Guide to the Papers of Nene Gare, 1939-1994

Request this via the Catalogue
 

Summary

Collection number:
MS 8294
Creator:
Nene Gare
Extent:
4.06 metres and (29 boxes, 1 folio package)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Nene Gare, National Library of Australia, MS 8294, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection includes letters, correspondence, notebooks, personal documents, invitations, photographs, newspaper cuttings, publications and drafts of short stories and novels including The fringe dwellers, Green gold, A house with verandahs, An island away, Bend to the wind and “Kate Kempster”.

Correspondents include Frank Gare, Manuela Cannatelli, Denise Gutteres, Joan Long, Derek Van Abbé, Sue Haynes, Tim Curnow, Geoffrey Dutton, Suzanne Falkiner, Florence James, Ursula Winant, Dale Spender, Bruce Beresford, Sue Milliken and Macmillan publishers.

Biographical Note:

Nene Gare (1919-1994) was born Doris Violet May Wadham, the daughter of John Henry Wadham and Mary Wadham (nee Hounslow). She was brought up in Adelaide and educated at Adelaide Art School and Perth Technical School. After graduation, Gare worked as a typist in Adelaide from 1938-39. In 1939 she met Frank Ellis Gare on a visit to Perth and married him in 1941. In 1939-42 she worked as a typist with H.V. McKay Massey Harris Pty Ltd in Perth.

In 1946-8 Gare accompanied her husband to Salamaua, Papua New Guinea, where he was employed as a patrol officer. Later the couple moved to Carnarvon, WA, where they managed a banana plantation. In 1952-54 Frank Gare was employed as a district officer with the Native Welfare Department in Carnarvon, and 1954-62 in Geraldton.

Nene Gare's first published novel was The fringe dwellers (1961) which fictionalised the interaction of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in Geraldton. Later novels bore a strong biographical element including Green gold (1963) which drew on her experiences when banana growing in Carnarvon, A house with verandahs (1980) relating to the childhood in Adelaide, and An island away (1981), on the life of a patrol officer's wife in Papua New Guinea.

Gare also wrote numerous short stories, some of which were published in Bend to the wind (1978) and in various anthologies. She also contributed stories and reviews to the Bulletin, Meanjin, Overland, the West Australian and the Canberra Times. Her novel The fringe dwellers was filmed by director Bruce Beresford in 1986.

Gare worked as an artist and was awarded prizes in the Canning Art Awards for 1971, 1972, 1976 and 1978. She was also involved in the People for Nuclear Disarmament and was Programme Chair for the Geraldton Branch of the Business and Professional Women's Association.

The Gares had three children, Leif, Arran and Shelley.

Provenance:

The collection was purchased from Nene Gare in 1993. An addition was received from Frank Gare in 1994.

Arrangement:

The collection has been largely arranged into the present series structure by Library staff. The papers were received in disordered state with the exception of the series of carbon copies of letters by Gare (series 1) and parts of series 2. The contents of files maintained by Gare have been retained in original order.

Indexed terms

Names:
Nene Gare

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn657938).
Conditions Governing Use:
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Nene Gare, National Library of Australia, MS 8294, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
Contact us