Christopher Robert Druce Pulling:
An Inventory of His Collection at the Harry Ransom Center
| Creator: | Pulling, Christopher | |
| Title: | Christopher Robert Druce Pulling Collection | |
| Dates: | 1866-1967 (bulk 1894-1937) | |
| Extent: | 10 document boxes (4.2 linear feet) | |
| Abstract: | The Christopher Robert Druce Pulling Collection consists of sheet music, scores, and songbooks that reflect popular music styles in the early twentieth century. Manuscript sheet music for pieces with lyrics by Pulling is also included. This collection also features programs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and other materials related primarily to London music halls and concert parties. | |
| Call Number: | Performing Arts Collection PA-00150 | |
| Language: | English |
| Access: | Open for research. Researchers must create an online Research Account and agree to the Materials Use Policy before using archival materials. | |
| Use Policies: | Ransom Center collections may contain material with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in the collections without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the Ransom Center and The University of Texas at Austin assume no responsibility. | |
| Restrictions on Use: | Authorization for publication is given on behalf of the University of Texas as the owner of the collection and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder which must be obtained by the researcher. For more information please see the Ransom Center's Open Access and Use Policies. |
Administrative Information
| Acquisition: | Purchase, 1978 | |
| Processed by: | Erin Lawrimore, 2001; Daniela Lozano, 2017 |
| Repository: |
Biographical Sketch
| Christopher Robert Druce Pulling (born 1893) combined a successful career at Scotland Yard with a lifelong interest in and enthusiasm for the stage. After retirement from Scotland Yard, he became a lecturer on the history of Scotland Yard, Sherlock Holmes, and Victorian and Edwardian music hall songs and singers. Pulling was also a successful author. In addition to numerous works of fiction composed under the pseudonym Christopher Druce, Pulling also wrote They Were Singing: And What They Sang About (1952), a study on the influence of English social life upon the music hall. | ||
Scope and Contents
| The Christopher Robert Druce Pulling Collection, 1866-1967 (bulk 1894-1937), consists of sheet music, scores, and songbooks that reflect popular music styles in the early twentieth century. Manuscript sheet music for pieces with lyrics by Pulling is also included. This collection also features programs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks including some with Pulling’s journal-style commentary, and other materials related primarily to London music halls and concert parties. The collection is arranged in three series: I. Scores and Sheet Music, circa 1894-1938; II. Programs, 1908-1937; and III. Clippings, Scrapbooks, and Other Papers, 1866-1967. | ||
| Series I. Scores and Sheet Music consists of unbound and bound scores and sheet music, songbooks, and one practice book. The unbound scores and songbooks are arranged alphabetically by title. The bound scores are arranged chronologically by the date of the bound volume. Pulling’s original title for each book, listed in single quotes, and the date range of the material contained in each bound volume, in parenthesis, are included in the container list. | ||
| Series II. Programs contains programs for various productions arranged chronologically with a small amount of undated programs filed at the end. | ||
| Series III. Clippings, Scrapbooks, and Other Papers is made up of clippings, scrapbooks, material on concert party planning, items withdrawn from Pulling’s books, and material related to the Metropolitan Police Training School. The bulk of the clippings consist of obituaries and they are arranged alphabetically by the person’s name. Pulling’s scrapbooks are arranged chronologically with a small amount of loose scrapbook pages filed at the end. A large amount of clippings and some correspondence, both incoming and outgoing, were withdrawn from books previously owned by Pulling. Some notes are also interspersed throughout. The correspondence is usually addressed to or from the author of the book from which the letter was pulled. These are arranged alphabetically by the call number of the book from which the item was withdrawn. One folder of material related to the Metropolitan Police Training School is located at the end of this series. | ||