Papers and Correspondence of Reginald M. Hewitt (1887-1948), Professor of English,...

The collection includes correspondence of a personal and academic nature. Hewitt corresponded with many eminent scholars and literary figures of his day including Lascelles Abercrombie, Walter de la Mare, J. Dover Wilson and Herbert Grierson. Letters from a number of academics from overseas are present in the collection and there is an interesting letter from Hewitt to his wife, whilst staying in Prague, which relates details of the country at that time. There are also letters of condolence to Luisa Hewitt, following her husband's death in 1948. Notes for lectures given by Hewitt at Nottingham from 1910 to 1942 survive. His literary papers include some of his original poems and translations of poems such as works by Pushkin, and a manuscript copy of 'The New University: A Satire by R. Ascham Jr', which Hewitt composed.

Correspondence, poetry, lectures

The collection is arranged into sections of correspondence, testimonials, and poetry. Material is arranged chronologically within each section.

• <persname>Hewitt, Reginald M, 1887-1948, Professor of English, University College, Nottingham</persname>
• <persname>Pinto, Vivian de Sola, 1895-1969, Professor of English at the University of Nottingham</persname>

Photocopies and photographic copies can be supplied for educational use and private study purposes only, depending on the condition of the documents.

Identification of copyright holders of unpublished material is often difficult. Permission to make any published use of any material from the collection must be sought in advance in writing from the Keeper of Manuscripts and Special Collections (email mss-library@nottingham.ac.uk). The Department will try to assist in identifying copyright owners but responsibility for copyright clearance before publication ultimately rests with the reader.

Accessible to all registered readers

Most of the collection comprises the material gathered together by Professor Vivian de Sola Pinto for his publication, 'Reginald Mainwaring Hewitt: A Selection from his Literary Remains' (1955), and subsequently donated to the Library by Professor Pinto. An additional series papers was added to the collection by Mrs H. Kinsley, wife of Rev. Professor J.Kinsley formerly of Nottingham University English Department. A few items have also been transferred from an artificial collection of letters (see GB 0159 MS 178).

Reginald Mainwaring Hewitt (1887-1948) was born at Rippenden near Halifax. He went to Keble College Oxford in 1905 on a History Scholarship, but transferred to the New School of English. He left Oxford in 1910 with an MA.

From 1911-1913, Hewitt taught History at South Shields High School, before being appointed lecturer in English at the then University College, Nottingham. He married Luisa Krebs, whom he had met at Oxford, the same year. In 1925 Hewitt was made head of the English Department following the retirement of Professor Richard Warwick Bond

Hewitt was influential in the creation of the English section of the University Library. He was an accomplished linguist and was particularly admired for his translations of poetry, notably from Russian. His great literary interest was Coventry Patmore and, with his friend Frederick Page, he was responsible for building up the Patmore Collection (NOTT Pt) at the University library.

In 1935 Hewitt began to suffer from Paget's disease, and was forced to retire in 1938. He was given an Honorary Readership in Comparative Literature and retained a strong connection with the University's activities until his death in 1948.