The Wade Center's letter collections include handwritten or typed original correspondence by, to, or about the seven authors, and others they knew. Please reference the letter collection title, author, recipient, folder number (where applicable), and letter date(s) when contacting archival staff with questions about these collections. Requests to view original letters should be submitted 24-hours in advance.
The G.K. Chesterton Family Correspondence Collection
The C.S. Lewis Letters Collection
The George MacDonald Family Papers
Commonly used Terms and Abbreviations in the Letter Collection Listings
- recto = front side of lf.
- verso = back side of lf.
- revisions = any corrections, alterations, additions, or deletions
- p. = page
- pp. = pages
- lf. = leaf
- lvs. = leaves
- ALs. = handwritten letter, signed (ACs. = handwritten card, signed)
- TLs. = typed letter, signed (TCs. = typed card, signed)
- pc. = photocopy (e.g. pc. TMs. or pc. AMs.)
- cc. = carbon copy (e.g. cc. TMs. or cc. AMs.)
- mf. = microfilm
- ps. = photostat (e.g. ps. TMs. or ps. AMs.) Definition: A form of duplication that makes quick positive or negative copies directly on the surface of prepared paper.
The following abbreviations may also appear in some letter collections to designate which repository owns the original letter:
- W = Original is held at the Marion E. Wade Center
- B = Original is held at the Bodleian Library, Oxford
- X = Original is held by another institution or a private individual
- t = The Wade Center owns a transcription of the original
Searching Tip:
To search across all the listings, use the "Search Wade Center Inventories" search box in the online catalog.
