The British Library has extensive collections relating to the poet, performer and publisher Bob Cobbing (1920 - 2002). These include books, magazines, and a large number of recordings by Cobbing. We also have one of the largest collections of books by the press that Cobbing founded, Writers Forum.
Publications can be located in Explore the British Library and recordings on the Sound Archive's Cadensa Catalogue. A list of Writers Forum publications held by the Library is given in the PDF section on the right of this page. The Library also holds Bob Cobbing's magazine AND (shelfmark: ZA.9.b.2079). The special issue no. 6 (1973) bears the title WF100 and is catalogued separately (shelfmark: YA.1999.b.1703).
The Library has acquired the personal archive of Bob Cobbing. Please note that this is currently uncatalogued: enquiries should be directed to the Department of Manuscripts.
Further References
A Bob Cobbing timeline
Further References
Bob Cobbing, Bob Jubile: Selected Texts of Bob Cobbing, 1944-1990 (London: New River Project, 1990). Selected by Bob Cobbing and Jennifer Pyke. Shelfmark: YK.1992.a.3973
Bob Cobbing, Verbi, Visi, Voco: Selected Poems, 1942-2001 (Wien: Edition Selene, 2003). [Introduced by Michael Lentz]. Shelfmark: EMD.2005.b.24
Bob Cobbing and Bill Griffiths (eds.), Verbi Visi Voco (Writers Forum 1992), Shelfmark: YK.1994.b.11987
British Library Curator's Choice : 10 Modern Poetry Pamphlets Richard Price, Head of Modern British Collections, chooses Bob Cobbing as one of the classic poets in the Library
English Poetry Center, Buffalo: Bob Cobbing Includes sound recordings by Cobbing
Ulli Freer, "Your Actual Music" in Playback: The Bulletin of the British Library Sound Archive, 34 (Winter 2005). An appreciation of Cobbing by the contemporary poet. Please see PDF file on the right.
Dom Sylvester Houedard, [brief account of Cobbing] in Extra Verse 17 (1966), with texts by Cobbing, Shelfmark: PP.5126.a
Lollipop archive "Some Tributes to Bob Cobbing"
Penn Sound Center for Programs in Contemporary Writing: Bob Cobbing Tributes, Discussion of, and Recordings by Cobbing
Peter Manson on Bob Cobbing Contemporary poet gives more information on Cobbing
Robert Sheppard, "Bob Cobbing: Sightings and Soundings", in Jacket 9
UbuWeb: Statements by Bob Cobbing
A Bob Cobbing timeline
Beginnings
30th July 1920 Born in Enfield, Middlesex
1942 Produces first experimental poems with typewriter and office duplicator
1950s
Teacher
1951 Hendon Experimental Art Club founded
1954 Club is renamed Hendon Group of Painters and Sculptors; helps found workshops for various kinds of artists
1957 Hendon Group is renamed Group H.
1959 Writers Forum founded?
1960s
Manager of Better Books, Charing Cross Rd
Various sound poetry experiments / collaborations
1965 Sound Poems (An ABC in Sound) published. Writers Forum also publish Ernst Jandl's Sprechgedichte LP
1966 Association of Little Presses formed, at intervention by Cobbing and Stuart Montgomery (of Fulcrum Press)
1970s
Significant involvement in Poetry Society during Mottram editorship of Poetry Review
1971 Konkrete Canticle (band) formed. Includes Cobbing, Paula Claire and others.
1980s
Processual books
1984 Publishes Maggie O'Sullivan's An Incomplete Natural History
1987 Publishes Bill Griffiths's The Bournemouth
1990s
1992 Edits, with Bill Griffiths, assisted by Jennifer Pyke, Verbi visi voco, anthology of Writers Forum poems
1994 Domestic Ambient Noise series begun, a collaboration with Lawrence Upton, eventually several hundred volumes in number
2000s
2000 Signwriting and Members Only
29th September 2002 Bob Cobbing dies
