Diaries and notebooks, 1916-c.1972

Component identifier:

Series 1

Content Summary:

This series comprises diaries, notebooks and an address book kept by Braga.

The diaries include small pocket diaries, larger bound volumes and loose pages of diary entries. The earliest diary is a single page from a 1916 diary, followed by a 1929 diary, then several diaries from the 1930s and 1940s, many diaries from the 1950s, several from the 1960s and concluding with a 1970 diary. The diary entries include notes on the day's social and business activities, references to events of significance, thoughts on readings, recollections of conversations, lists of purchases and comments on the weather. Coverage of the diaries is sporadic, with only a few containing detailed entries; most feature brief notes or details of appointments, and often large expanses of few or no entries.

The notebooks primarily contain bibliographical notes on or transcriptions of works of interest, as well as chronologies of historical events and associated citations. These bibliographical notes and chronologies relate to the various themes of Braga's interests and research, including history, literature, biography, religion, philosophy and geography. Several of the notebooks date from the period that Braga spent working on his collection at the National Library of Australia, from 1968 to 1972.

Further bibliographical and chronological notes feature in Series 7. Further notebooks are found in Series 6, 10, 11, 13 and 20.

[13 files]

Immediate source of acquisition:

The bulk of the Braga Collection (including manuscripts, pictures, maps, newspapers, serials, periodicals, monographs and ephemera) was purchased from J.M. Braga in 1966. The component held in the Manuscript Collection at MS 4300 appears to have been formally accessioned as the J.M. Braga Papers in 1975. Several small additions have been made since the original instalment of papers was received. Most of these additions were transfers to the Manuscripts Collection from other collection areas, including a file of newspaper cuttings in May 1975, a set of microfilm reels in 1984, a file of manuscript material in 1985, lists of the Braga Collection in 1994, and two files of assorted printed material and other papers in 2009. As well, several small additions have been made by members of the Braga family. In 1992, various Braga family members donated a copy of the eulogy and order of service for Augusta Braga's memorial service, and in 2002 Angela Braga donated photographs of medals and decorations awarded to J.P. Braga, together with photocopies of early writings of J.M. Braga and eulogies for J.M. Braga and his grandson Michael Braga.

Subjects:

History

Names:

Braga, J.M. (José Maria)

Contents

Access and use