Description compiled by Robert Steiner, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives.
In January 1957 Siegfried Sassoon (1886-1967), poet and author, began corresponding with Mother Margaret Mary (McFarlin) of the Convent of the Assumption, a correspondence which led directly to his being received into the Roman Catholic Church in August of that year.
Nos. 1-345, 1957-1967.
Nos. 346-352, 1957-1962.
No. 353, 1964.
No. 354. Notes by Mother Margaret Mary giving an account of her friendship with Sassoon (5 pages), together with a brief commentary on some of the letters of 1957-1963 inclusive, identifying the people mentioned, etc.
Nos. 355-396. Miscellaneous letters from various correspondents to Sassoon, cards and photographs, which Sassoon sent to Mother Margaret with some of his letters.
Nos. 397-408, 1959 and 1967, with a covering letter from George Sassoon, no. 409, 6 Nov. 1970, stating that these were all the letters that could be found.
Nos. 410-435. The letters include some about the death of Sassoon and appreciations of him and of his work.
No. 450, packet. Reviews of Sassoon's books and of books about him, obituaries, and notices of the sale of Sassoon's library.
No. 500, 18 Sep. 1957. A letter having no connection with Sassoon, but concerning Waugh's projected biography of Ronald Knox.
Presented by Mother Margaret Mary, 1973, 1976 and 1981.
Open for consultation by holders of a Reader's Ticket valid for the Manuscripts Reading Room.
Additional Manuscripts Catalogue.
Cambridge University Library holds other papers of Siegfried Sassoon, MSS.Add.8276, 8483-8494, 8538, 8539, 8541, and 8889, as well as letters from Siegfried Sassoon to Sir Geoffrey and Margaret Keynes, MS.Add.8633. There are also microfilms of the drafts of poems dating from 1897-1965, Microfilm MSS 11283-11287. Books from Sassoon's library are in the Rare Books class CCC.39.