The Boyer Lectures, 1975-88

Component identifier:

Series 20

Content Summary:

In 1975 the Australian Broadcasting Commission invited Clark to give the 1976 Boyer Lectures. First broadcast in 1959, the lecturers have been prominent Australians who present the results of their work and their thinking on major social, scientific or cultural issues. Clark entitled his lectures 'A discovery of Australia' and spoke of how he discovered one way of writing the history of Australia. The lectures were published by the ABC in 1976. In 1988 Clark was one of a number of former lecturers who were asked to write postscripts to their lectures. His lectures, together with the postscipt, were republished by the ABC in 1991.

Most of the letters deal with the content of the lectures, or the published version of the lectures, both favourably and unfavourably. There are also many letters and cuttings relating to the controversy preceding the lectures, especially the attempts of the ABC management to vet the lectures and the criticisms of Clark made by Senator John Carrick. The correspondents include Talbot Duckmanton, Beatrice Davis, Lady Casey, Allan Martin, John Haslem, Lady Braddon, Russel Ward, Irene Greenwood, W. Macmahon Ball, Ken Inglis, John Molony and Yvonne Boyd.

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 In his will Clark bequeathed his papers and unpublished works to the Library on condition that they be closed until the year 2000.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)

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