Researcher Sam Richardson writes about volunteering at the Burgess Foundation (summer/autumn 2023)

For the past five months I have been volunteering weekly at the Burgess Foundation’s Archive as part of the project to catalogue the object collection. Having recently completed my undergraduate studies in History, the role offered me a unique opportunity to gain relevant experience that coincided with my personal interest in literature.

With previous volunteer projects focusing on the archive’s collections of artwork and notebooks, my role was to focus on the ephemera and effects that constituted the scenery for Burgess’s everyday life. This collection is extensive, with hundreds of objects ranging from cutlery all the way through to his numerous awards and accolades, presenting a significant task. Under the supervision of Anna, the Foundation’s archivist, I created a catalogue of the object collection, categorising and describing individual objects, while paying attention to their condition and provenance.

The aim of this project was twofold: firstly, to evaluate the physical state of the collection, to ensure proper preservation; and secondly, through the catalogue, to encourage research into the material culture of Burgess. By cataloguing the items in Burgess’s working and living spaces, we can gain a deeper understanding of his daily life and surroundings, opening new avenues of interest in his life and career.

Amid the diverse items in the collection, some posed unusual challenges, notably Burgess’s collection of smoking paraphernalia. His penchant for smoking led many items to serve as impromptu ashtrays, complicating my task of categorisation. Take, for example, a photo of Burgess at his desk in 1968 which revealed that a fine china pot with a hinged lid was repurposed by the author as an ashtray. Similarly, a seemingly ornamental totem head statue contained ash residues, indicating its practical role in Burgess’s living space.

Close examination of the physical condition of these objects, coupled with cross-referencing with photos and other sources, allows us to reconstruct the material culture surrounding Burgess. My task involved crafting precise and reliable category descriptions based on the presented material evidence, while guiding users to understand each item’s function.

Burgess, a true global citizen, left traces of his well-travelled life in the collection, where ordinary objects amassed over the years tell a compelling story. Tracing the provenance and origins of the collection led me around the world, from the States, across Italy and all the way through China and South-East Asia. Each object serves as a tangible link to different chapters in Burgess’s existence, providing avenues for exploring and reconstructing facets of his life and career.

One intriguing aspect which may benefit from more attention is the role of Liana Burgess, Anthony’s second wife and the Foundation’s creator, in shaping this material culture. Liana’s influence is woven throughout the collection, evident in subtle details such as the storage of Burgess’s 1978 Christopher Award in a cigar box also filled with Liana’s notepaper scraps.

By studying the material culture and physical surroundings of the Burgess family, we can uncover a deeper understanding of Liana’s impact on Burgess’s life and legacy, shedding light on their shared environment. Herein lies the importance of creating a clear and accessible catalogue for the extensive and largely undiscovered object collection.

By producing a catalogue of objects, the Foundation hopes that users from all backgrounds can build upon the knowledge and stories being revealed through the preservation and collection of Burgess’s material existence.

Given the size of the object collection, the work left on the project remains enormous. This is matched by the enormous potential for discovery within the collection, which has provided me with a diverse and challenging experience. I look forward to seeing what comes next.

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