The well of loneliness /
Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943)
Category
Books
Date
1928
Materials
Place of origin
England
Collection
Sissinghurst Castle Garden, Kent
NT 3165690
Summary
Bibliographic description
511, [1] p.; 23 cm. Limited pencil text marking, with brief final endpaper annotation and page references. Loosely inserted: 3 newspaper article cuttings relating to the work's obscenity trial, etc: 'The well of loneliness', by James Douglas (Sunday Express 18 Nov [added by hand]; Law and literature (Leading article, Morning Post [by hand]; Saturday, November 17, 1928); 'The well of loneliness. Magistrate finds book obscene ... ' ([cutting in 2 parts], Morning Post [by hand]; November 17, 1928). Also inserted: 3 typescript letters from the solicitors, Rubinstein, Nash & Co. to Vita Sackville-West, requesting her participation in giving "evidence as to the inoffensive nature of the book", dated: 17th October, 23rd October, 31st October, 1928; with 2 draft typescripts of the replies of V. Sackville-West to Messrs. Rubinstein, Nash & Co., dated 22nd and 24th October, 1928, expressing cautious support but unwillingness to take isolated action; also contains typescript form for giving "Opinion of 'The well of loneliness'" [unfilled]. (The third solicitor's letter and form have been slightly affected by insect damage.) Provenance: inscribed "V.N. / Long Barn / July 1928" [i.e. Vita [Sackville-West] Nicolson, 1892-1962]. Binding: black publisher's cloth, gold lettered spine.
Provenance
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of inheritance tax and allocated to the National Trust for display at Sissinghurst Castle, 2007.
Makers and roles
Radclyffe Hall (1880-1943) Henry Havelock Ellis (1859-1939)
Exhibition history
Modern Couples, Barbican Centre, London, 2018 - 2019