Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- Hudson, Henry Norman, Stubbs, Robert Newton, Shakespeare Club (Silver Creek, N.Y.), and University Archives
- Abstract:
- Record books, 1890-1902, 1912-1913, containing lists of members and officers, and minutes of meetings; annual programs, 1891-1987, containing the year's events, plays read and the constitution of the club; photographs, circa 1904-1987; scrapbooks commemorating the 75th and 100th anniversaries of the club; papers, circa 1903-1970, written by members on plays and other literary topics, read at the annual Shakespeare nights; clippings and correspondence concerning the club, and a history of the club compiled at the time of its 75th anniversary. Also included are memorabilia and clippings about Shakespeare collected by the club and a set of critical editions of Shakespeare's plays by Henry N. Hudson, purchased by the club in 1890.
- Extent:
- 4.75 Linear Feet and 4 manuscript boxes, 2 oversize boxes
- Language:
- Collection material in English.
- Preferred citation:
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 53, Silver Creek Shakespeare Club records, 1889-1990, University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo.
See the Archives' preferred citations instructions for additional information.
Background
- Scope and Content:
Record books (1890-1902, 1912-1913) containing the roll, lists of
members and officers, and minutes of meetings; annual programs (1891-1987)
containing the year's events, plays read and the constitution of the club;
photographs (ca. 1904-1987); scrapbooks commemorating the 75th (1964) and 100th
(1989) anniversaries of the Club; papers (ca. 1903-1970) written by members on
plays and other literary topics, read on the Annual Shakespeare Nights; some
clippings and correspondence concerning the club, and a history of the club
compiled at the time of its 75th anniversary. Also included are memorabilia and
clippings about Shakespeare collected by the Club and a set of critical
editions of Shakespeare's plays by Henry N. Hudson, purchased by the Club in
1890.
- Biographical / Historical:
The Silver Creek Shakespeare Club of Silver Creek, New York, was
founded by Rev. Robert Newton Stubbs in 1889. Its goal was to broaden the
culture of Silver Creek, and "to give what pleasure we can get what benefit we
may." After 1895, the club was made up entirely of women, many college
educated, with membership limited to twenty five. They focused on
interpretative readings of Shakespeare and other subjects of general
literature, studying three or four plays a year. In order to join, applications
had to be presented to the current President of the Club, and then submitted to
an anonymous committee of three. If approved, the application was then voted on
by members' written ballots; three "no's" excluding it for that year. The club
met about twenty times a year, with an annual Shakespeare Night in March that
included food, entertainment and papers read on historical background and
characters of plays. Other holidays observed were Twelfth Night (first meeting
in January), Shakespeare's Birthday, and the annual picnic on the Tuesday after
July 4th. The club also aided the Red Cross, Crippled Children's Protestant
Home and the Lee Library in Silver Creek. The Shakespeare club was also a
social club, surviving through the stock market crash, the Depression and two
World Wars. The Club is still active in Silver Creek.
- Acquisition information:
The records of the Silver Creek Shakespeare Club were donated to the
University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo, by the
Shakespeare Club in 1991.
- Processing information:
Collection processed by Archives staff in the early 1990s.
- Arrangement:
This collection is divided by genre.
- Accruals:
No further accruals are expected to this collection.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed Terms
- Subjects:
- Clubs -- New York (State) -- Silver Creek
Women -- New York (State) -- Silver Creek -- Societies and clubs -- History
Minutes (administrative records)
Scrapbooks
Clippings (information artifacts)
Photographs
Correspondence
Memorabilia - Names:
- University Archives
Shakespeare Club (Silver Creek, N.Y.) -- History
Silver Creek (N.Y.) -- Intellectual life
Silver Creek (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs
State University of New York at Buffalo -- Archives
Hudson, Henry Norman
Stubbs, Robert Newton
Shakespeare, William -- Criticism and interpretation
Shakespeare, William -- Societies, etc.
Access
- RESTRICTIONS:
-
Silver Creek Shakespeare Club records, 1889-1990, are open for
research.
- TERMS OF ACCESS:
-
Copyright of papers in the collection may be held by their authors,
or the authors' heirs or assigns. Researchers must obtain the written
permission of the holder(s) of copyright and the University Archives before
publishing quotations from materials in the collection. Most papers may be
copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures unless otherwise
specified.
- PREFERRED CITATION:
-
[Description and dates], Box/folder number, MS 53, Silver Creek Shakespeare Club records, 1889-1990, University Archives, The State University of New York at Buffalo.
See the Archives' preferred citations instructions for additional information.
- LOCATION OF THIS COLLECTION:
- CONTACT:
-
716-645-2916lib-archives@buffalo.edu