Acton, Harold, 1904-1994

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Harold Acton was a British writer and scholar. His works include The Last Medici (1932), The Bourbons of Naples, 1734-1825 (1956), and two memoirs, Memoirs of an Aesthete (1948) and More Memoirs of an Aesthete (1970). Acton lived in China from 1933 to 1939, during which time he supported himself by teaching English Literature and collaborated with others to translate various Chinese literary works. His translations include Glue and Lacquer: Four Cautionary Tales (1941) and the unpublished Popular Chinese Plays. He wrote a novel, Peonies and Ponies (1941), about British expatriate life in Beijing before the Second World War. Acton returned to England in 1939 and shortly thereafter embarked upon a lecture tour of Italy under the auspices of the British Council to promote continuing ties between England and Italy at a time when the two countries were on the verge of war.

From the guide to the Harold Acton papers, 1932-1941, (Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library)
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creatorOf Vol. xl. (ff. 192). 1957-1965.includes:f. 1 Sir Ernest Llewellyn Woodward, historian: Letters to Sir Roy Forbes Harrod from Sir Ernest Llewellyn Woodward: 1922-1959.ff. 1-7 Elizabeth II of England; Suez expedition: Correspondence, etc., of Sir R...., 1957-1965 British Library
referencedIn Osbert Sitwell correspondence and compositions, 1950-1967. Houghton Library
referencedIn Benjamin H. Lehman Papers Bancroft Library
creatorOf Bean, Arthur Parsons. Papers of Arthur Parsons Bean [manuscript], 1948-1981. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Witter Bynner papers, 1829-1965. Houghton Library
creatorOf SUPPLEMENTARY HARROD PAPERS. Vol. I (ff. 183). 1. ff. 1-26v. William and Harold Acton; 1926-1974, n.d. 2. ff. 27-30. Letters etc. concerning Wystan Hugh Auden; 1966-1974. See also 71610, art. 2 below. 3. ff. 31-38. A. J. Ayer; 1942, 1959, n.d. 4. ff...., 1922-1978 British Library
referencedIn Roberts, Laurance P. Laurance P. and Isabel S. Roberts Papers, 1910-2005 : a finding aid. Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti - The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
referencedIn Donald and Katharine Foley Collection of Penguin Books, 1935-1965 Bancroft Library
creatorOf Correspondents, surnames A-B.Harold Acton , 1982. Photocopy of letter from Acton. Judy Adamson, 1996-2002. Adamson edited Graham Greene’s Reflections, and assisted Reinhardt in the writing of his Memories (privately printed, 1998), and wrote Max Rei..., 1967-2002 British Library
creatorOf ANGUS MACNAGHTEN: letters to Angus Macnaghten, writer and formerly member of the British Council, alphabetically arranged by writer's name. The correspondents include Lady Aberconway, Harold Acton, Tamara Karsavina (Mrs Bruce), Patrick Moore, Beverle..., 1908-1984 British Library
referencedIn Max Reinhardt papers, 1899-2006 British Library: Western Manuscripts
referencedIn Berenson, Bernard and Mary. Papers, 1880-2002, 1880-2002 Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti - The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
referencedIn Ivry, Benjamin,. Benjamin Ivry collection of correspondence on Pavel Tchelitchew, 1981-1982. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Letters to Geoffrey Elborn, 1978 University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Department of Special Collections
creatorOf Smith, William Jay, 1918-. Papers. Washington University in St. Louis, .
referencedIn Papers, 1917-1995 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Cleverdon mss. II, 1926-1988 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
referencedIn Roberts, Mark. Life and times of Harold Acton [manuscript], 2010. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Mary Hyde Eccles papers, 1853-2005, (bulk) 1939-2003. Houghton Library
referencedIn English literature mss., 1901-1950 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
referencedIn Johnson, R. Sherlan. Night songs / by R. Sherlan Johnson. Bowling Green State University, BGSU Libraries
referencedIn Robert Byron Papers, 1866-2005, 1909-1941 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Vol. xxiv (ff. 202). A-Boincludes:f. 1 Christabel Mary Melville McLaren, née Macnaghten; wife of Henry, 2nd Baron Aberconway: Letter to M. Holroyd: 1962.f. 2 Joe Randolph Ackerley, writer: Letter to M. Holroyd: 1963: With typewritten copy.f. 7 ... British Library
creatorOf Acton, Harold, 1904-1994. Autograph letter signed : Florence, to Herbert Cahoon, 1961 June 18. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Barrett, Clifton Waller, 1901-. Letters pertaining to "The Italian Influence on American Literature" [manuscript], 1962-19644. University of Virginia. Library
creatorOf Vol. i (ff. 179). Abdy, Diana, Lady -Aslin, Elizabeth.includes:ff. 1-6v Evelyn Arthur St John Waugh, novelist: Lady Diana Abdy, née Bridgeman; 2nd wife of Sir R Abdy, 5th Baronet: Letters to Evelyn Arthur St John Waugh from Lady Diana Abdy: 194... British Library
creatorOf HARROD PAPERS. Vol. I (ff. 191). 1. ff. 1-46v. Harold and William Acton; 1927-1986, n.d. 2. ff. 47-77. Cyril Asquith; 1951, 1952. 3. ff. 78-86v. Margot Asquith; 1928-1937. 4. ff. 87-101. Wystan Hugh Auden; 1926-1970, n.d. 5. ff. 102-113. A. J. Ayer; ..., 1926-1986 British Library
creatorOf Harold Acton papers, 1932-1941 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Vol. CXXIII. 1924-1933.A. S. Hope, friend of Alexander Galt Ross: Letters to A. G. Ross: 1924-1926.Sidney Fenold, of the Savile Club: Letter to A. G. Ross: 1926.E. O. Pope, secretary, United University Club: Letter to A. G. Ross: 1924.Margaret Storm ..., 1924-1933 British Library
creatorOf Ives, Elizabeth Stevenson, 1897-1994. Papers, 1898-1995. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
referencedIn Smith, William Jay, 1918-. Papers, 1924-1984. Washington University in St. Louis, .
creatorOf Vol. I. (ff.) A-Bair.James Stern, writer: Philip Antrobus: Letter to James Stern from Philip Antrobus: 1968.Walter Abish: James Stern, writer: Letters to James Stern from Walter Abish: 1969-1970.Sir Harold Mario Mitchell Acton, writer: James Stern,... British Library
referencedIn James Lord papers, 1917-2003, 1946-2003 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf SITWELL LETTERS. Vol. VI. (ff. 139). 1951-Aug. 1964.Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell, 5th Baronet; poet and writer: Letters to Lady Aberconway from Sir Francis Osbert Sacheverell Sitwell: circa 1924-1961.includes:ff. 89, 104, 118 Sir Harold M... British Library
referencedIn Halsband, Robert, 1914-. Robert Halsband papers, 1708-1976. Columbia University in the City of New York, Columbia University Libraries
referencedIn Laurance P. and Isabel S. Roberts Papers, 1910-2005, 1910-2005 Biblioteca Berenson, Villa I Tatti - The Harvard University Center for Italian Renaissance Studies
referencedIn Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas papers, 1837-1961 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Vol. VIII (ff. 177). 1924-1931.John [Cann] Bailey, [author and critic]: Correspondence with Harold Monro from John [Cann] Bailey: 1914-1926: Partly typewritten, partly printed.Sir Edward Howard Marsh, KCVO: Correspondence with Harold Monro: 1924-1925..., 1924-1931 British Library
referencedIn Sykes, Christopher, 1907-1986. The Christopher Sykes papers, 1945-1981. Georgetown University, Joseph Mark Lauinger Memorial Library
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Relation Name
associatedWith Barrett, Clifton Waller, 1901- person
associatedWith Bean, Arthur Parsons. person
associatedWith Berenson, Bernard, 1865-1959 person
associatedWith Berenson, Mary, 1864-1945 person
associatedWith Betjeman, John, 1906-1984. person
correspondedWith Bynner, Witter, 1881-1968 person
associatedWith Byron, Robert, 1905-1941 person
associatedWith Byron, Robert, 1905-1941. person
associatedWith Cahoon, Herbert, 1918- person
associatedWith Chen, Shixiang. person
associatedWith Chen, Shixiang. person
associatedWith Cleverdon, Douglas. person
associatedWith Colquhoun, Archibald. person
associatedWith Colquhoun, Archibald. person
associatedWith De Zoete, Beryl, 1884-1962. person
associatedWith Dover, Cedric. person
associatedWith Dover, Cedric. person
associatedWith Eccles, Mary Hyde. person
associatedWith Elborn, Geoffrey, 1950- person
associatedWith Foley, Donald L. person
associatedWith Foley, Katharine person
associatedWith Gigante, Giuseppe. person
associatedWith Halsband, Robert, 1914- person
associatedWith Harrod, Roy, 1900-1978. person
associatedWith Hartnoll, Phyllis. person
associatedWith Hartnoll, Phyllis. person
associatedWith Ives, Elizabeth Stevenson, 1897-1994. person
associatedWith Ivry, Benjamin, person
associatedWith Johnson, R. Sherlan. person
correspondedWith Lehman, B. H. (Benjamin Harrison), 1889-1977 person
associatedWith Lord, James. person
correspondedWith Marietta Tree person
associatedWith Moore, T. Sturge (Thomas Sturge), 1870-1944. person
associatedWith Roberts, Isabel Spaulding, 1911-2005 person
associatedWith Roberts, Laurance P. person
associatedWith Roberts, Mark. person
associatedWith Sitwell, Osbert, 1892-1969. person
associatedWith Smith, William Jay, 1918- person
associatedWith Stein, Gertrude, 1874-1946. person
correspondedWith Sykes, Christopher, 1907-1986. person
associatedWith Waley, Arthur. person
associatedWith Xiao, Qian, 1910- person
associatedWith Yuan, Jiahua, 1904- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
England
Italy
Italy
England
Subject
Authors, English
British literature
Chinese drama
Chinese literature
Chinese literature
Chinese poetry
Translating and interpreting
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1904-07-05

Death 1994-02-27

Birth 1909

Death 1994

Male

Britons

Chinese,

English

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