Guide to the Fiona Pitt-Kethley Literary Papers, 1982-1993

Accession number: 1993-0002R



University Libraries
The Pennsylvania State University
Special Collections Library
Rare Books and Manuscripts


Contact Information:

Pennsylvania State University
University Libraries
Special Collections Library
104 Paterno Library
University Park, PA 16802
814/865-1793
FAX 814/863-5318
E-mail: sks5@psulias.psu.edu

Processed by: Paul Dzyak
Date Completed: 1995
Encoded by: Susan Hamburger

©2006 Pennsylvania State University. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Pitt-Kethley, Fiona, 1954-
Title: Fiona Pitt-Kethley Literary Papers, 1982-1993
Accession: 1993-0002R
Extent: 4 cubic feet
Repository: Pennsylvania State University, University Libraries, Special Collections Library

Administrative Information

Access

Unrestricted access.

Preferred Citation

Fiona Pitt-Kethley Literary Papers, 1982-1993, Accession 1993-0002R, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Special Collections Library, University Libraries, Pennsylvania State University.

Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Bernard Stone, Turret Books, London, 1993.

Arrangement

Organized into three series: Manuscripts, Correspondence, and Miscellaneous Materials. The manuscripts are arranged alphabetically by draft titles with books filed first, followed by separate poems. The correspondence is arranged chronologically.

Biographical Note

Fiona Pitt-Kethley, born in Middlesex, England, is a British writer of books and poems on sex and travel.

Born 21 November 1954, in Edgware, Middlesex, England, Fiona Pitt-Kethley is the daughter of Rupert Singleton (a journalist) and Olive Banfield Pitt-Kethley (a civil servant). She attended Chelsea School of Art, and earned a B.A. (with honors) in 1976.

Fiona Pitt-Kethley told Contemporary Authors: "My work is largely satirical--attacking hypocrisy, cruelty, and exploitation in society. Many of my poems are about contemporary sexuality. I use explicit, everyday language. "As to my general aims, I would like to see poetry taken seriously as a profession. It certainly isn't in Britain at the moment. I am concerned with improving the rights of writers in general and women writers in particular. I have campaigned extensively against discrimination in poetry publishing and literary awards."

Her published works include books of poetry: London (privately printed, 1984); Rome (Mammon Press, 1985); The Tower of Glass (Mariscat Press, 1985); Gesta (Turret Books, 1986); Sky Ray Lolly (Chatto & Windus, 1986); Private Parts (Chatto & Windus, 1987); Abacus (Abacus, 1989). She has also published a travel book, Journeys to the Underworld (Chatto & Windus, 1988); and The Perfect Man (Abacus, 1989); The Literary Companion to Sex: An Anthology of Prose and Poetry (Random House, 1992); Dogs (Sinclair-Stevenson, 1993); The Pan Principle (Sinclair-Stevenson, 1994); and Double Act (Arcadia Books, 1996). Pitt-Kethley has also contributed--sometimes under the pseudonym Rupert Singleton--to periodicals, including New Statesman and Independent.

Scope and Content

The collection contains Fiona Pitt-Kethley's manuscripts and drafts of her books and poems, and personal and business correspondence with her agent, Giles Gordon of Sheil Land Associates, and publishers Chatto & Windus, Peter Owen, and Sinclair-Stevenson, MacDonald & Co., among others. There is correspondence concerning her discrimination case against the Arts Council of Great Britain and her difficulties with Bloodaxe Books in getting her writings published. Most of her personal correspondence is greeting cards, Christmas cards, postcards, and a few letters. Includes manuscripts for A Cure for Impotence, Journeys to the Underworld, The Literary Companion to Sex, London, The Maiden's Progress, Misfortunes of Nigel, The Perfect Man, Private Parts, Puppet Master, Rome, Sex and Suffering in Italy, Sky Ray Lolly, and Too Hot to Handle. Also includes her travel itineraries, artist show invitations, and items from the Arts Council of Great Britain.

Index Terms

These materials are indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Pennsylvania State University. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.

Corporate Subjects

Bloodaxe Books

Topical Subjects

Authors and publishers -- Great Britain

Erotic stories, English

Novelists, English -- Fiction

Poets, English -- Travel -- Italy -- 20th century

Reverse discrimination -- Great Britain

Voyages to the otherworld in literature

Geographic Subjects

Italy -- Antiquities

Italy -- Description and travel

Correspondents

Gordon, Giles, 1940-

Arts Council of Great Britain

Chatto & Windus (Firm)

MacDonald & Co.

Peter Owen (Firm)

Sheil Land Associates

Sinclair-Stevenson (Firm)

Form/Genre Terms

Correspondence

Manuscripts for publication

Novels

Poems

Postcards

Container List

Manuscripts Series

Manuscripts, 1982-1993.

Most of the papers are typescript draft copies, some written on the back of old correspondence. Other papers include handwritten rough drafts.

Box 1

Folder 01

A Cure for Impotence, undated

Box 1

Folders 02-05

Journeys to the Underworld, undated

Box 1

Folders 06-11

The Literary Companion to Sex, undated

Box 1

Folders 12-16

London, undated

Box 1

Folder 17-22

The Maiden's Progress, undated

Box 2

Folders 01-04

The Misfortunes of Nigel, undated

Box 2

Folders 05-07

The Perfect Man, undated

Box 2

Folders 08-10

Private Parts, undated

Box 2

Folder 11

Puppet Master, undated

Box 2

Folders 12-13

Rome, undated

Box 2

Folders 14-17

Sex and Suffering in Italy, undated

Box 2

Folders 18-20

Sky Ray Lolly, undated

Box 2

Folders 21-24

Too Hot to Handle, undated

Box 3

Folder 01

Miscellaneous poems, undated

Box 3

Folder 02

Miscellaneous poems, undated

Box 3

Folder 03

Tables of contents of books, undated

Box 3

Folder 04

Miscellaneous book sections, undated

Box 3

Folder 05

Articles, Typescripts, Rough Drafts, undated

Box 3

Folder 06

Articles, Typescripts, Rough Drafts, undated

Box 3

Folder 07

Articles, Typescripts, Rough Drafts, undated

Box 3

Folder 08

Articles, Typescripts, Rough Drafts, undated

Box 3

Folder 09

Articles and Altered Drafts, undated

Box 3

Folder 10

Article: Arts Council Case, undated

Box 3

Folder 11

Unpublished Article: "Sex and Suffering in Italy," undated

Correspondence Series

Correspondence, 1982-1993.

Pitt-Kethley's correspondence is divided into sub-series, business and personal. The business correspondence, which is organized alphabetically by publisher, shows what kinds of transactions and flow of ideas occurred between Pitt-Kethley and various editors, agents, staff personnel, and financial officers. Publishers include Chatto & Windus, Peter Owen Ltd., and Sinclair-Stevenson. There is also much correspondence between Pitt-Kethley and her agent, Giles Gordon of Sheil Land Associates. There is correspondence concerning her discrimination case against the Arts Council of Great Britain and her difficulties with Bloodaxe Books in getting her writings published. Most of her personal correspondence consists of greeting cards, Christmas cards, postcards, and a few letters from some individuals.

Business Correspondence

Business correspondence, 1982-1993.

Box 3

Folder 12

Arts Council of Great Britain, 1984

Box 3

Folder 13

Discrimination Case Against Arts Council of Great Britain, 1987-1989

Box 3

Folder 14

Bales Tours Limited, 1987-1989

Box 3

Folder 15

Big Issue, The, 1992

Box 3

Folder 16

Bloodaxe Books, 1982-1983

Box 3

Folder 17

Bloodaxe Books, 1984

Box 3

Folder 18

Bodley Head, The, 1990-1992

Box 3

Folder 19

Bookmark, 1992

Box 3

Folder 20

British Broadcasting Corp., 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 21

British School at Athens, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 22

Cape, Jonathan Ltd., 1990

Box 3

Folder 23

Celebrity Holidays & Travel, 1992

Box 3

Folder 24

Chatto & Windus--Robin Baillie, 1988

Box 3

Folder 25

Chatto & Windus--Christine Carswell, 1988-1989

Box 3

Folder 26

Chatto & Windus--Catherine Eccles, 1988-1989

Box 3

Folder 27

Chatto & Windus--Anthony McConnell, 1988-1989

Box 3

Folder 28

Chatto & Windus--Miscellaneous, 1987-1992

Box 3

Folder 29

Chatto & Windus--Andrew Motion, 1984-1992

Box 3

Folder 30

Chatto & Windus--Clive A. Ryder Runton, 1988

Box 3

Folder 31

Chatto & Windus--Samuel Alison, 1988-1989

Box 3

Folder 32

Chatto & Windus--Jeremy Seal, 1987-1991

Box 3

Folder 33

Chrysalis Television, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 34

Collins, 1991

Box 3

Folder 35

Cosmopolitan, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 36

Cox, David, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 37

Daily Mail, The, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 38

Daily Telegraph, The, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 39

Dorset County Council, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 40

Dragon's World, Inc., 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 41

Edinburgh Book Festival, 1988-1992

Box 3

Folder 42

Elle, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 43

Faber & Faber, 1991

Box 3

Folder 44

Filmworks, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 45

Mark Gerson Photographer, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 46

Gollancz, Victor Ltd., 1991

Box 3

Folder 47

Good Housekeeping, 1992

Box 3

Folder 48

The Guardian, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 49

Harper Collins Publishers, 1991

Box 3

Folder 50

Harpers & Queen, 1991

Box 3

Folder 51

Harry Chambers/Peterloo Poets, 1983-1984

Box 3

Folder 52

Hastings Cancer Help Centre, 1991

Box 3

Folder 53

Hastings Pier Preservation Society, 1992

Box 3

Folder 54

Hastings Trust, 1992

Box 3

Folder 55

Hay, George--Futures Consultant, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 56

Heinemann-Mandarin, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 57

Homes & Gardens, 1992

Box 3

Folder 58

Horovitz, Michael, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 59

Hutchinson, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 60

Iron Press, 1991

Box 3

Folder 61

Israel Government Tourist Service, 1992

Box 3

Folder 62

Japan Airlines, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 63

Kilroy Programme Office, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 64

Leicestershire County Council, 1991

Box 3

Folder 65

Literary Society, The, 1992

Box 3

Folder 66

Little, Brown, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 67

London Review of Books, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 68

MacDonald Group (Cardinal-Abacus), 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 69

MacDonald Group (MacDonald), 1991

Box 3

Folder 70

MacDonald Group, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 71

Mail on Sunday, The, 1991-1992

Box 3

Folder 72

Monday Literary Club, 1991

Box 3

Folder 73

New Horizons, 1991

Box 3

Folder 74

New Woman, 1989

Box 3

Folder 75

Newspaper Publishing PLC, 1992

Box 3

Folder 76

Netherlands Board of Tourism, 1991

Box 3

Folder 77

Nighthawks, 1991

Box 3

Folder 78

Northern & Shell, 1989-1991

Box 3

Folder 79

Nottinghamshire County Council, 1991

Box 3

Folder 80

The Observer, 1991

Box 4

Folder 01

Peter Owen Ltd.--Richard Bailey, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 02

Peter Owen Ltd.--Tracy Beresford, 1992

Box 4

Folder 03

Peter Owen Ltd.--Miscellaneous, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 04

Peter Owen Ltd.--Peter Owen, 1991-1993

Box 4

Folder 05

Peter Owen Ltd.--S.E. Paine, 1991

Box 4

Folder 06

Peter Owen Ltd.--Gary Pulsifer, 1991-1993

Box 4

Folder 07

Pan Books, 1992

Box 4

Folder 08

Panoptic, 1991

Box 4

Folder 09

Poetry Society, The, 1989-1991

Box 4

Folder 10

R & B Publishing, 1991

Box 4

Folder 11

Random House, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 12

Royal National Theatre, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 13

Royal Post Graduate Medical School, Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 1992

Box 4

Folder 14

St. Catherine's College, 1992

Box 4

Folder 15

Scotland on Sunday, 1992

Box 4

Folder 16

Sheil Land Associates--Giles Gordon, 1988-1990

Box 4

Folder 17

Sheil Land Associates--Giles Gordon, 1991

Box 4

Folder 18

Sheil Land Associates--Giles Gordon, 1992

Box 4

Folder 19

Sheil Land Associates--Giles Gordon, 1993

Box 4

Folder 20

Shiel Land Associates--Robert Kirby, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 21

Shiel Land Associates--Miscellaneous, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 22

Sinclair-Stevenson--Kate Collins, 1992

Box 4

Folder 23

Sinclair-Stevenson--John Lyon, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 24

Sinclair-Stevenson--Emily Mallaby (Kerr), 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 25

Sinclair-Stevenson--Angela Martin, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 26

Sinclair-Stevenson--Miscellaneous, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 27

Sinclair-Stevenson--Rachel Peddie, 1992

Box 4

Folder 28

Sinclair-Stevenson--Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 29

Sinclair-Stevenson--Sarah Smyth, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 30

Sinclair-Stevenson--Michael Wood, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 31

Society of Authors, 1983-1992

Box 4

Folder 32

Southeast Arts, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 33

Southern Publishing Co., 1992

Box 4

Folder 34

University of Stirling, 1991

Box 4

Folder 35

Sunday Express, 1992

Box 4

Folder 36

The Sunday Telegraph, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 37

The Sunday Times, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 38

Sutton, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 39

Tenemos, 1984-1992

Box 4

Folder 40

The Times, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 41

Topical Books, 1991

Box 4

Folder 42

Turkish Embassy Information Office, 1992

Box 4

Folder 43

Turret Books, 1992

Box 4

Folder 44

UCL Literary Society, 1991

Box 4

Folder 45

Uitgeverij De Arbeiderspers, 1990-1991

Box 4

Folder 46

Virago, 1992

Box 4

Folder 47

Vogue, 1991

Box 4

Folder 48

Watermans, 1992

Box 4

Folder 49

The James Whale Show, 1991

Box 4

Folder 50

Woman's Journal, 1991

Box 4

Folder 51

From Miscellaneous Companies, A-M, 1988-1992

Box 4

Folder 52

From Miscellaneous Companies, N-Z, 1988-1992

Box 4

Folder 53

Miscellaneous Editors, 1990-1992

Box 4

Folder 54

Travel Editors, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 55

Letters to the Editor, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 56

Writing Grants & Awards, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 57

Beakes, Fred--re: Rome, 1984

Box 4

Folder 58

To The Independent--re: Pitt-Kethley's Comments on "Page 3 Girls," 1988

Box 4

Folder 59

Relating to Hugo's Reactions Prior to Publication of Too Hot To Handle, 1991

Box 4

Folder 60

Original Letters for Notes to The Perfect Man, 1986-1988

Box 4

Folder 61

Statistics Compiled on Proportion of Women Published by British Publishers, 1982

Box 4

Folder 62

Fax Activity Logs & Transmission Reports, 1991-1992

Personal Correspondence

Personal correspondence, 1983-1993.

Box 4

Folder 63

Frankel, Zygmunt, 1990-1992

Box 4

Folder 64

Jesus College, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 65

Sullivan, John, 1984-1992

Box 4

Folder 66

To & From, A-L, 1989-1992

Box 4

Folder 67

To & From, M-Z, 1989-1992

Box 4

Folder 68

Letters to Pitt-Kethley, A-L, 1983-1992

Box 4

Folder 69

Letters to Pitt-Kethley, M-Z, 1983-1992

Box 4

Folder 70

Letters from Pitt-Kethley, 1983-1993

Box 4

Folder 71

Greeting Cards, 1990-1992

Box 4

Folder 72

Postcards, 1984-1992

Box 4

Folder 73

Christmas Cards, 1990-1992

Box 4

Folder 74

Complaints, 1990-1992

Box 4

Folder 75

Postcard Photocopies, 1991

Box 4

Folder 76

Letters to Pitt-Kethley, 1991-1992

Miscellaneous Materials Series

Miscellaneous materials, 1983-1992.

The miscellaneous materials include her travel itineraries, artist-show invitations, and items from the Arts Council of Great Britain.

Box 4

Folder 77

Arts Council of Great Britain, 1984

Box 4

Folder 78

General Miscellaneous, 1983-1992

Box 4

Folder 79

Itineraries, 1991-1992

Box 4

Folder 80

Show Invitations, 1990-1992