VANCE PALMER PAPERS: GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE, 1889-1964

Component identifier:

Series 1

Content Summary:

The correspondence covers the period from 1889 to 1964, although, there is only a small proportion before 1911. Nettie and Vance appeared to have known or taken an interest in almost every literary figure or promising writer in Australia during the first fifty years of this century and their lifelong dedication to, and enthusiasm for, Australian literature is evident in the letters from these writers in the collection. In addition, the series contains the extensive correspondence which passed between Vance and Nettie during their lifetimes. The series has been indexed in the correspondence index (10,386 items) - see attached (under Related Documentation tab).

Immediate source of acquisition:

The first and largest consignment of the Vance and Nettie Palmer collection wasreceived by the National Library in 1965 from their daughters Aileen and HelenPalmer, after some years of negotiations. Further batches arrived in 1966 and 1967.It was found necessary to house the collection in different parts of the Library, foran important part of it consisted of non-manuscript material. The large library ofbooks and pamphlets are housed as a distinct collection in the Australian book stackswith each publication bearing a special Palmer book plate. The portraits of thePalmer and Higgins families are held in the Pictorial Section.

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