Umbrella - Coventry Literary Journal c1959 - 61

UMBRELLA MAGAZINE was edited by Terence Watson for the Coventry Arts Umbrella in Coventry in the late 50's and early 60's. Philip Larkin was published in one issue. More of that in another post on this site. Two issues of Umbrella are available below as pdf files.Click on the links above the pictures to view or download free.


Described by Andrew Motion as "an obscure Coventry-based magazine" in Philip Larkin's biography. Here are two of the issues for download / viewing. Further copies can be viewed at Coventry Archives at the Herbert Museum and Art Gallery. 

To quote from one of the issues 

"Umbrella" provides a medium for expression of opinion regarding the arts and related topics. It also welcomes fiction and poetry having a contemporary relevance."

Download this copy of Umbrella via this Google Docs link  Umbrella Vol No 4 Autumn 1959

Download this copy of Umbrella via this Google Docs link - Umbrella Vol 2 Spring 1960 

NOTE - If you downloaded this before March 29th 2015 - this is a complete version - the previous version had pages missing but I've obtained a complete version now.

Umbrella -- Volume 1, Number 3, Summer 1959

LARKIN, Phllip, Paul Jennings, R. Bryan Tyson, Ian Lovelock, John Hewitt, Alan Oliver, Taner Baybars, A.E. Burrows, Stephen Joseph, Owen Leeming, and Gerald Morrish) WATSON, T.C., edited by

New material March 2014
(There may be some mistakes - the notes are hard to read)
Vol 1 No1 Oct 1958  - Contents

EM Forster - C.P. Cavafy 1883 - 1937 P5 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constantine_P._Cavafy
Owen Leeming's Connet P7
R.B. Greenwood - Lit and crit
George Macbeth  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_MacBeth
Geoffrey Dendline(?) - Smedley's Hydro (Matlock)  http://www.andrewsgen.com/matlock/pix/matlock_smedley_1906.htm
A.E Burrows - Product of Shakespeare 
JEM Lucie-Smith - Cardinal Bird
GF Smerrish - Satellites and Spivs 
John Overton - Another Old Coup
W.F. Holland - Separate Buildings

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Vol No 2 Spring 1959
John Hewitt - Art critic, literary historian, poet and Art director of the Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry.

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Vol 2 - 1961 No 7

Gianni Zambardi - Drive to Saltburn


A DRIVE TO SALTBURN - by Gianni Zambardi
Published in Umbrella Magazine Vol 2 - 1961 No 7

Huntcliffe at Saltburn


(From The magazine of the Coventry Arts Umbrella Club)

A DRIVE TO SALTBURN 
County of coves, osiers, red banks
Threaded by switchback roads, curling
into sandy-shelves, over ridge, rocks, cliffs,
stabbed by a criss-crossed shafthead -
Distant tips of gouged iron-earth-ranks
of miners homes, smoke wisps fluttering.
In an inshore wind, staunched by church towers
Black, time-muffled stone under the sky's tread
We feed our eyes, speed for a snatched hour
Break the customary formality of daily
Dying in regular doses, to thrill along.
Past pink pubs, wash the sour
sluggishness form our steps; pick up wet briny
seaweed, and learn a salty land's song.

Gianni Zambardi 1961 -
Travel writer BA King's College London,
Now (1961 that is!) Living in Finsbury. Written two novels Time to Go and Me and My Friend. He also published his poetry in the sixties.