Orwell’s Last Christmas Card

This is a film made by UCLTV at University College London about Orwell’s last Christmas Card

In 1949, 5-year-old Richard Blair sent his father a homemade Christmas card. His father was the writer George Orwell, who was to die weeks later from tuberculosis. The card is part of UCL Special Collections’ George Orwell Archive. Richard speaks here about the card after seeing it for the first time since he since he created it as a child.

With thanks to: Richard Blair, UCL Special Collections, The Orwell Prize at UCL and David Ryan (footage of Jura)

Archive credit: Vernon Richards (Orwell with son), Sonia Blair and Peter Hort (Barnhill images)