Henry Ware Eliot T. S. Eliot collection

The focus of these materials is the life and work of the poet, T.S. Eliot, collected by members of his immediate family. Also included are Eliot family papers, especially concerning his immediate family, but also documenting their ancestors. These papers include: correspondence (by TSE and others), autograph compositions (by TSE and others), genealogies, biographical miscellany, images, clippings, pamphlets, theatrical programs, scrapbooks, and ephemera.

I. Correspondence: Most TSE and "Other correspondence" has been grouped into this series by the repository. Scrapbooks in other series have been left intact, and some still contain postcards and letters. The "Other correspondence" is primarily concerned with the assembling and donation of the collection.

II. Compositions: Most original compositions have been grouped here (by the repository) having been removed from other series in the collection. There are very few materials by TSE. "Other compositions" include writings by family members, especially Charlotte Eliot, Henry Ware Eliot, Jr., and Theresa Garrett Eliot.

III. Biographical and genealogical miscellany: This series contains sub-series groupings of manuscript materials, memorabilia, and printed ephemera relating to TSE, other individuals, and families. Some of these groups were established by the Eliot family and some established in the repository. The TSE sub-series includes report cards, clippings, Harvard College miscellany, financial records, a lease, theatrical programs, Vivienne Eliot miscellany, postcards, palm readings, Valerie Eliot miscellany, a bookplate, and other materials. The "family name" sub-series includes miscellany on the Chauncy family, Cranch family, Eliot family, and others. The sub-series by "Individual name" is mainly Eliot family members, such as Charlotte Eliot (1843-1929), Henry Ware Eliot (1843-1919), Henry Ware Eliot (1879-1947), Theresa Garrett Eliot (1884-1981), William Greenleaf Eliot (1811-1887), but does include others.

IV. Images: Includes approximately 600 images. All format types of images found in this collection were gathered and arranged into five sub-series: TSE, family name, individuals, buildings and locations, and images concerning TSE's writings. The series includes: photographs, cartes-de-visite, cabinet photographs, negatives, photograph albums, a film, a glass negative, photostats, drawings, and scrapbooks that primarily contain photographs. Images contained in news clippings were not moved to this series. Photographs are from TSE's childhood through his late adult years, and document all aspects of his life. Series includes photographs of TSE's immediate family, some ancestors, buildings and locations important in his life, and images from various productions of his plays, especially Murder in the cathedral.

V. Materials concerning the collection: Includes the typescript of the original index to this collection, compiled by Henry Ware Eliot, Jr. and Theresa Garrett Eliot, and the "Guest book" containing signatures of some readers of the collection from 1937-1969.

VI. Printed materials on TSE: This final series comprises the largest bulk of the collection, and is composed mostly of news clippings, especially reviews, concerning TSE's life and work. The description and arrangement was left in the order in which it was set-up by the Eliot family. It also contains ephemera such as theater programs, invitations, tickets, posters, obituaries, and many other items, some of which have autograph annotations by TSE, HWE, Jr., or TGE.