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The Cherry Record Collection of Josephine Reid’s Papers and Books Relating to Graham Greene

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Series 3 Correspondence - Dictabelt transcripts. September - November 1987.

This series consists of 43 A4 pages of Josephine Reid's transcripts from Graham Greene's Dictabelt recordings, mostly of drafts of correspondence, September-November 1987. Reid tends to use black ink to indicate the text of a letter and red for verbal notes to herself made by Greene; occasionally red may be used for emphasis or for her own notes to self, and other notes to self are in black. Most, but not all, notes in red seem to be intended not for copying verbatim but as composition or action notes. Perhaps it is simply the contrast between black and red that JR intends to call attention to parts of the transcript that need to be dealt with in different ways. Without the Dictabelt recordings - all of which Reid destroyed in accordance with Greene's wishes - it is impossible to tell the exact relationship between recording and transcript. It may be possible to compare these drafts with letters received, now in other collections.

All pages are typescript, many with Reid's MS annotations in pencil and ink.

This series is described page by page rather than by individual items, not least to facilitate citation. 43pp.

At the end of a letter description, the note GG indicates that Greene has dictated the letter to be signed as from Greene himself (e.g. 'Yours truly, Graham Greene') while PP (per procurationem, on behalf of) is used by Reid when signing as Greene's secretary (e.g. 'Yours truly, pp. Secretary to Graham Greene')

p.1 1 letter. [in red] 'EXPRESS', annotated JR '8/9/87'. Letter to The Editor, The Commonweal, 15 Dutch Street, New York. Re correction of Christopher Buckley's article in The Commonweal of 14 August [1987] re Greene's experience of a Mass said by Padre Pio. GG

p.2 1 letter. Heaslands [Elisabeth Dennys' address], annotated JR '9/9/87'. [in red] 'The Chief Editor, Houghton Mifflin' rest of address in black. Cover letter for Greene's letter to The Commonweal. PP

p.2a 2 letters. Page headed 'Cassette posted from ANTIBES 14 Septmber 1987 received 17 Sept. 1987'.

2a.1 Letter to Walter Pless refusing his request for a signature. PP

2a.2 Letter to Mary Connell [Mary Nelle Wright Connell 1928-2011], Democratic Campaign Committee, Washington DC. Personal greetings, enclosing GG's recent letter to the Spectator; mentions recent visit to Siberia; Ronald Reagan and Central American negotiations involving Connell's brother.

p.3 6 items

3.1 Notes for a letter in Josephine's name to Christopher Greene re a Mme Donon who wishes to trace a portrait by Michael Honor, which may be owned by one of Greene's nephews.

3.2 Notes for the same letter as above to Graham C Greene, James and Nick [Dennys].

3.3 instructions for a telegram to Jose de Jesus Martinez, Panama City - GG is anxious to hear from him. Annotated JR 'Sent VAT £8.87'.

3.4 notes for a letter to Jose de Jesus Martinez, 'dear Chuchu', mentioning the telegram; GG's anxiety to hear from Martinez; possibility of an English publisher for Martinez' book.

3.5 notes for a letter to Fr Roy Bourgeois: thanks for letter; GG will send Bourgeois' statement and trial account to The Tablet.

3.6 Draft of a cover letter to the editor of The Tablet accompanying Fr Bourgeois' statement and account of his trial (continues p.4)

p.4 3 items. [JR notes as part of her organisation system '17 Sept' at the top of the page, the date the recording was received.]

4.1 Conclusion of 3.6 with note to JR re sending a copy of Fr Bourgeois' statement to The Tablet.

4.2 Draft of letter to HAR (Kim) Philby: GG's personal greetings, hoping a recently posted book will reach him.

[JR notes the recording's running time 13.45, presumably as orientation for herself when rewinding and listening again, and 'Side 2' in red.]

4.3 Letter to William Cash re publication possibilities for a short story he sent to GG.

p.5 [page headed 17 Sept. 1987] 4 items.

5.1 PS to Mary Connell (see 2a), enclosing a cutting.

5.2 Draft of letter to Mme J-C Donon: GG will write to his nephews about the portrait Mme Donon is looking for (see 3.1-2)

5.3 Draft of letter to Desmond G Kenny, Kennys Bookshops, Dalway: GG already has a copy of the offered 1st ed of George Birmingham's General John Regan.

5.4 Draft of letter to David Reynolds, Bloomsbury Publishing: GG looks forward to reading review copy received of Inside the Company [Philip Agee's CIA memoir, published in the UK in 1975.]

p.6 page headed 17 Sept. 1 item. Draft letter to David Reynolds, Bloomsbury publishing: GG regrets he cannot write a positive review for Philip Agee's Inside the Company.

p.7 Page headed 'From Antibes 14 Sept. 1987'. 3 items.

7.1 Draft of letter to Petre Solomon [1923-1991; Romanian poet and translator]: thanks for copy of Solomon's translation of 2 novels; with note to JR re which address to use for Solomon.

7.2 Draft of letter to Peter Guy: refusing fee for writing a preface to a book by Paul Hogarth [?Graham Greene Country, 1986].

7.3 Draft of letter to Alan Brodie (Imison) [literary agents]: re Russian interest in A House of Reputation, a stage adaptation of Brighton Rock, a revival of The Living Room by Bryan Forbes, difficulties with finding a director for The Complaisant Lover. continued on next page.

p.8 3 items.

8.1 Conclusion of item 7.3

8.2 Draft of letter to Gerald Pollinger: enquiring about a TS GG has come across amongst his papers 'The Novelist and the Cinema: a Personal Experience'.

8.3 Draft of letter to Michael Imison [1935 - , BBC TV director, literary agent]: requests schedule for forthcoming season of his plays on BBC radio; does not have time to write an original radio play for BBC Globe Theatre.

p.9 3 items

9.1 Draft of letter to Ron Ridenour [1939-]: GG considers Yankee Sandinistas excellent and Ridenour's publishers may quote his opinion.

9.2 Draft of letter to Miss Lucienne Joy: unable to grant her request for radio interview.

9.3 Draft of letter to Christopher Greene: on Central American politics, mentioning Panama and Cuba - Noriega, Diaz, Arias, Torrijos, 'Chuchu' (Jose de Jesus Martinez, see item 3.4). Continued on next page.

p.10 2 items

10.1 Conclusion of item 9.3

10.2 Note for JR: 'To the man whose notepaper is marked CESME'. Draft of letter to Mr Tessitory [sic - prob Tessitore]: GG declines invitation to a meeting in Palermo.

p.11 Page headed 'second envelope Rec'd 14 Sept 1987'. 2 items.

11.1 Draft of letter to Tatiana Koudriavsteva [sic - Kudriavtseva, Russian translator, d.2013]: GG's recent return travel from Russia; sending her copies of Monsignor Quixote; arrangements for obtaining copies of other novels for her. See also item 13.1.

11.2 Draft of letter to Prof. Giles Fowler: declines to answer all of Fowler's question but provides information re work as sub-editor for The Times as relevant experience for a novelist.

p.12 Page headed '2 of 2nd envelope rec'd 4 Sept'. 3 items.

12.1 Draft of letter to 'Tanya' [Tatiana Kudriavtseva]: condensed version of item 11.1.

12.2 Note to JR to arrange to send (unclear to whom) a Penguin edition of poems by Basil Bunking's poems, if available. Unclear whether this is a separate item or pertains to 12.1 or 12.3; probably not to 12.1.

12.3 Draft of letter to Juan Gilman [sic - Juan Gelman (1930-2014), Argentinian poet]: GG's sympathy for issue outlined in a long letter [JR notes 'no letter enclosed']; GG will try to find time to cut/edit Gelman's letter to appropriate length for a letter to the editor of the Independent.

p.13 2 items.

13.1 Draft of letter to the Hon Julia Stonor [1939-, eldest daughter of Sherman Stonor, 6th Baron Camoys, and Jeanne Stourton Stonor]: GG has destroyed private letters from Julia; advises avoiding Motler [sic - JR corrects to Mockler]; comments on his friendship with her father; advises avoiding Fr Caraman [Philip Caraman, SJ, 1911-1998; his book The Other Face is dedicated to the Stonors].

13.2 Draft of letter to Christopher Hawtree: thanks for his article re PY Betts [Phyllis Yvonne Betts, author of People Who Say Goodbye: Memories of Childhood.]

p.14 1item. Draft of letter to Lasse Bergstrom, Norstedts [managing director of PA Norstedt, Swedish publishers]: GG hopes to contact by telephone soon from Antibes.

p.15 Page headed 'posted 17th September/ Received 22 September from Antibes'. 2 items

15.1 Notes to JR re composition and posting of edited Gelman letter to the Correspondence Editor of the Independent.

15.2 Draft of letter to the editor of the Independent, 'The Paradoxes of Argentina', based on Juan Gelman's letter outlining his personal and political situation. Continued on next page.

p.16 1 item. Continuation of 15.2

p.17 1 item. Continuation of 15.2

p.18 1 item. Conclusion of 15.2

p.19 1 item. Draft of letter from JR on GG's behalf to Christopher Greene, copies to Graham C Greene, James Greene and Nick Dennys. JR is covering Elisabeth Dennys' holiday this week [September 1987]: enquiring about the portrait of Mme Françoise Donon by Michael Honor, which Mme Donon thinks one of them may own. (See items 3.1-2, 5.2) Page is crumpled and torn in two. All text present.

p.20 2 items. Lower half of an A4 sheet - cut.

20.1 Draft of letter to Mme Barthélemy: thanks for her article from Le Monde; hopes they will meet when next in Paris.

20.2 Draft of letter to Fr McCoog, SJ [prob. Fr Thomas M McCoog, now archivist of the British Province]: Thanks for portrait, returned enclosed; hopes to meet next summer.

p.21 5 items.

21.1 Draft of letter to Gerald Pollinger: GG quotes his own letter to Mr Mayhew of Rules [restaurant, London] re suggestion to name a room there after him. Following note to JR: hand written copy of letter to Mayhew for files enclosed.

21.2 JR note re dictabelt 'Change over at 10.10 / 2nd side'.

21.3 Draft of letter to Christopher Hawtree: GG would like to read his It's a Battlefield, hopes Betts (?PY Betts) will write another book.

21.4 Draft of letter to Frank Muir: GG agrees about Dilys Powell [Elizabeth Dilys Powell (1901-1995), British journalist, author, film critic], encloses a related note (see 21.5).

21.5 Draft of letter to The Appointments Secretary: GG advocates publication of Dilys Powell's collected film reviews. Continued on next page.

p.22 2 items. Page annotated JR '2nd side / 1987.'

22.1 Conclusion of 21.5.

22.2 Note to JR: not to bother replying to 'Cesme' (see item 10.2).

p.23 Page headed '2nd side'. 3 items.

23.1 Draft of letter to Bryan Forbes [1926-2013, British film actor, director, producer, novelist]: GG accepts invitation to Forbes' production of The Living Room.

Note 'IS THIS THE END' - re Dictabelt filling up.

23.2 Draft of letter to Miss Siddell of Theodore Goddard [London law firm]: GG agrees they should wait to hear from the Simkins Partnership [law firm, media specialists].

Note 'LETTERS FROM SECOND ENVELOPE' - re the next Dictabelt.

23.3 Draft of letter to Mr Pollock: GG declines request for interview.

Notes by JR: MS 'new cassette', arrow toward Pollock draft; 'TS 'These mistakes seem to arise with the returned cassettes.'

p.24 3 items.

24.1 Draft of letter to Pat Highsmith [Patricia Highsmith, 1921–1995, American writer]: GG looks forward to the Catastrophe stories [Tales of Natural and Unnatural Catastrophes, 1987].

24.2 Draft of letter to M Ahounou: GG offers to sit on the Jury for his thesis defence [terms are French] but has no time to be further involved.

24.3 Draft of letter to Mrs Susan Barlow: thanks for letter, glad her children enjoy Travels with My Aunt.

p.25 Draft/notes for letter from Josephine Reid to Elisabeth Dennys. Sunday 25 October 1987. JR has processed a waiting 'cassette' from GG. Notes for Elisabeth on the cassette re publication of Out of the Dustbin; notes for finishing/posting a number of dictated letters. JR will be away Wednesday for The Living Room. (see pp.28ff)

p.26 Page headed 'October 24 Saturday [1987] Cassette received from E. sent on which G had sent her'. 1 item. Draft of letter to Michael Meyer: GG has received TS from Meyer, gives permission to quote from letters, corrects several points re Trevor Wilson & MI5/6, payments or money given to Anita [Björk] by GG, GG learnt Macbeth by heart at school, location of a meeting re a film. Continued on next page.

p.27 2 items

27.1 Conclusion of 26.

27.2 Draft of letter to Christopher Buckley: further correspondence re corrections of Peter Glenville's recollections and account of GG attending Mass said by Padre Pio(see pp.1-2). Continued on next page.

p.28 Page headed October 24. 4 items.

28.1 Conclusion of item 27.2.

28.2 Note for Elizabeth [Elisabeth Dennys] re publication of Out of the Dustbin.

28.3 Draft of letter to Roland Gant [1919-1993, publisher and writer]: personal greetings, recent visit to Siberia, current revival of The Living Room.

28.4 Note for E [Elisabeth Dennys]: please look for a letter giving new surname of Tom Laughton's second wife. Continued on next page.

p.29 Page headed October 24. 4 items.

29.1 Conclusion of 28.4. Re missing name, JR annotates 'Mrs David McGill'.

29.2 Draft of letter to Mary, formerly second wife of Tom Laughton, now Mrs David McGill: re republication of Tom Laughton's book [Pavilions by the Sea, 1977, foreword by GG]; personal greetings; GG hopes to visit in Cumberland.

29.3 Draft of letter to Gerald Pollinger [literary agent]: responding to letter of 9 October; declining request for permission by Symphony Space.

29.4 Note for E [Elisabeth Dennys] re Dictabelt/cassette running time 13"25s, end of current side of cassette.

p.30 Page headed 24 October. 4 items.

30.1 Draft of letter to Chris Green: GG declines invitation to attend City of London Festival.

30.2 Draft of letter to Juan Gelman: thanks for book and letter; gives permission to publish text of GG's letter to The Independent (see pp.12.3, 15-18.)

30.3 Draft of letter to Peter Mayer (1936-, publisher, in 1987 with Penguin USA): accepts offer [to change American publisher from Simon & Schuster to Viking/Penguin].

30.4 Draft of letter to Louise [Louise Dennys, 1948-, Canadian publisher, in 1987 at Lester & Orpen Dennys]: re GG's change of American publisher from Simon & Schuster to Viking/Penguin; Canadian publishing rights will be offered first to Louise [The Captain and the Enemy, 1988].

p.31 Page headed 'October 24'. 5 items.

31.1 Note for JR or ED to return Terence O'Brien's envelope.

31.2 Draft of letter to Mrs McDonnell [wife of Vincent McDonnell]: thanks for charming present; progress of publishing Vincent McDonnell's book [The Broken Commandment, London: Reinhardt/Viking, 1988]. Red TS annotation by JR: 'VINCENT'S ???'

31.3 Draft of letter to Gloria Emerson: thanks for many press cuttings.

31.4 Draft of letter to John Bank: thanks for good interview and photographs.

31.5 Note to Elisabeth Dennys: end of the cassette, running time 9.40 on the second side.

p.32 Page headed '24 October'. 3 items.

32.1 Note to Elisabeth Dennys: find out correct form of address for Dean of Westminster

32.2 Draft of letter to the Very Revd Michael Mayne (1929-2006, Dean of Westminster 1986-1996): GG permits his name to be added to Charter 87 [for Refugees] but declines lunch invitation.

32.3 Draft of letter to Ave. Preceded by note: GG has forgotten her current surname. Annotated by JR 'Barham'

At the bottom of the page, crossed out, 'Chris [corrected from Christ] Green,'.

p.33 Page headed 'October 29 1987 To Mrs Dennys from Miss Reid' relaying summary of instructions for ED from GG transcribed from a cassette by JR (cf. similar form p.25, and details on following pp35-36). 7 items:

33.1 Covering note from Josephine Reid to Elisabeth Dennys

33.2 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please apologise to The Observer for lack of book recommendations owing to recent frequent travels.

33.3 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please respond with thanks to fan letter from Catharine Des Forges. Followed by note to Elisabeth Dennys from Josephine Reid re unclear note from GG.

33.4 Notes for response to fan letter from '14 year old Ainley': advice for a young writer, confirm that Graham Greene is his real name.

33.5 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please reply to John Lee of US News and World Report, GG declines to give interview.

33.6 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please reply to 'Motyka' (annotated by JR 'or Mockler?') with regrets for loss of two signed books.

33.7 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: re a letter from Tom Pearce, GG does not remember the incident alluded to and declines meeting/interview.

p.34 continues p.33. 3 items.

34.1 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please reply to Colleen Richardson noting that GG is currently declining all requests for interviews.

34.2 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: comments on use of his Christian name by Margy Kinmonth.

34.3 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Josephine Reid re a letter to GG from David Drew and a book by Kurt Weill.

p.35 Page headed 'Sent to E from GG Typed by Jo 29 October 1987'. 4 items:

35.1 Draft of letter to Margy Kinmonth: reservations about discussing a film re Nicaragua.

35.2 Notes for letters to Catharine Des Forges (thanks for letter) and '14 year old Ainley' (advice to a young writer, confirm that Graham Greene is his real name).

35.3 Notes for letter to John Lee of US News and World Report: GG declines to give interview.

35.4 Draft of letter to Sven Hamrell (1928-, founder and executive director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation 1967-95): GG's pleasure at [Mordechai] Vanunu's award [Right Livelihood Award, 1987]; suggests Abp Damas of Salvador as a future laureate.

p.36 Continuing p.35. 4 items:

36.1 Notes for letter to 'Motyka' [annotated by JR 'Mockler?'] with regrets for loss of two signed books amid travel, large number of letters to answer and death of GG's brother [Sir Hugh Carleton Greene].(cf. 33.6)

36.2 Draft of letter to Roger Sharrock [1919-1990, Professor of English, KCL]: GG's pleasure at forthcoming publication of The Life and Death [of Mr Badman, 1988] ; looks forward to reading essay draft ?on The Potting Shed.

36.3 Notes for letter to Tom Pearce: re a letter from Tom Pearce, GG does not remember the incident alluded to and declines meeting/interview. (cf. 33.7)

36.4 Notes for letter to Colleen Richardson noting that GG is currently declining all requests for interviews owing to pressure of work. (cf. 34.1)

p.37 4 items:

37.1 Draft of letter to Fr John McFadden: thanks for Missionwide (Holy Ghost Fathers'/Spiritans' missionary magazine) including story of Fr Banks (see 37.2); lack of stamps on a parcel (mentioned in the story) was a secretarial error.

37.2 Draft of letter to Fr Banks: enjoyed his story in Missionwide; explanatory anecdote re past unreliable secretary; congratulations on Gold Jubilee [50 years in the religious life].

37.3 Note to Elisabeth Dennys from Graham Greene: please apologise to The Observer for lack of book recommendations owing to recent frequent travels. (cf. 33.2)

37.4 Draft of letter to Mr Turnbull: GG does not know Joseph Hislop - probable confusion with other Graham (C.) Greene.

p.38 2 items

38.1 Draft of letter to Mr AC Porter: thanks for letter re school pupils' enjoyment of reading The Human Factor.

38.2 Draft of letter to 'the man who sent the Kurt Weil book' (note by GG transcribed in red 'I can't read his name'): thanks for book by Kurt Weil; GG's favourite work by Weil is his opera (note by GG transcribed in red 'spelt like Mahogany except I think it has two nns.') Annotated by JR 'Rise & Fall of the City of Mahagonny'.

p.39 Page headed 'Belt done for E on November 4 1987 from GG'. JR notes 'then there seems to be a gap if you can telephone me'. 3 items:

39.1 Draft of letter to Mlle Marie-Francoise Allain, 23 Ave Trudaine, Paris: 'Dear Soizic' thanks for gift waiting in Antibes; comments on forthcoming book on GG's politics by Auroro Couto [sic] [Graham Greene : on the frontier : politics and religion in the novels by Maria Aurora Couto].

39.2 Draft of letter to Yvonne Almissana: glad she enjoyed Monsignor Quixote; encourages her to pursue her idea despite possible conflicting/competing PhD thesis elsewhere.

39.3 Draft of letter to Sr Stewart, Holy Rosary Convent [?Pujehun, Sierra Leone]: will send a signed copy of The Heart of the Matter but does not remember Pujehun well from his own time in Sierra Leone. continued in 40.1

p.40 4 items:

40.1 Conclusion of 39.3. Recommends Ways of Escape.

40.2 Note by GG transcribed in red re running time of tape 'I'm now at 13.50 seconds'.

40.3 Draft of letter to Friedrich Hitzer: thanks for copy of Zeitzeichen aus der Ferne [Zeitzeichen aus der Ferne: Glasnost: neues Denken in der Sowjetunion by Friedrich Hitzer 1935-2007]; GG does not read German but remembers their discussion and hopes to meet again.

40.4 Draft of letter to his cousin Barbara (nee Greene), Countess von Strachwitz: 'My dear Barbara'; regarding final editing and eventual publication of her book [? Land Benighted/Too Late to Turn Back]; hopes to meet.

p.41 2 items

41.1 Draft of letter to Mrs Mary Connell, 1322 29th St, Washington DC (see 2a): 'Very dear Mary'; thanks for 'magnificent folder' and (daunting) book; notes frequent similarity of Pope and [US] President [Ronald] Reagan; hopes there will be a further book of her poetry [After the Badlands; From the Skin In, 1981; Help is on the Way, 1986, with foreword by GG].

41.2 Draft of letter to Paul Theroux: hopes to meet; recent travels; comments on current (London) production of The Living Room. Continued on p.42

p.42 2 items.

42.1 Conclusion of 41.2: thanks for 'Arabic novel'.

42.2 Note to Josephine Reid: cassette finished at 7'20s.

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Catalogue

GGJR 01 Correspondence
GGJR 02 Administrative notebooks
GGJR 03 Correspondence - Dictabelt transcripts
GGJR 04 Correspondence - Dictabelt transcripts
GGJR 05 Correspondence, press cuttings & articles
GGJR 06 Correspondence & ephemera re the deaths of Graham Greene and Raymond Greene
GGJR 07 News cuttings re Graham Greene's life and works
GGJR 08 Material re sale of Graham Greene's archive and library
GGJR 09 Articles etc re Graham Greene's life and works
GGJR 10 Letters from Graham Greene to Josephine Reid
GGJR 11 Photographs of Josephine Reid and Graham Greene
GGJR 12 Cassettes
GGJR 13 Oil painting
GGJR 14 Material from the collection's printed books

- Anna Sander 2015