A history of Australia: correspondence and reviews, 1960-91

Component identifier:

Series 18

Content Summary:

Clark created files for each volume of A history of Australia and in general divided them into correspondence and reviews. The latter comprised cuttings or photocopies of reviews of the book. However, the division was not always observed and some letters can be found in the review files and some reviews in the correspondence files. In addition, some of the letters have no connection with A history of Australia.

The correspondence falls into three categories. There are a large number of letters from Melbourne University Press, particularly Peter Ryan, about the editing and publishing of the volumes. There are some letters from libraries, museums and historical societies about sources and requests for photographs. The third and largest category is the letters from friends, colleagues and members of the public praising or criticizing the book. All three categories are interfiled. The bulk of the correspondence is in-coming, but there are occasionally handwritten drafts of Clark's replies.

The correspondence spans more than 30 years and is very extensive. Among the correspondents are Gwyn James (Melbourne University Press), Peter Ryan (Melbourne University Press), Barbara Ramsden (Melbourne University Press), Wendy Sutherland (Melbourne University Press), Nick Walker (Melbourne University Press), Marjorie Hancock (Mitchell Library), Patricia Reynolds (La Trobe Library), Don Baker, Geoffrey Blainey, Robin Boyd, Asa Briggs, Margaret Carnegie, Clem Christesen, Noel Counihan, R. M Crawford, Geoffrey Dutton, Geoffrey Fairbairn, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Bill Gammage, Laurie Gardiner, Bruce Grant, Hartley Grattan, Irene Greenwood, Sir Keith Hancock, A. D Hope, Ken Inglis, Ruth Knight, John La Nauze, Stuart Macintyre, Elsie Macleod, Alan Marshall, Allan Martin, Ann Moyal, Bede Nairn, Sidney Nolan, Douglas Pike, Len Pryor, John Ritchie, Lyndall Ryan, John Sendy, Geoffrey Serle, A. G. L Shaw, Douglas Stewart, Dal Stivens, Hugh Stretton, Suzanne Welborn, Patrick White, E. G Whitlam, Ursula Winant and Ailsa Zainu'ddin.

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.

Names:

Clark, Manning, AC, Professor (Charles Manning Hope)

Contents

Access and use