Watkins, Vernon Phillips, 1906-1967

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Vernon Phillips Watkins was born in Wales, and lived nearly his entire life near Swansea. He had written poetry since his youth, and attended Cambridge University for one year before leaving, ultimately taking a job with Lloyd's bank as a clerk. After a serious breakdown, he took a job at a different branch of Lloyd's, staying until he retired in 1966, but refusing advancement--he remained a clerk in order to devote time to his poetry. He became a close friend of Dylan Thomas, and published individual poems and collections with some success; he was especially admired by other poets. He is remembered as a gifted poet, dedicated to his craft, and as a particularly good and loyal friend.

From the description of Vernon Watkins letter to Dear Tambi, 1964 Oct. 15. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 76756287

Epithet: poet

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000001296.0x000169

Vernon Watkins was an English Poet.

From the description of Vernon Watkins collection. [1961]. (University of Victoria Libraries). WorldCat record id: 676801104

Vernon Watkins, Welsh poet.

Philip Larkin, British poet and author.

From the description of Vernon Watkins letters to Philip Larkin, 1964-1991. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 83633984

Vernon Watkins, Welsh poet.

Philip Larkin, British poet and author.

From the description of Vernon Watkins letters to Philip Larkin, 1964-1991. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 702153309

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vols. IV, V. Poems collected in The Death Bell (1954); 1936-1952. Drafts. Two volumes., 1936-1952 British Library
creatorOf Hofmannsthal, Hugo von, 1874-1929. The great world theatre (Salzburg) / by Hugo von Hofmannsthal ; translated by Vernon Watkins. The Sage Colleges Libraries
referencedIn Edward Upward: Supplementary Papers, 1920-2009 British Library: Western Manuscripts
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vols. VIII, IX. Poems collected in Affinities (1962); 1940-1961. Poems not represented here by drafts or fair copies are 'The Interval', 'Vine', 'Affinities', 'Sonnet: to Certain Anonymous Poets', 'Muse, Poet and Fountain', 'Ode to T...., 1940-1961 British Library
creatorOf Edward Upward: Correspondence (1940s), 1943-1948 British Library
referencedIn Thomas, Dylan, 1914-1953. Dylan Thomas collection. [1935-1953]. University of Victoria Libraries, UVic
referencedIn Manuscripts and proofs of New Directions books, 1937-1997. Houghton Library
referencedIn T. S. Eliot collection of papers, 1918-1989, 1918-1957 The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
referencedIn Derek Parker Collection TXRC96-A45., 1955-1970 Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Houghton Library printed book provenance file, R-Z and unidentified Houghton Library
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vol. III (ff. ii+195). Poems collected in The Lady with the Unicorn (1948); 1938-1947. At f. 73 occurs a typewritten fair copy of the poem 'One Theme', published in The Listener, xxxii (10 Aug. 1944), p. 159.Vernon Phillips Watkins, p..., 1938-1947 British Library
creatorOf Parker, Derek. Collection, 1955-1970. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
creatorOf Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965. T.S. Eliot collection of papers, 1918-1989 bulk (1918-1957). New York Public Library System, NYPL
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
referencedIn Ross, Ethel, 1954-1983 Swansea University.
referencedIn New Yorker records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vols. VI, VII. Poems collected in Cypress and Acacia (1959); 1932-1958. 'The Mask of Winter' and 'The Replica' are the only poems not represented here by drafts or fair copies.Two volumes., 1932-1958 British Library
referencedIn Manning, Hugo. Hugo Manning collection. [1969]. University of Victoria Libraries, UVic
creatorOf Campbell, Roy, 1901-1957. A Modern "Art of Poetry," [19--]. Cornell University Library
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vol. X (ff. i+63). Poems collected in Fidelities (1968), along with some uncollected and unpublished poems; 1940-1961. Contents: 1. ff. 1-18. Four poems collected in Fidelities; 1948-1961. These are 'Semele', 'Taliesin in Pwlldu', 'Th..., 1940-1961 British Library
referencedIn Cleverdon mss. II, 1926-1988 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Williams, Oscar, 1900-1964. Papers, 1920-1966. Indiana University
creatorOf Watkins, Vernon Phillips, 1906-1967. Vernon Watkins letters to Philip Larkin, 1964-1991. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Cleverdon, Douglas. Papers, 1953-1973. Indiana University
creatorOf DYLAN MARLAIS THOMAS: seventy-three letters, etc., to Vernon Phillips Watkins; 1936-1952. Partly typewritten and printed. Includes (f. 47) a letter of Caitlin, wife of Dylan Thomas, to Watkins, 4 Feb. 1939. Printed for the most part in Dylan Thomas: ..., 1936-1952 British Library
creatorOf Watkins, Vernon, 1906-1967. Vernon Watkins collection. [1961]. University of Victoria Libraries, UVic
creatorOf Waugh, Evelyn, 1903-1966. Evelyn Waugh collection of papers, 1923-1968. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vol. II (ff. i+205). Poems collected in The Lamp and the Veil (1945), etc.; 1938-1944. Included (ff. 43-58) are prose notes on the visit to Yeats in Dublin that inspired the first poem (ff. 1-42).Vernon Phillips Watkins, poet: Poetry ..., 1938-1944 British Library
creatorOf Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965. T.S. Eliot letters, poem, and award, 1942-1987. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Evelyn Waugh collection of papers, 1923-1968 The New York Public Library. Henry W. and Albert A. Berg Collection of English and American Literature.
creatorOf White, Eric Walter, 1905-1985. Correspondence files concerning publishing the Poetry Book Society Christmas 1966 supplement in memory of John Hayward, 1966. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Watkins, Vernon Phillips, 1906-1967. Vernon Watkins letters to Philip Larkin, 1964-1991. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf PETER WELLS PAPERS. Vol. II (ff. 198). Letters, etc., to Peter Wells and his family from: 1. ff. 1-36v. Hugh Barrett, farmer, journalist and broadcaster; 1944-1990, n.d. Partly signed. 2. ff. 37-115v. Alex Comfort, physician, poet and novelist; 1941-..., 1941-1993 British Library
creatorOf Watkins, Vernon Phillips, 1906-1967. Vernon Watkins letter to Dear Tambi, 1964 Oct. 15. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Manning, Hugo. Papers, 1942-1977. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Benjamin Joseph Morse collection, c.1918 onwards Cardiff University Library Archive
creatorOf Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965. T.S. Eliot letters and poem, 1946-1959. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
creatorOf Jones, David, 1895-1974. David Jones Papers, 1924-1974, (bulk 1950-1974). Boston College. John J. Burns Library
referencedIn Watkins, Vernon, c1965-1967 Swansea University.
creatorOf MODERN LITERARY MSS. Vol. IV. Shakespeare Quartercentenary Poems; circa 1958-1964. Autograph typewritten drafts and fair copies, mostly of poems commissioned for and published in 15 Poems for William Shakespeare, ed. E. W. White, 1964. The poem by Ch..., approximately 1958-1964 British Library
referencedIn New Directions Publishing records Houghton Library
creatorOf Typescript, with author’s corrections, of “Sailors on the Moving Land.” By Vernon Watkins., 19--? University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Department of Special Collections
creatorOf WATKINS PAPERS. Vol. I (ff. ii+171). Poems collected in The Ballad of the Mari Lwyd (1941); 1936-1940. The typewritten contents page (f. 1), which is marked up for printing, includes annotations by T. S. Eliot that are printed in Stratford, op. cit.,..., 1936-1940 British Library
referencedIn WATKINS PAPERS. Vol. XI (ff. 58). Lists, etc., of the contents of the present collection; 1966, n.d. A copy of R. E. Oldroyd's Index of the Worksheets of the Poems of Vernon Watkins . . . (University of Hull, 1966), is supplemented (ff. 43, 44) by la..., 1966 British Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Benjamin Joseph Morse, 1899-1977 person
associatedWith Campbell, Roy, 1901-1957. person
associatedWith Cleverdon, Douglas. person
associatedWith Eliot, T. S. (Thomas Stearns), 1888-1965. person
associatedWith Hofmannsthal, Hugo von, 1874-1929. person
associatedWith Houghton Library. person
associatedWith Jones, David, 1895-1974. person
associatedWith Larkin, Philip. person
associatedWith Manning, Hugo. person
associatedWith New Directions Publishing Corp. corporateBody
correspondedWith New Yorker Magazine, Inc corporateBody
associatedWith Parker, Derek, 1932- person
associatedWith Tambimuttu, 1915- person
associatedWith Thomas, Dylan, 1914-1953. person
correspondedWith Upward, Edward Falaise, 1903-2009 person
associatedWith Watkins, Gwen. person
associatedWith Waugh, Evelyn, 1903-1966. person
associatedWith White, Eric Walter, 1905-1985. person
associatedWith Williams, Oscar, 1900-1964. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Authors, English
Authors, English
Authors, Welsh
English poetry
Poets, English
Poets, Welsh
Poets, Welsh
Occupation
Authors
Poets
Activity

Person

Birth 1906-06-27

Death 1967-10-08

Britons

English

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SNAC ID: 25471401