Fonds C11 - David Jones Oral History Collection

Identity area

Reference code

CA ON00389 C11

Title

David Jones Oral History Collection

Date(s)

  • [ca.1970 - 1991, predominantly 1986 - 1991] (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

105 audio cassettes

Context area

Name of creator

(1945-)

Biographical history

Thomas Dilworth is a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and Professor of Modern Literature and Romantic Poetry at the University of Windsor. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, he pursued studies in Toronto earning his B.A. at St. Michael's College and his M.A. and Ph. D. at the University of Toronto. He is a leading scholar on the life and work of the poet and artist David Jones. Dilworth has authored many books and articles on Jones and his contemporaries, including his 1988 book The Shape of Meaning in the Poetry of David Jones, which won the British Council Prize in the Humanities.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The materials were donated to the Archives by Thomas Dilworth on January 3, 2011.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Fonds consists of audio cassette recordings produced by Thomas Dilworth, largely consisting of interviews with individuals who personally knew the English poet and artist David Jones, as well as Dilworth’s own notes and observations while visiting locations of significance to Jones throughout the UK, and a series of conversations with Jones at an advanced age.

The recordings were created as part of Dilworth's research for the writing of Jones’ biography, the interviews aim to uncover the realities of Jones’ personal and artistic life, including his friendships and relationships, religious life, his motivations, opinions, habits, and the environments in which he lived. Dilworth compels his interviewees to recount memories and contextualize the details of Jones’ life, often referring to correspondence, written accounts, previous interviews, and his own conversations with Jones prior to his death.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Cassettes are arranged according to Dilworth's original order, alphabetically by the surname of the primary interviewee or subject. They are numbered sequentially from 1 to 104, however, two cassettes are numbered as 38.

Arrangement within series has been adapted to align with Dilworth's system of arrangement.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

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Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

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Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created by E Robinson, 10 January 2022

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