(1927-2015) artist, activist and feminist

Administrative/Biographical history

Astra Blaug was an artist, photographer, poet, writer, feminist, activist and campaigner. Born in Manhattan in 1927, she had a BA and MA degree in Childhood Education and taught kindergarten for about 12 years in New York. She moved to London in 1962, where she remained for the rest of her life. She had two sons.

Her work has appeared in many anthologies, among them One Foot on the Mountain: British feminist poetry, 1969-79 (Onlywomen Press, 1979), Hard Feelings: fiction and poetry from 'Spare rib' (ed., ill. by Alison Fell; Women's Press, 1980) and Bread and Roses: an anthology of nineteenth- and twentieth-century poetry by women writers (compiled and introduced by Diana Scott; Virago, 1982).

There are also published collections of her work (as simply 'astra'), including Fighting Words (Onlywomen Press, 1978), Battle Cries (self-published, 1981), Back You Come, Mother Dear (Virago, 1986), and Older and Bolder (Microbrigade, 1990).

Astra Blaug died 5th May 2015.

Scope and content

Papers, correspondence, artwork, photography and writing of Astra Blaug (1927-2015), American-born British feminist and poet, and founder of the Older Feminist Network. Includes draft articles and graphics for the Older Feminist Network newsletter, typescript poems, original artwork, and material regarding various political issues including gay rights, women's health and women's housing issues, gender politics, and the Older Women's Network.

The collection also includes over 100 small albums of photographs taken by Blaug, primarily of natural subjects (plants, flowers, birds, the changing seasons) but also of sculpture and artwork (her own and that of other artists) and demonstrations she witnessed for causes such as the Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, anti-nuclear armaments and climate change.

Quantity

42 boxes.