Alexander Harris, Settlers and convicts, 1952-64

 
Component identifier:
Series 13
Content Summary:

In 1952 Gwyn James, the Manager of Melbourne University Press, asked Clark to prepare a new edition of Settlers and convicts; or, recollections of fourteen years' labour in the Australian backwoods, by an 'Emigrant Mechanic', first published in London in 1847. There has been some uncertainty about the authorship, but most writers have agreed with Clark in attributing the book to Alexander Harris (1805-1874), who emigrated to Australia in 1825. Clark wrote a foreword to the new edition, which was published in 1953.

The small series contains research notes by Clark, manuscript maps, the manuscript of the foreword, letters from individuals and organisations in both Australia and England providing information about Harris, and reviews of the book. The correspondents include Gwyn James, J. A Ferguson, James Whittaker, Herbert Rumsey, Russel Ward and A. D Hope.

Immediate source of acquisition:
Manning Clark's association with the National Library extended over forty years and much of his research for A history of Australia was carried out in its reading rooms. In the final volume, published in 1987, he wrote that 'The Petherick Room, the Manuscripts Room, and the Newspaper Room are present in every page of this volume, just as they are present always in my heart'. In 1988 Clark began transferring papers from his home to the Library and they were formally presented under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme in April 1989. Further donations under the Scheme were made in January 1990, June 1990 and May 1991, a few days before his death. The papers received in 1989-91 make up the bulk of the collection. They include most of the correspondence, the drafts of his books and other writings, and the research material for A history of Australia. In his will Clark bequeathed his papers and unpublished works to the Library on condition that they be closed until the year 2000. The remaining papers were received from Dymphna Clark in 1994-95. They included his diaries, notebooks and further correspondence, including some substantial files of letters from major correspondents. Some correspondence, manuscript articles and references were also transferred from the History Department at the Australian National University.

Contents

Access and use

Parent Restrictions:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn383394).
Parent Terms of Access:
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.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: