Archives Can Be Fun?

The owners of a Pirsig-signed and dedicated first-edition of ZMM, Christopher and Joanna Woodley in London England, came to us at the RPA after researching what they could find in the Harvard archives. We were able to put them in touch with Bob’s widow and archivist Wendy. What emerged is a fascinating story that ran through Bob’s life.

We already knew from the public Timeline that Bob’s first experience of motorbiking was travelling around in his father’s motorcycle and side-car in England back in 1932. We also know that he started prep-school education there, aged 4 in Hendon, and that he was very much an anglophile for the rest of his life. It turns out that the dedication in that signed first-edition was to Sarilda Mary (aka Hilda) Ross-Eggatt, his preschool teacher from that time, and the reason the Woodley’s came to have that copy is that Joanna’s family tree includes the Ross-Eggatt’s. They knew nothing about the Pirsig connection.

Above: Sarilda Mary (aka Hilda) Ross-Eggatt outside the Crest School, Hendon where she taught Bob in 1932

Not only did Bob credit his learning to read and write to Hilda, but also her instilling the importance of language in his future education and work. (Who can forget Bob’s later telling of that ancient Greek battle between rhetoric and dialectic.) Thereafter Bob and his parents maintained contact and corresponded with Hilda, her sisters and father, and at least one Ross-Eggatt family photo still in the Woodley’s possession is one of several taken by Bob during a later visit to England.

It was the signed dedication that joined-up the dots today with their 20th century life stories. The dedication is dated 5th March 1974, over a month before the official publication date on 15th April, so clearly the earliest imprint as well as a first-edition. The dedication transcribed and original below:

Dear Hilda and Bud,
Can you guess where I
first became interested in motor-
cycles … or reading and writing?
As the twig is bent, so
grows the tree …
Bobby

Signed: Robert M Pirsig
Dated: March 5th 1974

We have more on this story added to our archives and it’s a great reminder, if any were needed, that the archives held at Harvard, the Smithsonian, Montana State and the Museum of the Rockies contain a wealth of material that should encourage RPA members to research any aspects that interest them. We are indebted to Wendy that these archives are collated and publicly accessible to all for posterity.

For more on the “Timeline” and other RPA resources, see our Online Resources page. Feedback is always welcome using comments below or our contact form, as is sharing with others that might be interested using the linked buttons below this post.

Season’s greetings to all our members, looking forward to a Quality new year.