Serie CCPP/THI/1 - Correspondence of Sir Henry Thirkill

4 files, paper and electronic

Includes:

(1) letter from Siegfried Sassoon to Thirkill thanking him for his welcome to Clare, how much he had enjoyed being with him and sending him an extract 'Early morning, long ago' from the Weald of Youth [see below for a transcript of the letter]
The letter was originally with this extract which is retained in the Forbes Mellon Library, Clare College (see i Discover)

(2) a letter from Lord Adrian (as Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University) about Thirkill's retirement from Financial Board, 1958

(3) note from C.P. Snow, 1960

(4) letter of thanks from Sir John Baker, 1961

(5) note about Honorary Membership of Marylebone Cricket Club, 1964

(6) Christmas card from K.S. Duleepsinhji, nd

(7) letters received as Master of Clare College relating to King Peter II of Yugoslavia, 1941-1943

(8) letters relating to Honorary Degrees during Thirkill's time as Vice-Chancellor, including letters from Clement Attlee, Louis Mountbatten, Winston Churchill, Field-Marshall Montgomery and Henri-Paul Spaak

(9) seating plans and orders of events for honorary degree ceremonies,1945-1947

(10) letters of congratulations for his knighthood, 1951

Transcript of the letter to Henry Thirkill from Siegfried Sassoon:

Heytesbury 31-5-54.

Dear Master,

No need to say again how much I appreciated the welcome given me by the College. It was absolute bliss! And how lovely it all is. Sitting at the High Table, I thought, while gazing past the Bishop of Mombasa, of the shy Freshman who sat down below in 1905 - little knowing the elevation which awaited him!

As a memorial of those early days, I am sending you an extract from the Weald of Youth, which G. Keynes had printed, on 18th century paper. And would like, in all modesty, to provide, later on, one or two more solid volumes for acceptance by the College Library. To conclude, let me add how much I enjoyed being with you.

Yours sincerely, SS."