Richard Buckle, known as Dicky, was born on 6 August 1916 at Warcop, Westmorland, into a family of minor English gentry with aristocratic connections. His father, Lieutenant-Colonel Christopher Galbraith Buckle, DSO, MC, of the Northamptonshire Regiment, was killed in action in 1918, leaving Buckle to be raised by his mother, Rose Buckle (née Sandford), who was descended from the Dukes of Portland and Barons Brooke. Buckle was educated at Marlborough College and subsequently attended Balliol College, Oxford, where he read modern languages but left after one year without taking a degree. He briefly studied at the Heatherley School of Fine Art in London before embarking on a literary career. His first publication,
After
Buckle's curatorial work proved as consequential as his criticism. His 1954 Diaghilev Exhibition, mounted at the Edinburgh Festival and subsequently at Forbes House in London, drew 140,000 visitors and was credited by Sir Roy Strong with having "revolutionized exhibition design." The immersive installation featured dancers' costumes displayed as ghostly presences, period music, and Diaghilev's favorite perfume in the air. The exhibit set a new standard for how performing arts exhibitions could operate. He went on to design the Shakespeare Quatercentenary Exhibition in 1964 (in collaboration with David Hockney), the Cecil Beaton Portraits exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in 1967 and played a decisive role in the Sotheby's Ballets Russes auctions of 1967 to 1969, which channeled major works into public museum collections. He was also a founder of London's Theatre Museum, now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
As a biographer, Buckle produced two works that remain standard references in the field.
As a gay man whose social world overlapped extensively with the queer artistic circles of postwar London, Buckle was notably discreet about his romantic life in print, though his memoirs reflect a personality at ease with his own identity. Buckle left London in 1976 and settled in an isolated cottage in Wiltshire. He suffered a heart attack in 1979 and spent his final years focused on autobiography and completing the Balanchine biography. He died in Salisbury on 12 October 2001, aged eighty-five. The Harry Ransom Center acquired his papers from his estate in 2003.
Gregory, John. "Obituary: Richard Buckle,"
Percival, John. "Buckle, (Christopher) Richard Sandford [Dicky] (1916–2001)," in
Strong, Roy. "Obituary: Richard Buckle,"
"Richard Buckle, Ballet critic who revolutionised exhibition design and was never frightened to make an exhibition of himself,"
Teachout, Terry. "Review:
The papers of Richard Buckle document his life within 20th century English society and his work as a ballet critic, author, playwright, editor, and designer. The collection consists mainly of manuscripts and production materials related to his biographies, autobiographies, and exhibit work, primarily dating from the 1950s to the 1990s. Included are diaries, handwritten and typescript manuscripts, books, revisions, editing notes, photographs, theater programs, exhibit designs, research material, sketches, correspondence, reviews and clippings, scrapbooks, photo albums, page proofs, and organizational documentation for the Theatre Museum. The collection is organized into three series: Series I. Books and Projects, 1884-2001, bulk 1940s-1980s; Series II. Correspondence, 1928-2001; and Series III. Personal and Professional Papers, 1913-2001.
The material arrived at the Center in British labeled A4-sized document storage boxes. The arrangement of the materials closely reflects Buckle's own organization of the documents and where he provided a meaningful label for a grouping of material (e.g., project name or a title for a work), that wording was used in the container list. In specific instances, exact titles were transcribed and are indicated in single quotation marks.
During processing, paper clips, rusty fastenings, and metal brads were removed and replaced with paper or mylar sleeves to maintain groupings. Many photographic materials remain unsleeved and are significantly curled. Researchers must wear gloves when handling photos.
A small amount of material in the collection smelled musty and mold was suspected; however, mold was not present. The container list indicates which folders are of concern and researchers who are sensitive to mold may wish to wear a mask while examining this material in the Center's Reading Room.
The Books and Projects series includes works and projects completed by or with Buckle—including plays; biographies, novels, and other books; articles and reviews; auction and exhibition catalogs; exhibitions; interior design projects; lectures, speeches, eulogies; poems; parties and events—as well as projects that were never realized. This series is arranged in alphabetical order by work or project title or by name of the work subject. For example, works and other materials related to artist Jacob Epstein are listed under his name.
Manuscript drafts constitute the bulk of this series, and encompass first drafts, chapter fragments, typescript edits, page proofs, and galley proofs. Since Buckle did not use a typewriter, all first drafts of his writings are handwritten, often in journal notebooks, and later typed by a typing service. Most typed drafts include Buckle's handwritten revisions, as well as handwritten notes regarding additions and other edits to be made. For almost all the books and articles Buckle contributed to as both author or editor, there are numerous typed working drafts and draft fragments that were discarded or superseded by later drafts. In some cases, shorter articles would be used or revised into segments of his memoirs or vice versa. Frequently, Buckle reworked earlier writings into other or later projects.
Buckle wrote and edited several biographies related to prominent figures within the 20th century dance world. These include
With almost fourteen boxes of drafts, notes, and related materials, Buckle's lifelong project was writing his memoirs. From 1965 to 2001, Buckle worked on several iterations of an autobiography series related to his family history, his experiences and romances as a gay man, and his participation in the 20th century arts and ballet world. This series took several forms and ultimately ended up being a planned hexalogy, two of which were published under the titles
Additionally, Buckle received notoriety as an independent exhibition curator, director, and designer. Exhibition materials include planning documentation, budgets, receipts and estimates, architectural drawings, sketches, swatches, logistical correspondence, programs and advertising, photographs of installation and finalized exhibitions, and media coverage. Notable are the Diaghilev Exhibition (1954) and the Epstein Memorial Exhibition (1961) (each part of the Edinburgh Festival), as well as the Shakespeare Exhibition in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1964-1965. This exhibit is particularly well documented within the collection, and spans Buckle's initial proposal in 1963 to press coverage a year after opening, as well as the later smaller travelling version of this exhibit. Buckle also contributed a design to the 1967 World Exhibition held in Montreal, Canada.
Buckle had a close friendship with British photographer, costume and set designer, painter, and diarist Cecil Beaton and collaborated with him on several projects. Amongst these collaborations was the 1968 photographic exhibition,
In addition to his work as an author, critic, and exhibition designer, Buckle was deeply invested in the foundation of the Theatre Museum. He was a member of the British Theatre Museum Association, Friends of the Museum of Performing Arts, and worked extensively to support the Theatre Museum at the Victoria and Albert. Materials for all these organizations date from the 1970s to 1996 and are filed together because Buckle frequently labeled all original folders as simply 'Theatre Museum.' Of note are the architectural plans, founding correspondence, acquisition policies and statements, meeting minutes, and reports that detail the development of the museum's collections and exhibitions.
Due to Buckle's connections and circle of important and influential artists, actors, dancers, politicians, and gentry, he often organized events and parties, such as the opening party for his friend Vanessa Redgrave's film
Indeed, Buckle's extensive curriculum vitae of projects implies a multitalented,
indefatigable, and ambitious creative who contributed to many cultural spheres, but it also
suggests Buckle's continuous need to obtain financial security and maintain his status as a
Buckle was a prolific correspondent, and much of the material within this series was arranged by him in labeled files or envelopes and for the most part, this arrangement was maintained. Correspondence is listed alphabetically by correspondent's last name or topic. As with Buckle's projects, correspondents range widely and include actors, agents, aristocrats, artists, collectors, cultural influencers, dancers, film makers, writers, and other prominent and influential people. The professional and personal blend and people who began as collaborators or commissioners often became lifelong friends.
There are many personal letters with family, friends, and love interests. Individuals well represented in Buckle's correspondence include Erich Alport, Denny Beach, Cecil Beaton, Betty Cage, Mary Clarke, Peter Daubeny, Anthony Diamantidi, Anton Dolin ("Pat"), Philip Dossé, David Dougill, Parmenia Migel Ekstrom, Nigel Gosling, Martha Graham, Beryl Grey, Lord George Harewood and his family, Jean Hugo and his family, Tamara Karsavina, Lincoln Kirstein, Boris Kochno, Tom Lacy, Anya Lindon, Lydia Lopokova, Nesta Macdonald, Iain Moncreiffe, Patrick Montague-Smith, Genevieve Oswald, Patrick Procktor, Marie Rambert, Jerome Robbins, Sacheverell Sitwell, Lydia Sokolova, Andrew Sykes, John Taras, and Astrid Zydower. Organizations and publishers are present, including publishing houses Weidenfeld, Faber and Faber, and Random House, and auction houses Sotheby's and Christie's.
See the selected Index of Correspondents in this finding aid to locate additional names of Buckle correspondents represented in this collection. The Index is not comprehensive, and the archive may contain additional letters from those listed, as well as letters from people not listed.
A variety of personal papers concerning Buckle or of interest to him make up this series. Materials are generally arranged alphabetically by format and include awards, clippings, collected reference materials, diaries, family correspondence, juvenilia, notebooks, photo albums, photographs (original and copies), printed memorabilia, scrapbooks, and sketchbooks.
Materials of note within this series are his diaries. Buckle was a committed diarist, and the collection contains his diaries from 1938-2001. Each diary contains notes on his activities, including his social obligations, notes on performances, writing drafts, articles, and travels. Many of these diaries are copied by Buckle in other parts of the collection; particularly in the Works and Projects series with the autobiography drafts.
Also of interest are the scrapbooks documenting Buckle's museum exhibitions and his ballet review columns and articles which ran in various publications with those published in
Purchase, 2003 (03-01-012-P, 03-12-003-P)
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Richard Buckle Papers (Manuscript Collection MS-04910). Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin.
Amy E. Armstrong and Amy Griffin, 2026; Biographical Sketch by Dr. Eric Colleary
Other collections containing material related to Richard Buckle: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Records, Carlton Lake Collection of French Manuscripts, Peter Owen (Firm) Records, Sacheverell Sitwell Collection, and Arthur Todd Papers.
Many individuals represented within Richard Buckle's papers are included in other Ransom Center collections. Holdings include (but not limited to): Don Bachardy Art Collection, John Betjeman Collection, John Carter Collection, Noel Coward Literary File Collection, Fleur Cowles Papers, the Edward Gordon Craig collections, the T. S. Eliot collections, Jacob Epstein Collection, E. M. Forster, Christopher Isherwood Collection, Terence Rattigan Collection, Georgia Doble Sitwell Collection, Sir osbert Sitwell Collection, Stephen Spender Collection, Pavel Tchelitchew collections, Arnold Wesker Papers, Rebecca West Collection, and Eric Walter White Papers.