MS 5959
Donald Friend (1915-1989) - List of illustrated manuscripts and diaries


Item 1
(Folio size)

Handwritten manuscript entitled "Birds from the magic mountain", with original illustrations in ink, watercolour and crayon. It describes some of the factual and fictional birds of Indonesia.
Published version is held at Nf+/A828.3/F911BI

Item 2
(Folio size)

Illustrated, handwritten manuscript entitled "Ayam-Ayam Kesayangan", Volume 3. "Containing many and Varied writings and Paintings of his Native Land on his return from many years' sojourn in distant countries beyond the Sea". 1980. Also known as "The return of the prodigal".

Item 3
(Folio size)

"The Story of Jonah", 1979 (1 volume)

Item 4
(Folio size)

"Bumbooziana", 1975 (2 volumes).
The published version is held at SR 741.994 F911

   

Items 5-44

 
 

DIARIES

All diaries are holograph in ink or ballpoint or both; illustrated; and with insertions including letters, photographs, press clippings and exhibition catalogues. Small portions of the wartime diaries are in lead pencil.

Item 5

1930
Hard cover leather bound diary.
Title page insc: A personal diary/of Donald L. Friend/1930 a.d./[mock crest]/[drawing of knight on horseback] (Sydney and Glendon)

Item 6

1931
Hard cover leather bound printed diary.
Title page insc: Forword/This is a setting down of my own/personal thoughts. Should any unwise/persons venture herein without my express/permission, the references to any/of them which may displease are just/rewards of inquisitiveness/Donald Leslie Friend. (Sydney and Glendon)

Item 7

29 June - 7 August 1942
Spiral bound sketch book
(Sydney and Hume Camp, Albury, NSW)
No title page

Item 8

18 August - 6 October 1942
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las desastres de la Guerra/Notes and Drawings/Hume Camp NSW/ August 18, 1942,/Donald Friend/NX96987/"A" Battery/1st Field Training Regt.

Item 9

7 October - 10 November 1942
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Volume II/Las Desastres de la Guerra/(Tome: "Coronemas Rosis antequam marcescant")/Gnr. Friend D.S.L. N.X. 96987/1st Field Training Regt./Hume/7th October 1942

Item 10

11 November - 11 December 1942
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol III "Los Caprichos Locos"/11th November 1942/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X. 96987/"A" troop/2nd Australian Artillery Training Regiment/Hume Camp, near Albury

Item 11

12 December 1942 - 2 January 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol IV "Nec plus scarabiae in cervisiae,/Nec plus sedendum in seminis lignis duris"/(monkish doggerel)/12th December 1942/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X. 96987/"D" troop/"A" Battery/2nd Australian Artillery Training Regt./Hume Camp near Albury

Folder:

Loose inserts to diaries 1930-1943

Item 12

4 January - 26 February 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/Vol V "Asi Sucedio"/4th Jan '43/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X. 96987/A Battery/D troop/2nd Aust. Arty Tng Regt./Hume

Item 13

7 March - 23 April 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol V/"No hay due dar Voces"/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./NX96987/7th March, 1943/L.H.Q. School of Military Intelligence/ Junio Wing/"Seabrae"/Redcliff/near Brisbane/ Queensland

(The whereabouts of "Desastres de la Guerra" Volume VI, 24 April - 17 May 1943, are unknown. The book was stolen, presumably by a senior officer at Greta Camp in 1943 and not recovered. Donald Friend comments on the theft at length in Vol. VII)

Item 14

18 - 22 May 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/Donald Friend/15th May '43 Vol VII/"Anata rajaraja ada machammacham" (Greta camp, near Newcastle, NSW)

Item 15

23 May - 12 July 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/Vol VIII/"Dionara jalan, Kawan?"/23rd May 1943/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./ C troop/B Battery/2nd Aust Arty Tng Regt./Greta

"Desastres de la Guerra" Volume IX 13 July - 31 August 1943, is presumed to have been purchased from Donald Friend by Edgar Kauffman in 1943 or 44. Its present whereabouts have not been traced).

Item 16

1 September - 4 October 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/
Vol X Part One "Decline and Fall of a Guinea -pig"/1st September 1943/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X.96987 Malarial Experiment Group 2nd 1st Con Dep/"The more I muse there inne, the mistier it/seemeth/And the depper I devyne, the derker me it/thynketh"/should anything happen to me, this journal should/be sent to G. Russell Drysdale No.3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay, Sydney NSW
(Atherton Tableland, Queensland)

Item 17

5 - 30 October 1943
Soft cover exercise book, cover insc: "Pas Devant les Enfants"
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/ Vol XI/Part II "Decline and Fall of a Guinea pig"/5th October 1943/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X. 96987/Ward 6/2nd A.G.H./Australia (Atherton Tableland, Queensland)

 

Item 18 30 October - 21 November 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerre/
Vol XII/(Part 3 "Decline and Fall of a Guinea Pig") Gnr Friend D.S.L./N.X. 96987/Ward 6 2nd 2nd A.G.H.

- Euripides in Hyppolitus/30th October 1943/To Tass Drysdale/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney NSW (Atherton Tableland, Queensland)

Folder:

Loose inserts to diaries 1943-44

Item 19

22 November - 31 December 1943
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Las Desastres de la Guerra/
Vol. XIII/"Heureux qui, comme Ulysse, a fait beau voyage"/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./NX96987/22nd November/1943/To G. Russell Drysdale/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/ Sydney NSW
(Atherton Tableland and Charters Towers, Queensland and Greta camp, NSW)

"Desastres de la Guerra" Volume XIV, 1-28 January 1944 is presumed to have been purchased like Volume IX by Edgar Kauffmann in 1944).

Item 20

29 January - 19 February 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XV/"Plans A, B and C"/29th January 1944/N.X.96987/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./B. Coy/101 Aust Con Depot/Benleigh/Q'land/and D.P.2.tp/5th Bty/2nd Aust Arty Tng Regt/Greta/This book the property of G. Russell Drysdale/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney

Item 21

19 May - ? 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Notes on the 4th Pongo wars. Commenced May 19th 1944, at Greta.
(Notes and dialogues for various dramas)

Item 22

23 February - 16 March 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: "Desastres de la Guerra"/Vol. XVI/Plans A, B and C (part II)/23rd February 1944/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./N.X.96987/D.P.2. Troop/5th Bty/Greta/This book the property of G. Russell Drysdale/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney

Item 23

18 March - 6 April 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: "Desastres de la Guerra"/Vol. XVII/Plans A, B and C (part III)/Prelude Circassienne/18th March 1944/ Gnr. Friend D.S.L./D.P.2.Tp/5th Bty/2nd Aust Arty Tng Regt Greta/This book is the property of G. Russell Drysdale/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney

Item 24

7 April - 2 May 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/ Vol. XVIII/ Los cantos d'esclavos/7th April 1944/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./2 Aust Arty Tng Regt/Greta/This book is the property of G. Russell Drysdale/ 3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney

Item 25

3 May - 1 June 1944
Soft cover exercies book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XIX/"Para eso habeis nacido?"/3rd May 1944/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./NX96987/This book is the property of G. Russel Drysdale esq./3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney(Greta, Sydney and Brisbane)

Item 26

2 June - 14 July 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol.XX/ "Die Linien der Hand sind noch wie zin Bestand"/ Donald Friend Gunner/NX96987/2 Plattoon/ 31st A.W.C./Chermside/Brisbane/Queensland/2nd June 1944

Folder:

Loose inserts to diaries 1944-45

Item 27

18 July - 15 October 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XXI/ "Do not speak of secret matters in a Field full of little Hills" (Ern Malley) Gunner Friend, DSL/ NX96987/31st A.W.C./Chermside, Brisbane, Queensland

Item 28

14 October - 31 December 1944
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XXII/ "Quindici uomini sul cassero dell' Uomo Morto,/Ho-ho-ho, e una bottiglia di Rhum!"/(from "L'isola del Tesora", by Roberto Luigi Stevenson) 17th October 1944/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./NX96987/21 Henry Street/Ascot/Brisbane

Item 29

3 January - 15 April 1945
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Not to be/seen by/ /Sr/K/ Metroland/"Desastres de la Guerra"/Vol. XXIII/ "Aunque en la maniera de mijar se/Conosce la gente decente"/2 January 1945/Gnr. Friend D.S.L./NX96987/ 21 Henry Street/Ascot/Brisbane (also Melbourne and Sydney)

Item 30

26 April - 7 July 1945
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XXIV/ "Piraguamonte, piragua,/Piragua jevizarizagua"/ (signifying nothing) Lope de Vega//26th April 1945/ Lieut. Donald Friend/NX96987/Military History Section/Victoria Barracks/L.H.Q. Melbourne/In the event of anything happening to me, I want this/manuscript sent to/G. Russell Drysdale/ 3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney/NSW
(Sydney, Lae, Morotai and Labuan)

Item 31

8 July - 28 November 1945
Soft cover exercise book
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XXV/ "Kalah menjadi abu, menang menjadi arang"/Malay proverb - "Defeat is reduction to ashes, victory is reduction to charcoal"/Lieut. D.S.L. Friend/NX96987/ 1st Fd Unit/ Military History Section/1st Aust. Corps/Labuan 9th July 1945/Balikpapan/Sydney 28th November 1945/In the event of anything happening to me, I want this manuscript sent to G. Russell Drysdale Esq./3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney

Item 32

1 December 1945 - 20 November 1946
Hard cover bound notebook
Title page insc: Desastres de la Guerra/Vol. XXVI/ 1st December 1945/"Now, Sir Page, your vagaries are over/For too long you've been living in clover/Now your faults they've begun to discover/They are packing you off to the wars!"/(Figaro)/Lieut. D.S.L. Friend/NX96987/c/o G.R. Drysdale Esq/3 Bayview Hill Road/Rose Bay/Sydney(Sydney: Drysdales' and Merioola)

Folder:

Loose inserts to diaries 1945-48

Item 33

26 November 1945 - 8 March 1948
Hard cover bound notebook
Title page insc: Donald Friend/26th November 1946/ Scott Street Bungalow, Cairns/"A sentimental Journey"-/Cairns, Thursday Island/14th April-9th September '47 Merioola (Sydney)/10th September 1947 Hill End NSW/'If you don't like my philosophy/Said Scipio Africanus/You can lift my Roman Toga up/And kiss my Roman anus/William Blake

Item 34

2 April 1948 - 17 March 1950
Hard cover bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Hill End/April 1948/[?] "Forsan et haec olim, preminisee juvabit"/to Italy/March 1950

Item 35

29 March 1950 - 28 November 1952
Hard cover half leather bound notebook
Title page insc: [in another hand - Attilio Guarracino's?]: FAGIO: PONPINI.E.LO/PRENDO.IN [C]OLO/ AVANDI Giovanotti che o' [l]'ella[m]e[n]te crandi crosso e/LUNCO/questo e un/versso di Donaldo Frend/A/[in DF's hand]: diary/Donald Friend/29 March 1950/Comminciato a Pallanza/Dante disce/a posto di un burrone/"meglio un culo sano/di cento fesse rotte"/"Non [r]ida della mei beattae(?) a vventure/e non goda(?) delle mie disgrazie......"/29th March '50 - Italy -/10th May '50 - London -/25th September 50 Australia -/8th February '52 Italy - /6th August - 28th November England

Item 36

29 November 1952 - 21 September 1954
Hard cover half leather bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/"All the river passes bye, except what you drink from it"/(Yoruba)/Commenced in England 29th November 1952/to Hill End, NSW, Australia, 8th October 1953/to North Queensland 12th June 1954/completed at Cairns 21st September 1954

Item 37

22 September 1954 - 8 December 1956
Hard cover half leather bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Commenced at Cairns, N. Queensland September 1954/To Hill End 30 October '54/Completed 8 October 56 Hill End/"Once upon a time the wild animals, the big ones, used to roar/Today they are stuffed"/Gaugin

Item 38

10 December 1956 - 7 January 1959
Hard cover half leather bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Commenced at Hill End 10th December 1956/"It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive"/Chinese proverb/(a saying I, personally, doubt D.F.)/Ceylon 1957, '58/Ended Ceylon January 7th 1959

Item 39

8 January 1959 - ? January 1964
Hard cover half leather bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Commenced in Ceylon January 8th 1959/Ceylon 1960, 1961/Australia 1962/Paddington January 1964/"Be careful when dismounting a tiger"/(proverb)

Folder:

Loose inserts to diaries 1950-68

Item 40

11 February 1964 - 28 June 1966
Hard cover cloth bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Hampden St. Paddington Sydney February 1964/to June 28th 1966/
"Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme/chose"

Item 41

29 June 1966 - 1 January 1968
Hard cover cloth bound notebook
Title page insc: Donald Friend/Diary/June 29th 1966/ 1 Hampden Street Paddington/"Deo, fammiti vedere in ogni loco:/Se da mortal bellezza ander mi sento,/Apresso al tuo mi sara foco ispento/e io nel tuo saro, com'ero, in foco"/Michelangelo/29th December 66 Bali/1st January '68 Sydney

Item 42

28 October 1969 - 2 October 1972
Hard cover cloth bound notebook
Title page insc: Diary/Batu Djimbar/Bali 28th October '69/Australia 18th February '70/Bali 18th March '70/France '72/Bali - 2nd October '72

Item 43

18 October 1972 - 7 February 1975
Hard cover cloth bound Swains printed diary for 1973, cover with applied paper label insc: DIARY 1972-3/Australia/Bali/Ceylon; otherwise illegible
Title page insc: Diary/Donald Friend/Sydney Australia/18th October 1972/Bali/13th January '73/ Ceylon/-Bali again 1975/7th February Australia 1975

Item 44

13 February 1975 - 11 February 1978
Hard cover vinyl bound Collins printed diary for 1975 (no title page)
(Bali, Melbourne, Sydney)

Item 45

14 February 1978 - 18 May 1982
Hard cover vinyl bound Collins printed diary for 1978
Title page insc: Diary covering/14th February 1978/until/18th May 1982/Donald Friend

Item 46

19 May 1982 - 1 February 1987; 4-28 April 1988
Hard cover full leather bound book, the cover stamped in gold: DONALD FRIEND

Title page insc: DIARY/DONALD FRIEND/For the Years 1982-198..., should/he, by God's Grace, or Tolerance, or even/Absent-Mindedness, be permitted to/continue in this Vale of Tears, recording/[ink and watercolour drawing of DF drawing a bird, watched by an aborigine]//rapid Thoughts, Vacuous Opinions,/Vain Desires & Vacant Doings/of an Existence so chock-full of/ Worthlessness it may serve as an/EXAMPLE/of what Simple Citizens should/avoid in their striving for Perfection/Eet cet Your Excellencies, & cet.

Item 47

2 March - 3 December 1987
Hardcover leather bound book, the cover with applied paper label with an ink self portrait of DF
Title page insc: DIARY/from March 1987 to 19/[still life, watercolour]/Does Age bring Wisdom?-it/certainly teaches one to value the trivia/which help the hours to pass/Donald Friend

Item 48
(Folio)

19 December 1988
Hardcover cloth half bound book
(No title page; contains: colour photographs of various works; part of a jungle adventure story in manuscript, written pre-September 1987; and DF's final diary entry)

Items 49-50

2 Nigerian notebooks, 1939 (exercise books)

Item 51

Added 10.12.94
1 album of Javanese and Balinese Bronzes

 

NOTES ON THE DIARIES

1.

Dates given in the first line of entries are dates of the first and last entry in each diary (where known). These do not always agree with the date given by DF on the title page. The principal place of writing is given separately, where not indicated in the title page inscription. Vagaries of spelling, punctuation and abbreviation are DF's.

2.

DF is not known to have kept any diaries between 1932 and June 1942. Information on this period of his life derives from a number of sources, principally letters to his mother from England and Africa during 1936-1940 and his unpublished book on the Yoruba people, begun in Africa in 1938 or 1939.

3.

Two consecutive volumes of "Desastres de la Guerra" are inscribed 'Vol V'. There are twenty-five extant volumes.

 

LOCATION OF OTHER FRIEND DIARIES

   
 

State Library of Queensland, Brisbane

1929
Printed diary for 1929
Title page printed: The Twelve Moneths/OR, A PLEASANT & PROFITABLE/Discourse of every Action, whether of Labour/or Recreation, proper to each particular/Moneth by Matthew Stevenson 1661/together with/A Diary for 1929/[insc:] D. Friend / [printed] THE CRESSET PRESS Ltd/11, FITZROY SQUARE/LONDON (Sydney, Cronulla, Glendon)

 
 

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

8 March 1968 - 27 October 1969
Title page insc: Diary/Tandjung Sari/Sanur/Bali/Indonesia/8th March 1968/27th October 1969/To the canvas of Bali/"I could not love thee, dears, so much,/Loved I not Henry Moore"

 
 

Frank Lloyd Wright House (Museum)

‘Falling Water ’, Bear Run, Pennsylvania, USA

Two diaries