John le Carré’s archive saves his children a £1.5m tax bill as family expands his world on screen and page
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The master of spy fictions’ archive officially classed as cultural heritage. John le Carré’s literary archive is not only preserving his cultural legacy but also securing his children’s financial future – saving them a hefty tax bill as his works gain fresh momentum on the global stage.
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Arts Council England has revealed that the late author’s archive – comprising 918 boxes and valued at £1.5 million – has been officially classified as cultural heritage. This designation allows the sum to be offset against inheritance tax while ensuring the collection remains preserved for the nation.
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The extensive archive includes manuscripts, draft texts, research notes, and travel diaries from across le Carré’s career, according to Arts Council England. Currently, the archive has been temporarily allocated to the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford, pending a decision on its permanent home.
Le Carré’s influence doesn’t stop there. Two of his sons manage the production company with exclusive rights to adapt his novels for the screen, while another continues his legacy by writing new stories featuring George Smiley, his most famous creation.
David Cornwell, better known by his pen name John le Carré, was working in MI6 when he shot to fame as an internationally bestselling author in the 1960s. Many of his works, including The Spy Who Came in from the Cold (1963), Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974), and A Perfect Spy (1986), were adapted to the screen and have been described as some of the best novels produced in post-war Britain.
