On the 10^thApril, ABTT Stephen Joseph Committee members, Bob Millington and Christine Stott visited Manchester University John Rylands’ Library to hand over a collection of Stephen Joseph production photographs and other historic memorabilia relating to his work as a teacher in the University’s Drama Department in the early 1960s.

The collection was put together thanks to the kind donations of a small number of SJC members and their friends, from their own personal property.  The idea of saving a permanent production collection for posterity began at the time of the Stephen Joseph Centenary in 2021, and in the last few weeks the final remaining photos have come to light to complete the task.

John Rylands’  already holds the largest collection of Stephen Joseph materials in the country, but currently holds very little relating to his five years work in Manchester.  Bob and Christine met Jessica Smith, the archivist responsible for the Joseph collection in its magnificent neo-Gothic Reading Room where some of the world’s richest and most unique collections of book and print materials are held. Jessica welcomed the donation and commented that, “it will make a valuable addition to our holdings”.