Guide to the Alfred Galpin papers, 1920-1983

(bulk 1971-1980)

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2016

Collection Overview

Title:	Alfred Galpin papers
Date range:	1920-1983, (bulk 1971-1980)
Creator:	Galpin, Alfred M. (Alfred Maurice), 1901-1983
Extent:	0.25 linear feet
Abstract:	Alfred Galpin (1903-1983) was a correspondent of Howard P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), from as early as 1918 to 1936. The two became fast friends and Lovecraft thought of Galpin as his adopted grandson. This collection includes letters to and from individuals interested in Galpin’s connection with Lovecraft; a pamphlet in Italian from an international Lovecraft conference in Trieste (1977); photographs and newspaper clippings in Italian, French and English; and photocopies of Lovecraft and Galpin articles in amateur journalism publications The Rainbow and The United Amateur.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	Ms.2016.003

Scope & content

The Alfred Galpin papers primarily contain autographed and typed correspondence to and from fans and Lovecraft biographers inquiring about his reminiscences and correspondence with Lovecraft and more broadly their own personal day to day struggles with travel, finances, and writing. The collection also includes an Italian program for the fortieth anniversary (1977) of Lovecraft’s passing, a German pamphlet, photographs, photocopies of Lovecraft publications in amateur journalism which include The Rainbow and The United Amateur, newspaper clippings in English, French and Italian, and a full Italian newspaper in which the obituary of Galpin appears.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Blish, James
• De Camp, L. Sprague (Lyon Sprague), 1907-2000
• Lippi, Giuseppe
• Long, Frank Belknap, 1903-1994
• Lovecraft, H.P. (Howard Phillips), 1890-1937
• Moe, Robert Ellis, 1912-
• Mosig, Dirk W.

Subject Organizations

• Azienda Autonoma Di Soggiorno E Turismo Di Trieste
• California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
• Kearney State College
• Lawrence University
• University of Wisconsin--Madison
• Vanguard Records

Subject Topics

• Composition (Music)
• Lovecraft, H. P. (Howard Phillips), 1890-1937--Criticism and interpretation
• Travel--Europe

Document Types

• Correspondence

Subject Topics

• Language and Literature

Arrangement

Collection is arranged into two series. Each series has several sub-series.

• Series 1: Correspondence
• Sub-series A: Azienda Autonoma di Soggiorno e Turismo Trieste
• Sub-series B: Blish, James
• Sub-series C: de Camp, Lyon Sprague
• Sub-series D: Lippi Giuseppe
• Sub-series E: Long, Frank Belknap Jr.
• Sub-series F: Moe, Robert Ellis
• Sub-series G: Mosig, Dirk Walter
• Series 2: Publications
• Sub-series A: Amateur Journalism
• Sub-series B: Lovecraft Ephemera
• Sub-series C: Lovecraft Stories for Alfred
• Sub-series D: Newspaper Clippings
• Sub-series E: Il Piccolo Newspaper

Biographical note

Alfred Galpin was born on 8 November 1901 in Appleton, Wisconsin to Louisa S. and Alfred Galpin Jr. (1841-1924). While in high school, Galpin was selected by Howard P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) as the fourth vice president of the United Amateur Press Association and served two one year terms spanning 1917-1919. This initial interaction blossomed into an epistolary friendship that spanned nearly two decades. From 1918-1922, the correspondence consisted largely of the “Gallomo” round robins, so named for the participants’ surnames, Galpin, Lovecraft, and Maurice W. Moe (1882-1940) of which only seven letters survive. Galpin inspired Lovecraft to write a number of poems and an Elizabethan tragedy titled Alfredo (1918) to commemorate one of Galpin’s schoolboy crush, as well as an anti-alcohol tract on the heels of Prohibition that warned Galpin not to indulge in liquor titled Old Bugs (1919).

In July 1922, Galpin persuaded Lovecraft to visit him in Cleveland, Ohio where he was staying with Samuel Loveman (1887-1976). This would be the only time the two would meet. Lovecraft also met Hart Crane (1899-1932) and George Kirk during his Cleveland visit, yet the most productive result was Galpin introducing Lovecraft to the poetry of Clark Ashton Smith.

Galpin was one of the more educated correspondents in Lovecraft’s circle. He received his bachelor’s degree in 1923 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Before going on to complete two M.A. degrees; one in French at the University of Chicago in 1926 and the second in music from Northwestern University in Chicago in 1930, Galpin married Lillian M. Roche on June 23 1924. Galpin attended the Sorbonne from 1931-1932 to study music, much the dismay of Lovecraft, who had high hopes for Galpin’s literary aspirations. This devotion to music, particularly the piano, became a lifelong passion. In 1937, at the time of Lovecraft’s death, Galpin was finishing the last in a loosely connected series of four short piano pieces. He dedicated the last piece to Lovecraft and named it “Lament for H. P. L.” This composition was published in Memorabilia (1944), a collection of stories and reminiscences of Lovecraft by his friends.

In 1940, Galpin received his Ph.D. in French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During World War Two Galpin served as the head of the office of war information in Sardinia. After the war, he accepted an appointment in the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he met Isabella Panzini, his second wife, whom he married in December of 1956.

In August of 1971, Galpin and his wife retired to the spa town Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, Italy. There, he wrote his memoir on Lovecraft titled “Memories of a Friendship,” resumed composing music, wrote letters, and attended a conference in Trieste that marked the fortieth anniversary of Lovecraft’s passing. He died on 5 March 1983 in Montecatini Terme, Italy.

• Lovecraft, H. P. and Alfred Galpin, Letters to Alfred Galpin, edited by S. T. Joshi & David E. Schultz. New York: Hippocampus Press, 2000.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Alfred Galpin papers, Ms. 2016.003, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Purchased by Brown University Library in 1982.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Sean Doherty.
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2016-03-09
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

Howard P. Lovecraft Collection, Manuscript Collection Ms Lovecraft, Brown University Library. Alfred Galpin Family papers (MSS 182), Wisconsin Historical Society.

Inventory

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