Fonds RBSC-ARC-1164 - E.M. Delafield fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

E.M. Delafield fonds

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  • Source of title proper: Title based on the provenance of the fonds.

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Fonds

Reference code

RBSC-ARC-1164

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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

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Date(s)

  • [ca. 1910-1963] (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

38.5 cm of textual records; 38 photographs

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Archival description area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The British author E.M. Delafield, 1890-1943, was the pseudonym of Edmée Elizabeth Monica Dashwood, the daughter of the novelist Mrs. Henry de la Pasture. Her pseudonym is a variant on her maiden name. In 1919, she married Arthur Dashwood and had two children, a son killed in the Second World War and a daughter named Ros Truelove. In the First World War, she served as a Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) nurse in Exeter and later worked for the Ministry of National Service at Bristol. Delafield published about forty novels and three plays. From her first novel, Zella Sees Herself (1917), her books were consistently best sellers. Her most popular novel was The Diary of a Provincial Lady (1930). Women were featured prominently in her writing. Delafield was also a popular lecturer, travelled extensively in the United States and Russia, and wrote about both countries. She was a contributor to Punch for eleven years and was known for her satire and wit. In addition, Delafield wrote several studies in criminology and on the Bronte family, and participated in and wrote a number of radio talks and plays.

Custodial history

The fonds had been donated in the 1970s by Ros Truelove, E.M. Delafield's daughter.

Scope and content

Fonds reflects E.M. Delafield's career and interests as a writer and lecturer in the early decades of the twentieth century. Some of the items in the fonds were also made or received by persons related to E.M. Delafield. Textual records in the fonds consist of letters related to Delafield's research and writing on the British author Charlotte Yonge and unpublished manuscripts, plays, short articles, book reviews, and lectures written by Delafield pertaining to her interests in Charlotte Yonge, women, religion, the lives of the British upper class, and other subjects. The fonds also includes clippings, obituary notices, photographs, and records related to the writings of Lorna Lewis. Fonds consists of seven series: Incoming letters; Manuscripts; Lecture notes; Newspaper clippings; Personal photographs; Records related to Lorna Lewis; and Outgoing letters.

Notes area

Physical condition

Materials are in excellent condition.

Immediate source of acquisition

Arrangement

Records in the fonds have been arranged by the archivist. An accrual made in 2018 was added to the fonds in the form of the Outgoing Correspondence series.

Language of material

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Microfilm copy available at UBC Library, Rare Books and Special Collections division.

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Finding aids

RBSC created the finding aid for the fonds in December 2009 based on an inventory completed in 1976. This finding aid was updated in July 2018 with an addendum to reflect the accrual.

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Accruals

An accrual to the fonds made in 2018 was purhcased by RBSC staff from a private collector.

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Description updated by Claire Williams in July 2018.

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