Guide to the Papers of Margaret Barbalet

MS 5396

National Library of Australia


Date completed: February 2001
Last updated: February 2001


Collection Summary

Creator: Barbalet, Margaret, 1949-
Title: Papers of Margaret Barbalet
Date Range: 1974-1993
Collection Number: MS 5396
Extent: 70 cm (5 boxes)
Repository: National Library of Australia
Abstract: Correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts, research material, corrected proofs and photographs relating to Barbalet's short stories and her books Far from a low gutter girl: the forgotten world of state wards, South Australia, 1887-1940; Blood in the rain; Lady, baby, gypsy, queen; Steel Beach; and The Wolf.

Introduction

Scope and Content

The collection comprises correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts, research material, corrected proofs and photographs relating to Barbalet's short stories and her books Far from a low gutter girl: the forgotten world of state wards, South Australia, 1887-1940; Blood in the rain; Lady, baby, gypsy, queen; Steel Beach; and The Wolf.

Access

The collection is restricted until the death of Margaret Barbalet.

Provenance

The papers were received in four instalments. Two instalments, one in 1994 and the other in 1996, were acquired under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme. The third and fourth instalments were acquired in 1998 and 2001 under the Cultural Gifts Program.

Copying and Publishing

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Margaret Barbalet, National Library of Australia, MS 5396, [series and/or folder number]'.

Biographical Note

Margaret Evelyn Barbalet is an author. She was born in Adelaide on 19 December 1949. She attended Girton Girls School in Adelaide, and went on to study at Adelaide University, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in History and a Master of Arts in History.

Barbalet has combined her work as an author with a number of jobs. They have included work as an Historian with the Adelaide Children's Hospital; a Research Officer with the Adelaide City Council; a History Lecturer at Mitchell College of Advanced Education, Bathurst; a Researcher for the Commonwealth Schools Commission; a Tutor at the Canberra College of Advanced Education; a Research Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and most recently as an Analyst with the Office of National Assessments.

Barbalet has written in a variety of genres, including novels, children's books, short stories and historical writings. She was one of a group of ACT-based women writers known as the 'Canberra Seven'. They produced a joint anthology of Canberra-based stories entitled Canberra tales, published by Penguin in 1988, and re-released in 1995 under the title The division of love.

Barbalet has received the following grants for her work as an author:
Literature Board of the Australia Council grants, 1984, 1985 and 1990
International Women's Year Grant, 1973
National Estate Grant, 1976
Australian Bicentennial Authority Grant, 1987

Barbalet's published works include:
The Adelaide Children's Hospital: 1876-1976: a history, Adelaide Children's Hospital, Griffin Press, 1975
Far from a low gutter girl: the forgotten world of state wards, South Australia, 1887-1940, Oxford University Press, 1983
Blood in the rain, Penguin, 1986
Steel Beach, Penguin, 1988
The Wolf, Viking, 1991
Lady, baby, gypsy, queen, Penguin, 1992
Bicentennial outcomes: a catalogue of teaching resources for Australian schools (ed.), Curriculum Corporation, 1992



Series List and Descriptions

Series 1 Far from a low gutter girl: the forgotten world of state wards, South Australia, 1887-1940, 1981-1983

Material relating to Barbalet's novel Far from a low gutter girl: the forgotten world of state wards, South Australia, 1887-1940, published by Oxford University Press, 1983. Including notes, research material, photographs and negatives, reviews, publicity material, cover design and correspondence, mainly with Oxford University Press. Other correspondents include Geoffrey Dutton and John Young.

6 Folders

Series 2 Blood in the rain, 1974-1985

Papers relating to Barbalet's novel Blood in the rain, published by Penguin Books, 1986. Including a manuscript and a typescript of 'Jessie Sheldon' which was the first draft of the novel, and correspondence, mainly with Penguin Books. Other correspondents include Geoffrey Dutton, Kerri Morey, Carla Taines and Richard Walsh.

4 Folders

Series 3 Lady, baby, gypsy, queen, 1975-1993

Papers relating to Barbalet's novel Lady, baby, gypsy, queen, published by Penguin Books, 1992. Including manuscripts, typescripts, corrected author's proofs, and correspondence, mainly with Penguin Books. Other correspondents include Rowan Ayers, Nick Hasluck, Irene Stevens (Australia Council) and George Whaley. Also included is a typescript of 'The Okari Tree' which was written by Barbalet in Papua New Guinea in 1975, and which became part of Lady, baby, gypsy, queen.

10 Folders

Series 4 Other writings, 1985-1987

Manuscripts and typescripts of short stories, including Planting lettuces (1985) and Scales (1987).

1 Folder

Series 5 Steel Beach, 1984-1988

Correspondence, largely with Penguin.

2 Folders

Series 6 The Wolf, 1992-1993

Best-seller lists, reviews, short-listing and correspondence with Penguin Books, Random House and Little Ark.

1 Folder



Container List

Series Folder/Item Box
1 1-4 1
5-6 2
2 1-4 2
3 1-4 3
5-8 4
9-10 5
4 1 5
5 1-2 5
6 1 5