Guide to the Papers of Kylie Tennant
MS 10043
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Tennant, Kylie
- Title
- Papers of Kylie Tennant
- Date Range
- 1891-1989 (bulk 1933-1988)
- Collection Number
- MS 10043
- Extent
- 7.68 metres (45 ms boxes + 2 medium folio boxes + 1 map folio + 1 folder)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- NLA
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The papers in MS 10043 reflect the personal and professional life of Australian writer, Kylie Tennant. They include correspondence, personal documents, notes and notebooks, literary manuscripts, press cuttings, photographs and graphic material. The bulk of the collection comprises correspondence and research material, notes and drafts relating to Tennant's literary works. The papers of Tennant's husband, L.C. Rodd, are present throughout the collection, largely in the form of correspondence. Australian literary figures amongst the correspondents are: Kay Brown, Nancy Cato, Clem Christesen, Robert Darby, Beatrice Davis, Geoffrey Dutton, Miles Franklin, Mary Gilmore, Dorothy Green, Max Harris, Elizabeth Harrower, Tom Inglis Moore, Elizabeth Jolley, Nancy Keesing, David Martin, Stephen Murray-Smith, Nettie Palmer, Nancy Phelan, Hal Porter, Colin Roderick, Peter Scriven, Thomas Shapcott, Douglas Stewart, Judah Waten, Patrick White and Patricia Wrightson. Other correspondents represented in the collection by significant amounts of papers include long-term friend and Maitland City Librarian, Mavis Cribb, the Reverend Alfred Clint, Doris Chadwick, Jack Ross and Tennant's children, Bim (John) and Benison Rodd (45 boxes, 2 fol. boxes, 1 elephant folio).
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Reference.
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Kylie Tennant, National Library of Australia, MS 10043, [series/file number]'.
Provenance
The papers of Kylie Tennant were received by the Library in a number of instalments between 1973 and 2007: in 1973 Tennant donated papers relating to her biography of Evatt; in 1976 a large instalment was purchased from Tennant (originally MS 4734); in 1988 an instalment was purchased from Tennant's daughter, Benison Rodd, and her literary executor, Mavis Cribb, via her agents, Curtis Browne (originally MS 7574); and between 1988 and 2007 several small instalments were donated by Benison Rodd (including Acc05/188 (originally MS 7574, file 81a), Acc06/32 and Acc07/72).
Related Materials
Correspondence of Kylie Tennant can be found in the personal papers of other individuals and in organisational records which are held in the Manuscript Collection, including the papers of Doris Chadwick (MS 6666), Ray I. Harding (MS 7115), Judah Waten (MS 4536), Rudolph Brunswick (MS 6246), Walter Murdoch (MS 2987), Nancy Cato (MS 757), Mrs B. McLachlan (MS 8451), L.C. Rodd (MS 7575) and the records of the Australian Society of Authors (MS 4572).
A typescript copy of Tennant's play, 'Here or nowhere', is held in the Manuscripts Collection in literary papers collected by the Aboriginal Treaty Committee (A.C.T.) (MS 6856).
In the Oral History Collection there are interviews with Kylie Tennant at ORAL TRC 1/92, ORAL TRC 1/341-342 and ORAL TRC 801.
The Pictures Collection holds photographs of Tennant and a portrait of her by Nan Paterson.
Arrangement
Until 2007, the papers of Kylie Tennant comprised two separate collections: MS 4734 and MS 7574. In 2007 the two collections were amalgamated into a single sequence and at this stage two small consignments, received in 2006 (Acc06/32) and 2007 (Acc07/72), were incorporated into the sequence. A series arrangement largely reflecting that of MS 7574 was applied to the entire collection, now numbered MS 10043.
The order of files within each series follows the order of receipt of material, ie MS 4734, followed by MS 7574, followed by the 2006 and 2007 instalments. Disruption to the order of files moved from the original two collections to the new arrangement has been kept to a minimum, ie runs of files containing similar material have been maintained unless the contents strongly warranted moving them to a separate series. For example, papers of L.C. Rodd (Tennant's husband) appear throughout the collection, whilst files containing only material created or compiled by Rodd can now be found in Series 7. Similarly, papers relating to Tennant's biography of H.V. Evatt are collated in Series 4.
The internal order of material in files has been retained. In many instances the contents of files comprise a mix of correspondence, drafts, notes, research material and press cuttings. To facilitate discovery of material within files, file descriptions from the original guides have been utilised and enhanced to represent the contents as accurately as possible. Alternatively, where similar material appears in most files in a series, this fact is highlighted in the series description.
Researchers wishing to locate material from the original Tennant collections should refer to the Appendix to this list, 'Locations of material moved in 2007 rearrangement of Tennant collections'.
Biographical Note
Kathleen ('Kylie') Tennant was born in 1912 and raised in Manly, NSW. Her parents were Thomas Walter and Katherine (née Tollhurst) Tennant. She was educated at a private school in Manly, Brighton College. As a child her interests were reading, writing and acting. In 1932 Tennant married Lewis Charles Rodd, a teacher and social historian, who was to become her typist and unofficial editor. They had two children, Benison and John Laurence ('Bim').
In early life Tennant worked as a journalist, publicity officer for the ABC, barmaid and church sister. With the aim of acquiring first hand experience for her novels, she took to the roads with the unemployed during the 1930s Depression, lived in Sydney slums and with Aboriginal Communities and spent a week in gaol. As her reputation as a writer grew and she took over the role of breadwinner for the family, Tennant took on work as a book reviewer, lecturer, literary adviser and Commonwealth Literary Fund Advisory Board member.
Tennant's novels include Tiburon (1935); The battlers (1941); Ride on stranger (1943); Time enough later (1943); Lost Haven (1946); The joyful condemned (1953, published in its unabridged form with the title Tell morning this in 1967); The honey flow (1956); and Tantavallon (1983). She also wrote Speak you so gently (1959), an account of life in an Aboriginal community; Australia: her story (1953), a popular history of Australia; a biography of H.V.Evatt, Evatt: politics and justice (1970); Ma Jones and the little white cannibals (1967), a collection of short stories; a series of plays and books for children including All the proud tribesmen (1959); Tether a Dragon (1952), a play about Alfred Deakin; The man on the headland (1971), an account of the Diamond Head area of N.S.W.; and an autobiography, The missing heir (1986). She also edited three collections of short stories.
Amongst the awards won by Tennant for her work were the S.H. Prior Memorial Prize for Tiburon and The Battlers, for which she also won the Australian Literature Society's Gold Medal, a Commonwealth Jubilee Stage Award for Tether a Dragon, and the Children's Book Council Medal for All the proud tribesmen. Tennant was made AO in 1980.
Tennant's personal life was dogged by tragedy. She nursed her mother, husband and father through their last illnesses. Her son, John ('Bim'), was diagnosed with schizophrenia and died in mysterious circumstances at a young age. Nearing her own death from cancer, Tennant wrote and circulated a 'Last letter to a friend', in which she pleaded for the legalisation of euthanasia.
Tennant died in February 1988, survived by her daughter, Benison Rodd.
Biographical Reference(s)
Austlit database entry for Kylie Tennant, December 2007, http://www.austlit.edu.au.
Grant, Jane. Kylie Tennant: a life. Canberra: National Library of Australia, 2006.
The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature, second edition. Melbourne : Oxford University Press, 1995.
Tennant, Kylie. The autobiography of Kylie Tennant: the missing heir. South Melbourne, Victoria: Macmillan Co. of Australia, 1986.
Item Descriptions
Class MS 10043. Amalgamation of MS 4734 and MS 7574
Series 1. Correspondence, 1929-1988
This series comprises correspondence of Tennant and her husband, L.C. Rodd. Many files contain both business and private correspondence, including outgoing business letters of Tennant and Rodd. Much of the business correspondence was produced or received by Tennant during her period as Macmillan Ltd's Australian Literary Adviser in the 1960s, including many reports on submitted manuscripts and letters to writers. Literary drafts (mainly excerpts), notes, press cuttings, correspondence between Rodd and Tennant, and letters from Tennant's publishers, literary colleagues Kay Brown and Elizabeth Harrower, long-term friend and Maitland City Librarian, Mavis Cribb, appear throughout the series. Generally names of other correspondents are highlighted in the file descriptions only where there is more than one letter.
Australian literary figures amongst the correspondents include Nancy Cato, Clem Christesen, Robert Darby, Beatrice Davis, Geoffrey Dutton, Miles Franklin, Mary Gilmore, Dorothy Green, Max Harris, Tom Inglis Moore, Elizabeth Jolley, Nancy Keesing, David Martin, Stephen Murray-Smith, Nettie Palmer, Nancy Phelan, Hal Porter, Colin Roderick, Peter Scriven, Thomas Shapcott, Douglas Stewart, Judah Waten, Patrick White and Patricia Wrightson. Other correspondents represented in the collection by significant amounts of papers include the Reverend Alfred Clint, Doris Chadwick, Jack Ross, and Tennant's children, Bim (John) and Benison Rodd. Correspondence is also to be found in other series, particularly in Series 3.
Correspondence and other papers, c. 1966-1970 (File 1)
Includes: dustjackets for Frank Dalby Davison's Man-shy: a story of men and cattle and Ivan Southall's Hills End; a report on the trial of Alexander McLeod Lindsay; and personal and business correspondence. Correspondents include Nancy Phelan and Alf Clint.
Personal and business correspondence, 1966-1970 (File 2)
Includes Tennant's letters to writers in her capacity as Macmillan's Australian Literary Adviser, and letters from Judah Waten (1 letter), Alf Clint, Benison Rodd, Jack Ross and Dorothy Green.
Correspondence and other papers, 1969-1970 (File 3)
Includes: a bank statement (1970) and publishers' brochures for books of poetry by Amy Cumpston and C.B. Christesen. Correspondents include Nancy Phelan.
Correspondence and other papers, 1966 (File 4)
Includes photographs of Tennant. Correspondents include Jack Ross, Patsy Adam-Smith and Archie Price (National Library of Australia).
Correspondence and other papers, 1970 (File 5)
Includes personal and business correspondence, a grant application and newsletters.
Correspondence and other papers, c. 1965-1969 (File 6)
Includes newsletters and personal and business correspondence. Correspondents include Hal Porter (1 letter) and Jack Ross.
Correspondence and other papers, 1969-1970 (File 7)
Includes: newsletters; a bank statement; book reviews from The New Yorker; a catalogue for an art show in which Benison Rodd was an exhibitor; and personal and business correspondence. Correspondents include Jack Ross.
Correspondence and other papers, 1970-1971 (File 8)
Includes letters to the editor of Nation, an ACT map and guide and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Mary Alice Evatt (1 letter).
Business correspondence, c. 1941-1957 (File 9)
Includes printed item: 'An urgent call to prayer and action: an intercession for the building up of a truly Christian civilisation in the territory of Papua and New Guinea'.
Correspondence, 1941-1955, 1964 (File 10)
Largely personal correspondence. Correspondents include Martin Boyd (1 letter) (plus copies of Tennant's letters to Boyd), Mary Gilmore (1) and Eleanor Dark (1).
Business correspondence, c. 1943-1952 (File 11)
Includes financial papers relating to the Sirius Publishing Company and legal papers associated with a claim against Tennant's book, Ride on stranger.
Letters from James Benson to Alf Clint, c. 1948-1954 (File 12)
Benson writes about the activities of the Anglican Church in Papua New Guinea and government-mission relationships.
Business correspondence, 1944, c. 1954-1961 (File 13)
Largely concerned with publication of Tennant's books in languages other than English.
Correspondence and other papers, 1952-1957, 1965 (File 14)
Papers relating to the Lockhart River Aboriginal Christian Cooperative Ltd, including: letters from Alf Clint; draft articles by Tennant, 'How not to travel by air' and 'Lead me to Lockhart'; and an exercise book belonging to a child from Lockhart River Mission.
Correspondence and other papers, 1934, c. 1941-1964 (File 15)
Includes a certificate regarding a coronation medal sent to Tennant and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Patrick White (1 telegram), Tom Inglis Moore, David Martin, Stephen Murray-Smith and Mary Gilmore (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1955 (File 16)
Largely papers relating to a visit by Tennant to Lockhart River Mission, including personal correspondence and an exercise book belonging to school pupil, Isaac Hobbs.
Correspondence and other papers, 1971-1973 (File 17)
Includes: an issue of Report: International Catholic News; a recipe; a royalty statement; a pamphlet entitled 'A drive and walk through historic Hunters Hill'; and business and personal correspondence. The correspondents include Bim (John) and Benison Rodd and Nettie Palmer (copy of a letter).
Correspondence and other papers, c. 1970-1972 (File 18)
Includes a royalty statement, legal papers and a medical report relating to a motor vehicle accident in which Bim (John) Rodd was involved in 1968.
Correspondence and other papers, 1971-1972 (File 19)
Largely business correspondence, but including: drafts of articles by Tennant, 'Alfred Deakin: the day of vindication', 'Martin Boyd' and 'The good life of the heart'; a brochure entitled 'The poor man's wealth'; and a letter regarding the purchase of property in Blackheath. Correspondents include Judah Waten, Nancy Phelan and Dorothy Green.
Correspondence and other papers, 1972-1973 (File 20)
Includes: scraps of poetry in Bim (John) Rodd's handwriting; newsletters from the Labor Party, Fellowship of Australian Writers and Society of Women Writers; publications Tides flow: poems by Marjorie Pizer (1972) and 'A note after reading the Old Testament in the New English Bible, published in early 1970'; and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Bim (John) Rodd, Nancy Phelan and Lord Casey (1).
Correspondence and other papers, 1972-1974 (File 21)
Includes: papers dealing with the family's car; a 1974 issue of 'Impact: the official organ of the Central Methodist Mission', Sydney; and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Eleanor Dark (1 letter), Hal Porter (1), Elizabeth Jolley and Judah Waten (1).
Business and personal correspondence, 1972-1974 (File 22)
Correspondents include Manning Clark (1 letter), Judah Waten (1) and Benison Rodd.
Correspondence and other papers, 1964, 1972-1974 (File 23)
Includes: financial papers, some relating to Tennant's Blackheath property (1964); a photograph, possibly of Ernie Metcalfe; and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Bim (John) Rodd.
Correspondence and other papers, 1961-1963 (File 24)
Includes an Australian Board of Missions report (1961) and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Stephen Murray-Smith.
Correspondence and other papers, 1961-1963 (File 25)
Includes a list of residents at Tranby Aboriginal College and Durungaling Training Centre (1962) and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Clem Christesen, Tom Inglis Moore, Hal Porter (1 letter) and Judah Waten (1).
Correspondence and other papers, 1961-1964 (File 26)
Includes a draft of an article by Tennant, 'The dark people'. Correspondents include Blacktown Girls High School, the Minister for Social Services (inviting Tennant to join the Committee of the Commonwealth Literary Fund, 1961), Clem Christesen and Alf Clint.
Business correspondence, 1958-1961 (File 27)
Correspondents include Mary Durack, Vincent Serventy (1 letter), Max Harris and Clem Christesen.
Business correspondence, 1960-1963 (File 28-32)
Largely correspondence relating to Tennant's position as Macmillan's Australian Literary Adviser.
Correspondence and other papers, c. 1938-1943, 1966 (File 33-34)
Includes: letters in diary form written by Tennant to Rodd whilst she was travelling through New South Wales probably in the 1930s; press cuttings from 1966; and a copy of a university seminar paper by Judith Wright, 'Poetry as a bridge between people'.
Business correspondence, c. 1936-1964 (File 35-36)
Includes a contract for a biography of Henry Parkes by L.C. Rodd and a letter from Marjorie Barnard.
Financial papers and business correspondence, 1941-1961 (File 37)
Includes a certificate registering 'Kylie Tennant' as a business name, 1942.
Correspondence, c. 1940-1956 (File 38)
Largely personal correspondence. Correspondents include Xavier Herbert (1 letter).
Correspondence 'from famous and notorious persons', c. 1929-1961 (File 41)
Includes personal references written for Tennant by various people. Correspondents include Nettie Palmer, Hector MacQuarrie, Frank Dalby Davison (1 letter), John Hope, Arthur Calwell (1), Colin Roderick (1) and Clive Evatt.
Correspondence and other papers, 1953, 1960-1962 (File 44)
Includes correspondence dealing with manuscripts sent to Tennant for advice after Marion Dreyer of New idea suggested Tennant was interested in the work of Australian women writers. Other correspondents include Jack Ross.
Correspondence and other papers, 1932-1933, 1951, 1967 (File 47)
Includes souvenir postcards of Brisbane and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Hal Porter (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1967-1968 (File 48)
Largely business correspondence, but including a draft report by Tennant, 'The Anglican Mission in New Guinea'.
Correspondence and other papers, 1967-1969 (File 49)
Largely business correspondence. Includes: case notes and correspondence relating to the 'Mystery of the near-murdered wife'; and a hand-drawn map of Japan.
Correspondence and other papers, 1967-1968 (File 50)
Includes: issues of Nation: an independent journal (1968); a statement and notes of John (Bim) Rodd regarding a traffic accident; and business and personal correspondence.
Correspondence and other papers, 1964-1965 (File 55)
Largely business correspondence. Includes notes, possibly documenting Tennant's trip to Japan.
Correspondence and other papers, 1961-1964 (File 57)
Includes: a radio script by Tennant for University of the Air on 'The fortunes of Henry Handel Richardson'; a brochure for the Second Adelaide Festival of the Arts (1962); a draft article by Tennant, 'Books that have influenced me'; and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Jack Ross, Paddy McCallum, Clem Christesen, Geoffrey Dutton (1 letter), Hal Porter (1), Aileen Palmer (1) and Judah Waten (1).
Correspondence and other papers, 1963-1965 (File 58)
Includes: a poster for All the proud tribesmen; a book dust jacket for Summer's tales 1, which Tennant edited; and correspondence, largely business-related. Correspondents include Hal Porter and one from Mary [Durack?] of WA, describing a visit to Perth by Xavier Herbert.
Business and personal correspondence and other papers, 1967-1968 (File 59)
Correspondents include Jack Ross, Patrick White (1 letter) and Hal Porter (1).
Correspondence and other papers, 1973 (File 60)
Includes: copies of The Terrace times and Hemisphere: an Asian-Australian Monthly; personal correspondence, including some from Tennant whilst in Japan and Hong Kong; and business correspondence.
Correspondence and other papers, 1968-1969 (File 61)
Includes: the Fellowship of Australia Writers president's annual report; an autographed copy of Len Fox's Gumleaves and people; minutes of the Commonwealth Literary Fund's Committee and Advisory Board meetings of 7 November 1968; and business and personal correspondence.
Correspondence and other papers, 1969-1974 (File 62)
Includes: signed circulars from Gough Whitlam; legal papers relating to the sale of a property in Artarmon; a draft article by Tennant, 'The ABC and the adolescent'; and business and personal correspondence.
Business and personal correspondence, 1970-1972 (File 64)
Correspondents include Patrick White, Nancy Phelan and Hal Porter (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1969-1970 (File 66)
Includes: a newsletter from the Co-operative for Aborigines Ltd (1969): and business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Jack Ross.
Business and personal correspondence and other papers, c. 1961-1970 (File 67)
Correspondents include Helen Palmer (1 letter) and Jack Ross.
Business and personal correspondence and other papers, 1968-1970 (File 68)
Includes legal papers relating to Bim (John) Rodd's traffic accident and mining on land owned by Tennant.
Correspondence and other papers, 1969-1971 (File 69)
Includes a letter to Tennant announcing she has won second place in a Captain Cook Bicentenary Competition for Evatt: politics and justice, and other business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Judith Wright (1 letter), Nancy Phelan and Patrick White.
Business and personal correspondence, 1970-1971 (File 70)
Correspondents include Patrick White (1 card) and Nancy Phelan.
Correspondence and other papers, 1971 (File 71)
Includes; newsletters from Ecology Action, the Australian Conservation Foundation and the National Trust; and business and personal correspondence.
Business correspondence and other papers, c. 1965-1967 (File 75)
Includes a copy of B. Linden Webb's The sun shines on.
Business correspondence, 1965-1966 (File 76)
Includes a letter from Frank Hardy with Tennant's reply.
Business correspondence and other papers, 1965-1968 (File 78)
Includes a confidential report by Alf Clint on Cabbage Tree Island, Numbahging Co-operative Society Ltd, November 1965.
Business correspondence and literary typescripts, 1965-1966 (File 79)
Includes a list entitled 'Stories returned to authors', typescripts and correspondence relating to Summer tales 2, which Tennant edited. Correspondents include Elizabeth Jolley.
Business correspondence, 1966-1967 (File 80)
Correspondents include Patsy Adam-Smith and Dame Ngaio Marsh (1 letter).
Business correspondence and other papers, 1962-1964 (File 82)
Includes a letter from Hal Porter and one from Stephen Murray-Smith regarding a Commonwealth Literary Fund grant to John Morrison and enclosing a copy of a letter from Morrison.
Business correspondence and other papers, 1963-1964 (File 83)
Includes a copy of a lecture transcript, 'A history of co-operatives in the Territory of Papua New Guinea' and case notes and correspondence relating to the 'Mystery of the near-murdered wife'.
Business correspondence and other papers, 1963-1964 (File 86)
Includes copies of letters from Dal Stivens to Macmillan Ltd with a note from Stivens to Tennant.
Correspondence and other papers, 1958-1969 (File 87)
Largely personal correspondence, including legal papers relating to Tennant's mother's estate and postcards from Tennant's father ('The Parent'). Other correspondents include Mary Durack (a.k.a. Mary Miller), John Hope (1 letter) and Benison Rodd.
Correspondence and other papers, 1949, 1959-1967 (File 88)
Includes single letters from John Morrison, Ion Idriess and Alan Marshall. Other correspondents include Tom Inglis Moore and Nettie Palmer.
Correspondence, c. 1934-1961 (File 89)
Includes single letters from Marjorie Barnard, Mary Gilmore, Xavier Herbert, Katharine Susannah Prichard, A.D. Hope, Alan Marshall, Patrick White and Robert Menzies (officially inviting Tennant to become a member of the Commonwealth Literary Fund (CLF)). There is also an exchange of letters between Dal Stivens and Tennant regarding an unsuccessful grant application to the CLF for funding for Overland . Other correspondents include Herbert and Ivy Brookes.
Business and personal correspondence, c. 1945-1961 (File 90)
Correspondents include Alf Clint and Vincent Serventy (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1961-1964 (File 91)
Business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Judah Waten (1 letter), Cecil Holmes, Jack Ross, Nancy Phelan and David Martin.
Correspondence and other papers, 1963-1968 (File 92)
Business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Katharine Susannah Prichard, Hal Porter, Nancy Phelan, Dal Stivens, Judah Waten and Patrick White (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1963-1964 (File 93)
Business and personal correspondence. Correspondents include Clem Christesen, Alf Clint, Martin Boyd (1 letter), Vincent Serventy, Jack Ross and Hal Porter (1 letter).
Correspondence and other papers, 1951-1959 (File 96)
Includes: correspondence relating to Tennant's appearance at a Festival of Perth event in 1959; a Frank Hardy Defence Fund petition, 1951; and a submission to the Chief Secretary, NSW, regarding the 'Obscene and indecent publications act', 1954.
Correspondence and other papers, 1975 (File 99)
Correspondents include Bim (John) Rodd and Elizabeth Jolley.
Correspondence, 1979 (File 104)
Includes letters and cards of condolence on the death of L.C. Rodd in July 1979.
Correspondence, 1980 (File 106)
Includes: correspondence relating to Tennant's appointment as an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia; single letters from Peter Scriven, Dal Stivens and Nancy Keesing; and financial reports of the Co-operative for Aborigines Ltd.
Correspondence and other papers, 1980-1981 (File 110)
Correspondents include Judith Wright (1 letter) and Peter Scriven.
Correspondence, 1982-1987 (File 111)
Includes 'letters from Harold Sheather on Diamond Head 1983-1987'.
Correspondence, 1983 (File 112)
Includes single letters from Peter Scriven, Patrick White and Nancy Keesing. Other correspondents include Harold Sheather and Alec Bolton (making plans to photograph Tennant).
Correspondence and other papers, 1985 (File 114)
Includes a detailed response by A.C. Clarke to a thesis by Paul Wilson on conscientious objectors during World War II.
Correspondence, 1987-1988 (File 117)
Includes: papers from Monash University relating to an honorary doctorate bestowed on Tennant in 1987; and the original and signed copies of Tennant's 'Last letter to a friend' pleading for the legalisation of euthanasia. Correspondents include Thomas Shapcott (Australia Council), Dale Spender, Caroline Jones, Stephen Murray-Smith and Nancy Phelan.
Correspondence between Tennant and Mavis Cribb and other papers, c. 1954-1977 (File 118)
Includes papers relating to Hal Porter: copies of two critiques by Kenneth Slessor of Porter's poems (1954); copies of three reports by Porter for the Commonwealth Literary Fund (c. 1956-1960); and a hand-corrected draft of Porter's short story, 'Boy meets girl'.
Correspondence between Tennant and Mavis Cribb and other papers, 1978-1983 (File 119)
Includes a document by Dr John Aitkens: 'History of the relationship of the Honourable Medical Board and the Hospital Board'.
Business correspondence, 1969-1979 (File 120)
Largely correspondence and royalty statements from Angus and Robertson. Includes a typescript of a stage adaptation of Tennant's The battlers by John Ratter.
Series 2. Personal, family and business papers, 1891-1989
This series contains: early written work of Kylie Tennant; a small number of Tennant's appointment diaries and an address book; her award medals and related documents; papers relating to her funeral and will; and a small number of royalty statements and contracts. Other business papers can be found amongst correspondence in Series 1. Series 2 also includes birth, marriage and death certificates and other papers of members of the Rodd and Tennant families, and cuttings about Tennant collected by her mother, Katherine Tennant.
Family papers kept by Tennant's mother, c. 1891-1907, c. 1926-1961 (File 1-2)
Includes: newspaper cuttings about Tennant; Tennant's school reports; a hand-written 'newspaper' (probably created by Tennant); a greetings card hand-made by Tennant when a child; correspondence; and Masonic Lodge admittance certificates, belonging to Tennant's father and grandfather.
Programs, 1925-1928, 1934 (File 3)
Programs, some hand-illustrated, for school plays and recitals, Trinity College recitals and Canowindra Theatre Group performances.
Correspondence, 1986 (File 4)
Two letters, one providing information about the adoptive parents of Tennant's grandson, and the other a medical report of Tennant's partial blindness.
Correspondence and documents relating to awards, 1926-1927, c. 1980-1987 (File 5)
The awards include: the Order of Australia (1980); the 'Alice' Award (1984); scholastic achievements (1926-1927); and an Honorary Doctorate from Monash University (1987).
Certificates and tickets, c. 1953 (File 7)
Copies of a passenger's ticket and a Masonic Lodge admittance certificate for L.C. Rodd.
Family documents, c. 1905-1988 (File 9)
Birth, marriage and death certificates for various Tennant and Rodd family members, and a 1973 passport of Tennant's. Includes an unidentified handwritten 'Reminiscence' recounting a man's fortunes in England, America and Australia.
Juvenilia, 1922 (File 11)
A notebook containing poems and stories written by Tennant at the age of 10 years and dedicated to her mother.
Exercise book of juvenilia and press cuttings, 1922-1926 (File 15)
Includes: poems by Tennant published in the Sunday Sun and Farmer and Grazier; other press cuttings about Tennant; and typescript poems.
Series 3. Writings of Kylie Tennant, 1933-1987
Contained in this series are draft literary works, typescripts, bound manuscripts, notes and notebooks, research material, correspondence, personal papers and press cuttings. Many of the papers relate to Tennant's published books. Included is a significant amount of material collected during the writing of her account of life in Aboriginal cooperatives and the activities of Anglican minister, Father Alf Clint, Speak you so gently; articles on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme; draft plays, poems, short stories and reviews by Tennant; and press cuttings of her published short stories and other works. Papers relating to Evatt: politics and justice can be found in Series 4.
Drafts and typescripts of unpublished stories, poems and plays which can be found in this series include 'Murder Mountain', 'Firehead', 'Here or Nowhere', 'To Hail the Queen', 'A Room at the Royal', 'Horseman in the Night', 'The Wishing Tree', 'The Yellow Shoes' and 'Bayeaux Tapestry'.
Drafts, notes and research material, c. 1945, c.1956-1958 (File 2)
Includes: draft excerpts, research material, a glossary of gaol vocabulary and notes relating to Tell morning this; a draft article, 'Alf [Clint] remembers New Guinea'; and notes and other papers relating to the Lockhart River Mission.
Research material, drafts and printed items, [c. 1945] (File 3)
Includes: research material on immigration, maternity allowances, gaols and prostitution, wages and Aboriginals; specifications for a house to be built at Diamond Head; draft articles on the Snowy Mountain Hydro-electric Scheme; a copy of an 'Act relating to the care and treatment of mentally defective prisoners'; and a brochure for 'Belhaven: the Youth Welfare Association of Australia's first home'.
Notes, research material and drafts, c. 1942-1950 (File 4)
Includes: early draft excerpts of, and research material relating to, Tell morning this, Speak you so gently and The honey flow; a photograph of Tennant with a baby and Ernie Metcalfe in a horse-drawn carriage; and a Child Welfare Advisory Council report.
Typescript copy of Peter Scriven's musical play, ' A man's mad' (File 5)
Words and music by Hal Saunders and Kurt Herweg, dialogue by Tennant.
Draft articles and correspondence, 1956-1957 (File 6)
Includes: articles on Alf Clint, 'The Borah' and 'The old stones' (about Lockhart River Mission); and correspondence between Tennant and L.C. Rodd, and from Alf Clint.
Drafts, notes, research material relating to the Lockhart River Mission, c. 1952-1958 (File 8-9)
File 9 includes: draft articles, 'Defence of villains' and 'Hansen the representative of Lloyds'; and correspondence between Tennant, Rodd and Benison Rodd and from Alf Clint.
Drafts, notes and research material, c. 1945-1959 (File 10)
Includes: draft excerpts and research material on Aboriginal themes, including Report of visit to Pindan Camps by Jessie Street , 'Can we assimilate the Aborigine?' by F.B. Vickers and 'Report: Weipa Bauxite Field and Thursday Island'; an ABC radio script for a program on We of the Never-Never; and miscellaneous drafts including 'Literature and the life illusion'.
Drafts, research material and correspondence, c. 1940-1959 (File 11)
Includes: an issue of 'Lockhart news' (1959-60); research material relating to Aboriginal themes, prisons and World War II; miscellaneous drafts; and correspondence between Tennant and L.C. Rodd.
Drafts, correspondence, notes and research material, c. 1944-1957 (File 12)
Includes: drafts and research material about Thursday Island and Papua New Guinea; and correspondence between Tennant and L.C. Rodd.
Notes, drafts and correspondence, c. 1969 (File 14)
Includes drafts, a notebook and loose notes relating to Man on the headland
Drafts, correspondence and other papers, c. 1933-1939, c. 1966 (File 17)
Includes: personal correspondence including a letter from Tennant to Naomi Lewis describing her life as a new wife; a partial draft of Ma Jones and the little white cannibals; and a Coonabarabran Repertory Society program listing Kylie and L.C. Rodd amongst the cast (1933).
Drafts, correspondence, notes and research material, c. 1961-1964 (File 19)
Largely on Aboriginal themes. Includes a draft article, 'The sorrow of Lockhart River Mission'.
Drafts, correspondence and other papers, c. 1970-1971 (File 20)
Includes: draft poems and press cuttings of published poems by Tennant; and photographs, including an envelope containing 'Photographs for possible inclusion in 'Portrait of a gentleman' (The man on the headland).
Drafts, notes and other papers, c. 1953-1959 (File 21)
Includes: a draft children's play, 'A United Nations Day pageant'; draft articles on the Lockhart River Mission and the Snowy River Scheme; and ABC Youth Education Deptartment radio scripts.
Drafts, notes, research material and correspondence, c. 1952-1956 (File 22)
Includes: a notebook, loose notes, research material and correspondence relating to the Lockhart River Mission; draft of an unnamed play; ABC radio scripts for a program on Tennant's All the proud tribesmen; and an ABC Radio Repertory script of her play, 'Tether a dragon'.
Drafts, correspondence and other papers, c. 1952-1961 (File 24)
Includes: an autographed typescript copy of 'Tether a dragon'; a softbound copy of 'The Australia story: presenting Australia to the world'; a draft radio script for We of the Never Never; and personal and business correspondence.
Drafts, notes and correspondence, c. 1952-1972 (File 25)
Includes: drafts and press cuttings of published articles by Tennant; notes and drafts relating to the Lockhart River Mission; a letter from Guido Baracchi entitled 'My last letter to Dr Evatt' (1960) and one from Katharine Susannah Prichard to Baracchi (1965).
Drafts and other papers, c. 1958 (File 27)
Includes: drafts of articles on Aboriginal themes and of Ma Jones and the little white cannibals; and the text of a Commonwealth Literary Fund lecture by Tennant on 'The development of the Australian novel'.
Research material and correspondence relating to Speak you so gently, 1940, c. 1947-1958 (File 28)
Includes: various published items, such as South Pacific (1957); Australian Board of Mission reports; extensive correspondence between members of the Mission of the Holy Cross, Papua New Guinea; and reports and letters relating to a 1949 'Good Friday incident' in New Guinea.
Research material, draft, notes and photograph, c. 1945-1950 (File 29)
Includes: pamphlets published by the NSW Department of Agriculture and the Department of Conservation on rice growing and beekeeping; Australian Board of Missions pamphlets; drafts and notes relating to Tennant's The honey flow; and a photograph of beekeepers.
Research material, correspondence, drafts and notes, 1940-1946, 1961 (File 30)
Includes: material on conscientious objectors (CO) and L.C. Rodd's application to register as a CO with supporting letters; research material on the juvenile justice system and gaols in Australia; and drafts and notes on Australian history.
Drafts, research material and notebook (File 33)
Papers relating to Australia: her story and 'Firehead'.
Miscellaneous typescripts, 1920, c. 1975-1978 (File 50)
Includes: reviews; Tennant's views on autobiography; a paper on Australian prose; a eulogy to Donald McLean (1975); a copy of a statement by Tennant relating to her son's death (1978); and four pages of hand-written stories by Tennant (1920).
Miscellaneous drafts and notes, c. 1960-1981 (File 51)
Includes: a paper on H.H. Richardson; Tennant's horoscope by Dymock Brose (1980); and correspondence.
Draft typescripts of The missing heir, c. 1980-1984 (File 55-60)
File 58 includes a transcript of an oral history interview of Tennant by Ken Henderson (1980).
Series 4. Evatt: politics and justice, 1942, 1965-1972
Papers relating to Tennant's biography of Dr Herbert Vere Evatt, including: notes and notebooks; research material; drafts and typescripts; a rough-bound copy of the published book; photographs of Evatt; and correspondence. The correspondence includes letters sent by people who knew Evatt in response to Tennant's solicitation of personal anecdotes about him, and letters received by Tennant after publication of the book. Some of the research material is about the Petrov Affair (1954).
Photographs of Evatt and research material, c. 1966-1969 (File 4)
Includes: a photocopied extract from C. Hartley Grattan's book, The United States and the Southwest Pacific (1961); and photographs of Evatt with his family, in his professional capacity, and of his funeral.
Notes, research material and correspondence, 1968-1971 (File 18)
Includes letters received by Tennant after the publication of the book. Correspondents include Kim E. Beazley, Lord Casey, John Reed, (Judge) William Dignam, C. Hartley Grattan and Patrick White.
Notes and correspondence, 1968-1971 (File 20)
Includes correspondence received by Tennant after publication of the book. Correspondents include C. Hartley Grattan and Norman Makin.
Notes and correspondence (File 22)
Includes: notes taken from the Minutes of the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party (1935-1960) and on the Family Endowment Bill (1927); and a letter from W. Macmahon Ball.
Drafts, notes and correspondence, c. 1970 (File 31)
Includes a letter from the Australian Council for the Arts inviting Tennant to join the Aboriginal Arts Advisory Committee.
Research material, drafts, notes, correspondence and other papers, 1967-1972 (File 37)
Includes: text of a radio program by Max Harris comparing Tennant's biography with The measure of the years by Sir Robert Menzies; press cuttings on the Petrov case; and correspondence following the publication of Tennant's book.
Letters concerning Evatt, 1967-1971 (File 38-39)
Correspondents include C. Hartley Grattan, 'V. and G.B.' (probably Guido Baracchi and wife), Arthure Calwell, Garfield Barwick, Kim E. Beazley and Judah Waten.
Correspondence, drafts and research material, c. 1965-1971 (File 40)
Includes: press cuttings about Evatt; and correspondence concerning Evatt and following publication of the book. Correspondents include Eleanor Dark, Katharine Susannah Prichard, C. Hartley Grattan and Arthur Calwell.
Drafts, notes and research material, c. 1967-1969 (File 42)
Includes a copy of Evatt's father's death certificate.
Series 5. Press cuttings and publications, c. 1923-1988
A large proportion of the press cuttings in this series are of reviews of Tennant's published work. In addition there is a series of weekly columns written by Tennant for the Australian woman's mirror and a serialised version of Tiburon published in The bulletin. Other cuttings cover a range of subjects, including drugs, Aborigines, Evatt, mining and the Vietnam Moratorium. One scrapbook of cuttings, also containing a small amount of correspondence, relates to the accusation by Member of Parliament, William Wentworth, that Tennant was a member of the Australian Communist Party. Publications include journal and magazine issues, newsletters, programs and pamphlets.
Reviews of The battlers, Australia: her story, Time enough later and The joyful condemned, c. 1941-1945, 1953 (File 5)
Miscellaneous publications, 1969-1970 (File 9)
Includes: The Seamen's journal; Expression (Writers Guild of Queensland); a festival of drama program, ACT-IN; Australian Society of Authors reports and agendas; a program for a performance of 'Ten thousand miles away: a collage for voices' by David Malouf and Rex Cramphorne; and a typescript of 'Mollie-O: interlude in Knock ten', by Kay Brown.
Lecture notes, correspondence and other papers, c. 1969-1970 (File 10)
Largely lecture notes, including Commonwealth Literary Fund lectures and Correspondence School lesson notes.
Miscellaneous newsletters and publications, 1969-1970 (File 11)
Includes: addresses; pamphlets; newsletters and bulletins from the National Trust, Australian Society of Authors, South Africa Defence and Aid Fund, Society of Women Writers, Fellowship of Australian Writers, Co-operative for Aborigines and other organisations; and anti-conscription and Vietnam Moratorium campaign material.
Reviews of Margaret Dick's The novels of Kylie Tennant and various Tennant books, c. 1965-1968 (File 12)
Press cuttings, largely reviews, and publications, c. 1970-1974 (File 13)
Includes reviews of Tennant's Man on the headland and programs for a performance of 'Ten thousand miles away'.
Publications and loose press cuttings, 1926-1929, c. 1956-1961 (File 17)
Includes issues of Southerly, Meanjin, The Australasian book news and library journal, The Brighton chronicle, The Bridge, Observer and The Australian woman's mirror.
Press cuttings and publications, c. 1968-1971 (File 18)
Includes an envelope of material relating to the Sir Walter Scott Bicentenary.
Publications, 1939-1940, 1969-1974 (File 23)
Serials and pamphlets: Indochina (1971); What boat is that; Living at Nhulunbuy; Australia's international aid; Mili Mili; Referendums; and Fact - a news service (September 1939-July 1940).
Press cuttings and publications, c. 1935-1971 (File 26)
Includes an issue of Sydney Grammar School's Sydneian (1971).
Four books of press cuttings, 1923, c. 1931-1960 (File 31-34)
Includes: biographical information; reviews of books by Tennant from overseas and Australian newspapers; articles, short stories and poems by Tennant; and cuttings and correspondence relating to William Wentworth's accusation of Tennant's Communist Party membership (1952).
Published material, c. 1967-1970 (File 40)
Includes: maps, brochures and other published material on mining; the Vietnam moratorium; and national parks.
Series 6. Photographs, 1915-1988
This series consists of photographs of Tennant, on her own and in company with others, and family photographs. The majority are uncaptioned. Some of the photographs were reproduced in Tennant's autobiography, The missing heir (1986), and a biography by Jane Grant, Kylie Tennant: a life (2006).
Photographs of Tennant and other people, c. 1915-1987 (File 1)
Includes photographs of: Tennant at various ages, from childhood to old age; her visit to the Lockhart River Mission (1954); Tennant with her husband and children; and Tennant at Monash University to receive her Honorary Doctorate (1987).
Photographs of Tennant, family and friends, 1915-1988 (File 3)
Approximately 125 photographs, as well as a partial list of photographs proposed for publication in Jane Grant's biography, Kylie Tennant: a life (2006).
Series 7. Papers of Lewis Charles Rodd, 1922, 1934-1973
Tennant's husband, L.C. Rodd ('Roddy'), was a published author of biography, juvenile literature and history. His correspondence can be found throughout the collection. Material in this series consists of papers identifiably written or collected solely by him. Much relates to Rodd's involvement in the Anglican church, and comprises correspondence, research material, draft essays and articles. In addition there are lecture notes and publications relating to his work as a teacher and headmaster.
Drafts, correspondence and research material, c. 1968-1973 (File 1)
Includes: draft articles on church themes; a list of publishers' corrections to Rodd's John Hope of Christ Church; and a hand-drawn family tree for John Hope.
Press clippings, photographs, publications, correspondence, drafts and notes, 1922, c. 1935-1961 (File 2)
Includes: published items, The school magazine of literature for our boys and girls (1949), The law and the teacher and Rodd's Australian imperialism; a report on a draft of a book by Rodd; notes for a speech against war by Rodd; papers dealing with the registration of Rodd as a conscientious objector; articles, essays, programs and music manuscript.
Essays, lecture notes, articles and other papers, c. 1935-1947 (File 3)
Includes a typed court case transcript of an appeal by Dudley Rex McGilvray in relation to film screenings at Laurieton (1947).
Drafts, essays, articles, correspondence and press cuttings, 1934, c. 1950-1960 (File 4)
Includes a copy of a letter from Rodd to Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney (1960), resigning from the position of warden at the church.
Press cuttings, draft of a thesis by Rodd and other papers, c. 1934-1945 (File 5)
Includes an official memo claiming the cost of transporting Tennant from Long Bay Gaol to the Reception House after she refused to answer the gaol doctor's questions (1945).
Correspondence, research material and press cuttings, c. 1947-1973 (File 6)
Includes: correspondence between Rodd and the Diocese of Sydney; material about John Hope; research material on the history of Christ Church St Laurence, Sydney; and papers relating to the 31st Synod of the Diocese of Sydney (1958).
Series 8. Miscellaneous papers, c. 1952-1988
This series includes draft manuscripts of writers other than Tennant, publications, a map and a drawing.
A Department of Conservation Map of New South Wales, showing organisations, projects and works for water, soil and forest conservation, 1952 (File 2)
Draft manuscripts of other authors, and other papers, 1965-1966, 1987-1988 (File 3)
Includes: an exercise book listing manuscripts read and returned to Macmillan Ltd by Tennant (1965-1966); a Monash University graduation ceremony booklet (1987); and an issue of the Association for the Study of Australian Literature's Notes and furphies (1988).
Container List
| Series | File/Item | Box |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1-7 | 1 |
| 1 | 8-16 | 2 |
| 1 | 17-23 | 3 |
| 1 | 24-30 | 4 |
| 1 | 31-37 | 5 |
| 1 | 38-46 | 6 |
| 1 | 47-53 | 7 |
| 1 | 54-60 | 8 |
| 1 | 61-67 | 9 |
| 1 | 68-76 | 10 |
| 1 | 77-84 | 11 |
| 1 | 85-91 | 12 |
| 1 | 92-99 | 13 |
| 1 | 100-106 | 14 |
| 1 | 107-113 | 15 |
| 1 | 114-121 | 16 |
| 1 | 122-125 | 17 |
| 2 | 1-4 | 17 |
| 2 | 5-14 | 18 |
| 2 | 15-22 | 19 |
| 3 | 1-2 | 19 |
| 3 | 3-11 | 20 |
| 3 | 12-18 | 21 |
| 3 | 19-25 | 22 |
| 3 | 26-30 | 23 |
| 3 | 31-37 | 24 |
| 3 | 38-40 | 25 |
| 3 | 41-46 | 26 |
| 3 | 47-54 | 27 |
| 3 | 55-61 | 28 |
| 3 | 62-70 | 29 |
| 3 | 71-77 | 30 |
| 3 | 78-84 | 31 |
| 3 | 85 | 32 |
| 4 | 1-4 | 32 |
| 4 | 5-13 | 33 |
| 4 | 14-22 | 34 |
| 4 | 23-31 | 35 |
| 4 | 32-38 | 36 |
| 4 | 39-45 | 37 |
| 5 | 1-2 | 37 |
| 5 | 3-10 | 38 |
| 5 | 11-15 | 39 |
| 5 | 16-18 | 40 |
| 5 | 19-22 | 41 |
| 5 | 23-25 (24 MISSING) | 42 |
| 5 | 26-30 | Folio Box 1 |
| 5 | 31-32 | 42 |
| 5 | 33-35 | 43 |
| 5 | 36-39 | Folio Box 2 |
| 5 | 40-44 | 43 |
| 5 | 45-48 | 44 |
| 6 | 1-4 | 44 |
| 6 | 5 | 45 |
| 7 | 1-6 | 45 |
| 8 | 1 | 45 |
| 8 | 2 | Elephant folio |
| 8 | 3 | 45 |
| 8 | 4 | Folio Box 1 |