| Description | In 1960, to mark the 30th anniversary of D.H. Lawrence’s death, Penguin Books decided to publish seven of D.H. Lawrence’s titles. Included in this list was the unexpurgated edition of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover'. For having published this book Penguin Books was prosecuted under the new Obscene Publications Act of 1959. Penguin Books was represented at the six-day trial at the Old Bailey by Michael Rubinstein, “the book trade’s lawyer”. On the 2 November 1960, the jury passed a “Not Guilty” verdict.
This collection comprises Michael Rubinstein’s case notes for the trial. It includes proofs; witness statements; correspondence with witnesses and potential witnesses; letters of support and congratulations; material relating to the conduct of the Defence; correspondence concerning the possibility of legal action in Scotland; reviews of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' and of H. Montgomery Hyde’s 'The Lady Chatterley’s Lover Trial' (1990); material relating to the definition of obscenity; requests for copies of the trial transcripts; correspondence concerning Michael Rubinstein’s proposed edition of essays entitled 'Confounded Experts'; material relating to the Australian copyright of 'Lady Chatterley’s Lover' and to the Index on Censorship Auction held at Middle Temple Hall on 6 November 1995.
This collection was given to the University of Bristol Library Special Collections by Michael Rubinstein in 1995 with additional material given in 2004.
See also DM3237 for Dieter Pevsner's copies of trial transcripts.
Accessible to all bona fide readers. A typescript catalogue is available in Special Collections, and a pdf is attached here.
DM1679/Box 1: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Lists of Witnesses; Proofs of Witnesses
DM1679/Box 2: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Witnesses called: A-He
DM1679/Box 3: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Witnesses called: Ho-L
DM1679/Box 4: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Witnesses called: M-Z
DM1679/Box 5: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Witnesses not called: A-L
DM1679/Box 6: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Witnesses not called: M-Z
DM1679/Box 7: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Letters of Support; Potential Witnesses; Doubtful Witnesses; Unhelpful A-F
DM1679/Box 8: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Unhelpful G-Z
DM1679/Box 9: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Summons; Documents; Conduct of Defence; Briefs and Notes; Counsel's Papers
DM1679/Box 10: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Further Materials for Defence; Legal Action (Scotland); Definition of Obscenity; Transcripts
DM1679/Box 11: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Review of Grove Press Edition printing; Reviews of E.M. Hyde's Trial Book, 1990; Projected Collection of Essays "Confounded Experts"
DM1679/Box 12: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: Australian Copyright; Banned Books Auction, 1965-1995
DM1679/Box 13: Lady Chatterley's Lover trial papers: miscellaneous correspondence and papers, including trial transcripts and books |