Correspondence and literary manuscripts of William Makepeace Thackeray, with related material

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 206 Brotherton Collection MS 19c Thackeray
  • Dates of Creation
      ca. 1835-1860
  • Name of Creator
  • Language of Material
      English
  • Physical Description
      1 box and 1 envelope, manuscript and typescript. The volume is finely bound in dark green Cape Levant Morocco gilt, lettered 'ORIGINAL LETTERS AND MSS. OF W.M. THACKERAY' and held in a brown solander box made in art canvas

Scope and Content

Comprises: (1) 26 letters and manuscripts dated 1835-1860, guarded in order and bound in 1 vol., accompanied by an annotated typed list of contents by Dr Eric Millar and the bill for the cost of binding dated 14 Nov 1946; the manuscripts comprise the ballads 'The three sailors' and 'The caique' (the latter with an original drawing), and a page of the manuscript of the novel Philip; (2) 1 autograph sketch for the penultimate illustration in Vanity Fair, ca. 1847, together with a photocopy of the same illustration as printed, with the caption 'Becky's second appearance in the character of Clytemnestra'

Administrative / Biographical History

William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863), the novelist, best-known for his Vanity Fair, 1847-1848. For full details of his life and work see the Dictionary of National Biography

Access Information

Access is unrestricted

Acquisition Information

The box of letters and manuscripts was purchased from Dr Eric G. Millar of the British Museum on 29 Nov 1956, the autograph sketch from Maggs on 14 Jun 1983

Note

In English

Other Finding Aids

The letters are listed in the Letters database http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/letters/letlink.htm#thackeray

Custodial History

Dr Millar's list of contents in most cases notes the seller from whom he bought the items.