BETJEMAN (Sir John, 1906-1982, Poet Laureate)

Carbon Copy of a Typed Letter Signed to “Dear and Learned Clerk” the copy is addressed to Mrs R. S. Thomas the copy letter says he is “most grateful for your action over the two-stroke engine, it is now somewhat muffled. The enclosed letter from the wife of that great poet, the Rev. R.S. Thomas, and herself a considerable artist, is I like to hope, alarmist and two of the lamp standards have been taken down for repair...”, with autograph postcript “Copy to Mrs R.S. Can I come & see you? What a good drawing of the lamp-post. Love to Ronald. John B”, 1 side A4, 43 Cloth Fair headed paper, with original typed envelope, 7th March

The letter referred to (not present) from Thomas's wife appears to have warned the Laureate about dangerous lamp standards around Smithfield (where Mrs. Thomas was in hospital at Barts at the time).
Ronald Stuart THOMAS (1913-2000) published published as R. S. Thomas, was a Welsh poet and Anglican priest noted for nationalism, spirituality and dislike of the anglicisation of Wales. John Betjeman, introducing Song at the Year's Turning (1955), the first collection of Thomas's poetry from a major publisher, predicted that Thomas would be remembered long after he himself was forgotten. His wife Mildred Elsie ELDRIDGE (1909-1991) known as Elsi was a British artist, mural painter and book illustrator.

Item Date:  1972

Stock No:  42043      £275

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