The Founders’ Circle and Library supporters recently spent a captivating evening exploring the late actor Alan Rickman’s rich and varied archive in The Writers’ Room.

Rare books dealer and former actor Neil Pearson, custodian of the archive, walked supporters through this fascinating paper trail of Rickman’s life, allowing guests the rare opportunity to leaf through the beautifully handwritten diaries and drawings, decipher heavily annotated working scripts and screenplays, and examine notes from friends and admirers, from Emma Thompson, to Tony Blair; from (then) Prince Charles to JK Rowling. Neil’s commentary, both as a former actor who knew Alan Rickman, and collector, gave us a unique insight into his extraordinary life, talent and practice.

Join the Founders’ Circle to attend exclusive events such as these, and to be first on the guest list to The Summer Party, hosted by our President Helena Bonham Carter. Find out more by visiting The Founders' Circle webpage or contact our Patrons & Legacies Manager, Emma van Straaten at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..