Guide to the Papers of David Marr, 1920s-1996

 

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Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
MS 9356
Creator:
Marr, David, Mr.
Extent:
12.48 metres and (71 boxes + 16 cartons + 6 folio boxes + map drawer items + 79 digital carriers + 42 sound/av carriers)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of David Marr, National Library of Australia, MS 9356, [series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for reference. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers comprise correspondence, research material, photographs, reviews, permission files and drafts of Marr's books Barwick (1980), The Ivanov trail (1984), Patrick White a life (1991), Patrick White letters (1994) and The price of heaven (1999).

The bulk of the correspondence, around 4000 letters, relates to Marr's research and writings on Patrick White. It extends from 1985 to 1998 and is arranged chronologically in 88 bundles. The letters and faxes, including copies of those written by Marr, document Marr's life over nine years, as he pursued friends and acquaintances of White and dealt with all the problems associated with writing the two Patrick White books.

Some of the correspondents wrote dozens of letters and they are often very lengthy. The principal correspondents are Veronica Brady, Paul Brunton, Geoffrey Dutton, Ninette Dutton, Chuck Elliott (Random House), Andrew Fisher, Peggy Garland, Graham Greene (Jonathan Cape), Elizabeth Harrower, Graham James, Heather Johnson, Matthew Kelly (Random House), Alan Lawson, Richard de Mestre, Anthea Morton-Saner, Jean Scott Rogers, John Thompson and Gerard Windsor.

Biographical Note:

David Marr was born in Sydney in 1947. He was educated at the Sydney Church of England Grammar School and the University of Sydney, where he graduated in Arts and Law. He had been an articled clerk with the legal firm Allen, Allen and Hemsley, but he soon turned to journalism and wrote for the Bulletin and the National Times. He was editor of the National Times in 1981-82. He was later a reporter on the ABC program 'Four Corners' (1985, 1990-91) and the presenter of Radio National's 'Arts today' program (1994-96). He is currently a feature writer for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Marr is the author of Barwick (1984), The Ivanov trail (1984), Patrick White: a life (1991) and Patrick White: letters (1994) and The price of heaven (1999).

Who's who in Australia 1999, p. 1144
Provenance:

The collection was purchased by the National Library from David Marr in 1999. Further papers were donated to the Library in November 1999 (Series 30, Item 11), November 2000 (Series 1, Files 4-10) and January 2001 (Series 27, Item 41).

Arrangement:

Wherever possible, the original arrangement of the papers and the file titles have been preserved by the Library. The papers relating to the two books on Patrick White were extremely well organised and Marr's arrangement of the papers has been retained in series 13-29. Some of the papers were removed from the original ring binders or plastic files.

Indexed terms

Names:
Marr, David, Mr.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn949627).
Conditions Governing Use:
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.
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of David Marr, National Library of Australia, MS 9356, [series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: