Guide to the Papers of Richard Hall, 1949-2003

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 8725
Creator:
Hall, Richard (1937-2003)
Extent:
19.91 metres and (132 ms boxes + 2 medium folio boxes + 1 large folio box)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Richard Hall, National Library of Australia, MS 8725, [series/file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Part available for research; part not available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

This large collection contains papers accumulated by Hall during the course of his career as a journalist, author and political advisor. There are drafts, research materials and correspondence for all of his published books together with drafts and papers relating to his other writings which included journal and magazine articles, plays, film scripts and some unpublished works. There is a large group of papers, much of which comprises research material, relating to Hall's unfinished biography of Gough Whitlam, which had reached final draft stage at the time of his death.

There are two series of papers relating to Hall's work in the political sphere. Series 14 records his time as Private Press Secretary to Gough Whitlam during the period 1969 to 1972. Series 32 documents his work as a political advisor to Wayne Swan, the Federal Member for Lilley in Queensland, the bulk of which date from 1993 to 2003.

The correspondence in the collection is not extensive and comprises cards and correspondence from family and friends, together with general correspondence relating to Hall's life and work. Principle correspondents include Ann Turner, Frank Moorhouse, Edmund Campion, Sandra Forbes, Suzanne Falkiner, Robyn Head and Hall's three daughters, Caitlin, Meredith, and Louisa.

Hall was involved with a number of organisations during the course of his career, including, amongst others, the Literature Board of the Australia Council, The Australian Society of Authors and the State Library Council of NSW. Included in the collection are papers relating to these organisations.

Biographical Note:

Hall was born on 9 October 1937 and was raised in Sydney by his mother, Phyllis. He was educated at St Aloysius College and later at the University of Sydney.

Hall worked initially as a journalist for The Bulletin during the 1960s and subsequently wrote for many newspapers and magazines such as the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian, Australian Financial Review, Guardian (United Kingdom), Age Monthly Review and New Statesman. He was 'ghost writer' for two books - The untold story: Labor in rural NSW with Jack Hallam and one with Mick Young. He also wrote a number of biographies and non-fiction works focusing largely on the worlds of politics, crime and espionage. This latter theme was further developed in his two thrillers Costello and Noumea. Hall's success in winning the inaugural James Joyce Foundation Fellowship in 1994 enabled him to take up a residency at Trinity College, Dublin.

In 1968, after spending two years with the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, Hall was appointed as Private Secretary to Gough Whitlam, a position he held for five years. When the Labor Party gained government, Hall worked in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and then Secondary Industry, where he was adviser to Jim McClelland. For a number of years Hall was a political adviser to Wayne Swan, MP, Federal Member for Lilley in Queensland.

In 1973, Hall was one of the founding members of the Australia Council's Literature Board and in 1975, as founding chairman of the Australian Authors' Fund, oversaw the establishment of Public Lending Right. In 1976 Hall was appointed to the Cultural Affairs Advisory Body by NSW Premier, Neville Wran. During this time, Hall and Donald Horne instigated the NSW Premier's Literary Awards. During the same period he was a member of the NSW State Library Council and was elected president of that body in 1980 for a four-year term.

Richard Hall died in Sydney on 22 March 2003, after a long illness.

Bibliographic Reference(s)

Provenance:

The papers were acquired in two instalments. The first was purchased from Hall in 1992 and the second was purchased from his family in 2003, following Hall's death.

Arrangement:

The arrangement of the papers in the first instalment of this collection, received in 1992, was devised by Hall and his literary agent and has been retained. Series 1-20 refer.

In August 2003 the Library acquired a large addition to the papers, following Hall's death earlier the same year. Some of the papers in this addition related to those already present in the existing collection (series 1-20). Such papers were added to the appropriate series. There was also a large component of papers which related to new subject areas and these have been arranged into series devised by the National Library (series 21-36). For a list, refer to the note 'Papers added to the first instalment'.

Container List:
Box Series File
1 1 1-8
2 1 9-16
3 1 17-23
62 1 24
4 2 1-8
5 2 9-16
6 2 17-24
2 25-33
62 2 34-35
8 3 1-8
9 3 9-12
62 3 13-14
9 4 1-4
10 4 5-12
11 4 13-14
62 4 15-16
11 5 1-6
12 5 7-14
13 5 15-22
14 5 23-30
15 5 31-38
16 5 39-45
17 6 1-8
18 6 9-16
19 6 17-24
20 6 25-32
21 6 33-40
22 6 41-42
23 6 43-46
63 6 47
24 7 1-7
25 7 8-15
26 7 16-19
27 7 20-21
28 7 22-25
63 7 26-28
28 8 1-3
29 8 4-7
63 8 8-9
29 9 1-4
30 9 5-12
31 9 13-19
32 9 20-27
33 9 28-31
63 9 32
64 9 33-38
65 9 39-41
33 10 1-4
34 11 1-5
34 12 1-3
35 12 4-12
65 12 7a
36 12 13-19
37 12 20-27
38 12 28-35
39 12 36-39
40 12 40-42
41 12 43-51
65 12 52-54
66 12 55-56
42 13 1-7
43 13 8-15
44 13 16-17
66 13 18-21
67 13 22-23
44 14 1-6
45 14 7-14
46 14 15-22
47 14 23-30
48 14 31-38
49 14 39-46
50 14 47-54
51 14 55
67 14 55a-59
68 14 59a-64
69 14 65-70a
69 14 65-70a
70 14 71-77
71 14 78-84
72 14 85-86
51 15 1-6
52 15 7-14
53 15 15-22
54 15 23-25
54 16 1-4
55 16 5-7
55 17 1-4
56 17 5-11
57 17 12-13
57 18 1-2
57 19 1-4
58 19 5-11
59 19 12-18
60 19 19-20
72 19 21-24
73 19 25-30
74 19 31-35
75 19 36-40
76 19 41-46
77 19 47-53
78 19 54-60
60 20 1-6
61 20 7-14
78 20 15
79 21 1-8
80 21 9-16
81 21 17-24
82 22 1-11
83 22 12-15
83 23 1-6
84 23 7-8
84 24 1-17
85 24 18
85 25 1-6
86 26 1-3
87 26 4-8
88 26 9-14
89 27 1-6
90 27 7-9
90 28 1-3
91 28 4-9
92 28 10-15
93 28 16-18
93 29 1-3
94 29 4-7
94 30 1-3
95 30 4-7
96 30 8-13
97 30 14-22
98 30 23-29
99 30 30-37
100 30 38-43
101 30 44-51
102 30 52-57
103 30 58-65
104 30 66-73
105 30 74-82
106 30 83-89
107 30 90-97
108 30 98-105
109 30 106-112
110 30 113-120
111 30 121-124
112 30 125-130
113 30 131-138
114 30 139-142
115 30 143-146
116 30 147-150
117 30 151-152
117 31 1-2
118 31 3
118 32 1-5
119 32 6-10
120 32 11-15
121 32 16-22
122 32 23-27
123 32 28-33
124 32 34-41
125 32 42-45
125 33 1-3
126 33 4-9
127 33 10-14
128 33 15-19
128 34 1-2
129 34 3-7
129 35 1-2
130 35 3-4
130 36 1-3
131 36 4-8
132 36 9-10
Folio Box 1 6 Folio 1
Folio Box 1 7 Folio 1
Folio Box 2 9 Folio 1
Folio Box 3 12 Folio 1
Folio Box 3 12 Folio 2
Folio Box 3 12 Folio 3
Folio Box 2 14 Folio 1
Folio Box 2 17 Folio 1

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn401267).
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 Richard Hall, National Library of Australia, MS 8725, [series/file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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