London Museum acquires Vivien Leigh archive

Victoria and Albert Museum has acquired the archive of Vivien Leigh. It includes affectionate letters between her and husband Laurence Olivier

08:35 18 August 2013

Vivien Leigh’s archive has been acquired by V&A from her grandchildren. It includes diaries that the Oscar-award winning actress wrote when she was 16 years old until just before she died. It also includes affectionate letters sent to her husband Laurence Olivier, annotated film and theatre scripts, photographs, and her numerous awards.

In one letter she sent to Laurence, she wished him luck on an opening night. She wrote, as referred to in one report by The Telegraph: "My dearest sweetheart, my love is with you every second and I know tonight will be a great triumph for you my darling boy, your proud and adoring Vivien."

The files showed that the couple continued to write letters to each other even after their divorce in 1960.

V&A will display a changing selection of her archive starting this autumn.

Curator Keith Lodwick told BBC: "It really explores the life of one of Great Britain's most celebrated performers.”

It is understood that the archive has not been publicly displayed before.

Some letters that are included in the archive, which Vivien meticulously catalogued, were from friends and colleagues including Marilyn Monroe, TS Elliot, Winston Churchhill, and the Queen Mother.