Guide to the Papers of Wendy Beckett, 1928-1997

Summary

Collection number:

MS 9084

Creator:

Beckett, Wendy

Extent:

(8 ms boxes + 1 large folio box + 37 sound/av carriers)

Language:

English and English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Wendy Beckett, National Library of Australia, MS 9084, [class/series/file/item number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection includes interviews, articles, press clippings, correspondence, drafts, financial records and other papers maintained by Beckett while researching her biography Peggy Glanville-Hicks (Angus Robertson, 1992). There are also papers relating to a proposed documentary film on Glanville-Hicks' life. Correspondents include Yehudi Menuhin, Gore Vidal, Leonard Bernstein, and Peter Sculthorpe. Further papers include drafts and final copies of Beckett's work, in particular her plays, including radio plays, and also an outline for an intended novel, a libretto for 'Beckett', transcripts of interviews by Beckett with Lawrence Durrell and Paul Bowles, proposals for using these interviews and other related papers.

Biographical Note:

Wendy Beckett was born in East Gippsland, Victoria in 1959 and worked as a journalist with the National Times and the Melbourne Agein the years 1976-1977.

Always interested in the theatre, she had her first play performed when she was nineteen and has since written many more.

As well as writing plays, she has worked as a school teacher, a print and radio journalist and a librettist. She has received literary grants from both the South Australian government and the Australia Council.

In 1982 Beckett completed a diploma of teaching and was the writer-in-residence at Kingston, South Australia, for writers week during the Adelaide Arts festival.

Beckett's biography Peggy Glanville-Hicks was published by Angus Robertson in 1992.

Provenance:

The first consignment comprises an instalment purchased from Wendy Beckett in 1993, and a second instalment donated by Beckett in 1997 under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme.

Conditions Governing Access:

The collection is available for reference.

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Wendy Beckett, National Library of Australia, MS 9084, [class/series/file/item number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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