Sassoon's Diaries

Hello All,
I thought the following item might be of interest to the forum members. Sassoon's diaries are up for auction and are being sold by his family. An appeal has been launched by Cambridge University Library. This is because both Siegfried and his son (George) attended Cambridge.The diaries consist of 45 volumes of closely written diaries and Journals,and drafts of autobiographies, photographs etcetera.The family gave Cambridge first offer to buy these diaries. The First World War Poetry Archive ( What happened to the soubriquet Great War?) is going to publish the works of Ivor Gurney on it's web site and this will be followed by digital collections relating to Edmund Blundell and Siegfried Sassoon and this will be published later this year. Now for the punch line Cambridge University is launching an appeal for £1,250,000. I do not know if this lot has a reserve price or not.The web site address is http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/wwlit/collections/gurney
Regards RBD aka Jungle1810













members.

Don

We need to get this information to the Regimental Museum if they don't already know about this also to the National Museum of Wales. Sassoon is not only an important Cambridge University alumni he has deep-seated roots in Wales, none moreso than with the RWF. These important historical and intellectualy priceless documents should be kept here in the UK for all to see, not in a private collection of some faceless millionaire buying them as a tax dodge!

Hwyl

Paul

Paul
The RWF Regimental Museum bought his medals . do you think they should buy his literture also?
( Just a Broad Question?)

Hello,
I have notified both Wrexham and the museum about this private treaty sale. Both the Sassoon family and Cambridge want the diaries kept in theU.K..Some £300,000,00p has been pledged so far.I am of the opinion that to try and break through the wall of silence that permeates the museum is well nigh impossible. I have e mailed the museum on 3 seperate occasions over this and other regimental matters and as yet signally failed to get an answer.Some 3 years ago I asked for permission to reproduce a photo of the Chinese war (Boxer opium war) for my web site as the photo was copy righted by the museum, I have yet to rec an answer to that request. If Cambridge are lucky enough to obtain the money required for the diaries then they will be placed on Cambridge's web site.
Regards RBD aka jungle1810

Benny and Don

In answer to Benny's question I don't think the Musuem has the rescourses to by these diaries etc outright but they should be made aware of the situation.
Don, If they are successful then yes I'm sure they will be available for public consumtion in time. My worry is that some private collector will stick their boot in for tax purposes and they will be lost forever.

Hingey

Hello Hingey&Benny,
I have a funny feeling that the museum are not in a position to bid for these diaries as Paul so rightly pointed out.Who knows?
Regards RBD