Diaries and other documents

Component identifier:

Series 8

Content Summary:

Most of the material in this series was received in 1973, with a further acquisition of Richardson's later diaries in 1983.

Richardson kept diaries for the years 1897-1902, 1916, 1931-46, and there are also diaries covering particular events, such as Mary Richardson's final illness in 1896, and Richardson's trip to Norway in 1911, as well as notebooks referring to certain events in the period 1940 to 1944.

Material in this series relating to Richardson's early years includes programmes for the annual concerts, 1885 and 1886, of the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Melbourne, at which Richardson performed, a diary she kept in 1887 and 1888, Mary Richardson's steamship ticket when she and her two daughters left Australia in 1888, the programme for the main examination at the Königliches Conservatorium der Musik at Leipzig, March 1892, and Richardson's certificate from the Conservatorium, dated April 1892. Official documents consist of Richardson's notice of marriage and death certificates. Richardson's address book, her first housekeeping book and some short pieces of prose written in 1896 and 1897 are included in this series. Finally there are two medals awarded to Richardson for her work: the Australian Literature Society medal for the best Australian novel, 1929 (Ultima Thule), and the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, 1935.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The original collection of Richardson Papers was purchased from Miss Olga Roncoroni,the executrix of Richardson's will, in 1946 and consisted of the typescripts of mostof her books, as well as the notes that she compiled when doing the research forThe fortunes of Richard Mahony. In 1971 a majorconsignment of papers was purchased from Richardson's nephew, Dr Walter Neustatter ofLondon. It comprised correspondence, notebooks, photographs and other items relatingto Richardson's parents. In 1972 another large group of papers was presented by MissOlga Roncoroni. It contained personal papers and documents belonging to Richardson,diaries, letters, articles, and material collected by Richardson when writingThe young Cosima. Between 1946 and 1971 additional Richardson Papers were received from a number ofsources. They include letters from Richardson to Oliver Stonor, 1929-1946; typedcopies of letters from Richardson to Jacob Schwartz, 1931-1933; and photographicprints of letters from Richardson to Mary Kernot, 1911-1946, the originals of whichare held by the Mitchell Library. Papers relating to Richardson's husband, ProfessorJ.G. Robertson, include his biographical notes about Richardson, photocopies oflectures, and galley proofs of a book. The letters from Richardson to Mary Kernotwere closed until 20 March 1996. In 1983, the Library received Richardson's correspondence with Paul Solanges,1910-1914, about his translation of Maurice Guest, andnotes on the translation, as well as diaries and albums of newspaper cuttingsmaintained by Richardson and her heirs, and a number of editions of Richardson'sbooks. In 1993, the Library acquired from the University of Tasmania the collectionof books used by Richardson in researching her book The youngCosima. In 1996, 44 letters to Richardson from her sister Lilian were acquired from thelatter's granddaughter, along with two letters from Walter Neustatter and additionalphotographs. In 2001, original manuscript scores of music composed by Richardson donated under the Cultural Gifts Program by Professor Clive Probyn and Dr Bruce Steele. They in turn had acquired them from Margaret Capon as part of the Monash University Henry Handel Richardson Project in 1996. The music was used for the publications Henry Handel Richardson: the music and Songs of Henry Handel Richardson, both of which were edited by Bruce Steele and Richard Divall and published in 2000.

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