Guide to the Papers of Desmond Digby relating to Patrick White, 1962-2000
Collection context
Summary
- Collection number:
- MS 10056
- Creator:
- Digby, Desmond
- Extent:
- 1.8 metres and (12 ms boxes)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
- Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Desmond Digby relating to Patrick White, National Library of Australia, MS 10056, [series/file number]'.
- Availability:
- Available
- Access conditions:
- Available for research. Not for loan.
Background
- Content Summary:
-
The papers of Desmond Digby document a long-term friendship with, and interest in, Australian novelist and playwright, Patrick White. They consist of correspondence, aides-mémoire, press cuttings and theatre programs.
The correspondence comprises approximately 40 letters and postcards from White to Digby, with smaller amounts from White to Digby's partner, James Allison, from Manoly Lascaris to Digby and Allison, and business correspondence relating to Digby's role as dust jacket designer for some of White's books. In addition there are papers, including correspondence, relating to the Patrick White Literary Award (PWLA) and the setting up of CD-ROM and online information resources about White. The PWLA was established by White using the money he received for his Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973. Allison was a member of the committee which chose the recipient of the Award each year.
The largest component of the collection consists of press cuttings, many with attached notes (aides-mémoire) hand-written by Digby. The notes document phone conversations between Digby and White and White's reactions to, and views on, the subjects of the cuttings and other matters they discussed.
- Biographical Note:
-
Desmond Digby was born in Auckland in 1933. He studied at the Elam School of Art in Auckland and won a bursary to study at the Slade School of Art in London in 1954. Digby remained in London to work as a designer in theatre and opera until settling in Sydney in 1959. In Australia he was employed as a designer by the Elizabethan Theatre Trust, the Australian Opera Company and various theatre companies, and illustrated books for children. Digby was awarded the 1971 Australian Book Council Children's Picture Book of the Year Award for his picture book of A. B. Paterson's Waltzing Matilda.
Patrick White and Digby met in 1961 and the following year Digby designed the set for the Adelaide premiere of White's play, The season at Sarsaparilla. In 1963 he worked on the Sydney production of Sarsaparilla and the Melbourne production of The cheery soul. White also asked Digby to design dust jackets for his publications, The solid mandala, The cockatoos and The eye of the storm. White was impressed by Digby's talents and encouraged him to return to painting. The two men maintained a friendship over several decades, regularly speaking by phone when in Sydney and after Digby moved with his partner, James Allison, to the north coast of NSW. When travelling they exchanged postcards and letters.
Bibliographic Reference(s)
- Marr, David, Letters. Milsons Point, NSW: Random House, 1994.
- Marr, David, Patrick White: a life. Milsons Point, NSW: Random House, 1991.
New Zealand artist and designer who settled in Sydney in 1959. Patrick White and Desmond Digby met in 1961. Digby subsequently designed the sets for a number of White's plays and dust jackets for three of his books. The two men maintained a close friendship over several decades, regularly speaking by phone when at home and exchanging postcards and letters whilst travelling.
- Provenance:
-
The papers were purchased by the Library from Desmond Digby, via his agent, Barbara Mobbs, in 2005.
- Arrangement:
-
The papers were arranged prior to delivery to the Library by a staff member of Digby's agent. The Library has largely retained the arrangement within a series framework.
- Container List:
-
Series Folders/Pieces Box 1 1-8 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 4 1-8 2 4 9-17 3 4 18-25 4 4 26-31 5 4 32-39 6 4 40-46 7 4 47-53 8 4 54-60 9 4 61-68 10 4 69-73 11 4 74-75 12 5 1-2 12 6 1 12
Access and use
- Conditions Governing Access:
- Available for research. Not for loan.
- 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 Desmond Digby relating to Patrick White, National Library of Australia, MS 10056, [series/file number]'.
- Location of this collection:
-
Parkes PlaceCanberra ACT 2600, Australia
- Contact: