London Library of Recorded English records, 1949-2010 1950-1965
date: label: Date
content: 1949
label: Date
content: 1949-2010
label: Date
content: 1950-1965
label: Date
content: 18th century
label: Date
content: 19th century
label: Date
content: Early modern, 1500-1700
name: label: Creator
content: Clinton-Baddeley, V. C (Victor Clinton) 1900-1970
label: Creator
content: Compton, Joseph 1891-
label: Creator
content: Britam Agencies
notes: label: Notes
content: The London Library of Recorded English had roots in V.C. Clinton-Baddeley's 1937 recordings of poetry broadcasts with W.B. Yeats for the BBC. In 1940, during World War II, Clinton-Baddeley helped prepare British propaganda on gramophone discs for the use of foreign radio stations. A portion of these recordings were dedicated to "cultured propaganda," and this included recordings of English poetry produced by Clinton-Baddeley and read by himself and other well-known readers.
label: Notes
content: During the war, Clinton-Baddeley was speaking to Joseph Compton, a prominent specialist in English literature education, about the propaganda records. Compton believed that recordings of literature would be in demand in schools. When the war ended, E.J. Vetter, a recording engineer told Clinton-Baddeley that he would be setting up a small recording studio where it would be possible to make some poetry recordings. Compton soon got on board, and the recording studio, which was a part of United Programmes Limited (UPL) of London, England, would support the production of the recordings.
label: Notes
content: The first four volumes (called "books") of the anthology were made with UPL in the late 1940s. These were directed by Clinton-Baddeley and engineered by Vetter and J. Bramhall. Compton made selections and provided literary criticism. Both Clinton-Baddeley and Compton were considered editors of the series.
label: Notes
content: UPL went into receivership and in 1950, Edgar J. Grande, receiver for UPL, appointed Britam Agencies, Inc. (Britam) sole agent in the U.S.A. and Canada for the sale of the recordings (twenty-four 78rpm records per set) to be imported from England. The recordings were sold to schools, colleges, and libraries. In 1955, UPL and Grande arranged with Britam to purchase the LLRE free and clear. Britam re-engineered the recordings and converted them into 4 LPs, manufactured by Columbia Records and sold under the Alpha Records label.
label: Notes
content: In 1963, Clinton-Baddeley and Irwin Breslauer of Britam agreed to a plan to produce two additional LP records (Books V and VI). All six volumes were marketed as a package, and later, as a set of six cassette tapes. The LLRE then went dormant, with no effort being made towards sales, as the principals of Britam, Irwin Breslauer and Norman Breslauer were occupied with other business. The collection was donated to the the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in 2010.
label: Notes
content: A finding aid is available.
label: Notes
content: This collection was donated in memory of Lewis R. Breslauer to Smithsonian Folkways Recordings/Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in January, 2010. The donation included all right, title, and interest in and to the recordings, papers, and historical materials, as well as all intellectual property rights.
label: Summary
content: London Library of Recorded English was a 6-volume anthology of English literature, consisting of poetry spanning 16th-20th century England, read aloud by well-known British poets, scholars, and actors. The first four recordings were edited by poet-scholars V.C. Clinton-Baddeley and Joseph Compton, and when it was acquired by Britam Agencies in 1955, Clinton-Baddeley stayed on to create two more releases. The collection contains 6 LP recordings, as well as the business papers associated with the creation and management of the Anthology.
label: Cite as
content: The London Library of Recorded English audiorecordings, Ralph Rinzler Folklikfe Archives and Collections, Smithsonian Institution
label: Repository Loc.
content: Smithsonian Institution, Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections, 600 Maryland Ave., S.W., Suite 2001, Washington, D.C. 20024. Call 202-633-7322 for appointment. Fax: 202-633-7019. Email: rinzlerarchives@si.edu
topic: label: Topic
content: Narrative poetry, English
label: Topic
content: Lyric poetry
label: Topic
content: English poetry
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections
objectType: label: Type
content: Business records
label: Type
content: Collection descriptions
label: Type
content: Contracts
label: Type
content: Correspondence
label: Type
content: Phonograph records
label: Type
content: Audio cassettes
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Access by appointment only. Contact the Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives and Collections at (202) 633-7322 or rinzlerarchives@si.edu for additional information
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Copyright restrictions apply. Contact archives staff for additional information
physicalDescription: label: Physical description
content: Phonograph records 18
label: Physical description
content: Audiocassettes 6
label: Physical description
content: Business records .20 cubic feet
label: Physical description
content: (1.25 cubic feet)