Correspondence of Osborne Henry Mavor, 1888-1951, playwright as James Bridie

Scope and Content

  • 3 holograph and 6 typed letters signed by James Bridie to'A B H' 1939-1949, mainly on theatrical topics
  • Letter from James Bridie to Henry Ainley mentioning George Bernard Shaw and Noel Coward, 20 October 1940

Administrative / Biographical History

Osborne Henry Mavor ( 1888-1951 ) studied medicine at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, qualifying in 1913 . He was a consulting physician to the Glasgow Victoria Infirmary and for some time professor of medicine at Anderson's College in Glasgow. He is better known, however, as a playwright. His main pseudonym was James Bridie, but he also wrote as Mary Henderson and A P Kellock. He was a friend of Alfred Wareing (1876-1942) who founded the Glasgow Repertory Theatre. His first public offering was The Sunlight Sonata (1928), written under the pseudonym Mary Henderson, and he had plays performed by the Scottish National Players; but it was The Anatomist which really began his writing career. He wrote 42 plays altogether. In 1943 he was one of the founders of the Glasgow Citizens' Theatre, where many of his plays were performed. He also played a role in the founding of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and was a member of the Arts Council's Scottish Committee and an adviser to the Edinburgh Festival. He served in both the First and Second World Wars in the Royal Army Medical Corps.

See Ronald Mavor, Dr Mavor and Mr Bridie ( Edinburgh, 1988 )

Arrangement

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Access Information

Access is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Acquisition Information

Duval, Edinburgh : 1963 : ACCN 4130

Purchase : Ifan Kyrle Fletcher, London : 1964 : ACCN 4137

Other Finding Aids

Alternative Form Available

No known copies

Archivist's Note

Compiled by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, March 2003

No alterations made to date

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents. Applications for permission to quote should be sent to Archives and Special Collections, please email: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 247 procedures

Custodial History

Unknown

Accruals

None expected

Related Material

GB 233 Accs 9987, 11309-10 Papers of James Bridie (National Library of Scotland Manuscripts division)

GB 247 STA Bridie Papers of James Bridie (Scottish Theatre Archive)

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Material in other repositories: no material associated by provenance