POPIE

From the Macqueen-Pope papers. See his entry in the Oxford DNB. Known by his nickname ‘Popie’, Macqueen-Pope was widely regarded as the leading theatre historian of his day. His many books (from histories of individual theatres to a biography of Ivor Novello) sold well, and his broadcasts on the BBC were extremely popular. Eighteen items, providing something a glimpse of his working methods. The last two of the eighteen items are TLsS to MP: one from the editor of ‘Everybody's’ Greville Poke (also see his Oxford DNB entry), and the other Pauline Carter, ‘EDITORIAL’.

See her entry and that of Macqueen-Pope in the Oxford DNB. The two items are in fair condition, on aged and lightly-worn paper. Both with the valediction and signature in a large flowing hand, and the second letter also with an autograph postscript. Both are 1p, 4to, and folded three times. ONE (7 July 1952): Addressed to ‘Popie my dear’ and with autograph valediction ‘Yours always / Julia’. She has ‘not been too well for over a year’, and the previous year her ‘stupid heart did foolish things’, and she was ‘ordered to bed for six weeks or more’. She is still ‘not allowed to do too much’.

The material collected here is perhaps unique: it is not clear whether any material relating to Macqueen-Pope’s BBC broadcasts has survived elsewhere. It is hard to overestimate the significance of ‘Popie’ to the history of the London stage. Other items from among his papers offered seperately attest to the regard in which he was held by both actors and those behind the scenes, as the foremost chronicler of a cherished era that was quickly passing into oblivion.