Le Carre archives gifted to Bodleian

John le Carre. Photo / Supplied

LONDON - George Smiley, John le Carre's fictional Cold War spymaster, is returning to his spiritual home.

The University of Oxford's Bodleian Library is to take charge of le Carre's vast literary archive, including early drafts of the Oxford-educated Smiley's famous rise through MI6.

More than 85 boxes of manuscripts - "the size of a Cornish barn" - according to the Bodleian, are to be held at the library, it was announced yesterday.

Early drafts within Le Carre's work reveal 2001's The Constant Gardener to have the working title "The Mad Gardener" and 1974's Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy, one of Smiley's most famous outings, to be provisionally titled "The Reluctant Autumn of George Smiley".

"I am delighted to be able to do this," said Le Carre, 79. "While I have the greatest respect for American universities, the Bodleian is where I shall most happily rest."

In recent years there has been a trend towards British literary archives heading abroad, particularly to the US. The University of Texas, for example, owns the archives of David Hare and Tom Stoppard.

Le Carre's papers are being taken to the Bodleian pending approval by the Government's Acceptance In Lieu scheme in which donors forgo potential partial future death duty in exchange for donations to the state.

The archives will give an unprecedented insight into the author's working methods.

Le Carre is the nom de plume of David John Moore Cornwell, educated at Oxford's Lincoln College. where he received a first in modern languages.

He worked in MI5 and MI6 before turning to full-time writing. His literary career has spanned 50 years and 22 novels.

- Independent