Murdoch, Iris (1919-1999): Letters and postcards from Iris Murdoch to Carmen Callil

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 2108 KUAS110
Held at	: Kingston University   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.kingston.ac.uk/informationservices/archives/archives_index.html ›
Full title	: Murdoch, Iris (1919-1999): Letters and postcards from Iris Murdoch to Carmen Callil
Date(s)	: [1980-2002]
Level of description	: Collection (fonds)
Extent	: 1 file
Name of creator(s)	: Murdoch | Dame | Jean Iris | 1919-1999 | author Callil | Carmen | b. 1938 | publisher

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Iris Murdoch was born in Dublin, Ireland on 15 Jul 1919. When she was very young Iris and her parents moved to London, England, and Iris studied at Frobel and Badminton Schools. She followed this with studies in classics, ancient history and philosophy at Oxford, and further study at Cambridge. During the war years Iris worked for the Treasury in London, and then joined the UNRRA providing relief in formerly occupied countries in Europe. In 1948 she became a fellow of St Anne's College, Oxford, where she taught and researched philosophy. Iris Murdoch wrote a number of tracts on philosophy, however it is for her novels that she is best known. She wrote 26 novels in total, her first being 'Under the Net' published in 1954. Other notable works include 'The Bell' and 'The Sea, the Sea', for which she won the Booker Prize. Her last novel, 'Jackson's Dilemma', was published in 1995.

In her youth Iris Murdoch had relationships with a number of individuals, including Elias Canetti. She met author and scholar John Bayley while at Oxford, and they married in 1956. She wrote to a great number of people and maintained friendships in this way. Later in life Iris Murdoch was diagnosed with Alzheimers disease, the first effects of which she had attributed to writer's block. She died in 1999.

Carmen Callil is best known as a publisher- during her career in the field she founded Virago Press in 1972. She has also written a number of books in her own right.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Approximately 30 cards and letters from Iris Murdoch to her publisher Carmen Callil, with some additional invitations to events celebrating the life and work of Iris Murdoch.

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Original order

Conditions governing access:

Letters are available to view by appointment in the Archives and Special Collections. Please request appointments at least 24 hours in advance by emailing archives@kingston.ac.uk

Conditions governing reproduction:

Letters and cards can not be copied at this time.

Finding aids:

Collection is not yet fully catalogued, once it is the listing will be available on our online catalogue at http://adlib.kingston.ac.uk

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Purchased by the Iris Murdoch Archives Project for the collection at Kingston University Archives and Special Collections.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:

Date(s) of descriptions:
29 Jun 2015