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Clifford Bax papers

 Collection
Identifier: D.254

Biographical/Historical note

Clifford Bax (1886-1962) was a prolific playwright, poet, editor, lyricist, translator and essayist. Born into an affluent London family on July 13, 1886, Bax was the third son of Arthur Ridley and Charlotte Ellen Lea Bax. His uncle Belfort Bax was a noted philosopher and his brother Arnold a composer. In pursuit of an early ambition to paint, Bax studied art at the Slade School and then, the Heatherly Art School. Abandoning painting for verse and drama, Bax lived and travelled abroad from 1904-1906, learning languages and gaining a wider experience he felt would aid his work.

On a trip to Dublin in 1906, Bax met "A.E.," George William Russell, the "poet of theosophy." The two discussed starting a magazine that would bring the arts and theosophy together. In 1909, Bax realized the idea with the publication of a quarterly journal, Orpheus. The journal would appear steadily until 1912. In 1910 he married Gwendolyn Bishop, with whom he had a daughter in 1911. The family moved to rural Wiltshire in 1912. From 1912-14, Bax wrote seven plays, four of which were produced, and five of which appeared in print for the first time in Orpheus. The Baxes moved back to London in 1916. Writing during the day, Bax worked at Whitehall as a news censor in the Press Bureau at night. From 1922 to 1924, Bax edited the periodical The Golden Hind, which presented work of graphic and literary art. The autobiographical Inland Far was published in 1925. Following the death of his first wife in 1926, he married Vera May Young in 1927.

From 1917 to 1937, Bax produced a large number of plays in addition to poetry, criticism, biography and a novel. In addition, he was a founder (1919-1926) of the Phoenix Society, whose aim was to revive important Elizabethan and Restoration drama, and, in 1929, was elected chairman of the Incorporated Stage Society. Aside from the theatre, his interests included music, antiquities, Buddhism, theosophy, and Eastern philosophy generally. Bax died on November 18, 1962.

Scope and Contents

The correspondence, nearly all of which is to other writers, discusses the work both correspondents have in progress and their reactions to various plays. A letter to Ellis discusses Bax's Victorian upbringing; the Kilgour correspondence is centered around the Playwrights' Club; the Lafitte Cyon letters make frequent mention of Meum Stewart. The manuscript genealogical materials trace the Tingle and Lea branches of the Bax family; their compiler is unknown.

The diaries cover many topics: the earliest (1916-23) volume includes Bax's feelings about his work, his collaborators, and his various personal and professional relationships; the second (1934-57) begins aboard an ocean liner bound for the U.S., continues through his return to England, his experiences during the Second World War, his and other writers' work, and his health.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1916-1957

Language of Materials

English

Extent

.25 cubic feet (1 container)

Access

The Clifford Bax Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition note

Purchased in April 1974 (Bax-Hill letters) and June 1984 on the Wilson Fund.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Clifford Bax Papers, D.254, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Title
Clifford Bax papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Date
undated
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library

Contact:
Rochester NY 14627-0055 USA