The Archive of Lawrence Upton

I fully support this petition's aim seeking to ensure the preservation and archiving of Lawrence Upton's work, the loss of this body of work which is an intrinsically significant archive within a remarkable and transitional artistic epoch would be a matter of profound regret in terms of its inherent value and the loss to the wider public of such a milestone in our greater cultural heritage.

Lawrence Upton was an integral part of a cultural community that future generations will need to explore to understand their heritage and to enrich themselves ‘spiritually’, if you will. For the reputation of his own works and his correspondence with those already firmly placed in English culture it is crucial to be able to access and archive the materials he has left to our care.

There is unique and valuable archival material at stake here: it should be saved.

A life's work as important as this cannot and must not be sent to a landfill. This boundary pushing work is vital to the exploration of new and expanded forms and must be preserved so other practitioners can build on Upton's work. Brian Dedora

Vital archive to rescue

Once it's broken up it will be impossible to resemble.

Lawrence Upton was a significant voice in British poetry and artistic practice and the loss of his archives would be tragic - especially as there appears to be institutional support for their preservation

Lawrence Upton's archive is of national and international significance, please make it possible to retrieve these materials.

A new revival of experimental poetry is emerging, with re-appraisals of Dylan Thomas and Jeff Nuttall, and Lawrence Upton's archive is an important resource in understanding his contribution to the development of this poetry movement in the UK in the twentieth century. The loss if those documents would mean a gap in our understanding of our own literary culture.

Lawrence Upton was a significant figure in the world of poetry—in London especially (where I, visiting frequently from Canada through the decade of the 1990s, was privileged to witness and share in his activities), in the U.K. generally, and in the poetry community well beyond those borders. His was a unique and vital practice, always bursting the bonds of convention, endlessly inventive and inspiring. Anything and everything that can be done must be done to preserve and maintain his artistic legacy, including primary and secondary papers and materials, and all things relating to the stewardship he so selflessly provided to Bob Cobbing's immensely important Writers Forum publications after the death of Cobbing.

Do not let his work & archive perish. Lawrence was a vital part of the performance-Sound-poetry scene in London when I met him and his collaborators (Cobbing, Fencott, Cheek, Griffiths, etc.) in the 70s. There must be material historically relevant to the UK poetry scene.

As a Canadian poet/artist, I had the pleasure and honour of personally meeting Lawrence Upton when he visited and was invited to read in Toronto. Of course, I knew his work even before as many of my colleagues here did as a British arists of singular and unique talent. I was and remain honoured that I had lucky privilege to have come to know him and his work. I am saddened by his passing and urge you to preserve his archive - out of principle- but especially for the holding and sharing of his oeuvre not simply in the country of his residence but for world art/literature as his work had and has admirers well beyond the U.K. Thank you

As a practising poet, I think it would be criminal not to safeguard Upton's vibrant work.

Sutton council is interested in assisting with the protection of Laurence Upton’s archive and would be grateful if those acting in his support could contact us. In particular, Tina Bass, who is mentioned as an executor might be able to assist the council with further information about his property and whether he left any instructions on his death. [email protected]

Lawrence was the fierce and passionate custodian of a wide-ranging poetry archive. He is the connection between many extraordinary writers, esp. in relation to his celebrated creative partnership with Bob Cobbing and the Writers Forum network. Please protect this archive treasure.

This is an invaluable resource that needs preserving, but should also a act as a warning to any writer who hasn't made a will.

Yes, please save them.

Lawrence Upton's archives and books are an irreplaceable font of knowledge about British poetry; he was a central participant, actor, and supporter not just of Britpo but of its connections to other poetries. Vital to find a way to save this archive! Erín Moure, Montreal

He was so central to the poetry scene in London, as organiser, poet, performer and thinker.

As an elderly poet and writer myself, I am aware of how difficult and expensive it is to made adequate archive provision. But that is the stuff of history.