Research: The Bob Watson Archive

The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, is the current home of the company founded by Stephen Joseph in 1955 as Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre. The Bob Watson Archive holds the company's archives predominantly relating to the period 1976 to the present day.
The Bob Watson Archive is not accessible to the public - except by special appointment - due to it primarily being an internal research resource for the company and, more practically due to limited resources, financial constraints and not having a full-time or dedicated Archivist. The Archive has no facility for drop-in visits and no on-site facilities for researchers.

Significant Material
○ Manuscripts for world premieres by the company from 1955 to the present day (Note: These are unsorted and uncatalogued as of 2026).
○ Press cuttings for the majority of productions at the venue.
○ Original programmes, posters and occasional marketing material for productions at the venue from 1976 to the present day.
○ Photographs - production and rehearsal - for many production - predominantly post-1976.
○ General press cuttings relating to the history of the theatre from 1955 to the present day.

Archivist's Note: It is worth emphasising that although The Bob Watson Archive does hold material relating to Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre (1955 - 1976), the majority of it is copied material from The Library Theatre / Stephen Joseph Collection held at Scarborough Library.

This is due to the fact that, in 1987, the theatre's press officer destroyed the majority of the theatre's archive including practicality the totality of everything relating to Theatre in the Round at the Library Theatre 1955 - 1976). The archivist Bob Watson restored the archive by photocopying programmes, articles and other material held by Scarborough Library, Alan Ayckbourn and in. Private collections.

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The Scarborough pages of A Round Town are associated with The Library Theatre / Stephen Joseph Collection at Scarborough Library - which has been catalogued, curated and expanded by Simon Murgatroyd - and The Ayckbourn Collection. Facilitated by Simon Murgatroyd M.A. and donated by Sir Alan and Lady Ayckbourn to Scarborough Museums and Galleries in 2023, this collection of material celebrates the contribution of Alan Ayckbourn, Stephen Joseph and theatre in the round to Scarborough's theatrical history and heritage.