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D. B. Wyndham Lewis Correspondence

An inventory of his correspondence at Syracuse University

Finding aid created by: KM
Date: Apr 1989

Revision history:
25 Nov 2008	converted to EAD (LDC)

Biographical History

D. B. Wyndham Lewis (1891-1969) was a British journalist, author, and biographer known for his humorous newspaper articles and biographies.

Lewis was born on March 9, 1891 in Southport, Lancashire, England to David John Lewis and Cecelia (Mayer) Agnes. His birth name was Llewelyn Bevan Wyndham Lewis, but he changed Llewelyn to Dominic upon joining the Roman Catholic Church in 1921. After earning four distinctions of honor from Cardiff intermediate school, Lewis enlisted as a private in the Welsh regiment (September 1, 1914). While serving with the 11th battalion in France, Lewis suffered from shell-shock twice; during his assignment in Macedonia, he contracted malaria. On October 29, 1918, Lewis married Winifred Mary (Jane) Holland with whom he had one daughter, actress Angela Wyndham Lewis. The couple divorced in 1926 and in July 1933 Lewis married Dorothy Anne Robertson with whom he had two sons.

Lewis began his writing career as an editor at the Daily Express. He started a column called "By the Way" that employed the humorous wit that characterizes Lewis's writing. Lewis went on to have a successful literary career, writing columns, novels, biographies, and skits. He died on November 21, 1969 in Altea Spain.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The D. B. Wyndham Lewis Correspondence is a collection of four incoming letters written between 1927 and 1936 to the British journalist and biographer of James Boswell and Moliere. Included in the collection are three letters from Hilaire Belloc, two of which are in connection with G.K.'s Weekly, the editorship of which he assumed following the death of G. K. Chesterton. Also among the letters is a single item from Oliver St. John Gogarty which was sent in answer to Lewis's praise for "Hyperthuliana" (05 Oct 1927):

...you have so exalted me in my own opinion by yours. I have now two readers, and when I am tired or surfeited by myself, I will remember that you too have read me.

Gogarty goes on to write of one of his contemporaries:

Yes, Joyce is a dreary Dante, an undivine Comedian, a melancholy humbug.

Arrangement of the Collection

The collection contains one series, Correspondence, which is arranged alphabetically by sender.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advanced notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Subject Headings

Persons

Belloc, Hilaire, 1870-1953.
Gogarty, Oliver St. John, 1878-1957.
Lewis, D. B. Wyndham (Dominic Bevan Wyndham), 1891-1969.

Associated Titles

G.K.'s weekly.

Subjects

Journalists -- Great Britain.
Poets, English -- 20th century.
Poets, Irish -- 20th century.

Genres and Forms

Correspondence.

Occupations

Authors.
Journalists.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

D. B. Wyndham Lewis Correspondence
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Table of Contents

Correspondence

Inventory