Sub-series consists of four typescripts of a total of fourteen poems presumed to be Watson's. There is no surviving documentation of Watson's only published poem "The Barren Lands", (her name misspelled as "Theila Martin Doherty"), published in The Canadian Forum XV : 169 (October 1934): 20.
File consists of nine typed poems, including "The osprey", "Bird's words", "Sometimes between light and light", "The sacrifice", "O superbia initium sumpsit omnis perditio", "I have seen what Moses saw", and "In wyntter quan pe frost hym fres...", and two untitled poems begining "And he came
out of the tomb..." and "He stood in the mountains
saying :...". The typescript has been signed "S.M. Watson".
File consists of a typescript of three poems, "Heuros has a nightmare", "Heuros makes a decision" and "If I were Resoun & not nature". These poems are presumed to be by Watson as they contain no annotations, nor are they signed.
File consists of an 11 page typescript entitled "The Historical Allegory in Eliot's The Waste Land" containing sparse handwritten annotations by Watson.
File consists of one typed poem "Dark in my heart of darkness" presumed to be by Watson, containing a ink drawing on the reverse by Wilfred Watson titled "Annual Meet of the Vancouver Branch of the David Society."
File consists of a 12 page untitled typescript regarding Ezra Pound's "Cantos". This essay is assumed to be by Watson, although there are no attributing annotations or signatures.
File consists of a 19 page typescript with handwritten additions of an essay regarding Ezra Pound and aesthetics. This may have been a conference paper, as Watson uses the first person.
File consists of a 143 page typescript of "Deep Hollow Creek", the earliest surviving draft of the novel, which Watson submitted to McClelland & Stewart Publishing while she was living in Toronto.
File consists of a 50 page notebook from Moulton College with 7 loose inserts totaling 60 pages of handwritten manuscript for "The Double Hook", including biblical quotes and reading notes.
Sub-series consists of one file containing two notices of appointment of Watson as a sessional lecturer at the University of British Columbia for the 1949/50 and 1950/51 terms and a memo regarding examination returns.
Sub-series consists of one letter from T.G. Carter of the Office of Inspectors of Schools, Vancouver Block, regarding Watsons' resignation from the school in Powell River, B.C.
File consists of a 143 page typescript of "Deep Hollow Creek", which, based on the cover sheet, Watson appears to have revised while teaching in Powell River, British Columbia.
File consists of a 14 page typescript of "Brother Oedipus" with a title page signed by Watson. This appears to be a final draft that she may have submitted for publication.
File consists of 9 pages containing handwritten notes of biblical quotations, Greek references and mythological descriptions and small fragments of writing that would become "The Double Hook".
File consists of two copies of a 185 page typescript of "The Double Hook", with sparse handwritten corrections by Watson and perhaps one other. One copy contains a title page which includes the return address "c/o Louise Riley
32 Athlone Apartments
Calgary, Alberta
Canada", indicating that these drafts were created during the time that Watson was living with her husband Wilfred in Calgary.
File consists of a postmarked envelope addressed to Sheila Watson in Calgary in her own handwriting containing 36 typed and heavily annotated pages of a short story featuring the characters Oedipus, Orpheus and Eurydice. Of these, 14 pages are attempts at the opening paragraphs of the story. One fragment has been annotated "Oedipus & Euryd". Also includes a page of handwritten notes by Watson of french terms for various birds species.
File consists of correspondence from Fred Cogswell, editor of The Fiddlehead, regarding Watson's subscription to the journal, and the submission of her husband Wilfred's poetry to the publication.
File consists of correspondence from Rupert Hart-Davis of Rupert Hart-Davis Limited Publishers regarding Watson's submission of "The Double Hook" for publishing.
File consists of a notebook containing 64 pages of handwritten diary entries by Watson while in Canada and France, reflecting on her situation and her relationships, and reading notes in ink and pencil, three pages of drawings and several pieces of ephemera, including a draft poem "Only those who have known birds" and an reflection on "The Double Hook".
File consists of 6 typed and annotated pages of four drafts of a memorial for the French painter Maurice Utrillo, including a drawn map of the location of the memorial.
File consists of a notebook containing 140 pages of diary entries made during Watson's short visit to New York City and her year-long stay in Paris, including reflections on her attempts to get "The Double Hook" published, experiences and ephemera from plays, art exhibitions and architectural sites she attended in Paris; her thoughts and emotions, and her reaction to books she was reading.
File consists of a letter from Dudley H. Cloud of The Atlantic Monthly Press (Boston, MA) regarding her submission of "The Double Hook" for publication.
File consists of 13 pages (two blank) of typed drafts of Watson's unfinished novel "Landscape of the Moon". Includes three distinct sections, all beginnings to the novel.
File consists of the contents of an original file folder containing 26 pages of handwritten and annotated typescripts of what appear to be three short story drafts and research notes, including: one torn sheet of typed material; three four-leaf gatherings of lined paper containing three pages of handwritten prose, and two typed pages of prose, all opening paragraphs for a short story labelled by Watson as "Spaniel caps", featuring the characters Daedalus, Oedipus and Aesop; eight typed and heavily annotated fragments of the opening paragraphs of a short story featuring the characters Uncle Daedalus and Boots; four typed and annotated fragments of the opening two pages of a possible short story featuring the characters Tom Payne Wyatt and Bray. These fragments may be part of Watson's novel "Landscape of the Moon"; one page of handwritten glossary notes in German;and one page containing a typed quotation by Paul Nash.
File consists of correspondence from Malcolm Ross, editor of Queen's Quarterly (Kingston, ON), regarding Watson's submissions of her short stories "Brother Oedipus" and "The Black Farm", and his efforts to have the stories broadcast on CBC Radio and published in the United States by The Hudson Review.
File consists of 20 filing cards by Sheila Watson recording her submission and writing campaign to various periodicals and publishers for her husband Wilfred's poetry.
File consists of a spiral notebook containing 81 pages of line drawings of people and other street scenes observed by Watson while living in Paris, as well as contact information for friends and notes on various schools in Europe and Africa and her employment opportunities. Also includes four loose self-portraits by Watson in pencil.
File consists of a 15 page annotated typescript with title page of an early version of the short story "Antigone", here titled "Haemon's Story". The return address printed on the title page is Watson's apartment in Paris.
Sub-series consists of one file of maps, newspaper clippings, guidebooks, theatre programmes, tickets, and governmental documents collected and preserved by Watson from her year spent with her husband in Paris.
File consists of a notebook containing 57 pages of early draft sequences of Watson's unfinished novel "Landscape of the Moon", notes on "The Double Hook", ephemera, and language exercises in what appears to be Italian and Old English.
File consists of a notebook containing 225 pages of diary entries and line drawings by Watson, regarding her experiences of plays, art exhibitions, events and architectural sites she attended in Paris; her thoughts and emotions, and her reaction to books she was reading. The diary ends on the day she flew to London on May 5, 1956. Diary also contains a large amount of ephemera.
File consists of a commercial day planner for 1956, including 44 entries in total, most in January and February and relating to music, Watson's experiences in Paris, her efforts to be published, the weather and her emotional state. There are some sporatic notes in November and December, when she was living in Toronto.
File consists of 132 pages containing 60 pages of heavily annotated typescript of Watson's unfinished novel "Landscape of the Moon". The typescript has been arranged into 17 two and four-leaf gatherings and numbered in the upper right hand corner.
File consists of a notebook containing 32 pages of hand-written diary entries and line drawings in ink and pencil from the period when Watson was living apart from her husband Wilfred and staying with Ruth Humphrey in Vancouver, in which she reflects on her life, relationships and her surroundings. Watson again uses this notebook for diary entries, line drawings, collected ephemera (including a poem fragment "Let me love in winter..."), regarding her experiences in Paris beginning January 6, 1956 where she was living with Wilfred.
File consists of a notebook kept by Sheila Watson while she lived in Paris, France, containing 60 pages of handwritten notes. The bulk appears to be revisions of "The Double Hook" although there are some notes on the French language.
File consists of four typescripts regarding Wyndham Lewis which may be versions of chapters of Watson's thesis or later articles and lectures which she developed out of her research. They include: a 19 page typescript which has been heavily annotated in pencil and ink by Watson; a 28 page typescript that has been annotated by Watson; a 30 page typescript annotated in ink by Watson, bound in a tan folder; and a 28 page typescript regarding Lewis' "The Childermass". This may be a script for a lecture or conference paper, as Watson occasionally uses the first person.
File consists of an original file folder containing several labels and notes containing 44 pages of typed and heavily annotated draft typescripts of Watson's "Ipsofacts and sadcontras - Mr. Ellmann, Mr. Wagner, Miss Beach and Mr. Lewis", including: 2 loose pages, (p.12) and (p.5), which are heavily annotated in ink; 6 pages of handwritten notes and typed paragraphs in blue ink; a 6 page typescript of the article typed in black and blue, annotated in ink and written on the first page "Promulgating ipsofacts and sadcontras (F.W. 156)" by Watson; 8 pages of typescript numbered 5 to 12 lightly annotated in ink; a 12 page typescript of the article annotated in pencil and black and green ink; and a 10 page typescript of the article annotated in ink.
File consists of a notebook containing 86 pages of diary entries made by Watson while pursuing her PhD at the University of Toronto, including one loose page of research notes. Diary entries focus primarily on her academic reading but also include reflections on her emotional state, her surroundings, her correspondence with her husband Wilfred and others and her academic experiences.
File consists of a notebook containing 103 pages of reading notes, class lists, contact information, bibliographic references and one piece of ephemera related to Watson's academic experiences at the University of Toronto. It is not clear if this material relates to a course that she taught, attended, or if it relates to her own research for her thesis.
File consists of three draft versions of the short story "On the right bank of the river", which would later be published as "Antigone", including: four typed pages of beginning paragraphs of the story, heavily annotated by Watson; a 12 page typescript of full short story, moderately annotated by Watson; and a 13 page typescript of short story with title page.