MS 6781 Papers of Maldwyn Rees
Scope and Content
The collection consists of papers relating to the business and personal
activities of Maldwyn Rees editor and compiler of The Welsh Australian -
a magazine for the Welsh community in Australia, and his wife Blodwen.
The Welsh Australian began publication in 1935 with articles and
contributions solicited being drawn from correspondence within this collection.
These records are sorted and arranged in the first series according to their
chronological order, attention being paid to those of John Griffiths.
Information on the family and pioneering histories of Welsh Australians is
contained within note-books, articles and reminiscences solicited and arranged
by Rees.
Maldwyn Rees' papers include material from various Welsh Australian churches
and cultural acitivities of the welsh community. Rees served as the Sessions
Clerk for the Welsh Presbyterian church for over thirty years during which time
he was responsible for the publication of Y Ddolen - The Link. Rees
resigned from this position in 1972.
The Records within the collection are arranged in eight series according to
their nature and origin.
Series Description
Series 1 Correspondence
(A) Correspondence, Business and Personal, of Maldwyn and Blodwen Rees
In compiling and organizing The Welsh Australian, personal
correspondence was used to provide material for articles.
Consequently correspondence ranging from 1930 to 1979 has been
divided into that which is sorted chronologically and that which
is unsorted.
BOX 1
Folder 1 February 1930-December 1937
Folder 2 January 1938-December 1938
Folder 3 January 1939-October 1940
Folder 4 February 1941-November 1941
Folder 5 May 1942-February 1979
Folder 6 Unsorted correspondence and unmatched envelopes
(B) Correspondence written by 'Gowertonion' (John Griffiths) 1936-1939
John Griffiths under the pen name 'Gowertorion' provided material
for The welsh Australian on a regular basis, while living in
Lithgow (1936) and Brisbane (1939). Griffiths was for some time
Honourary Secretary of the Newcastle Cambrian Society.
BOX 1
Folder 7 March 1936-July 1941
BOX 2
Folder 8 Unsorted
Series 2 The Welsh Australian
(A) The Welsh Australian - copies of the journal
BOX 2
Folder 9 September 7, 1935 No.2 - December 16, 1936 No. 17
Folder 10 February 20, 1937 No. 9 - December 18, 1937 No.29
Folder 11 January 22, 1938 No.30 - October 28, 1938 No. 39
Folder 12 March 20, 1940 v2 No.5 - November 30, 1940 v2 No.39
Miscellaneous issues for 1941-42
Folder 13 Unmatched pieces from articles in The Welsh Australian
(B) Articles written for inclusion in The Welsh Australian
BOX 3
Folder 14 The above
Folder 15 The above
Series 3 Welsh Australian Family Histories
In an attempt to compile some sort of history of Welsh Australian
families, Maldwyn Rees solicited contributions from early Welsh
immigrants and their descendants
BOX 3
Folder 16 Early Welsh Australian pioneers, reminiscences and
contributions to Rees
Folder 17 Notebooks relating to correspondence
Fodler 18 Notebooks and articles on the above and an article
on "Wales, the Home of Cymry"
Folder 19 Registry book with information on Welsh Australian families
and pioneers
Series 4 Welsh Australian Churches
(A) Welsh Australian Churches: general
The contents within this series are primarily
pamphlets, newsletters and correspondence received
by Maldwyn Rees in his long term capacity as
Sessions Clerk for the Welsh Presbyterian Church,
Sydney, and as editor of The Welsh Australian and
Y Ddolen (The Link)
BOX 4
Folder 20 Contains pamphlets, church newsletters, typed humn
sheets and several copies of Y Ddolen, (The Link).
the journal of the Welsh Church Community
Folder 21 Church Reports, minutes of session meetings and church
membership certificates. Business relating to the
Ben Elystan Price Memorial Library (bequeathed to the
Welsh community in mid 1930's).
(B) Welsh Presbyterian Church, Sydney
Folder 22 Contain miscellaneous church receipts and July 22,
1932 valuation of land upon which the church was
built, and a contract for alterations to the Church
N.B. Folio size manuscript being the balance sheet for the Chalmers Street
Church (1917).
Series 5 Welsh Cultural Activities
Correspondence to Maldwyn Rees requested access to
sheet music and copies of plays for various cymanfa
(Eistedfords). This series contains copies of such
material
BOX 4
Folder 24 Sheet music of Welsh songs and hymns
Folder 25 Material relating to the Welsh Craft Exhibition,
September 19, 1939
Folder 26 Scripts of plays and sketches for eistedfords and
radio broadcasts
Series 6 Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters
BOX
5
Folder 27
(A) Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters
of Welsh publication. Contains both English
and Welsh language manuscripts such as Yr Enfys,& Yr Aelnyo
Folder 28
(B) Pamphlets, programmes, journals & posters of
Australian publication on Welsh Australian Societies.
Includes Llais, Y LLythyr, Journal of the Cambrian
Society of Victoria
Folder 29
(C) Pamphlets, programmes, journals and posters of the
Welsh communities musical and cultural activities.
February 28, 1926 - February 28, 1939
Folder 30 February 1939-December 1976
Rules of:
(I) St David's Society, Brisbane, 1938-39
(ii) Cymordorian Society, Sydney
(iii) Cydney Welsh Mater Voice Choir
Series 7 Newspapers
(A) Complete issues of newspapers:
Various titles of Volio
Size of both Englisha dn Welsh language
and Australian
BOX 5
Folder 31
(B) Complete Issues of Welsh language papers: Y Tyst,
Y Ford Gron, Y Ddolen, Y Enfys; together with
Welsh and English language press clippings
Series 8 Memorabelia
BOX 5
Folder 32
(A) Pictorial: includes sketch, watercolour and
photocopies of pictures held in National Library's
Pictorial section relating to the Welsh in
Australia
Folder 33
(B) Manuscripts on Welsh casking
(C) Miscellaneous items such as visiting and business
cards and menus
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