cottage, Lythe Hill, Shrewsbury.

Book Press

 Series II. Poems of Mary Webb, 1898-1926, n.d. (88 items) 2 "Absence": typescript, 1921 Jun 2 leaves (2 pages); 26 cm or smaller.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 42-3.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 3 "Adam": typescript, signed, 1919 6 leaves (6 pages); 26 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 4 "Alder Buds": holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 10 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 22

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 5 "Among the hills": holograph, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (2 pages); 14 cm.

Unpublished. Address: Penrose, Landemann Circus, Weston-super-mare.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 6 "Apple-blow": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, pg. 41.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 7 [Autumn, 1914]: typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 19 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 45.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 8 [The Beacon]: typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 10 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 39.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 9 "The Beautiful House": holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 12 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 11.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 10 [Beauty and Terror]: typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 fragment); 12 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 20.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 11 "Beloved! Beloved! I hear in the darkness...": holograph, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 12 [Bounty]: typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 12 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 14.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 13 [Buds]: holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 8 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 32. Variant title: "Earth's Trainband".

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 14 "Buds": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 32. Variant title: "Earth's Trainband".

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 15 "Caterina to Camoens": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 11 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 16 "A Conqueror": typescript, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 27 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 17 [The Dance]: typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 23 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 15.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 18 "The Dance": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 15.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 19 "Dawn": holograph, 1902 Jun 1 leaf (2 pages); 21 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 20 "Desolation": typescript, corrected, 1909 Jan 1 leaf (1 page); 13 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, pg. 24. Address: Maesbrook.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 21 "An Estray": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 23 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 59. Additional stanza and manuscript note.

Holmes

 22 [The Fawn]: holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 11 cm.

Unpublished. Manuscript title: "Pastel".

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 23 "The Fawn": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 12 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 24 "The Flockmaster": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 61.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 25 "The Footpath (I)": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 26 "The Footpath (II)": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 27 "Foreboding": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 48.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 28 "The Gates of Green and Gold": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 29 [The Goblet]: holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (2 pages); 21 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 60.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 30 "The Grape-Blue Hills": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf ( 1 page); 12 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 57.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 31 [The Great Wind]: typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 13 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 16.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 32 "Harps in Heaven": typescript, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 33 "Harvest Song": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 31. Address: [Penrose, Landemann] Circus, [Weston-super-]mare.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 34 "Hazel Buds": holograph, uncorrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1page); 9 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 29.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 35 "Hazel Buds": typescript, uncorrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 29.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 36 "Heavy Silence": holograph, uncorrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 7 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 23.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 37 "The Heritage": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 11 cm.

Unpublished.

Holmes

 38 "Hill Pastures": holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 27 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 54.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 39 "In April": typescript, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 21 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 30-31.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 40 "Into a broken heart...": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 16 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 41 "Isolde": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 40.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 42 "I watched him in the loud and shadowy lane...": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 9 cm.

Unpublished.

Holmes

 43 "I worship the earth and the airs that blow...": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 44 [Lilies in the Valleys]: holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 34.

Holmes

 45 "The Lost Orchard": typescript, corrected n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 56. Manuscript note: Sunday Pictorial, 1920.

Holmes

 46 "A Lover of Roses": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 13 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p.46.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 47 "Magic": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 50.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 48 "Master of the Coppice": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 15 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 9.

Holmes

 49 [The Mountain Tree]: typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 8 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 12.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 50 "My Love is in the Mountains": typescript, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 18 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 53.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 51 "Nature's Dogmatists": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 17 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 17.

Holmes

 52 "New Year's Day": holograph, corrected, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 25 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 44.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 53 "Night in the Open Air": holograph, 1911 May 1 leaf (1 page); 23 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 21. Address: Radbrook.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 54 "On the Hills": holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); p. 13

Published in 51 Poems, p. 30.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 55 [On the Wild Hill]: holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (2 pages); 21 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 55.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 56 "The plovers are shrill tonight...": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 7 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 57 "The Poplar Tree": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 18 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 62.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 58 "Praise": holograph, signed, [1920] 1 leaf (1 page); 23 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 63.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 59 "Praise": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 63.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 60 "Quick Swallows, cosmopolitans of the air...": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 61 [Reflections]: holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 9 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 34.

Holmes

 62 "The rivers ran from rock to rock...": typescript, corrected, signed, 1921 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm

Unpublished. Address: Leinster Square.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 63 "Rondeau Redouble": holograph, 1909 1 leaf (2 pages); 23 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 64 [Rose-Berries]: typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 36. Manuscript title: "The Rose-Berry"

Krieghbaum, Green case

 65 [Sallow-Catkins]: typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 24 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 28.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 66 [The Secret Joy]: holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 15 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 29. Manuscript title: "Freemasonry".

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 67 "The Sedge-warbler": holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 68 "Shepherd's Song": holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 16 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 69 "Snowdrop Time": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page; 7 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 39.

Krieghbaum, Green case

 70 "Spring": holograph, 1898 1 leaf (2 pages); 11 cm or less

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 71 "Summer Remembered": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 22 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 36-7.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 72 "Sunset": holograph, uncorrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 21 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 49

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 73 "Thanksgiving": holograph, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 30 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 74 "There are the pastures of sleep...": typescript, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 12 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 75 [The Thought]: holograph, uncorrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 15 cm.

Published in Poems and The Secret of Joy, p. 103. Manuscript title: "The Messenger"

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 76 "The Thought": typescript, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 23 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 103.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 77 "Thunderbolts": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 78 "To G.D.M.": holograph, corrected, 1919 Sep 15 1 leaf (1 page); 20 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 51.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 79 "To Life": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Green case

 80 "To my Dear": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 21 cm.

See: "Sunset"

81 "Two Faiths": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page), 19 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 17.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 82 "Unfinished Embroidery": holograph, corrected, n.y. Jan 5 1 leaf (1 page); 21 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 83 "Very Early": typescript, corrected, signed, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 58.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 84 [The White Moth]: holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 25 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 85 "The White Moth": typescript, n.d. 2 leaves (2 pages); 25 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 86 "The Wild Rose": typescript, corrected, signed, [ca. 1912] 1 leaf (1 page); 14 cm.

Published in Poems and The Spring of Joy, p. 111.

Krieghbaum, Green case

 87 "The Wondrous Voice:" holograph, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page) 2 pages; 20 cm.

Unpublished.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 88 "The Wood-Witch": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 33.

Krieghbaum, Blue case

 89 "The Yellow-Hammer": typescript, corrected, n.d. 1 leaf (1 page); 26 cm.

Published in 51 Poems, p. 10.

Krieghbaum, Blue case