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Evelyn Scott Collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS-2015

  • Staff Only

This collection houses correspondence, financial documents, legal documents, manuscripts, scrapbooks, photographs, and other papers documenting the lives of authors Evelyn Scott and John Metcalfe; Scott's mother, Maude Dunn; and Scott's friend and biographer, Robert Welker. The collection is arranged into five series representing these individuals.

Series I: Evelyn Scott: Literary Works and Related Materials contains material from Scott’s professional career. Included are manuscripts, notebooks, drafts, and notes for Escape into Living and Before Cock Crow. The series also contains manuscripts of books of poetry such as The Youngest Smiles, copies of single poems by Scott and Metcalfe, and clippings of their poems published in magazines and compilations. Several of the manuscripts contain pages that are repeated and out of order. Also included are reviews written by Scott of novels by other authors, reviews of Scott’s work by others, including lists of quotes copied from magazines and newspapers, partial manuscripts, précis, and prefaces. The series also includes essays written by Scott, clippings of articles, and biographical information about Evelyn Scott, Creighton Scott, and John Metcalfe.

Series II: Evelyn Scott: Personal Papers contains papers from Scott’s personal life. It contains her correspondence, including some letters with Welker and Metcalfe, written between 1920 and 1963. This portion of the series is arranged chronologically; however, photocopied correspondence has been taken out and placed separately after original copies of letters. The series also contains biographical materials, papers regarding Scott’s passport and immigration to Great Britain and the U.S., personal photographs, scrapbooks, birth, marriage, and death certificates, Scott’s will, and obituary. The series also contains a box of Evelyn Scott’s real teeth, false teeth, and a tin of rouge.

Series III: John Metcalfe Papers documents Metcalfe’s professional and personal life. It contains drafts of literary works, financial records, copyrights and information about copyright renewals, correspondence about publications with publishing houses the Huntington Hartford Foundation, the Royal Literary Fund, and literary agents. Also included are correspondence about possible teaching positions, information about his position and pension in the Royal Air Force, tax receipts, and receipts and correspondence from the Court of Arrears. Additional materials include receipts and letters from utility companies and contractors and information about Metcalfe’s property in London and his lessees. These file folders appear to be in original order and were kept as such. The series also contains information about Metcalfe’s RAF pension, several receipts from the post office, utilities, and banks, and ration books from London during World War II.

Series IV: Maude Dunn Papers contains materials from Scott’s mother, Maude Dunn. The bulk of the series is manuscripts of translations of novels and plays from Portuguese originals. It also contains letters with friends in Portuguese and French, and correspondence with publishing houses.

Series V: Robert Welker Papers contains correspondence between Welker, Evelyn Scott, John Metcalfe, and various people of Scott’s acquaintance. It also includes several notebooks, receipts, and legal documents willing Scott and Metcalfe’s personal papers to Welker, several copies of articles, and two boxes of index cards containing bibliographic material for Evelyn Scott, an index of correspondence with the date, correspondent, and a summary of the letter’s contents.

Dates

  • 1880-1980
  • Majority of material found within 1920-1965

Conditions Governing Access

Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Conditions Governing Use

The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.

Extent

21 Linear Feet (14 boxes [10 record, 1 half, 3 small oversize])

Abstract

This collection houses correspondence, financial documents, legal documents, manuscripts, scrapbooks, photographs, and other papers documenting the lives of authors Evelyn Scott and John Metcalfe; Scott's mother, Maude Dunn; and Scott's friend and biographer, Robert Welker.

Biographical/Historical Note

Author Evelyn Scott (1893-1963) was born Elsie Dunn in Clarksville, Tennessee to Seely and Maude Thomas Dunn. The family moved around but Scott was primarily raised in New Orleans. In 1913, she married Frederick Creighton Wellman (1873-1960), and they changed their names to Evelyn Scott and Cyril Kay-Scott (largely because Cyril was already married); the couple then fled to Brazil where they lived until 1919. Together they had one son, Creighton “Jigg” Scott, born in 1914. It was also during her time in Brazil that Scott began writing poetry and essays. She then published her first trilogy of novels, beginning with The Narrow House, between 1921-1923. Over the next two decades, Scott published several works including the critically acclaimed The Wave (1929) and Eva Gay (1932). She later left Cyril by 1928, and then married novelist John Metcalfe (1891-1965) in 1930. Following health complications, Scott died in 1963.

Robert Welker, who became friends with Scott and Metcalfe while writing a doctoral dissertation on Scott’s work, became Scott’s official biographer and obtained many of her papers following the death of her husband.

Arrangement

Collection consists of 14 boxes divided into five series:

  1. Series I: Evelyn Scott Literary Works and Related Materials
  2. Series II: Evelyn Scott Personal Papers
  3. Series III: John Metcalfe Papers
  4. Series IV: Maude Dunn Papers
  5. Series V: Robert Welker Papers

Acquisition Note

Robert Welker donated these papers to Special Collections.

Repository Details

Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository

Contact:
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Knoxville TN 37996 USA
865-974-4480