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Tom Scott Correspondence

This page offers a guide to highlights of the correspondence in Edinburgh University Library's Tom Scott Papers (Coll-1077).

Further correspondence is listed in Tom Scott Materials in Other EUL Collections, including letters from Scott to Helen Cruickshank, Norman MacCaig, and Hugh MacDiarmid.

Correspondence with Scottish Writers

The Tom Scott Papers includes letters from the following Scottish writers, many relating to Scott's editorship of The Oxford Book of Scottish Verse (1966). Unless otherwise indicated, the shelfmark is E95.02.

Marion Angus

  • Letter from W. S. Angus, the poet’s nephew, 17 January 1965, on the copyright of her poems

Marion Angus is also mentioned in letters to Scott from Helen Cruickshank (9 and 22 January 1965), Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963), and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

J. K. (James King) Annand

  • Letter, 12 September 1968

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Helen Cruickshank (9 January 1965), Robert Garioch (undated, ca. 1965) and Alexander Scott (4 and 8 August 1967).

Morris Blythman (Thurso Berwick)

  • 2 letters, 25 January [1965?] and 2 December 1967

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Alexander Scott (10 January 1965, 7 February 1966, 4 and 8 August 1967).

Joe Corrie

  • Letter, 3 February 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Alexander Scott (13 March 1966 and 4 August 1967).

Helen Cruickshank

  • 2 letters, 9 and 22 January 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (15 April 1975) and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

G. S. (George Sutherland) Fraser

  • 8 letters, 1956-64

Letter of 27 October-5 November 1964 includes MS of poem ‘History’. Fraser is also mentioned in a letter to Scott from Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

Robert Garioch

  • 8 letters, 1956-65

There are also MS notes by Garioch on Tom Scott's project monograph on Robert Fergusson. Garioch is also mentioned in letters to Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (5 November 1965) and Alexander Scott (2 and 4 August, 9 and 12 October, 14 November 1967).

W. S. (William Sydney) Graham

  • 11 letters, 1965-67

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from G. S. Fraser (8 September 1956, 9 November 1957), Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963), and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

Neil M. (Miller) Gunn

  • Letter, 21 June 1972

George Campbell Hay

  • 3 letters, 18 February-8 March 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963) and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

J. F. (James Findlay) Hendry

  • 2 letters, 27 July 1977 and undated, ca. 1966

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963) and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

William Jeffrey

  • Letter from Margaret W. J. Jeffrey, the poet's widow, on copyright for his poems, 15 January 1965

Jeffrey is also mentioned in letters to Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963 and 8 March 1969) and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

Bessie J. B. (Jane Bird) MacArthur

  • 2 letters, 14 January and 25 February 1965

George MacBeth

  • Letter, 7 July 1971

Also mentioned in letter to Scott from Alexander Scott (13 March 1966).

Hugh MacDiarmid (Christopher Murray Grieve)

  • 61 letters and 1 card, 1956-77 (E2001.34)
  • Postcard, 19 May 1975 (E95.02)

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Babette Deutsch (undated, ca. 1954), G. S. Fraser (8 September 1956, 9 November 1957), A. D. Mackie (7 January 1965), Alexander Scott (2 and 4 August,11 September, 6 and 9 October, 10 December 1967), and Charles Senior (18 July 1969).

Compton Mackenzie

  • 3 letters, 1961-71

A. D. (Albert David) Mackie

  • 3 letters, 1965-75

Also mentioned in a letter to Scott from Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

Robert McLellan

  • 2 letters, 8 January 1965 and undated

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Alexander Scott, 6 October 1966 and 4 August 1967.

Joseph Macleod (Adam Drinan)

  • 3 letters, 17 January-30 April 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Alexander Scott, 7 February 1966 and 4 August 1967.

F. Marian McNeill

  • Letter, 4 March 1969

William Montgomerie

  • 4 letters and 1 postcard, 31 January-30 March 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Alexander Scott, 7 February 1966 and 4 August 1967.

Willa Muir

  • Letter, 17 March 1968

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from G. S. Fraser (8 July 1963) and John Lehmann (Royal Literary Fund) (14 May 1969).

Alexander Reid

  • Letter, undated

R. (Robert) Crombie Saunders

  • Letter, 15 January 1965

Also mentioned in a letter to Scott from Alexander Scott, 4 August 1967.

Alexander Scott

  • 20 letters, 1965-68

There is also a MS of Alexander Scott's poem 'Prehistoric Playmate'. Alexander Scott is also mentioned in letters to Tom Scott from Hugh MacDiarmid (13 March 1965 and 11 October 1967) and Charles Senior (18 July 1969).

Charles Senior

  • Letter, 18 July 1969

Margaret W. (Winefride) Simpson

  • Letter, 16 January 1965

Also mentioned in a letter to Scott from Helen Cruickshank (9 January 1965).

Sydney Goodsir Smith

  • 2 letters and 2 postcards, 1957-70

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Helen Cruickshank (9 January 1965), G. S. Fraser (25 November 1959 and undated), Robert Garioch (undated letter, ca. 1956), Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963, 11 February, 15 and 21 April, 2 May, 3 June 1975), A. D. Mackie (7 January 1965), and Alexander Scott (7 February and 13 March 1966, 4 August and 9 October 1967).

Lewis Spence

  • Letter from the poet’s daughter Rhoda Spence on copyright for his poems, 14 January 1965

Also mentioned in letters to Scott from Helen Cruickshank (9 January 1965), Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963), and Alexander Scott (4 August 1967).

Douglas Young

  • Two letters, 9 July 1961 and 9 August 1967

Also mentioned in letters from G. S. Fraser (8 September 1956), Robert Garioch (undated, ca. 1965), Hugh MacDiarmid (8 October 1963), and Alexander Scott (6 October 1966, 4 August and 10 December 1967).

For a list of other Scottish writers mentioned in letters to Tom Scott, see Tom Scott materials on Other Scottish Writers.

Other Correspondence

The Papers also contain letters to Tom Scott from David Angus, Babette Deutsch, Sir Bernard Fergusson, George Fielden MacLeod (Baron MacLeod of Fuinary), Norman Macleod, Toshio Namba, James Robertson-Justice, Alastair Scott, Captain P. Thomson, R. H. Thomson, and Christine Troughton (Hogarth Press).

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