This Collection is comprised of first and limited editions of works by leading members of the British literary scene, largely of the first half of the twentieth century. John Bisset Chapman (1875-1949), a graduate of Aberdeen, formed many friendships within London literary circles, and collected much of the literary output of his friends and acquaintances.
Keywords: Literature (twentieth-century)
Strengths: The Collection contains first and special editions of literary authors mainly from 1900-1930 including H. E. Bates, Edmund Blunden, A. E. Coppard, Walter de la Mare, James Hanley, Aldous Huxley, C. E. Montague, and J. C. Powys. Many of the books are signed or inscribed by the authors.
Languages:English
Identifier: CH
Physical characteristics: c. 1100 books
Accumulation date range: 1900-1990
Contents date range: 1884-1949
Associated Publications: AU MS 2265: Correspondence of J.B. Chapman (1875-1949), writer; O'Sullivan, Keith, 'An inspector called: John Bisset Chapman and his library', The Review, vol. LXII, no. 219, Autumn 2010, pp. 232-241. Available on Library OPAC or WebPAC
Accrual Status: Closed. Additions continued to be made to this Collection to 1990, with emphasis on works by E. Blunden, A. E. Coppard, James Hanley, Walter De La Mare, Aldous Huxley and C. E. Montague.
Custodial history/provenance: The nucleus of this Collection, which contains about 1000 books, was acquired in 1963 from the widow of John Bisset Chapman (MA, Aberdeen, 1897). Chapman spent most of his career in Lambeth, London, as HM Inspector of Schools. His circle of friends encompassed the leading British literary figures of the first three decades of the twentieth century.
Access Control: Closed access - please request. Non-borrowable