Final report of the Doctoral Fellowship titled Creative Networks and Authors’ Houses: Links Between The British Library and National Trust

Abstract

• This report outlines the scope, findings and experience of the British Library and National Trust Doctoral Fellowship called Creative Networks and Authors’ Houses. Josip Martincic undertook a three-month placement to explore the networks and homes of George Bernard Shaw, Virginia Woolf and Rudyard Kipling. The overarching purpose of the fellowship was to uncover connections between the authors, through their homes and manuscripts. Martincic summarises each author’s relationship with their home, setting the timeframe and the opportunity of contact. Examples of interaction follow, both in-person contact between the authors and references in their writings. The findings show few personal interactions took place, despite the geographical closeness of the writers. The strongest exception is the connection between Woolf and Shaw, as detailed below. Searching for written references by and about each writer shows more potential. Martincic gives a few examples form correspondence, literature, reviews, and recommends this an area for further research. Having set the scene, the research focussed on the manuscript collection at the British Library. By analysing the scope and provenance, Martincic shows the contrasts between the three authors in the way they wished their work, and their home, to be preserved and presented. In doing so he connects both the British Library and National Trust as spaces where the legacy of each author is expressed. The opportunities within the wider social network of each author is discussed. A summary of the public engagement related to this fellowship is provided. The recommendations for future fellowships include a focus on a single author, such as Shaw or Henry James. In conclusion, Martincic reflects on the impact the fellowship has had on his own understanding of the authors.