| Admin/Biog History | Brian Howard was an English poet and writer for the New Statesman. He met Nicolson in 1939, and the two socialised in similar circles until the end of Howard's life. They shared mutual friends and Howard is regularly referenced in Nicolson's journals. Nicolson was appointed Howard's executor, in a will dated 1955.
The file also contains correspondence from Marie-Jacqueline Lancaster, a long term friend of Howard's who compiled a memoir of him, published in 2005 (Lancaster, Marie-Jaqueline (2005). Brian Howard: Portrait of a Failure. Timewell Press).
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| Description | Includes correspondence of a personal nature concerning Howard's health; travels in Europe; mutual friends and will.
Of particular note:
-two letters, dated 1 & 3 July 1952, concerning media interest in Guy Burgess, Howard's sexuality, his views on England as a place to live
-letter, dated 11 June 1954, asking if Nicolson will act as his executor and recounting his experiences of a recent holiday in Spain ('a fascist country')
-letter, dated 10 August 1954, concerning his attempts to buy a property in France and his experiences living with Sam Langford
-letter, dated 18 January 1957, concerning the artist, Christopher Wood
Also includes:
-two letters from Stibbard, Gibson & Co., solicitors, concerning the death of Brian Howard, and a copy of the will made by Howard in 1955
-five letters from Marie-Jacqueline Lancaster, concerning her plan to write a 'memoir' of Howard
-two letters from John Banting and a letter from Evelyn Waugh concerning Lancaster's proposed 'memoir' and the posthumous publication of collection of Howard's writings
-synopsis of Lancaster's propsed book |