Correspondence: Maisie Newbold and Peter Purves Smith, 1937-1946
- Component identifier:
- Series 8
- Content Summary:
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Maisie Newbold met Peter Purves Smith in 1937 when they were fellow art students at the George Bell School, Melbourne. The first letters in this series are written by Purves Smith in December 1937 aboard the T.S.S. Ulysses on his way to England. In 1938 Maisie also travelled to Europe, returning home in July 1939. Maisie spent time with Purves Smith during this period and their relationship developed. In August and September of 1939 Purves Smith spent time in the United States of America.
The early letters comprise mainly light-hearted banter and occasional doggerel verse by Purves Smith and, once Maisie was in Europe, discussion of arrangements to meet up. There are occasional references to Purves Smith's work. In 1940, Purves Smith enlisted and the letters after this time are sent from various postings in South Africa and South-East Asia. As the war progresses, the letters become increasingly more serious in tone. In Burma, Purves Smith contracted tuberculosis and spent frustrating months waiting to be repatriated to Australia, which finally happened in early 1946. The last letter in this series is dated 28 March 1946 and is written from Singapore, as Purves Smith was on his way home to Australia.
Maisie and Purves Smith were married in June 1946, with Russell Drysdale as best man.
- Immediate source of acquisition:
- The papers of Maisie Drysdale were donated to the Library in 2001 by Russell Drysdale's daughter, Lynne Clarke, under the Cultural Gifts Program.
- Names:
- Drysdale, Maisie, Lady
Contents
Access and use
- Parent Restrictions:
- Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1125623).
- 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- Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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:
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Parkes PlaceCanberra ACT 2600, Australia
- Contact: