Literary and personal papers, 1909-1953, of Joyce Anstruther Placzek, known as 'Jan Struther', with related papers, 1954-2010, including printed material and press cuttings.
Scope and Contents
Articles and poems published in newspapers and magazines are all faithfully preserved in 16 large albums of press cuttings.
She was a keen supporter of the Democratic Party and the correspondence files contain some letters of Eleanor Roosevelt and Adlai Stevenson. The papers include several travel journals, and manuscripts and typescripts of many articles, verses, songs and hymns - which she had a gift for writing, despite her own agnosticism. Also significant are the manuscripts of two unfinished works: an autobiography, and ‘Cactus and Columbine’ which was to have been her book about the USA, where she lived for most of the last 10 years of her life.
In addition to her own papers, and generally filed alongside the relevant manuscripts, are related documents (mostly newspaper and journal articles) collected after Joyce Placzek`s death.
Dates
- Creation: 1909-2010.
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
Normal access conditions apply.
Conditions Governing Use
Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.
Extent
75 Consultation units (15 albums, approximately 30 files of loose papers (removed from lever-arch binders) and 27 small diaries and notebooks.)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The Jan Struther archive was arranged and listed by her son, Robert Maxtone Graham. It remains in the order in which it was received, other than a slight reshuffle to bring together the notes and manuscript of ‘Cactus and Columbine’. The fonds is arranged into the following series:
1-16. Albums of published articles and verse; with related press cuttings.
17. Small format notebooks and diaries.
18-19. Prose.
20-22. Verses, songs and hymns.
23. Juvenilia.
24-26. Plays.
27-29. Autobiography.
30-35. Travel writing and journals.
36-38. Contracts and other work-related papers.
39-41. Miscellaneous personal papers.
42-47. Correspondence.
48. Biographical material.
49. Catalogue.
Other Finding Aids
Inventory available.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Presented, 2010, by Mr R Maxtone Graham, Sandwich.
Appraisal
Everything has been retained, other than a few duplicated copies of songs. Photocopies have been made of a few very fragile papers for conservation reasons and for ease of consultation.
- Title
- National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
- Author
- National Library of Scotland
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Prepared Using Local Descriptive Rules
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700
manuscripts@nls.uk