‘THE AUTHOR’S COPY’ Poems by Raoul Pugh

‘The Author’s copy’ - or more properly the Editor’s copy as Marie Stopes edited and anonymously wrote an introduction to this collection of poems after the young Welsh poet’s death. In addition to marking it as ‘The Author’s Copy’ Stopes seems to have used this copy to give readings, having noted down a potted biography on the first pastedown, written a list of page numbers opposite and annotated the text with sections selected for performance. Bound in faded red cloth binding, internally fine with the addition of Stopes’ fascinating notes.

Provenance: from the estate of Harry and Mary Stopes Roe, son and daughter in law to Marie Stopes, birth control campaigner and sexologist. Harry Stopes-Roe (1924-2014) was a humanist and lecturer in Science Studies at Birmingham University. Of Welsh extraction Raoul Pugh 1921-1944 was born in Liverpool, served in several theatres of the war before dying in March 1944 in an explosive accident while back in England. Marie Stopes had corresponded with him and became his champion in death.