Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust, 1953-1961

 
Component identifier:
Series 72
Content Summary:

The Elizabethan Theatre Trust was founded in 1954, on the initiative of H. C. Coombs, C. Moses, J. D. Pringle and others, to establish by public subscription a fund to support Australian drama, opera and ballet. Latham was invited to be President and held that office until 1961.

Items 1-147 consist of correspondence, dating from December 1953-July 1957, concerning the appointment of an executive officer (Hugh Hunt), the formation of advisory committees in each State, proposals for an Australian Opera Company and Australian Drama Company, the performance of Douglas Stewart's play 'Ned Kelly' in the 1956 Olympic Festival, and relations with the National Theatre Movement. The correspondents include H. C. Coombs, Aubrey Gibson, Hugh Hunt and F. Alexander. The other papers comprise agenda papers, the text of a radio broadcast on the Trust (13 July 1954), the report of the directors for 1954-1955, the 1961 annual report, reports of the executive director, notes on opera, financial statements, press cuttings, and the memorandum and articles of association.

Comprises Files 1-6 (Items 1-252).

Immediate source of acquisition:
The bulk of the collection was presented to the National Library by Sir John Latham in December 1963, a few months before his death. In November 1974 the Library purchased some further papers from a secondhand book dealer. They comprised family letters and photographs, some diaries and papers relating to the High Court. These papers have been amalgamated into the original collection.

Access and use

Parent Restrictions:
Available for research. Not for loan.
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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: