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Norman MacCaig Correspondence

This page offers a guide to highlights of the correspondence in Edinburgh University Library's Norman MacCaig Papers (Coll-69).

Further correspondence is listed in Norman MacCaig Materials in Other EUL Collections, including letters from MacCaig to Helen Cruickshank, Maurice Lindsay, Hugh MacDiarmid, Sydney Goodsir Smith, and Fred Urquhart.

Correspondence with Scottish Writers

The MacCaig Papers contain letters from the following Scottish writers:

Neil M. Gunn

  • 3 letters, 25 July 1957, 3 May 1965, and 19 October 1966 (MS 3204/2/10)

Hugh MacDiarmid

  • 2 letters, 8 December 1952 and undated (1954?) (MS 3204/2/9)

Edwin Muir

  • Letter, 28 March 1955 (MS 3204/2/21)

Tom Scott

  • Letter, discussing MacDiarmid's In Memoriam James Joyce [1955] (E2006.40)

Iain Crichton Smith

  • Letter, undated (1963?) (MS 3204/2/4)

Sydney Goodsir Smith

  • Letter, 12 January 1949, with TS of poem 'The Octopus, or, His Muse Fled' (MS 3204/2/8)

Correspondence with Other Writers

Letters from other major literary figures include:

Seamus Heaney

  • 4 letters, 1977-90 (MS 3204/2/11)

See also Books from MacCaig's Library for privately printed poetic Christmas cards sent by Heaney to MacCaig.

Ted Hughes

  • 3 letters from Ted Hughes, 15 February, 23 July, 24 October 1986 concerning the award of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry (MS 3204/3/7)

Other Correspondence

MS 3204 also contains correspondence:

  • From individuals (Joseph Chiari, David Cram, David Daiches, Anette Degott, S. Giles, Douglas Henderson, Sheena Lawrie, George MacAskill, Charlie Maclaren, Moray McLaren, Valerie Macleod, Tommy Smith, Geoffrey Summerfield, Sydney Tremayne, and Mrs Clarence W. Young) (MS 3204/2)
  • From MacCaig's publishers Chatto & Windus (including letters from poets Andrew Motion and Mick Imlah in their capacity as poetry editors) (MS 3204/4)
  • From broadcasting corporations (BBC, ITN, STV) (MS 3204/5)
  • Concerning honours bestowed on MacCaig (by the Association for Scottish Literary Studies, the Royal Scottish Academy, and Her Majesty the Queen) (MS 3204/3)
  • Concerning the Hugh MacDiarmid Memorial Trust, the Brownsbank Cottage Steering Group, and the Brownsbank Committee (MS 3204/6-7)

Further Details

For further details of correspondence, consult Handlist H69.