Vivian Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris (1906-1987) was the younger brother of the celebrated science fiction writer John Wyndham (Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris). The two brothers were very close all their lives, experiencing an unsettled childhood together following the separation of their parents in 1911, then attending the same boarding school - Bedales, near Petersfield, Hampshire. Vivian Beynon Harris initially pursued a career as an actor, studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art from 1925-27 but, achieving little success, he embarked on a career as a novelist under encouragement from his brother. Vivian published four novels: Trouble at Hanard (1948), Confusion at Camden Trig (1948), One Thing Constant (1949) and Song for a Siren (1951). Vivian's success seems to have spurred his brother on, as it was at this time that Wyndham revised his style and published The Day of the Triffids, followed by a sequence of novels that were to become enduring classics of science fiction. Meanwhile, Vivian Beynon Harris' literary career faltered and many of his further attempts at writing fiction were unfinished. The two brothers remained in almost daily contact until Wyndham's death in 1969 and it is perhaps Vivian's memoirs of his brother that are his greatest legacy. There is evidence in the archive that Vivian was planning to write a biography of Wyndham. His manuscripts of Jack and me: growing up with John Wyndham and John Wyndham, 1903-1969 are short but provide rare insights into the life of his famous brother. After Wyndham's death, Vivian Beynon Harris became one of the executors of his brother's literary estate until Vivian himself died in 1987.
There are a number of complete and incomplete manuscripts as well as typescripts, of Vivian Beynon Harris' work, including notes and revisions. The majority of this archive is complied of correspondence and financial documents (which are closed). Most of the papers refer to the estate (including the literary estate) of John Wyndham (Vivian Beynon Harris's older brother), whose archive is also held in the Special Collections and Archives section of the University of Liverpool Library.
There is no real original arrangement to this archive. It has been sorted chronologically, in the first place, and then by subject matter (for instance, the content of correspondence, or of the manuscripts). The collection has been arranged under the following headings:
Deposted in the University of Liverpool Library in 1993 by Brian Bowcock Vivian Beynon Harris' literary executor.
Custodial Information
All of the material in this collection has been preserved.
There are no anticipated accruals.
The collection level description was revised for inclusion on the Archives Hub in July 2004 by Roy Lumb project archivist. This list was revised and amended by Stephanie Nield, Library Assistant in September 2004.
Access is open to bona fide researchers excpet to VBH2/5 Financial Papers, these are closed to public access.
Reproduction and licensing rules available on request.
A finding aid is available for consultation in the reading room.
Also see the archive of John Wyndham, held at The University of Liverpool Special Collections and Archives
A folder containing 175 numbered pages, a complete transcript of Mind Out Of Time by Vivian Beynon Harris (very few amendments). Not published.
A short play for radio (approx. 20 mins); an adaptation of John Wyndham's short story by Vivian Beynon Harris
Hand written copy of They Always Find Out
A novel by Vivian Beynon Harris, inside a list of his other novels, including Trouble at Hanard which was published
Typescript of The Wonderful Time, a short story by Vivian Beynon Harris
Typescript of Light of Love, by Vivian Beynon Harris, a short story
Typescript of Double Trouble by Vivian Lucas (VBH) "a humorous thriller", occasional corrections to the typescript
Love on the Run by Vivian Beynon Harris and John Wyndham, a short story (appears to be complete), no other details.
A first draft (typescript) of short story by Vivian Beynon Harris written for BBC Radio 4
Typescript of The Fair Flowers, a play, presumably by Vivian Beynon Harris but there is no actual indication of authorship since the first four pages are missing, including the title page.
A handwritten copy of Love on the Run by Vivian Beynon Harris. There are a limited number of corrections which suggest this is a final draft.
Contains two short biographies of John Wyndham and the draft of a letter to a Mrs. Allen concerning John Wyndam after his death.
Various beginnings of different stories, some with titles, others just with the chapter title "One", with amendments. Nothing complete, quite disjointed. Includes chapters for The Heavy Change , Witness to the Marriage (please see VBH1/1/9 ) and They Flower
Loose sheets of paper, some typed (numbered 16-40), some handwritten (various numbering systems used). Not completed. Title only on the envelope in which they are contained, not on any of the papers.
hand written copies of Aziola, one looks almost complete, with one typed page (the first).
Front cover for Holding the Mirror, two sets of numbered pages both starting with One (i.e. chapter one), including one typed page.
Various miscellaneous sheets, both typed and hand written; including some titled Here To-morrow, Here To-day, Block Six Essay, Something Nasty, and a title page for Something Wild. Most pages are numbered 1 or 2.
Various pages of work by Vivian Beynon Harris; title page of Happiness Music; beginnings of a script for Trouble at Hanard; and numerous pages simply headed One (for chapter one) which was a characteristic of VBH's work. Nothing complete.
Titled The Calm Before, this is a re-write of the first book of The Last Best Friend (or Out Of First Person). The typescript begins book 2 on page 50 and then ends mid sentence on page 56.
Two versions of The Last Best Friend, the first book, entitled The Calm Before. Approximately 20 pages each, not continuous. Notes and various starts to the story and re-writes. In various different shades and colours of ink indicate these were written over a period of time.
Various handwritten pages with chapters and page numbers marked. Pages numbered 1-33, then a break, a page of notes on unlined paper, then pages numbered 5-40. Title page for The Wonderful Time - A Love Story but it is not clear whether the rest of the text is of this story. By Vivian Beynon Harris.
The beginnings of a book about Vivian's childhood growing up with John Wyndham. Four pages of one version, one page of another.
See also VBH2/3/6/30
Various beginnings and notes on the continuation of The Tuey Flower, an unfinished work of John Wyndham's, by Vivian Beynon Harris. Including a quite comprehensive version, 33 pages loof typescript with 2 pages of handwritten notes at the end, probably by Vivian Beynon Harris. The numbering on the pages of handwritten notes suggests they are part of a larger whole.
Start of a story by Vivian Beynon Harris, pages 1-24 complete but this does not appear to be the end of the story (Vivian usually indicates finishing a story by typing The End .
Two beginnings of a story by Vivian Beynon Harris titled Something Wild , possibly later to become Trouble at Hanard as it mentions Hanard Hall and Harnard Frumpty Cake. One beginning has a title page and ten pages of text, although heavily annotated.
Beginning of a play by Vivian Beynon Harris, including the title page with a list of characters
A miscellaneous collection of work by Vivian Beynon Harris, none of which is titled. There are some substabial pieces of work of 25 pages but most are only two or three pages simply entitled chapter one. There are the beginnings of at least thirteen different stories, plus little cards with notes on them, not necessarily relating to the other work in the file.
Letters between Anne McDermid (of David Higham Associates Ltd) and Vivian Beynon Harris regarding the television rights to Vivian's novel Trouble at Hanard published 1948
Letters between Scripts Ltd and Vivian Beynon Harris regarding the cost of printing Son of the Morning ; letters between Brian Bowcock and Vivian Beynon Harris regarding trying to publish this novel.
One scrap book of articles relating to John Wyndham's The Day of the Triffids , including foreign language reviews, giving source and date for each article.
Also includes other press cuttings referring to John Wyndham's work, both in the scrapbook and in a seperate envelope
Included in the envelope is an article written by John Wyndam Will this hasten the death of detective thriller? taken from Trade Circular August 11, 1951 . Also a transcript of an interview with John Wyndham and Peter Duval Smith 24 September 1960
a scrap book of animation of The Day of the Triffids, cut and pasted from a Dutch newspaper, no personal annotation
two quite substantial (posthumous) articles about John Wyndham, including bibliographies and art work by Alan Hunter
An advert, taken from The Bookseller, for John Wyndham's posthumously published novel, Web .
A book review, taken from Science Fiction & Fantasy, produced by Ballantine Books, of Trouble with Lichen by John Wyndham
A photocopy of a review of The Day of the Triffids , and a letter from Gerald Pollinger to Vivian Beynon Harris stating that the review is from the Times Literary Supplement. Letter is dated November 9th 1981.
Loose pages of a photo album, first page holds smaller photos of all those on the following pages, no annotation, dates or any indication of who/where they are.
These letters between the two executors of the literary estate of John Wyndham, Vivian Beynon Harris and Brian Bowcock cover general issues of the estate but do not mention anything specifically relating to literary matters. For example they cover the day to day running of the financial matters of the estate. They also contain personal information about the lives of the two correspondents as they were great friends. Together with the literary correspondence, there are letters written almost every day.
These are the initial letters between Vivian Beynon Harris and Brian Bowcock following the death of John Wyndham and their appointment as the executors of his literary estate. They discuss how it would be best to proceed in these matters.
General correspondence relating to the estate of John Wydham covering 1969, still in the early stages of the estate following John Wyndham's death earlier in the year
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1970
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1971
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1972
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1973
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1974
Correspondence referring to the estate of John Wyndham (not literary) covering the year 1975
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