John Charles Edward Bowen Archive of Persian Poetry

SERIES DESCRIPTIONS

Series I. Portrait of an Island, 1944-66 and undated

This series contains manuscripts and typescripts of Bowen’s book of poems, Portrait of an Island. It is not known whether this collection of poems was ever published.

Series II. Poems from the Persian, circa 1940s

These materials include notes, clippings, and correspondence related to Bowen’s book, Poems from the Persian. Also included is a typescript copy created in 1943.

Series III. The Golden Pomegranate, circa 1940-80 and undated

This series include clippings, drawings by Bowen’s illustrator Phyllis E. MacKenzie, correspondence, posters, and promotional materials related to The Golden Pomegranate.

Series IV. A New Selection from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, circa1960s-1970s

Contains book jacket mechanicals, clippings, endnotes, illustrations, proofs, and publicity materials for A New Selection from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Also included are copper printing plates used for cover illustrations.

Series V. Oriental Proverbs, 1980

This correspondence pertains to Oriental Proverbs: Selected, Interpreted, and Rendered into English Verse. In addition, there is a sample leather roundel for use in the making of the book.

Series VI. Journey to the Heart of Asia, 1982-1987 and undated

This series contains notes, manuscript, and typescript copies of the work Journey to the Heart of Asia.

Series VII. Plain Tales of the Afghan Border, circa 1979-1980s

The letters in this series have been divided into personal and editorial correspondence. Included in the personal correspondence are a small hand-drawn map and two photographs. There is also one folder with clippings, reviews, and notes.

Series VIII. Assorted Literary Materials, circa 1930s-1988 and undated 

• Subseries 1. Manuscripts and Typescripts, 1942-1988 and undate. This subseries contains manuscripts and typescripts from a variety of works by Bowen, both published and unpublished.
• Subseries 2. Assorted literary materials, circa 1930s-1988 and undated. These materials relate to several projects with which Bowen was involved during his career. They include notes, correspondence, sample greeting cards containing Bowen’s translations of Persian poetry, dust jackets, prints and drawings, financial records, reviews, and mechanicals.
• “Black Lord’s Mountain,” which appears on folder 25, was taken directly from Bowen’s folder title. It may refer to a mountain (Kūh-i-Malik Siāh) located at the tripoint of the borders of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. This could also be a reference to the First Hazara Expedition of 1888, also known as the "Black Mountain Expedition." “Black Lord’s Mountain” was most likely a working title for a work that was either never published or appeared under a different name. Within this folder there is also correspondence regarding Robert Graves’ translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, a translation of the Turkish song “Kâtibim,” or in English, “My Secretary,” or “My Clerk,” and translations of Pashtu proverbs.

Series IX. Biographical Materials

• Subseries 1. General, 1810-1987. The majority of this subseries comprises correspondence related to John Bowen and the Bowen family. Also included is a visitors’ book from “The Vicarage,” in Malabar Hill, Mumbai. The subseries also includes a “Walker’s Year by Year” journal from 1935 and 1936, and a typed travel journal describing a trip to Egypt. The origin of the visitors’ book and the two journals is not clear, though they most likely originated within the Bowen family.
• Subseries 2. Bechuanaland Protectorate Records, 1943-1953 and undated. These records originated during Bowen’s time as District Commissioner in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. The records are divided into financial records and records of the Office of the District Commissioner. The financial records contain cleared checks from Barclays Bank and The National Bank of South Africa. Also included are invoices and receipts. Records from the Office of the District Commissioner include meeting minutes, confidential circulars and reports on issues as varied as the death penalty and tsetse fly control.
• Subseries 3. “Road to Badakhshan,” 1969-73 and undated. “Road to Badakhshan” is the title, given by Bowen, of the folder in which these materials were found. Badakhshan is a region of what is now northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. The correspondence, notes, and report relate to Bowen’s preparations and travels to this particular area of Afghanistan. The correspondence includes communication between Bowen and the Royal Horticultural Society’s Garden regarding plant collecting, and several maps that were included in letters. The notes include a travel itinerary, poetry, and sketches.
• Subseries 4. Visual Materials, circa late 1800s-1988 and undated. This subseries includes photographs, negatives, and an unfinished watercolor painting. The photographs, most of which are not dated, document the Bowen family from the late 18th to late 19th centuries.
• Subseries 5. Ephemera, 1875-1988 and undated. These materials include: a menu, wedding anniversary cards, a prospectus, prints, hotel cards, issue of the magazine “Ahang,” and a certificate from The National Geographic Society.

INVENTORY

BOX 1

Series I. Portrait of an Island, 1944-66 and undated

• Folder 1 Manuscript, 1944
• Folder 2 Typescript with alternate title, The Island and Other Poems, 1944
• Folder 3 Manuscript, 1948
• Folder 4 Manuscript, 1966
• Folder 5 Manuscripts, undated
• Folder 6 Typescript, undated

Series II. Poems from the Persian, circa 1940s

• Folders 7-10 Material for Poems from the Persian, circa 1940s
• Folder 11 Typescript, circa 1943
• Folder 12 Notes, circa 1945
• Folder 13 Clippings, 1948-49

Series III. The Golden Pomegranate, circa 1940-80 and undated

• Folder 14 Clippings from scrapbook, circa 1940s-60s
• Folders 15-16 Drawings by P.E. MacKenzie, 1965
• Folder 17 Correspondence with publishers, circa 1980
• Oversize Promotional poster and illustrations, undated

Series IV. A New Selection from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, circa 1960s-1970s

• Folders 18-21 Mechanicals, circa 1960
• Folder 22 Proofs and publicity, circa 1960s-70s
• Folder 23 Press clippings, 1961-64
• Folder 24 Description of copper printing plates for book jacket, 1966, 1979
• Folder 25 Copies of endnotes, circa 1989
• Folders 26-27 Illustrations, undated
• Carton Copper printing plates, 1966, 1979

Series V. Oriental Proverbs, 1980

• Folder 28 Correspondence with publishers, sample leather rondel, circa 1980
• Folder 29 Correspondence with publishers, 1980

Series VI. Journey to the Heart of Asia, 1982-1987 and undated

• Folder 30 Notes, 1982
• Folder 31 Manuscript, 1982

BOX 2

• Folders 1-6 Typescripts, 1986-87 and undated

Series VII. Plain Tales of the Afghan Border, circa 1979-1980s

• Folder 7 Personal correspondence, 1979-86
• Folder 8 Correspondence with publishers, 1979-86
• Folder 9 Clippings, reviews, and notes, circa 1980s

Series VIII. Assorted literary materials

Subseries 1. Manuscripts and typescripts, 1942-1988 and undated

• Folder 10 Typescript, Rainbow over Elysium, 1942
• Folder 11 Manuscript, Rainbow over Elysium, undated
• Folder 12 Assorted rough drafts, circa 1966
• Folder 13-15 Typescripts of poetry, 1971-1987
• Folder 16-17 Manuscripts of poetry, undated
• Folder 18 Broadside proofs and correspondence, A Calendar of Love, 1980-88
• Folder 19 The Golden Chorus of English Lyric Poetry, typescript, undated
• Folder 20 Piltdown Man, typescript with illustrations, undated
• Oversize The Golden Furrow Anthology typescript, undated

Subseries 2. Assorted literary materials, 1930s-1988 and undated

• Folder 21 Assorted notes, circa 1930s
• Folder 22 Correspondence with publishers, 1931-41
• Folder 23 Promotional materials and clippings, 1961-88
• Folder 24 Sample cards, 1965-73
• Folder 25 “Black Lord’s Mountain,” circa 1970s
• Folder 26 Dust jackets, 1978
• Folder 27 Luzac and Co. (publishing house) materials, 1980
• Folders 28-29 Prints and drawings, compiled in 1982
• Folder 30-31 Invoices and financial records, 1979-88
• Folder 32 Assorted papers, undated
• Oversize Reviews in literary magazines, 1944-88
• Oversize Mechanicals, circa 1940s

Series IX. Biographical Materials

Subseries 1. General, 1810-1987

• Folder 33 Correspondence – Bowen family, circa 1900s
• Folder 34 Correspondence – Deborah Bowen’s trip to Persia, 1943
• Folder 35 Correspondence – J.C.E. Bowen outgoing, 1986
• Folder 36 Correspondence – Afghan Refugee Information Network, 1986-87
• Folder 37 Genealogical records, 1810-1929, undated
• Folder 38 Visitors’ book, “The Vicarage,” Malabar Hill, Mumbai, 1907-49
• Folder 39 Journal, “Walker’s Year by Year,” 1935-36

BOX 3

• Folder 1 Travel Journal from trip to Egypt, undated
• Folder 2 Clippings, circa 1930s
• Oversize Persian language clippings, 1931, 1945

Subseries 2. Bechuanaland Protectorate Records, 1943-1953 and undated

• Folder 3 Financial records, 1952-53
• Folders 4-7 Records of the Office of District Commissioner, 1943-53 & n.d.

Subseries 3. “Road to Badakhshan,” 1969-73 and undated

• Folder 8 Correspondence, 1969-73
• Folder 9 Notes and clippings, 1969-72
• Folder 10 Report, “Mounted Reconnaissance Badakhshan,” undated
• Folder 11 Pressed flowers, 1969

Subseries 4. Visual materials, circa late 1800s-1988 and undated

• Folder 12 Photographs, 1875-95
• Folder 13 Photographs, circa late 1800s
• Folder 14 Photographs, 1903-42
• Folders 15-17 Photographs, circa 1910-30
• Folders 18-24 Photographs, undated
• Folder 25 Photographs of J.C.E. Bowen, circa 1905-1965
• Folder 26 Identity card, 1940
• Folder 27 Photographs of paintings, 1988 and undated
• Folder 28 Photograph folders, 1931
• Folder 29 Negatives, circa 1908-1930 and undated
• Oversize Photographs, 1935 and undated
• Oversize Photographs, undated
• Oversize Unfinished watercolor painting, undated

Subseries 5. Ephemera, 1875-1988 and undated

• Folder 30 General, 1875-1952 and undated
• Folder 31 Wedding date cards, 1891
• Folder 32 Prospectus, circa 1988

Shelf “Smythe” family wooden steamer trunk with steel reinforcing, previously used to store Bowen’s archives, undated

Processed by Haley Antell, Meaghan Brown, and Ed Vermue in August 2015. Last Updated August 2026