A previously unpublished letter by D. H. Lawrence, discovered by researchers from The University of Manchester, reveals the crucial role played by a radical publisher in rescuing the future author of Lady Chatterley’s Lover from one of the lowest points in his career.
The letter was uncovered in the archive of C. W. Daniel – a radical Tolstoyan who was also a pacifist and a vegetarian – which is held at the International Institute for Social History in Amsterdam.
Dr Ingrid Hanson, who was researching Daniel’s anti-war publishing activities and his prosecution under the Defence of the Realm Act for publishing Rose Allatini’s controversial 1918 novel Despised and Rejected, came across the unexpected correspondence while examining archival documents.
Recognising its significance, she shared the letter with colleague and D. H. Lawrence specialist Dr Howard Booth, who had previously highlighted Lawrence’s connections with Daniel.
The discovery provides fresh insight into a crucial period in Lawrence’s life, following the suppression of The Rainbow in 1915, his expulsion from Cornwall during the First World War and a period of financial hardship that left him relying on financial support from friends and his sister.
Key discoveries
The newly uncovered letter reveals:
- The importance of publisher C. W. Daniel in helping relaunch Lawrence’s literary career after the First World War
- Previously unknown information about planned editions of Lawrence’s work
- Evidence of writing projects and publishing plans that have not previously been documented
- New details about the professional relationship between Lawrence and Daniel – indeed it is the only known letter we have from Lawrence to Daniel
- The extent of connections between prominent literary figures and Britain’s anti-war and radical cultural networks
Crucial figure in Lawrence’s comeback
D. H. Lawrence is today best known as the author of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Sons and Lovers and Women in Love. However, the newly discovered letter highlights the challenges he faced in the years before he became one of Britain’s most influential twentieth-century writers.
After The Rainbow was prosecuted for obscenity in 1915 and withdrawn from circulation, Lawrence’s literary career suffered a major setback. The discovery sees Lawrence acknowledging that Daniel played a far more important role in helping the writer rebuild his reputation and publishing career than has previously been recognised.
Dr Booth explained that Daniel published Lawrence’s first prose book in nearly four years. It helped provide a route back into print and a £15 advance against royalties – a significant sum of money in those days.
What the researchers say
“The letter shows how important Daniel was to Lawrence’s post-war relaunch after the suppression of The Rainbow in 1915, being ordered out of Cornwall under the Defence of the Realm Act in 1917 and wartime poverty,” said Dr Howard Booth.
“Daniel published Lawrence’s first prose book for nearly four years and helped put the career of the future author of Lady Chatterley’s Lover back on his feet. In this letter, we learn about planned editions and further writing that we previously had no idea about.”
Dr Booth is currently completing a book on Lawrence and politics, and plans to explore the significance of the letter in further detail.
Revealing Britain’s overlooked anti-war literary networks
Beyond its significance for Lawrence scholarship, the discovery also provides a new perspective on the networks of writers, publishers and activists involved in Britain’s anti-war culture during and immediately after the First World War.
Daniel was a prominent pacifist and radical publisher whose activities brought him into conflict with authorities during the war. His archive offers a unique window into the literary and political communities that challenged mainstream attitudes towards war and conscientious objection.
Dr Hanson said: “It’s exciting to have discovered it, and it shows the extent not only of C. W. Daniel’s contacts and clients but also of the network of well-known writers contributing to Britain’s radical anti-war culture, which is often depicted as marginal.”
Why this matters
The discovery demonstrates the continuing value of archival research in uncovering new evidence about major literary figures.
More than ninety years after Lawrence’s death, previously unknown documents are still emerging that can reshape our understanding of his life, work and professional relationships.
The letter also offers fresh evidence of how radical publishers and anti-war campaigners helped sustain literary culture during a turbulent period in British history, revealing connections that have remained hidden for more than a century.
