Poetry, manuscripts and biographical notes of other Australian writers, c. 1919-1971

Component identifier:

Series 21

Content Summary:

Comprises Items 1-389 and further material added in 1994.

Cuttings from periodicals and newspapers, including The Bulletin, The Australian author, and the Sydney Morning Herald (1932-1943), contain poems by a number of Australian writers including Kenneth Mackenzie, R.D. FitzGerald, Douglas Stewart, Myra Morris, Rex Ingamells, Hugh McCrae, Dame Mary Gilmore, Ronald McCuaig, Furnley Maurice, and Jack Lindsay. The series also contains typescripts of poems by a number of poets, including Kenneth Mackenzie, David Rowbotham and Guy Howarth, handwritten and typescript drafts of poems by Jack Lindsay (1922-1923) and a few typescripts of short stories and articles. Poems and verse Guy Howarth sent to Slessor at Christmas (1963, 1965-1967 and 1969), proofs of Colin Bingham's Decline of innocence and other poems and a copy of Ronald McCuaig's The ballad of bloodthirsty Bessie and other poems, bound and inscribed to Slessor by the author, are included in the series. Newspaper cuttings and two Current affairs bulletins (1955 and 1966) deal with Australian writers such as Hugh McCrae, Harley Matthews and David Campbell, and Australian literature in general.

In 1970 Slessor was a judge for the poetry section of the Captain Cook Bi-centenary Celebrations Literary Competition. He kept a list of the judges for the competition, a few letters relating to the judging, his handwritten and typed notes about entries in the poetry section, and the press release announcing the winners. Papers relating to other competitions and awards include Slessor's handwritten and typed notes about entries in the ABC Verse Competition in 1965, newspaper cuttings about the Britannica Australia Awards, and correspondence concerning Slessor's judging of entries for a poetry competition at St Joseph's College, Sydney, in 1970.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers of the poet and journalist Kenneth Slessor were offered to the National Library by his brother Robin Slessor, executor of the will, after his death in 1971. The National Library purchased the papers in 1972. Eight additional consignments of papers received by the Library between 1979 and 2000 were variously purchased from Robin Slessor, Paul Slessor and Peter Elder.

Names:

Slessor, Kenneth, 1901-1971

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