Guide to the Papers of Maie Casey
MS 1840
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Maie Casey
- Title
- Papers of Maie Casey
- Date Range
- 1831-1987
- Collection Number
- MS 1840
- Extent
- 5.32 metres (38 boxes, 1 folio item)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection comprises correspondence, diaries, notebooks, speeches, drafts, articles, poetry, subject files, Ellis Rowan source material, art work, photographs and other papers relating to Maie Casey's interests in art and family history, her books An Australian story (1962), Melba revisited (1975) and Rare encounters (1980), her involvement in the International Sculpture Competition (1953) and her role as the wife of the Governor of Bengal and Governor-General of Australia. There are also some papers of John Cotton, Theodotus John Sumner, Sir Charles Ryan and Ellis Rowan.
Major correspondents include Princess Alice, Kazu Aso, Princess Marthe Bibesco, Rosemary Dobson, Donn Casey, Princess Pantip Chumbhot, Sir Paul and Alix Hasluck, Anthea Hastings, Elizabeth Hudson, Sir Charles and Natasha Johnston, Angela Limerick, Frank Logan, Peter Masefield, Shudha Mazumdar, Cynthia Nolan, John Oldham, Elizabeth Salter, Sir David Scott, Clement Semmler, Louise Walker, and Patrick White.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2997181).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Maie Casey, National Library of Australia, MS 1840, [series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The papers were donated by the Casey family in three small instalments in 1971, 1973 and 1980 and one large instalment in 1996.
Related Materials
Letters of Maie Casey are held in the following collections: Bruce Tracey (MS 2495 and MS 2935); Harold Marshall (MS 9075); Sir Richard Blackburn (MS 7363) and Kenneth Slessor (MS 4000).
Other Casey Family papers are held at:
MS 2217 Casey, Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron, 1890-1976 (Papers, 1910-1940, 3cm)
MS 5335 Casey, Richard Gardiner Casey, Baron, 1890-1976 (Programme, 1976, 1cm)
MS 6150 Casey Family (Papers, 1820-1978, 11m)
An oral history interview with Lady Casey is held by the Oral History Section at ORAL DeB 336-337.
Arrangement
The Maie Casey Papers were arranged by Connie Hauser, Lord Casey's secretary, after Lady Casey's death. Much of this arrangement has been preserved, particularly in series 4 (art papers), 6 (Ellis Rowan) and 8 (photographs). The alphabetical sequence in series one is an amalgamation of two alphabetical sequences constructed by Connie Hauser, together with loose correspondence from the collection. Authors of many of the letters have been identified, presumably by Ms Hauser.
Biographical Note
Ethel Marian Sumner (Maie) Ryan was born on 13 March 1892 in Melbourne and died on 20 January 1983. She was the daughter of Alice Elfrida Sumner and Surgeon-General Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan (1853-1926) (brother of Cecil Godfrey Ryan and Ellis Rowan) and the sister of Rupert Ryan. Her paternal grandparents were Charles Ryan and Marian Cotton (daughter of John Cotton).
Maie Ryan spent her early life in Collins Street, Melbourne, where her father had his residence and surgery. She was educated privately. When she was 14 she left Australia to attend St George's boarding school, Ascot, England. During World War I she worked in London before accompanying her brother to Cologne. She returned to London in the 1920s and in 1926 she married Richard Gardiner Casey, who at that time was Australian political liaison officer in London.
The Caseys returned to Australia in 1931 and after Casey's election to the House of Representatives, settled in Canberra. Lady Casey accompanied her husband on his postings to Washington as first Australian diplomatic representative to the United States, 1940-42; to Cairo as Minister of State in the Middle East, 1942-44 and to Calcutta as Governor of Bengal, 1944-46. The Caseys had two children, Donn and Jane.
Lady Casey was a painter, illustrator and patron of the arts. She attended the Westminster School of Art in London and in Australia was associated with the George Bell School in Melbourne, and Joan Lindsay. She illustrated Helen Jo Samuel's biography of Ellis Rowan Wild flower hunter (1961) as well as her own book, An Australian story.
She took up flying while living in Canberra in 1938 and flew in Australia and the United States. She was associated with the Royal Victorian Aero Club and a founder of the Australian Women Pilots' Association. She was also a member of the American women pilots' club, the Ninety Nines.
She was also first President of the Indian Institute of Art in Industry, 1945-46 and a member of the jury, International Sculpture Competition, London, in 1953.
Lady Casey published three autobiographical accounts: An Australian story, 1837-1907 (1962), a history of four generations of her family in Australia; Tides and eddies (1966), an account of her early married life; and Rare encounters (1980), reminiscences of Lady Edwina Mountbatten, Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, Dame Nellie Melba and her mother-in-law, Mrs R.G. Casey. She also published a biography Melba re-visited (1975); two volumes of verse, Verses (1963) and From the night (1976); co-edited Early Melbourne architecture 1840-1888 (1953) and wrote the libretto for a musical based on an episode in the life of Daisy Bates, The young Kabbarli (1972).
Articles written by Lady Casey include 'Charles Snodgrass Ryan' (Medical Journal of Australia, 19 Sept. 1959: 390-393), 'An introduction to the Nan Kivell Collection' (Art in Australia, v.5, no. 4, Mar. 1968): 586-595), 'A tribute to Sidney Nolan' (Art in Australia, v.5, Sept. 1967: 434), 'George Bell in Bourke Street', (Art in Australia, v.4, Sept. 1966: 120-124) and 'John Cotton 1802-1849' (Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History, v. 4, part 2, Jan. 1963: 85-91).
She was awarded the Kaiser-I-Hind Medal, the Africa Star, and the Amelia Earhart Medal and was made a Commander of the Order of St John of Jerusalem, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1982.
See also Glittering surfaces: a life of Maie Casey by Diane Langmore (Allen & Unwin, 1997).
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence, 1860-1984
General correspondence of Lady Casey mainly comprising personal correspondence. It also includes a small amount of family and financial correspondence, correspondence relating to social engagements, historical and family research and correspondence on Lady Casey's books and writings (see also series 3). The correspondence includes some carbons and drafts of replies by Lady Casey, two cassette letters, photographs, cuttings, programs, typescripts of speeches, poetry and short stories and other papers associated with the correspondence. Major correspondents are listed below.
The correspondence of Lady Casey falls into three sections: a large sequence of correspondence, most of which was annotated and arranged alphabetically by Lord Casey's secretary; an expanding file which has been retained in its original alphabetical order and separate correspondence files maintained by Lady Casey.
A, 1942-82. Hilda Abbott, Julian Amery, Judith Anderson, Antarctic Wives Association, Clarissa Aran, Kazu Aso, Australian-American Association (File 1-3) - Box 1
B, 1945-82. Ethel Barnes, Marga Barr, Margaret Barrow, Grace Bartram, Ian Bassett, Lady Bastyn, George Bell, Rosemary Dobson (Bolton), Lady Doreen Brabourne, Aileen and Sidney Butler (File 4-8) - Box 1
C, 1963-83. Lord and Lady Carrington, Donn Casey, Adam Charnaud, Sheila Chichester, Princess Pantip Chumbhot, Lady Diana Cooper, Sir Walter Crocker (File 9-15) - Box 2
D, 1966-82. Dr Michael Dale, Lady Delacombe, Ruth Dobson, Sir Russell Drysdale, Sir Edward (Weary) Dunlop, Geoffrey and Ninette Dutton (File 16-17) - Box 2, 3
H, 1955-82. Penne Hackforth-Jones, Gerald Hamilton-Edwards, Sir Paul and Alix Hasluck, Anthea Hastings (Joseph), Cameron Hazlehurst, Katharine Hepburn, Penelope Hope, Elizabeth Hudson (File 21-25) - Box 3, 4
L, 1942-82. Lady Peggy Lewthwaite, Angela Limerick (Countess), Ernest Llewellyn, Frank and Ray Logan (File 28-29) - Box 4
M, 1963-84. Macgowan Family, Reta McLean, Harold Macmillan, Laurie and Lind Macpherson, Margaret Mallory, Shudha Mazumdar, Mountbatten Family (Richard, Patricia and John) (File 30-36) - Box 4, 5
R, 1948-82. Sue Rees, Kitty Ritson, Ryan Family (Dominic, Rosemary and Gwen Peyton-Jones) (File 41-43) - Box 6
S, 1945-82. Elizabeth Salter, Sir David Scott, Hope Scott, Rachel Scott, Miranda Selous, Clement Semmler, Dr Amal Shah, Sacheverell Sitwell, Amy Smart, Marjorie Smart, Esther Soong, Mary Spears, William and Antonia Spowers, Clare Spurgin, St John Council for Victoria (File 44-54) - Box 6, 7
W, 1946-82. Louise Walker (see also files 69 and 86-89), Alison Waller, Patrick White, Lorri Whiting (File 57-60) - Box 8
Alphabetical expanding file: G-H, 1970-76. Alix Hasluck, Anthea Hastings, Joan Hammond, Elizabeth Hudson (File 65) - Box 9
Alphabetical expanding file: I-Mc, 1967-76. Frank Logan, Shudha Mazumdar, Hal Missingham, Reta McLean (File 66) - Box 9
Alphabetical expanding file: S, 1970-76. Clem Semmler, Elizabeth Salter, David Scott, Hope Scott, Amy Smart (File 68) - Box 9
Correspondence files: Various letters from Calcutta files - for Australia, 1944-45 (File 77) - Box 10
Series 3. Writings, c.1850-1982
Writings of Maie Casey. Other writings are interspersed in files throughout the collection. Other correspondence relating to writings is in series 1.
Subseries (i). Early writings, 1904 - Box 13, 14
Fairy tales, stories, plays, sketches by Maie Ryan and others. Also includes school compositions and exercises and other juvenilia. Most of the manuscripts are not dated.
7 files
Subseries (ii). An Australian story (1962), c.1850-1980 - Box 14, 15
Drafts and research files containing photographs, research and publishers' correspondence, notes, cuttings, illustrations by Casey, original family documents including a letter by Charles Ryan (1864), letters by Ryan and Hammond Stock and Station Agents (1875), reviews, letters from readers and maps.
11 files
Subseries (iii). Melba re-visited (1975), 1924-81 - Box 16
Files containing manuscript and corrected typescript drafts, cuttings, review, letters by recipients and readers of the book, typescripts or reminiscences and illustrations by Casey.
4 files
Subseries (iv). Rare encounters (1980), 1896-1982 - Box 16, 17
Files containing correspondence, photographs, typescript and manuscript drafts, proofs, cuttings, articles, letters of thanks from recipients and appreciations by readers.
7 files
Subseries (vi). Articles, 1947-72
Files containing drafts, correspondence, illustrations, publications, cuttings, and photographs. Correspondents include Rex Nan Kivell.
'An introduction to the Nan Kivell collection' (Art and Australia and Apollo), 1966-69 (File 3-4) - Box 18
Other magazine and newspaper articles, 1947-72. Includes 'Russell Drysdale and the Australian countryside' (The Geographical magazine, June 1952), 'Emily' (Sydney Morning Herald, Nov. 25 1967), 'Endpiece' (Sydney Morning Herald, Nov. 1 1969), 'Our short history' (La Trobe Library journal, 1972), 'Wedding day in fairyland' (Sydney Morning Herald, June 13, 1970), 'John Cotton, 1802-1849' (Journal of the Society for the Bibliography of Natural History, Jan. 1963) and 'Tigers and elephants', (Australian junior, May-June 1947) (File 6) - Box 19
Subseries (vii). Verse, 1951-79 - Box 19
Manuscripts and typescripts of poetry by Maie Casey including pieces published in From the night (1976) and translation of poetry by Baudelaire and others.
6 files
Subseries (viii). Other writings, 1943-79
Other writings by Casey including personal tributes to nurse Annie Moriah Sage, C.B. Thomson, Princess Marthe Bibesco, George Bell, Cynthia Nolan, Sir William Dobell, Agatha Christie, Stella Reading, Freda Thompson, Ruth Whiting and Joan Lindsay (File 1-2) - Box 20
Papers relating to 'The young Kabbarli: an opera in one act'; music for 'Through the dark night' (lyrics by Maie Casey; music by Margaret Sutherland) (File 3-4) - Box 20
Series 4. Art papers, 1941-87
Subseries (i). Indian art
Files on art subjects maintained by Maie Casey while in India, 1944-46. The papers relate to the Indian Institute of Art in Industry (of which Maie Casey was president, 1945-46), the Exhibition of Bengal Art (Apr. 26-May 3 1945, Government House, Calcutta) and Maie Casey's attempts to organise similar exhibitions in Britain and Australia. Correspondents include Daryl Lindsay and Hal Missingham.
Subseries (ii). International Sculpture Competition
Numbered sequence of files relating to Lady Casey's involvement in the competition conducted by the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London in 1953 on the subject 'the unknown political prisoner'. The competition was won by Reg Butler. Australian finalists included Margel Hinder, Tom Bass and John Joseph Bruhn.
The files include correspondence, cuttings, photographs of the winning models, articles, competition details and names of Australian and New Zealand entrants.
Series 5. Subject files, 1905-82
Files relating to Maie Casey's involvement in various organisations, her family property 'Edrington', a visit to Asia with her husband as part of a Ministerial delegation to the Colombo Plan Conference in 1955, and other matters. The files include newsletters, minutes, annual reports, correspondence, pamphlets and cuttings. Correspondents include Helen Keller.
Series 6. Ellis Rowan, 1869-1974
This series contains a small amount of original Rowan letters, copies of Rowan correspondence, books by Rowan, files of correspondence, articles, photographs, and other material relating to Rowan and a draft of Helen Jo Samuel's biography of Rowan Wild flower hunter (1961).
Letters by Rowan, 1869-74, copies of letters to Ellis Rowan from her grandparents, 1897-1903 and a note from the British Administrator, German New Guinea giving Rowan permission to take away birds of paradise 'for scientific purposes', 1916 (File 2) - Box 28
Newspaper cuttings mainly concerning Rowan's paintings and exhibitions, 1878-1916 and copies of 'Press opinions of Mrs F.G. Rowan's water-colour flower drawings' (File 3) - Box 28
Files mainly containing correspondence relating to Rowan including responses to Wild flower hunter. Also includes biographical details on Rowan, transcripts of Ferdinand von Mueller letters, drawings by Maie Casey for Wild flower hunter, reviews of the book, correspondence relating to gifts and loans of Rowan paintings and photographs (File 4-9) - Box 28, 29
Typescript draft of Wild flower hunter by H.J. Samuel with corrections by Casey (File 10-11) - Box 29
Series 7. Writings by others, 1932-82
The world we live in: a series of speeches on current events by R.G. Casey, 1933 (File [unnumbered])
Typescript account of early travel and settlement in Victoria by Mary Jane Read (nee Docker) (1828-1923) (File [unnumbered])
'Second annual report to the Dean and members of the Faculty of Medicine upon clinical education' by Sir Alan Newton (University of Melbourne, 1949) (File [unnumbered])
'Catch the sunlight' (biography of Brigadier General Lord Thomson of Cardington) by Peter Masefield (File 4-6) - Box 30
Series 8. Photographs, c.1842-1972
Casey Family photographs. Bundles of photographs kept in files or envelopes have been kept together.
Series 9. Family papers, 1831-1899
Papers of the naturalist John Cotton (1802-1849). Cotton's daughter Marian married Charles Ryan, father of Surgeon General Sir Charles Ryan. (See also Australian dictionary of biography, volume 1). Also includes papers of Theodotus John Sumner (1820-1884) and Sir Charles Ryan.
See also series 6/2 for a small quantity of papers of Ellis Rowan.