Ruth Spalding Collection

Collection — Box: 1

Identifier: Wade-A-46

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This archive has six series: Correspondence, Works by Charles Williams, Portrait of Charles Williams, Works About Charles Williams, Drama & Theater Materials, and Miscellanea.

The Correspondence series contains personal correspondence from Ruth Spalding, some of which relates to Charles Williams as well. Works by Charles Williams includes a few published, transcribed, or adapted works by Williams, and book inscriptions by him.

The Portrait of Charles Williams series contains materials relating to a 1961 BBC radio broadcast of remembrances by people who knew Williams. Works about Williams consists of various secondary materials such as articles, etc. on the life and work of Charles Williams.

Drama and Theater Materials includes various advertisements, programs, etc. from staged performances of Williams’s plays and the work of the Oxford Pilgrim Players. The Miscellanea series contains handwritten notes by Ruth Spalding, and other published items relating to Williams events and the Charles Williams Society.

Several letters and manuscripts were removed from this archive and placed in the Charles Williams Papers and manuscript collections. The contents of this archive were acquired over a number of years from both Anne and Ruth Spalding

Dates

Created: 1938-1997

Creator

Spalding, Ruth. (Person)

Biographical or Historical Information

The contents of this archive are from the Spalding family, Ruth and Anne being sisters and the children in the family. The Spaldings had Charles Williams as a lodger during World War II when he was evacuated with the Oxford University Press from London to Oxford. Williams became a family friend, and Ruth’s interest in theater led to collaborations with Williams and the staging of some of his plays. Ruth founded and served as Artistic Director for the theater troupe, The Oxford Pilgrim Players.

Extent

1.00 box : 40 folders

0.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

This archive contains materials from the Spalding family relating to Charles Williams, particularly in the areas of drama, secondary materials about Williams, and the 1961 BBC radio broadcast of “A Portrait of Charles Williams.”

Source of Acquisition

95/18, 95/19, 02/97, 04/20, 06/200

Related Publications

Researchers interested in this archive may also wish to consult the following resources in the Wade Center holdings:

Charles Williams Papers (letter collection)

Charles Williams Manuscript collection (various titles)

Sound Recordings:

Spalding, Anne, INTERVIEW WITH ANNE SPALDING. Interviewer: David L. Dodds, December 4, 1989. OH / SR-42.

Spalding, Ruth, CHARLES WILLIAMS, OUR WARTIME LODGER, Oxford C.S. Lewis Society Lecture, March 1, 1988. CSL-Y / SR-311.

Spalding, Ruth, INTERVIEW WITH RUTH SPALDING, Interviewer: Lyle Dorsett, July 13, 1987. OH / SR-43.

Spalding, Ruth. PORTRAIT OF CHARLES WILLIAMS. BBC. September 13, 1961. CW-Y / SR-20 (also cataloged as CSL-V / SR-13).

Other materials in the Wade Center holdings may relate to the topics in this archive. See the archivist for further research assistance.

Separated Materials

See Charles Williams Manuscript collection: MS numbers 55, 117, 155, 157, 164, 177, 390, 433-435, 440-441, 446-449.

Other Descriptive Information

There is an acquisition file (04/20) for this collection. Several manuscripts were removed from this archive and placed in the Williams manuscript collection. There is a partial research copy of this collection for folders 12-16.

Related URL: http://www.wheaton.edu/wadecenter/Collections-and-Services/Collection-Listings/~/media/Files/Centers-and-Institutes/Wade-Center/RR-Docs/Finding-Aids/W-Spalding.pdf