Tania Teppema/Hemblys-Scales: correspondence and personal papers

Component identifier:

Series 15

Content Summary:

This correspondence consists of letters between Tania and her parents, letters between Carmen and Peter Teppema and later between her husband, Robert, and her parents. It is very extensive and complete, occupying a total of 71 folders.

1930-38: as well as letters between Tania and her parents, there is good deal of childhood memorabilia and an account of her journey to the Iguazu waterfalls in 1936.

1939-41: Tania and her mother spent summer months at Atlantide, a seaside resort in Uruguay, while her father commuted to Buenos Aires.

1942-43: general correspondence with parents.

1944: seven folders of letters covering Tania's education at Smith College, Massachusetts; the termination of Peter Teppema's mission to Buenos Aires and his appointment to the Czechoslovakian Government in exile, headed by Dr Benes in London; life in New York, where Carmen was residing in the last winter of the war.

1945: eleven folders covering life at Smith College, life in London where Peter Teppema was working for S.H.A.E.F. and life in New York.

1946: two folders dealing with arrival in Madrid where Peter Teppema was to be Dutch Minister, but was withdrawn at the end of the year. Description of summer in San Sebastian and Tania's journey to Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro on the inaugural flight of the Dutch airline K.L.M. to South America.

1947: two folders describing Peter Teppema's departure from Madrid and the holiday reunion of the family in Lisbon. Preliminary arrangements made for his appointment to Australia.

There is no correspondence for 1948 and part of 1949 as Tania and her parents were together in Australia. Letters continue after Tania's departure overseas with her husband Robert.

1949: four folders of correspondence between Ismailia, Suez Canal Zone, where the Hemblys-Scales were posted and Canberra where Peter Teppema was the Dutch Minister. There are many comments on the political situation in Australia, with references to A. Calwell, H.V. Evatt, John Burton, R.G. Menzies and the Indonesian question. Also interesting descriptions of life in Egypt.

1950: three folders of similar correspondence. Robert Hemblys-Scales transferred from M15 to M16.

1951: three folders. The Teppemas were in Tokyo and the Hemblys-Scales in Singapore. References to Generals Douglas Macarthur and M. Ridgway, the Korean War, the Peace Treaty, the Emperor of Japan, as well as accounts on both sides of diplomatic social life.

1952: four folders. Description of the sea journey from Singapore to Bangkok, following Robert Hemblys-Scales' appointment there.

Reference to a trip to Nagaski and meetings with the Emperor of Japan.

1953: six folders. Peter Teppema retired from the diplomatic service and they moved to Montevideo - letters describe the sea journey from Tokyo to Montevideo and their subsequent installation. Letters about a train journey to the Thai-Malay frontier at the time of the terrorist emergency.

1954: four folders. The Teppemas describe life in Uruguay in retirement and comment on Peron's election and Argentinian inflation. Tania writes about Thai royalty, official entertaining, visits to Indo-China and Malaya and the International Peace Commission in Phnom Penh for the Indo-China war.

1955: two folders. Reference to Robert Hemblys-Scales' official visit to Malaya and preparations for the SEATO conference in Bangkok. Comments from the Teppemas on travel restrictions in Argentina during the mandate of President Peron and the overthrow of Peron.

1956: Robert was appointed to Munich as British Vice-Consul. Comments on the Suez crisis and the Hungarian revolution.

1957: three folders. Carmen's heart condition was diagnosed; both parties travel extensively for holiday; reference to the chaotic economic and political situation Uruguay and Argentina.

1958: four folders. Reference to Sir Douglas Mawson being entertained by Russians who went to the South Pole for a Geographical South Pole international meeting; reference to a visit to Dachau concentration camp; comments on Paquita Mawson's book Vision of steel.

1959: three folders. Descriptions of the political upheavals in Buenos Aires and floods in Uruguay; Carmen died in New York; the Hemblys-Scales left Munich for London.

1960: three folders. Descriptions of holidays in Europe, prior to posting to Lima, Peru. Peter Teppema died.

Then follows three folders of correspondence, between 1961 and 1964, with a family friend and stockbroker, Bill Melvin, who did his utmost to safeguard Tania's financial interests. There is reference to Robert's health and work problem.

Finally there is some miscellaneous correspondence with diplomats in Bangkok in 1952; with Dame Enid Lyons in 1950; an acknowledgement of a congratulatory letter of Menzies upon his election in 1949; Tania's letters to Robert while in the U.S. in 1968; with Tania's aunt and uncle, the McDonalds re her inheritance of a painting; material about Sir Herbert Schlink, a long-time friend of the Teppemas; and letters to Tania from Paquita Mawson, 1964-72.

There follows some of Tania's writings, apparently intended for publication, circa. 1947-8. They are mainly about Spain and Argentina, some written in Spanish; also a Spanish newspaper article she wrote about Australia's wool industry.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The collection was donated to the Library by Tania Teppema in 1984.

Names:

Delprat and Teppema Families

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