Item 504 - Correspondence regarding Robert Jacobs' proposed disertation on Arthur Shields

22 items

Correspondence regarding Robert Jacobs' proposed dissertation on Arthur Shields; includes letters from Robert Jacobs at a number of addresses in the United States, United Kingdom and Ireland to Laurie Shields at 3118 Calle Rosales, Santa Barbara, California, also copies of her replies, correspondence between Laurie Shields and Christine Shields at Glencullen Bridge, Kilternan, County Dublin and copies of correspondence between Christine Shields and Robert Jacobs. Most of the letters relate to a misunderstanding between Jacobs and the family over the scope and nature of the proposed dissertation. In a letter dated 13 January 1972 addressed to Christine Shields from Robert Jacobs, The Sportsmans Cottage, Mill Brow, Marple Bridge, Cheshire, England, Jacobs writes a number of questions relating to Arthur Shields; the questions range from the purely factual 'Where was Boss born?' to more personal questions 'Did he ever talk about his first marriage? Do you have any recollections about his marriage to your real mother?' Christine Shields wrote to Laurie Shields in response to these questions in a letter dated 15 January 1972 'It has really upset Una and myself...if it is just a thesis about the Abbey + Daddy, does he need all of the information he asks for?' Laurie Shields, Professor William R. Reardon of the Department of Dramatic Art in The University of California, Santa Barbara who was Jacobs supervisor and Homer Swander all wrote to Jacobs in response to his questions in an attempt to clear up any misunderstanding to the nature of the dissertation. In response Jacobs decided to abandon the project, in a letter addressed to Laurie Shields dated 25 January 1972 he writes 'The inescapable fact is that we've had a terrible misunderstanding from the beginning, and in light of the restrictions which you have set down in this letter before me now, I have no alternative but to abandon the project.' Includes multiple copies of some letters.

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27/06/2013
23/07/2025