Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lennox Allen papers

Abstract

The Lennox Allen papers (dated 1926-1978, undated; 2.54 cubic feet; 6 boxes) comprises letters, papers, manuscript drafts, and publications that document the life of Lennox Allen in Louisville, Kentucky during the twentieth century.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lennox Allen papers
Date
1926-1978, undated (inclusive)
Creator
Allen, Lennox
Extent
2.54 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
Correspondence.
Love-letters
Family.
Friendship.
Books.
Poetry.
World War, 1939-1945.
Magazines.
Fire fighters -- Kentucky
Arrangement
Collection is arranged into four series: Letters, Papers, Scrapbooks, and Manuscripts. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0575: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Lennox Allen papers, 1926-1978, undated, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Lennox Allen (1911-1980) was born in Louisville, Kentucky to Charles Allen (1877-1963) and Emily Lindsay (1875-1957). Lennox had one younger sibling, Charles Jr. (1914-1977). The Allen family was a prominent Louisville family, having married into the Belknap family of the Belknap Hardware Company. Lennox's grandfather worked for Belknap Hardware Company from 1865 to 1895 and was a major stockholder in the firm, his father was general manager of the company from 1901 to 1932, and his brother, Charles Jr., was personnel from 1946 to 1960 and a vice president from 1960 to his death in 1977. Lennox was not involved in the family business; he was a writer, art teacher, and volunteer firefighter in Louisville.
American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
Scope and Content
The Lennox Allen papers (dated 1926-1978, undated; 2.54 cubic feet; 6 boxes) comprises letters, papers, manuscript drafts, and publications that document the life of Lennox Allen in Louisville, Kentucky during the twentieth century. The letters come mainly from family and friends, complimenting him on his book about the Ohio River flood of 1937; other letters discuss his work as an art teacher, romances he had, and his efforts to get permission to use copyrighted materials in his later books. The papers include certificates and awards from organizations he was a member of, handwritten notes, travel itineraries, partial poems, newspaper clippings, and photographs. The manuscript drafts are for two books Allen published; Across the Fields of Yesterday and Of Things Come and Gone, Do You Remember? The Turbulent Years, Ten Years: A Color Pattern of News, which he had previously titled This Was News: A Short History 1930 to 1945. The publications include literary magazines of poems and short stories, tourism magazines, newsletters sent by his alma mater, and newsletters on the efforts of Kentuckians in World War II. The two scrapbooks in the collection depict some of Allen's artwork, his correspondence with friends, and newspaper clippings of events he found interesting all during the 1930s.
The Lennox Allen papers collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Letters, 1927-1970, undated

Lennox Allen to "June" [Charles Allen, Jr.], circa 1937

  • Box 1, folder 1
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Family to Lennox Allen, 1931-1937, 1960, undated

  • Box 1, folder 2
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Letters to Lennox Allen, 1930-1936

  • Box 1, folder 3
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Letters to Lennox Allen, 1937

  • Box 1, folder 4
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Letters to Lennox Allen, 1938-1939

  • Box 1, folder 5
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Letters to Lennox Allen, 1940-1970

  • Box 1, folder 6
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Letters to Lennox Allen, undated

  • Box 1, folder 7
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Allen family letters, 1927, 1937, 1953-1954

  • Box 1, folder 8
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Papers, 1926-1978, undated

"Astrology - Your Daily Horoscope" magazine, 1960 July

  • Box 1, folder 9
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Clippings, 1926-1941

  • Box 1, folder 10
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College Verse publication from the College Poetry Society of America, 1936 January

  • Box 1, folder 11
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Conscientious objector form, 1941

  • Box 1, folder 12
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Diary, 1951

  • Box 2, folder 1
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The Flamingo literary magazine, 1932-1935

  • Box 2, folder 2
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Gold Old Days magazine, 1978

  • Box 2, folder 3
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Harrods Creek Fire Department membership applications, undated

  • Box 2, folder 4
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The Kentucky Militiaman publication, 1943-1944

  • Box 2, folder 5
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Gallery showcase programs, 1940, undated

  • Box 2, folder 6
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Lennox Allen papers, 1927-1944, 1963-1965, undated

  • Box 2, folder 7
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Louisville, Kentucky Fire Department activity report, 1937 March 3

  • Box 2, folder 8
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Louisville, Kentucky climatological data, 1968

  • Box 2, folder 9
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Marble Collegiate Church booklets, 1961-1965

  • Box 2, folder 10
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Newspaper clipping, 1960

  • Box 6, folder 2
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Newspaper clippings re: Lennox Allen, 1930-1965, undated

  • Box 2, folder 11
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Notes and personal writings, 1932, 1956, undated

  • Box 2, folder 12
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The Rockport Anchor tourism information publication, 1975

  • Box 2, folder 13
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The Storm King School publications, 1962, 1977, undated

  • Box 3, folder 2
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Travel itineraries and menus, 1928-1935, 1964, undated

  • Box 3, folder 3
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United States Navy civilian recruiter honorary member certificate, undated

  • Box 3, folder 4
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Scrapbooks, 1934-1935

Scrapbook, 1934

  • Box 3, folder 1
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Scrapbook, 1935

  • Box 6, folder 1
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Manuscripts, 1971-1976, undated

Across the Fields of Yesterday draft mock-up, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 5
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Across the Fields of Yesterday page mock-ups, 1976

  • Box 3, folder 6
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Across the Fields of Yesterday print mock-up, 1975

  • Box 3, folder 7-8
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Across the Fields of Yesterday poem drafts, 1971

  • Box 3, folder 9
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Across the Fields of Yesterday draft, undated

  • Box 3, folder 10
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Across the Fields of Yesterday draft, undated

  • Box 4, folder 1
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Across the Fields of Yesterday draft, undated

  • Box 4, folder 2
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Of Things Come and Gone bound manuscript, undated

  • Box 4, folder 3
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Of Things Come and Gone manuscript draft, undated

  • Box 4, folder 4
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Of Things Come and Gone manuscript draft, undated

  • Box 4, folder 5
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Of Things Come and Gone manuscript draft excerpts, undated

  • Box 4, folder 6
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Of Things Come and Gone manuscript draft with notes and edits, undated

  • Box 5, folder 1
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Of Things Come and Gone manuscript, undated

  • Box 5, folder 2
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This Was News: A Short History 1930-1945 manuscript, undated

  • Box 5, folder 3
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The Turbulent Years [eventually Of Things Come and Gone] manuscript draft, undated

  • Box 5, folder 4
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unidentified manuscript, undated

  • Box 5, folder 5
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.