Margiad Evans Papers,

Papers relating to and created by Margiad Evans (Peggy Eileen Whistler), [1930s]-[1958x1965], comprising material for an unpublished critical biography of Margiad Evans, compiled by W. Arnold Thorpe, [1936x1965], including transcripts by Thorpe of poems, prose and letters by Margiad Evans, scripts of radio broadcasts and extracts of reviews of Margiad Evans's published prose works; correspondence relating to information on Margiad Evans; biographical and related material; Whistler family photographs; notes by W. Arnold Thorpe and source material; together with manuscripts and papers of Margiad Evans, including drafts and copies of poems, some unpublished [c. 1945]-[1958]; unpublished and published prose works, [c. 1930s]-[1958]; notebooks and journals, which include drafts of poems and prose pieces, 1942-[1950s]; correspondence, mainly from Margiad Evans to her husband, 1934-1958; reviews of Autobiography and A Ray of Darkness[1943-1952]; drawings including drawings representing eighteen out of the thirty illustrations for Alfred Williams, Tales from the Panchatantra (Oxford, 1930); and family papers, 1939-[1950s].

Margiad Evans (1909-1958), born Peggy Eileen Whistler (later Williams), was a novelist, poet and artist, from Uxbridge, London. She moved to Bridstow, near Ross-on-Wye in 1920, where she lived until 1936. In 1940 she married Michael Williams and moved to Llangarron, staying there for eight years. She then moved to Gloucestershire and later to Sussex. Her first novel, published in 1932, was Country Dance, she then had three further novels published, The Wooden Doctor (1932), Turf or Stone (1934) and Creed (1936). She also published two autobiographical works, Autobiography (1943) and A Ray of Darkness (1952); a collection of short stories The Old and the Young (1948); and two volumes of poetry, Poems from Obscurity (1947) and A Candle Ahead (1956). She died in 1958.

Arranged into the following: transcripts made by W. A. Thorpe; correspondence; biographical and related material; and photographs.

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Donated to the National Library of Wales by Josephine Thorpe, Barnstaple, Devon (widow of W. A. Thorpe), in June 1982 and Mr Michael Williams, Upper Hartfield, Sussex (widower of Margiad Evans), in September 1982.

Margiad Evans (1909-1958), born Peggy Eileen Whistler (later Williams), was a novelist, poet and artist, from Uxbridge, London. She moved to Bridstow, near Ross-on-Wye in 1920, where she lived until 1936. In 1940 she married Michael Williams and moved to Llangarron, staying there for eight years. She then moved to Gloucestershire and later to Sussex. Her first novel, published in 1932, was Country Dance, she then had three further novels published, The Wooden Doctor (1932), Turf or Stone (1934) and Creed (1936). She also published two autobiographical works, Autobiography (1943) and A Ray of Darkness (1952); a collection of short stories The Old and the Young (1948); and two volumes of poetry, Poems from Obscurity (1947) and A Candle Ahead (1956). She died in 1958.

The following sources were used in the compilation of this description: NLW, Minor Lists and Summaries, 1982 and 1983; Stephens, Meic, Cydymaith i Lenyddiaeth Cymru (Cardiff, 1986); Dearnley, Moira, Margiad Evans (Cardiff, 1982).

Title based on contents of fonds.

A hard copy of the catalogue is available in Minor Lists and Summaries 1982, pp.15-17; and 1983, pp.12-15, at the National Library of Wales. The catalogue can be accessed online.

April 2003.

Compiled by Annette Strauch for the ANW project.

Usual copyright laws apply.

Action: All records donated to the National Library of Wales have been retained.

Accruals are not expected.

Negatives and duplicate prints of some of the photographs have been transferred to the NLW, Photographic Collection. For other papers of Margiad Evans see NLW, Margiad Evans Manuscripts, NLW ex 1672 and 2790, and NLW Facs 870.

Published

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru = The National Library of Wales