While Elsi’s Autobiography is returning from the Orient we have been looking at some of her effects. There are a number of Pandora’s bags of which what follows is one. Gives a pretty good insight into life of RST and MEE!!

Bag 1: Contents as it came out of the bag!

The Skull of a Hare
Envelope from L. Garvin Honey Merchants containing Grey Mullet Scales
Letter from Joan Merchant (in whose house Elsi lived in Chirk)
Cheese Box containing Puffin’s beak, together with Windsor and Newton leaflet containing advice on control of moth damage and mildew to paint brushes
Envelope containing Snow Bunting Feathers
Windsor and Newton Paint tube box containing sheets of ‘English Gold Leaf’
Cartoon by Victus of Harold MacMillan: The Prime Minister was wonderful-he shot everything 1960
Envelope containing ms of list of Mills in the County of Merioneth. Nd George VI 2.5d stamp
Envelope containing charcoal in clay holder..many dug up in Sarn garden
Letter from Monica Rawlins about Christopher Wood
Letter from WA Chaney Lawrence University Wisconsin 29 March 1992 Vigil of St John Climascus
Booklet: The Land of The Cymry (sic) Trust Houses
Envelope containing bits of old silver foil..’from Aunt Ethel’
Envelope marked Caseg Fedi containing photographs of Corn Ornaments from The National Museum of Wales together with bill for 6 shillings also 2 drawings of Scottish and Norwegian Butter Moulds
Catalogue of an Exhibition at Spink:The Old Watercolour Society and Its Founder Members 1973
Letter from Malcolm Fry Secretary of RWS 1978 about the Sale of a Panel for the Gobowen Mural
Photograph b/w of the same panel
Post Card of La Vieille Maison Alle s Semois France from Mme Daschbeck.Germaine Hunter’s mother?
Childrens Cinema Book; In the Landof The Crofters by John Maddison
Pamphlet Ty Draw by P. Smith and D.B. Hague
Reprinted from Archaeologica Cambrensis 1958, with letter from Hague: Dear Condry (Bill)
Envelope containing Hair prescription from a Dr. Ferguson of \Bromsgrove
The Report. Together with original drawings for the CPRW 23rd Annual Report 1967-8
Booklet containg a Cataloge and plan of the gardens of Plas Yn Rhiw 1966
Envelope and Letter from The Medici Society confirming purchase of the copyright in illustrationds from The Sea Shore
Booklet Plas Yn Rhiw by Honora Keating 3 copies
Letter from MEE to Gwydion
Envelope containg Birth and Marriage Certificates
Plastic Phial containing ‘African Spiral Seed’
Exercise Book ..blank
Catalogue of Old Master Drawings from the Collection of Dr and Mrs Francis Springell National Gallery of Scotland
Exercise Book. List of Paintings sold to Spink 1968-1978
Exercise Book Estates of FC Eldridge and MM Eldridge
Exercise Book Inventory of Sarn Y Plas
Letter from Monica Rawlins requesting that Christopher Wood Painting be given to Elsi when M died!
Book of Phone numbers-none!
Christmas card Cathedrale de Lyon
Medici Bill of sale for Chgristmas Cards
Letter to Ronald and Gwydion about Euthanasia
Copy of Will
Copy of deeds for Arfryn Nantmor
Various brown envelopes-empty
Envelope containing Will of FC Eldridge
Envelope containing detail of rent at 3 Bridge Street Leatherhead
Envelope containg photographs of Gwydion and Examination Certificates
Envelope containg Aluminium Mesh: Especially made for reinforcing rust holes

Letter from Kyffin Williams 1988
Post card from Marie Therese Castay Aurillac 1973
Post Card from Anne Moorey Sete 1972
Post card from Joan Merchant Oban 1973
Various envelopes from Halifax BS, Guardian Royal Exchange, Elys and British Gas
Post Card of Menai Bridge
Leaflet about Phostrogen
Christmas Card Cathedrale de Chartres
Old Listing of British Hallmarks
Post Card Diano Marina from Dorothy Bates 1972
Christmas Ceads from Phyllis Williams Gardner and Suzanne Knowles

Post Card of Cockle Carts at Penclawdd
Post Card of ship Parramatta

Christmas Card of Connemarra from Peter McPoddie (RST)
Sheet of Dried Flowers from Bethlehem
Post Card of Shetland Ponies
Christmas Cards-Rouen Liege Evreux Plogonnec Strasbourg
Carton of Anemone Blanda
Christmas Card from Audrey Keates
Christmas Card from Harriet Alcom
Signed Christmas card-print by Stuart Milsom
Post Card of the Nanteos Cup
Christmas Card from Germaine Hunter

5d stamp
15 Cards from the Bodleian and Fitwilliam ms Illuminations

Post Card Shetland Boat and Croft
Post card Ynys Enlli
Post Card Fanlac Dordogne Denise Bates 1972
Post card Sumburgh Harriet Alcom
Label tin of Herring Fillets
PostCards Twin Peaks of Quinag and Aberglaslyn
Dummy Mock up of Book In My garden
Long letter to Gwydion 1976
Letter from Mary Behrend Jersey
Notice of OGM of National Trust

Notes of Hugo Van der Goes
Post Card of Slate Splitter Merioneth
Letter from National Trust
Letter to the AA (containing feathers)
Envelope containing Woodcock fearhers
Envelope containg dead prawn
Envelope containg adder skin
Envelope containg ‘Moorhen’s seat’
Envelope containg grass seeds
Book containing Income Tax returns 1966-1989
Phial containing chaffinch feathers
2 unlabelled Phials containing feathers of cuckoo +?
Bowles One sheet plan of \London and Westmister 1805
Letter from Dilwyn John national Museum of Wales 1958
The Penguin Modern Painters Paul Nash
Catalogue The Face of Wales Welsh Arts Council 1965
Book The Laws of the RWS together with letter of election 1956
The Dublin Magazine 1955 April-June
The Studio Magazine Jan 1942
Envelope containg correspondence and Sales slips from RWS
Envelope of Press Cuttings of RST Books decorated with drawings of Redwing
Magazine Forethought nd containing RST poem Fact
Catalogue of Paintings Exhibition MEE Beaux Arts Gallery 1937
Leaflet Regualtions RWS
Penguin Modern Painters Frances Hodgkins
2 postcards from Nevill Coghill to Gwydion
Photo Watercolor Aulla LG Duke474
Letter from George Clausen 1935
19th C valentine card
Letter from News Editor Birmingham Post 1951 press clipping enclosed RA..ME Eldridge is the first artist to have all her pictures purchased this year at the Royal Academy
Letter from Michael March to RST 1983
Letter from Aurum Press to RST
Penguin Modern painters Henry Moore
Short ms entitled Pope Easter Sunday
Photo Grannie Eldridge
Photo MEE and MME
Photo Painting Against The Frost in possession of J Speddar Lewis Leckford Abbey Stockbridge
Christmas Card from Alan Pryce jones
The Listener July 9 1953..Peasant Girl Weeping RST
The Listener July 5 1956 A Chapel Deacon RST
Representative Body of the Church in Wales Notice of Stipend 1 Oct 1948 £86.12.10
3 drawings of a tree
I drawing of a man with a staff and gulls
2 copies Daily Telegraph Magazine November 7 1975 Byron Rogers on RST also letter from Byron
Booklet Mural Paintiongs Brockley County School
Article The Birmingham Post Feb 11 1954 on the Gobowen Mural
Envelope containing 4 leaf clover Manafon Garden
First letter in ink from AGT to MME

Letter from FCE to MEE 7.3.48
Letter MEE to FCE Pensione Windsor Capri 15.IV.34
Photo MME
Large Photo Sheep in a Slate Pen MEE
Envelope Letters and Cards from FCE to MME
Correspondence with RJAH Hospital re mural together with ms description of it by MEE
MEE brief cv
2 letters fro John Rothenstein The Tate Gallery 1951 and 1953
Photograph of Mural Foundation at Prudential Cricket Pavilion Chiswick
Envelope of material from MME
Photo painting Nets for the cherry tree 1938
Photo panel of Mural RJAH
Photo painting Misstle Thrush and Skull 1949
Letter from Alan Powers re Brockley Mural
Letter from Elsi to FCE Poggio Gherardo June 3
Photograph of Grandpa Eldridge and Great Grandpa Eldridge
The Holborn Series Tracing Book I drawing of a hand
The Mandeville Press Spring Collection Album RST 1977
Food For Free Richard Mabey
Envelope containing 25 ms letters from Leonard Duke
Photo of MEE c. 1958
4 Photos of AGT 2 with MME and FCE
Letter ffrom M M Keesey 1937
6 Photos of AGT
Photo of painting Bagnone Massa Carrara 1934 Duke Collection?
Poem The Bear by AGT c.1954
Card from Nevill Coghill to AGT
Copy of letter from Stanley Spencer to Mary Behrend Cookham 1959
Letter from MEE to FCE Florence
Letter from MEE to parents Poggio Gherardo
Letter from MEE to FCE Poggio Gherardo
Parts of 2 letters ditto
Letter from MEE to parents Scuola Brittanica Roma
Letter from Alwyn Rees Extramual Dept Aberystwyth 1950
Letter from Monica Rawlins 1974
Letter from RWS 1942
Letter from Charles Skilton Publisher 1960
Various photographs of AGT
Letter from JL Naimaster 1979
Booklet 30 Welsh Paintings of today.. contains photo of Hill Sheep Corris
Art Quarterly Vol 3 No 4 September 1960-Article by Mark Bourne
3 ms pages by RST Y Llwybrau Gynt 11
handbill Royal Collage of Art Distribution of Diplomas 1933
Photograph MME
Photo Oil Painting Flying Kites Dryden House Oundle College
Newspaper cutting Orpheus and the Maenads at the Poetry Recital
Photograph Drawing Thumb and The Eagles Duke Collection
Photograph Painting The Turn of the Year “ “
Photograph Painting Brown Trout “ “
Photograph Oil Painting Freeing The Birds Birmingham City Art gallery
Photograph Oil Painting The Melody of Grief
Photograph Oil Painting Untitled (2 girls in a river
Photograph Oil Painting Untitled
Christmas Card from Alan Pryce Jones
Nets and Olive trees
4 Photos of AGT
Photo of a Shelduck
Photo of MEE
Large file of papers relating to Income Tax 1950s
Booklet Charles Mahoney. Tribute by John Rothenstein 1968
Y Faner March 4 1977 O’n cwpas by RST
Letter from Keating Sisters 1957
Thesis From The Stones of the Field to Pieta by Marie Therese Castay
Queen Magazine May 25 includes Poets Talking with Mary Holland, Poem The Betrothal RST and photo of RS
Observer Magazine 22 June 1969 Photo of RST
Queen Christmas Issue 1968 Carol by RST
Country Life March 17 1988 Article by Alan Powers Wards and Walls-Gobowen Mural
TLS May 30 1975 Abercuawg by RST
Tantalising ms snippet!:
Of course that would come. No I don’t but that is not the part of Thomas I mean-Thomas his verse R’s disgust at hearing O’Sullivan say I like Sterne better every day-Just like barnes and his Jane Austen and then the overpraising of AE. AE the man always present for them ?ing their vision of his work. Two bad sort of ?ish paintings by him at O’Sullivans. Then finding that Seumas contradicted himself when a summer at Starkey’s (Lanfairfechan) R had said Do you like Emily Bronte Seumas had replied My dear fellow do I ‘like’ her Then when R said to Clarke Do you think AE shows signs of having been influenced by Emily Clarke replied that he he thought AE would hardly have been able to see her work then O Sullivan said O Emily B was only a frail romantic but AE my dear….Continued disenthronement. They didn’t understand his pseudo Irish Patrick Molloy and told him it was terrible stage Irish.Said go on writing your own tuff..Cyclamen..that is your stuff go on with it when he had long ago passed the stage of thinking Cyclamen good Why to see it in print made him feel it stuffy and old and spoiled….(more)