Guide to the Papers of Maslyn Williams
MS 3936
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Masyln Williams
- Title
- Papers of Maslyn Williams
- Date Range
- 1850-1995
- Collection Number
- MS 3936
- Extent
- 12.3 metres (70 ms boxes + 2 medium folio boxes + 7 map folios)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection includes material about Williams' World War II service and items pertaining to the photographer Damian Parer; research notes and manuscripts relating to publications about Asia; research note and manuscripts relating to Australian historical research and other writings; research notes and manuscripts relating to the history of the British Phosphate Commission; papers relating to the founding of the National Music Camp Association; other papers including drafts of writings.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1791626) for the access conditions.
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Maslyn Williams, National Library of Australia, MS 3936, [box number and series and/or folder number]'.
Arrangement
The National Library has been collecting material from Williams since 1966. The material was allocated separate collection numbers; in September 1986 the papers were amalgamated under one of the collection numbers, MS 3936.
Material that was received in April 1968 and previously catalogued as MS 2069 is now MS 3936, Box 4, Folders 19-25.
Material that was received in November 1968 and previously catalogued as MS 2217 is now MS 3936, Box 4, Folder 26.
Material that was received in December 1966 and previously catalogued as MS 1818 is now MS 3936, Box 1, Folders 1-4.
Material that was received in March 1970 and previously catalogued as MS 2009 is now MS 3936, Box 2, Folders 5-12 and Box 3, Folders 13-18.
Material that was received in 1974 is in MS 3936, Box 18, Folders 120-125.
Material that was received in May 1978 is in MS 3936, Box 19, Folders 126-127.
Material that was received in April 1986 is in MS 3936, Boxes 20-30.
Material that was received in January 1988 is in MS 3936, Boxes 31-36.
Material that was received in September 1988 is in MS 3936, Boxes 37-42.
Material that was received in November 1989 is in MS 3936, Boxes 43-46.
Material that was received in July 1989 is in MS 3936, Boxes 52-56.
Material that was received in January 1990 is in MS 3936, Boxes 47-51 and Folios 1-2.
Material that was received in October 1992 is in MS 3936, Boxes 57-60.
Material that was received in November 1994 is in MS 3936, Boxes 66-68.
Material that was received in April 1996 is in MS 3936, Boxes 68-70.
Item Descriptions
Class. Consignments received from December 1966 to May 1978
New Guinea notes - Travel notes taken on various trips to New Guinea in connection with the production of documentary films (File 1-5) - Box 1-2
Notebook made during a trip to Cambodia in 1968 Background for The Land In Between (File 16) - Box 3
Notes on China visit - Typescript draft with manuscript annotations and instructions to the printer of his account of a three month trip to China (File 19-25) - Box 3
Notebooks filled during a trip to China April-June 1966 Basis for book The East is Red (File 26a) - Box 4
South Korea (File 39-41) - Box 7
(research material): Three folders of papers, mainly from private sources, dealing with human rights problems and religious persecution in South Korea - used as resource material in writing Faces of my neighbour. Listed in the folders.
Philippines (File 42-44) - Box 7
(Research Material): Three folders containing material collected in the Philippines: Subjects: Human rights (individual case histories); Church opposition to the Marcos regime; Grass-roots social work; Plight of the sugar workers; Cultural and historical material
Indonesia (File 46-47) - Box 8
(research material) (not used in Faces of my neighbour):
Two folders of paper, one contains
- mainly from private sources
- material dealing with various political and sociological problems.
Cambodia - Land in between: (File 49-52) - Box 8
General research material dealing mainly with the cultural and political history of the Khmers;
(from the pre-Communist takeover period).
Travel-Diary-notes (File 53) - Box 9
Handwritten notebooks covering journeys to the Philippines in 1975/1976 to gather material for the book Faces of my neighbour: journeys in 1978 to Greece, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Vienna, and France to gather material for a novel My life revisited (not yet published) and to look into possibilities for Cultural Exchange arrangements on behalf of the Department of Foreign Affairs: journeys to Greece, Israel, Vence (S. France) and Cuttack (India) to gather material for short stories, radio plays etc. Journey to China as leader of a tour by the Australian Youth Orchestra (1979); also to Israel, Greece, France (Vence); Paris; UK (Surrey); India.
One brown ringlock binder containing typewritten notes (no other copy) of travels in the Philippines (with index) - covers Easter ceremonies on the Island of Marinduque; guest of Minister for Immigration and his political wife; Fort Santiago; interview with Foreign Minister; visit to the Moslem province of Minandao; more in Manila; interviews with various politcos, religious and academic; tour of the province around (File 54) - Box 9
Cebu; Manila - slums and slum workers; Cardinal Sin (total about 100 pages); also notes on travels in Japan (1975) indexed - Tokyo; general impressions over the social and cultural spectrum; interviews (File 54) - Box 9
Bundles of reviews: (File 56-60) - Box 9
Three large envelopes containing reviews etc. of MW publications.
Parer film (abortive): (File 61) - Box 9
Comments and suggestions from MW, commissioned by Feature Film Producer/writer team Mason-Morphett, on a film script. Gives an extensive view of Parer's record and intimate observations on his character.
Notes: from Richard Mason (film producer) to MW on the subject of making a film about Parer.
Damien Parer (File 65) - Box 10
(memorabilia);
One Manila folder containing:
a. A dozen private (wartime) photographs
b. Notes on a TV script - The Legend of Damien Parer, with copy of the Award Certificate.
c. Some press tributes to Parer after his death at Pelau.
d. A black and white drawing by War Artist Harold Herbert shows Parer and Williams putting a film together in their studio/flat in Cairo 1941.
e. List of other Parer material donated by MW to the National Library in August 1977.
f. One envelope containing letters (with explanatory notes) written to or by Parer during the war.
g. Some valedictory press clippings (Parer)
This folder has been "cancelled" The numbering jumps from Box 10 Folder 66 to Box 10 Folder 68 (File 67) - Box 10
Correspondence with US Publisher's Editor, John Willey (Morrow Co.) 1964-1979 - refers to various projects (File 68) - Box 10
History of Indonesia (unpublished): by a longtime Australian resident and political activist, part of an English translation of a 19th century Javanese epic, and a typescript of The Story of Indonesia by MW (File 74) - Box 12
Mike Stefani: (File 75) - Box 12
Award winning film 1950:
One large envelope contains:
a. Stills from the film
b. Eulogies and synthesis
c. Dialogue sheets used for translations
Correspondence and working notes on 2 aborted projects: (File 76) - Box 12
Book on Cambodia (up-dated edition) TV film series in New Guinea
A fiddle for Willi: (File 77) - Box 12
First novel - not submitted for publication. First attempt at a novel (1956) after returning from a film-making stint in Germany. Project put into the bottom drawer. (one copy only).
Belinda (File 78) - Box 12
Unfinished novel: 143 pp typescript - original sent to US publisher Morrow (comments in Morrow correspondence file).
Subject: The US 'takeover' of Australia. Project 'put aside for a while'. Date 1971.
Moonboy: (File 79) - Box 12
Sketches for a Fantasy with Music - for film or theatre (young people).
Put aside because of cost problems.
Folder includes some correspondence with entrepreneurs.
Berrima District: (File 80) - Box 12
Historical bits and pieces of material relating to the history of the Berrima/Moss Vale district.
War material from the middle east (1941): (File 81) - Box 12
(Recently unearthed in the War Memorial in Canberra). Although only photocopies there may be only one other set in existence. The material, describing episodes during the war that were filmed by the Australian Official Film Unit of which MW was the producer-writer. Interesting examples of his journalistic work
Non-official documents relating to the BPC History: (File 83) - Box 13
Including item 1,
Commissioner H.B. Pope: Notes taken at interviews with two of his daughters and an ex-colleague.
Note: Pope was appointed by Hughes in 1920, and dismissed by Bruce in 1926 after a Royal Commission into differences between Pope and the other Phosphate Commissioners.
There are no other copies of these notes in existence.
Letter (19/5/1900) Ellis/Naylor: (File 83) - Box 13
Note: Having confirmed the existence of huge phosphate deposits on Ocean Island, Albert Ellis went on to prospect Nauru, leaving his young assistant, Naylor, to safeguard the find and consolidate relations with the natives. This letter (copy) sets out his instructions. (Item 2)
Naylor's diary and work report: (File 83) - Box 13
May/August 1900, Pp26.
No other copy of this document known to exist. (Item 3)
Story of Nabetari: (File 83) - Box 13
An epic voyage made by a young Gilbertese of a series of stories published in association with the South Pacific Commission in 1959. (Item 4)
A History of Nauru: (File 84) - Box 13
written by the German Medical Officer on the island in 1913. Printed at the Evangelical Mission House.
This is the first history of Nauru to be published. (Item 5)
Donaldson diary: (File 85) - Box 13
Donaldson went to work on Nauru in 1914 and eventually became head of the BPC Chipping Division in Melbourne. The diary covers the declaration of war in 1914 and the subsequent 'occupation' of Nauru by Australian troops. The original diary is in the possession of the family and may become available when Donaldson dies (he is now 93).
Meanwhile this is the only photocopy in existence. Some correspondence included (Item 6)
Notes on Research Interviews: (File 86) - Box 13
with Sir Alexander Waddell (UK Commissioner) Sir Wm. Dunk (Australian Commissioner), Professor Harry Maude (ex Resident Commissioner of the G. & B. Islands), plus biographical notes on Wm. Groves (ex-Director of Education on Nauru) elicited from his daughter. (Item 7)
An account (1937) by Head Chief Detudano of how Christianity came to Nauru (Item 8) (File 86) - Box 13
Bridget Tothill's Diary (origins of this copy unknown to MW): (File 86) - Box 13
An account by the volatile wife of the BPC Medical Officer on Nauru, of life on the island from 1939 until the evacuation in 1942; then a journey to the Wolfram mines in Central Australia with Chinese miners evacuated from the island (28 pages) (Item 9)
The Ellis Diary: (File 87) - Box 13
This is a typescript 58 pages of the hand-written diary that Ellis kept on his historic prospecting trip in March 1900 (so far as MW knows the original is with the Australian Archives). For the first part of the trip he was accompanied by his newly married wife Florence (Flo). (Item 10)
Joan (Ellis) Milne: (File 87) - Box 13
Copy of an article written by Ellis's daughter (only child) of her life on Ocean Island as an infant between 1903/1909, at which time her mother died and lies buried on the island (Item 11)
Letter of condolence to Ellis from the Acting Resident Commissioner of the Gilbert Islands, Souche. (Copy). (Item 11a) (File 87) - Box 13
A paper by Ellis written during his return voyage from the UK to NZ, after the inaugural meeting of the British Phosphate Commissioners in 1920. Gives a chronological account of the previous 20 years of the phosphate operations. (Item 12) (File 87) - Box 13
Letter from Lord Balfour of Burleigh: (1912), Chairman of the Pacific Phosphate Company to Ellis, offering him the position of Local Director in Australasia, NZ and the Pacific Islands. (Item 13) (File 87) - Box 13
Essays on Christmas Island written around 1958 by past and present residents. (Item 14) (File 87) - Box 13
H.B. Pope: Booklet on Nauru and Ocean land (41 pages) by the first Australian Commissioner, published in 1921 soon after the founding of the BPC. (Item 15) (File 88) - Box 13
A biography of Sir John Murray, founder of the Christmas Island enterprise, by H.L. Burstyn of the Carnegie-Mellon University (33 pages) (Item 16) (File 88) - Box 13
Copy of a 'History of Christmas Island' by Sir John Murray: Sets of the chain of events which led to the discovery of the phosphate deposits, and the negotiations between Murray and the Clunies Ross family to exploit them jointly. (I know of no other copies) - (Item 17) (File 88) - Box 13
Collection of eye-witness accounts of events on Ocean Island and Nauru during the Japanese occupation. Includes a copy of the diary of Patrick Cook, a mixed-race young man (41 pages) - (Item 18) (File 89) - Box 13
Constitution of the Nauruan Patriotic Society, formed under the guidance of Police Inspector Cude in 1939 to support the Red Cross war effort. (Item 19) (File 89) - Box 13
Papers abstracted from the Singapore Government archives relating to a mutiny by the Indian Garrison on Christmas Island in 1942, and the arrival of the Japanese occupation forces. (Items 20/20a) (File 89) - Box 13
Papers relating to Gaze family: includes instructions to the staff of the family Tourist Business in England in the 1890's (fascinating); notes on the family history by A.E. Gaze, a grandson. Eulogy on the death of A.H. Gaze - mainspring of the British Phosphate Commissioners. (Item 21) (File 89) - Box 13
A collection of papers and copies of documents relating to Scoutmaster Hurst of Geeland who had himself appointed Scout Commissioner for Nauru and became a thorn in the flesh of the Australian Administration. This collection includes Hurst's Blue Print (the Pacific Islander) for the postwar future of Nauru. (Item 22) (File 89-90) - Box 13
The Banaban Saga. the original of an extended essay (111 pages) commissioned by Maslyn Williams, giving the history of the controversy and subsequent litigation between the Banaban people of Ocean Island and the BPC and the UK Government - compiled by D. Inglis, an official observer during the course of the litigation. This will be a basic resource document for many years to come (Item 23) (File 91) - Box 13
T.G. McMahon FRGS etc. Visits to Nauru, Ocean Island, the Gilbert and Ellice Islands and the Marshall Islands in 1918. Article plus extract from lecture, and press comments on his views on the future of the Pacific region (Items 24/24a) (File 92) - Box 14
MW Research Material - Essential to an understanding of the nature of the phosphate operation from its inception: Extracts and annotations on the correspondence between Lord Stanmore and J.T. Arundel between 1900/1911. Covers the anxious days following upon the discovery of the deposits. (Item 26) (File 93) - Box 14
Selected extracts from Company correspondence 1910/1911, with annotations: These cover the 'conflict' situations arising from (File 93) - Box 14
(a) Joint Anglo/German management on Nauru and
(b) differences between the Company and the British Civil administration on Ocean Island.
Includes a detailed account of the total island's operation. (Item 27)
Outline, by MW, of matters to be looked into during a research visit to the UK. (Item 28) (File 93) - Box 14
Comments by Dr Crocombe (Pacific Research Centre) and Professor Maude (ANU) on a thesis, written by a Banaban and giving the 'Native' view of the exploitation of the Ocean Island deposits. (Item 29) (File 93) - Box 14
Nauru - Legislative Council - 1st Meeting (debates) 1966. 56 pages Oceana (Sept. 1936) Notes on Nauruan Culture and Customs by E.Stephens. (Stephens was marooned on Nauru as a boy of 14 in the 1870's and remained there until he died in the early 1930's) 63 pages (File 94-95) - Box 14
Oceana (Sept. 1936): Camilla Wedgwood - report on anthropological research work on Nauru (2 parts = 66 pages) (File 94-95) - Box 14
Report of the Japanese Government to the League of Nations (1927) on its administration of the South Sea Islands under Japanese Mandate (Item 30) (File 94-95) - Box 14
Folder containing: (File 95) - Box 14
a. An account of the sinking of BPC's Triadic 8/12/1940, by a passenger. 10 pages
b. Official memorandum: Appearance of a German raider at Nauru 8/12/1942: from Police Inspector to Administrator (with hand-written notes).
c. A chronology of Chief Events on Nauru during the Japanese occupation 1942/1945 (compiled by NAI FAI MA - Chinese Interpreter?)
Very enlightening and useful.
d. The Japanese occupation of Nauru as recounted by mixed blood Nauruan, Gus Rasch. 3 pages.
e. Account of the Japanese surrender ceremony - handwritten notes by Police Inspector Cude. 4 pages (handwritten).
f. Copy of charges made against Nauruan Police Inspector Harris (mixed race) on his dismissal by the Japanese (Cude-handwritten) Copy of instructions to Nauruan girls employed at the Japanese Officers' Club.
A Farewell Speech to Japanese dignitories (significance not clear) A biographical sketch of Nauruan Head Chief Detudamo with special reference to local church politics, by T. Cude (Police Inspector). 7 pages (Item 31) (File 95) - Box 14
Harold A. Gaze: General Manager of the British Phosphate Commissioners; (File 96) - Box 14
a. Copy of handwritten diary (partly transcribed) covering his first postwar visit to the phosphate islands in November 1945. (103 pages)
b. T/s copy of Gaze diary, covering his visit to NZ in February 1946. (18 pages)
Originals are in the Australian Archives. the 1945 diary gives a detailed description of war damage plus industrial and administrative problems arising. (Item 32)
Gaze/Ellis: Originals of private correspondence concerning their colleagues and the affairs of the BPC 1925/1926 and June/November 1928 (File 97-99) - Box 14
Covers the secret activities leading up to the Pope Royal Commission. (Item 33) (File 97-99) - Box 14
Copies of official NZ documents relating to the political struggle for control of the Nauru phosphate deposits prior to, and during, the 1918 Peace Conference. (Item 34) (File 100) - Box 15
Two blue binders containing a photocopy of an unpublished biography of Pacific Pioneer J.T. Arundel (1841/1919) (File 100-102) - Box 15
It was written by Mrs A.D. Bright of NZ in the 1920's and is based on Arundel's unpublished diaries.
The original (I think) is in the possession of Professor H.E. Maude.
This copy is indexed by Maslyn Williams. (Items 35/35a)
Several Chapters of early drafts of Part 3 of the BPC History, written by (Dr) B.K. Macdonald of Massey University, with detailed editorial comments by MW interleaved. (3 folios) (Items 36/38) (File 103-109) - Box 15-16
Full 'B' draft of Part 1 and 2 of the BPC History by MW Includes pages of comments from the Commissioners, a chapter content index, and contains all inset rewrites, plus deleted pages. (2 folios and a folder). (Items 39/40) (File 110-118) - Box 16-17
Mary Ann Brownlow research notes. Research material for Florence Copley of Romney (File 119) - Box 18
Florence Copley of Romney (Research Material): (File 120-127) - Box 18-19
My most financially successful novel - based on the tragedy of Mary Ann Brownlow (nee Guise) who murdered her husband at Gundaroo in 1855, and having been tried by Justice Stephen was hanged at Goulburn Gaol. These papers give and indication of the amount of research that went into the writing of this novel (translated into several languages). Contains some very interesting letters.
Class. B.P.C. research material
Series. Papers from Box File No. 1
7.2.1900. Lord Stanmore's speech at the Board Meeting, 7.2.1900 (Item 1) - Box 20
(Deals with serious setbacks suffered by the Company).
3.5.1900. Copy of Agreement between Pacific Islands Co. and the natives of Ocean Island. (arranged by Ellis) (Item 2) - Box 20
17.7.1900. Arundel to Pacific Island Co. London. Re. Ocean Pleasant Islands - negotiations with natives, prospects, etc (Item 3) - Box 20
18.4.1902. Pacific Islands Co. Ltd. Memorandum of Association Pacific Phosphate Co (Item 5) - Box 20
9.1.1905 - 17.2.1905. Gaze Snr to Pacific Islands Co. (Pp 45 - detailed account of the phosphate operation) Report on visit to the islands (Item 6) - Box 20
2011.1905 -2.1.1906. Gaze Snr. to Pacific Phosphate Co. London. Report visit to the islands, No. 2. Later in 1905 Gaze made another visit to Ocean Island to try to sort out differences of opinion between Ellis (and his advisors) and a French phosphate mining expert on question of methods (Item 7) - Box 20
12.12.1913. Dickinson to Schonian. Sampling of Angaur phosphate (from a deposit being worked by the Germans) (Item 8) - Box 20
31.1.1914. Schonian to Dickinson. Sampling of Angaur phosphate. References to typhoon damage at Angaur Makatea (Item 9) - Box 20
Sec. PPC to Gaze Snr. 13.2.1914. King to be joint representative with Gaze. (Gaze is anxious that this appointment does not jeopodise his son's future prospects) (Item 10) - Box 20
Gaze to Sec. PPC 19.3.1914. Acknowledges letter on appointment of King. (attached to 10) (Item 11) - Box 20
8.1914. Extract from the Official War History: Capture of German colonies: Samoa, Nauru (Item 12) - Box 20
Extracts from Fitzhardinge Souter - Australia Nauru 1914-1918 Deals in detail with Australian apprehension about Japanese intentions (Item 15) - Box 20
23.11.1915. Minutes of the PPC (Extract) The Company already anxious about Pustralia's Pacific ambitions. Position of Ocean Island and Nauru after the war (Item 17) - Box 20
30.11.1916-2.5. 1918. Correspondence between PPC London and PPC Melbourne. Garrison and (wireless station on Nauru -19 These extracts all reflect the PPCoy;s concern about the UK Government maintaining an Australian garrison and radio crew on Nauru (Item 18-22) - Box 20
21.1.1909. Pacific Phosphate Guano Contract with Australian manufacturers. This was made in 1909 with a supplement in 19: (Item 23) - Box 20
Balding, Bernard (Item 25) - Box 20
Extracts from papers and letters from the Bodleian Library - cover a number of related subjects.
The Worlds Work, June 1919 (Item 26) - Box 20
article: British Phosphate Enterprise: by T.J. NcNagib F,R,G,S, after two visits,
Series. Papers from Box File No. 2
A group of letters, mostly flimsies, written in May/June 1900 and dealing principally with his discovery of the phosphate deposits on Ocean Island (Item 1) - Box 20
An early typescript of the instructions left for his assistant when Ellis went on from Ocean Island to Nauru to complete his prospecting trip (Item 2) - Box 20
A letter of condolence to Ellis from the office of the Resident Commissioner on the Gilbert Islands on the death of Florence, his first wife, who was the first white woman to live on Ocean Island. Ellis subsequently married her sister (Item 3) - Box 20
Copy of two confidential letters passing between Dickinson and Ellis in 1920, at the time when it seemed certain that the Phosphate Company was going to be taken over by the three governments. Dickinson advises Ellis to apply for the job of NZ Commissioner. Ellis thinks that the job will go to the NZ Director of Agriculture (Item 4) - Box 20
From Ellis to the PPC office in London saying that he is not keen on being the NZ Commissioner (Item 5) - Box 20
Extracts from the Balding papers at the Bodleian Library dealing with a scheme to drum-up a gratuity for Ellis (as the discoverer of the phosphate deposits.) (Item 6) - Box 20
A series of flimsies from the 1926 period, belonging to the Personal and Confidential series of communication which passed almost weekly between Gaze and the UK NZ Commissioner (Item 7) - Box 20
In 1929, when Dickinson made a claim for extra remuneration for 'special services rendered' in connection with the Commissioners' dealings with 'outside buyers'. Ellis opposed the claim and Dickinson wrote this frank letter chiding him for his ingratitude (Item 8) - Box 20
Letter from the High Commissioner's Office in Fiji instructing the Chief of Ticopea Island to give Ellis every assistance on a prospecting trip (Item 9) - Box 20
Copy of diary kept by Ellis on the way to Ocean Island and Nauru to witness the Japanese official capitulation in 1945 (Item 10) - Box 20
Biographical notes on Ellis written by the late James Bissett who became Ellis's office boy in 1924 and went on to become General Manager of the BPC and a Christmas Island Commissioner (Item 11) - Box 20
An autobiographical sketch of pp 11 tracing Ellis's 64 years in the phosphate industry written just before he died (at the time he had not finally decided to retire, hoping to stay on long enough to become the first Christmas Island Commissioner.) (Item 12) - Box 20
The script of a Radio talk given by Ellis for a NZ series on people who had contributed to the national development (Item 13) - Box 20
Series. Papers from Box File No. 3
Miscellaneous correspondence with Telfer Campbell, Resident Commissioner of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands in which he and Arundel refer to Australian ambitions in the Pacific and the 'White Australia Policy' (Item 2) - Box 21
Series. Papers from Box File No. 4
Copy of Agreement based on Eliot's plan and signed by all Banaban land owners, 1913 (Item 2) - Box 21
Ordinance No. 4 of 1928 to regulate the right to mine and work minerals in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony (Item 3) - Box 21
Extracts and letters on Banaban resettlement December 1945 to April 1946. Report on Ordinance No. 2 of 1945 to provide for resettlement of Ocean and Rabi Islands (Item 4) - Box 21
10.68. Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London: The Ocean Islands phosphates - discussions (Item 6) - Box 21
Series. Papers from Box File No. 5
2.11.1899-6.1901. Correspondence between Arundel and Jaluit Gessellschaft. Negotiations with Germans for Nauru (Item 3) - Box 22
12.11.1907. Gaze Snr. to Secretary PPC. Supplement to report on Nauru, Dickinson's first visit (Item 8) - Box 22
Full set of documents relating to arrangements made between the German Government, the Jaluit Gesselscharft and the PIC for the right to mine the phosphate on Nauru. Comprises a series of Agreements stretching from 1888 to 1905 (Item 9) - Box 22
A personal report from R. Leydon, Administer of Nauru, to C.E. Barnes, Minister for Territories, on a meeting between Nauruan leaders and members of the UN visiting mission (Item 10) - Box 22
Series. Papers from Box File No. 6
27.9.1919-2.2.1920. Telegrams between Hughes and secretary of State for the Colonies. Negotiations for purchase of Pacif Phosphate Co (Item 1) - Box 22
31.3.1920. Gaze to London. Labour problems on Ocean Island, Ellis visit might help (Item 2) - Box 22
21.6.1920-28.10. 1920. Selection of communications - Commissioners, Gaze, Hughes, etc (Item 3) - Box 22
26.8.1921. Ellis and Pope: Report on visit to Nauru and Ocean Island, July/August 1921 (Item 6) - Box 22
(two copies)
Series. Papers from Box File No. 7 - Box 23
The private letters covers the key period between the finalisation of the Paint Case in August 1925 (after which both Gaze and Chambers threatened to resign) and the termination of the Royal Commission in July 1926.
They give a fascinating 'behind the scenes' view of the intrigue and the utilisation of political, commercial and bureaucratic pressures that were brought into play in order to force a political decision upon Prime Minister Bruce.
Perhaps, more importantly, these letters reveal the vulnerable human being that was kept hidden behind the facade of unemotional and unflustered efficiency which was the public facade of Harold Gaze the brilliant Manager and Administrator.
They reveal, too, the nervous sensitivity of Prime Minister Bruce to his own weaknesses as a cockpit politician.
In the handwritten correspondence most of the central characters mentioned are identified simply by a single letter of the alphabet.
Thus Pope is 'A', Dickinson is 'C', Bruce is "J", Reakes (the main NZ official concerned in the affairs of the Commissioners) is "V", and the proposed move to Auckland is referred to only by the letter "W". I am less sure about some of the other identification letters but would guess that "U" is the NZ Prime Minister, "R" is one of the leading figures in the Phosphate Industry (possibly Haynes of Mt. Lyall who was a bit of a politician). As a long shot I would suggest that "O" is the Secretary of the Australian Prime Minister's Department, Percy Deane, but this is guesswork.
This collection of personal and confidential correspondence mainly from Gaze to Ellis, is typical of a separate and uniquely significant stream of communication regarding most major aspects of the Pacific Phosphate operation in the critical 1925/1926 period.
The most interesting section is that which deals in a surprisingly frank manner with the intrigue surrounding the conspiracy to get Pope dismissed.
The rest of the collection reveals the informal and private attitudes of the Commissioners and senior staff to matters that were dealt with in a more circumspect fashion in 'open' correspondence and formal reports.
Note: Quelts, referred to in these letters, were a form of coded telegraphic cabled communication used by the conspirators to keep Pope in ignorance of various aspects of their activities.
Series. Research Material Volume 1
Reaching agreement with the natives (Banabans) of Ocean Island, and the official annexation of the island by the UK (Item 4) - Box 23
Arrangements for labour and shipping (Item 5) - Box 23
Ellis busy pioneering the Ocean Island operation
A flow of instructions to Ellis from Sydney (Item 6) - Box 23
He is sent to make a furtive estimate of the deposits on Nauru.
In London (early in 1900) the Company Chairman, Loud Stanmore, gives a gloomy run-down on the state of the company's fortunes. Good news comes from Sydney (Item 7) - Box 23
The directors have reservations about the competence of Ellis and his team to handle the enlarged operation. An expert consultant engineer brought in (1900/1903) (Item 9) - Box 23
Arundel writes to London defending Ellis (who is a relative) (Item 10) - Box 23
A letter written by Ellis in 1910 gives a retrospective look and an assessment of progress made (he retired from the Ocean Island job in 1912)
Deals with difficulties of the 1901/1904 period in connection with shipping, acquisition of land, law and order etc (Item 11) - Box 23
Series. Research Material Volume 2
1897/1908. These papers relate to the financial and managerial structure of the old Pacific Islands Co. and the Pacific Phosphate Co. and have been copied from papers that are the private collection of the late Sir Alwyn Dickinson in England (Item 2) - Box 24
Lever's early involvement (1901 et seq) Biographies of PPC Chairman, Lord Stanmore and his successor, Burleigh of Balfour (Item 3) - Box 24
UK Colonial Office report on the G. E. Protectorate a suggestion that the administrative H.Q. be transferred from Tarawa to Ocean Is (Item 10) - Box 24
Public criticism of the E. G. Administration and the effect of the phosphate operation on the 'natives' (Banabans), 1909-1939 (Item 11) - Box 24
Series. Research Material Volume 3
The PPC involvement in the Makatea phosphate operation, 1902/1922 (Item 3) - Box 25
Resume of the PPC French connection (Makatea).
Confusion and concern over Japanese naval activity in the Pacific at the outbreak of the war in 1914 (Item 4) - Box 25
Australia agitated by the UK policy of expediency. Ocean Island defence force formed (Item 4) - Box 25
1914 - The effects of the outbreak of the 1914/1918 war on the Phosphate operation on Nauru, with particular reference to the Zambezi incident (Item 5) - Box 25
In the first few weeks of the war the shipping activities of the PPC were thrown into a confusion compounded by the promulgation of laws which prohibited trade and communication between Australia and enemy territory. Nauru, being a German possession, came under this heading but the Company had an obligation to continue to maintain the operation and the workforce of over 1000 people. This brought the Company into an embarrassing conflict situation with the navy. There are further references to this situation in Item 6, particularly in regard to the charter ship 'Messina' (Item 5) - Box 25
Series. Research Material Volume 4
1915. Disagreements between the PPC and the Australian navy about the cost of the Australian take over (of Nauru) operation (Item 1) - Box 26
1915. UK Government paper giving details of the allied military operations against the Germans in the Pacific Islands (Item 2) - Box 26
Manoeuverings between the UK, NZ and Australia (1915-1919) over the issue of the mandate for Nauru (Item 3) - Box 26
Letter from Lord Balfour to the Colonial Office requesting that the phosphate islands, including Nauru, remain under the jurisdiction of the UK (Item 3) - Box 26
A collection of material, mainly from Lord Milner's papers giving an account of the negotiations between Milner, Hughes and Massey for the three government take-over of the Pacific Phosphate Company (1919) (Item 6) - Box 26
Note: Lord Milner was the Sec of State for the Colonies, and the UK negotiator over the Nauru mandate issue.
Series. Research Material Volume 5
1917/1921. Reports to shareholders on the steps leading to the take-over, and the financial arrangements to be made (Item 2) - Box 27
Memorandum giving details of the 1919 'battle for Nauru' and the move to establish a three-Government Phosphate Commission (A.R. Dickinson to the Directors of the PPC) (Item 6) - Box 27
An account of the negotiations between the Company and the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the UK for the acquisition of the Nauru mining rights (Item 7) - Box 27
Memorandum prepared by Dickinson (1920) on the subject of compensation for loss of office by PPC directors and senior staff (Item 8) - Box 27
Draft agreement between the PPC and the three governments, as submitted by Dickinson (Item 9) - Box 27
1819-1920. Chronological summary of the main events in the 1918/1920 period which led to the formation of the BPC (Item 10) - Box 27
Notes on an agenda for the First Board Meeting of the BPC prepared by Alwin Dickinson, 1920 (Item 11) - Box 27
Notes on various financial arrangements between the BPC and the three Governments (Item 12) - Box 27
Dickinson gives a final accounting of his activities as liquidator of the PPC, 1925 (Item 15) - Box 27
(Underlines the role played by Prime Minister Hughes in the demise of the PPC).
Documents dealing with the transfer of land rights on Nauru from the German Company to the Commissioners, 1920/1924 (Item 16) - Box 27
Two letters from Winston Churchill to W.M. HUGHES (1920) on the subject of Nauru royalties (Item 17) - Box 27
Series. Research Material Volume 6
Deals with Pope's early career as an employee of the Pacific Island Co. and the Pacific Phosphate Co (Item 1) - Box 28
Pope's influence already evident in 1921 when Gaze recommends that Pope's younger brother be appointed BPC Representative in Hong Kong (Item 2) - Box 28
The matter of buying out Germany's right to claim a royalty on phosphate shipped from Nauru (Item 3) - Box 28
Series. Research Material Volume 7
Dickinson's intransigence over the matter of installing cantilever loading at Nauru (Item 1) - Box 29
Continuous conflict between Pope and his colleagues about the purchasing of phosphate from the French company at Makatea (Item 2) - Box 29
Dickinson's opposition to the purchase of a second vessel for the Commissioners' business (Item 3) - Box 29
Series. Research Material Volume 8
Opposition from the UK and NZ Commissioners to Pope interfering in Management matters particularly in relation to shipping (Item 2) - Box 30
Two memos on the subject of Pope's concern about the relevance of New Guinea weather reports to Phosphate Islands shipping (Item 3) - Box 30
Press reports on 'differences between the Commissioners'. Dickinson believes that they are inspired by Pope (Item 4) - Box 30
Pope's adversaries 'fix' a Board Meeting in Vancouver at which Pope is out-voted on almost every key issue (Item 5) - Box 30
A general summary in essay form of events leading to the Royal Commission into the affairs of the Phosphate Commissioners (Item 6) - Box 30
Letters from NZ records reflect the Ellis/Reakes participation in the Anti-Pope intrigue. Notes by NZ historian Dr. Macdonald on this subject (Item 7) - Box 30
Lead-up to the Royal Commission. Documents include transcript of ministerial interviews with Pope (Item 8) - Box 30
Bruce attempts to get the other governments to participate in a Public Enquiry but they leave him to stew in his own juice (Item 9) - Box 30
Bruce initiates an Australian Royal Commission but Gaze and Chambers refuse to attend (Item 10) - Box 30
Class. Consignment received January 1988
The conflict between the native Nauruan people and the Australian Administrator of the Island, Mark Ridgway, during the immediate postwar period. This led eventually to Ridgeway's removal (File) - Box 31-32
(2 folders)
Also dealing with the postwar period but in this case with relations between the Phosphate Commissioners and the Nauruans; the Commissioners and the fertiliser industry; shipping matters and postwar reconstruction (File) - Box 31-32
(3 folders)
Early drafts of the history (The Phosphateers) in two bundles. Some handwritten (File) - Box 31-32
(4 folders)
A catalogue of papers collected from the Ellis family in New Zealand (Ellis discovered the Ocean Island and Nauru deposits in 1900). These papers are probably in the Australian Archives in Melbourne (last seen by me in 3 tea chests) in the basement of Phosphate House in Collins Street, long since demolished (File) - Box 31-32
(2 folders)
8 bundles of papers relating to the principal considerations and events concerning the BPC during the years 1926-1946 (File) - Box 32-35
These papers are additional to those contained in the main volumes of documents.
Four (4) of these bundles contain extensive summaries covering the 1926-1942 period. Each summary is accompanied by a collection of related documents. These summaries and back-up papers provide a chronology of the significant highlights in the history of the Phosphate Commissioners, particularly in regard to inter-government and inter-personal relationships between the three partner countries in their mining, shipping, distribution and political activities.
There are four (4) other bundles without summaries. These contain documents relating to principal events and issues during the years. 1942-1946.
Documents relating specifically to wartime events in the Islands during 1941-1942 are in Box 3. (19 folders)
5 items. Two bundles relating (a) to the shelling of Nauru and the sinking of phosphate ships by German raiders and (b) to the subsequent evacuation of the Islands, are supplementary to papers covering the same period (1941-1942), and deal only with these two special events (File) - Box 35
(3 folders)
A third bundle - in a brown envelope marked Gaze - Special - contains private and confidential correspondence between Gaze, Ellis and Dickinson (UK Commissioner) during the early months of 1926 when the Commissioners were in a crisis situation. An explanatory note is taped onto the envelope and an index of contents, month by month, is included. It is not known whether copies of any of this correspondence exists (File) - Box 36
Class. Consignment received September 1988
Series. Photographic collections
Maslyn Williams Papua New Guinea Collection Item 2. Colour transparencies (Supplement to b w prints received in 1987). Some identification (File 1) - Box 41-42
An album of coloured and black and white transparencies (File 2) - Box 41-42
Including:
a) From research for MW's The east is red. (70)
b) Australian Youth Orchestra tour of China 1979 (32). These are valued more highly because of their Australian interest.
b) Japan 1976 - from research for Faces of my neighbour (18).
Maslyn Williams in China (File 3) - Box 41-42
Including:
a) Set 1 (Prints with negatives)
MW in China 1965/1966
(First stage of the Cultural Revolution). (73 prints).
b) Set 2.MW in China 1966 and 1979, Orchestral tour.
Cultural revolution and Australian youth orchestra reception. (34 prints)
The Philippines Collection (File 4) - Box 41-42
Including:
a) The Moriones Festivale
6 slides
6 b & w prints
b) The opening of the National Art Centre in 1977 - 15 black and white prints. One very interesting print showing Mrs Marcos and Dame Margot Fonteyn among others.
c) The first Asian music camp (21 slides)
d) Rizal Park in Manila (13 slides)
e) Portrait of Maslyn Williams by Emily C. Pena, done in 1976 - black and white pencil sketch.
File of photographs relating to Prince Sihanouk and Cambodia, including people, cities and Angkor Wat, temples and statues (File 5) - Box 41-42
Many photographs identified, dating from 1941 (approx) (Portrait of the Prince) to 1960s (24 prints)
Cambodia 1968 (File 6) - Box 41-42
Including:
a) Black and white prints and negatives, related to his The land between
Various pictures relating to Prince Sihanouk and Phnom Penh (72 prints)
b) Miscellaneous set of prints c1966 (38 prints)
c) Cambodia - Phnom Penh, 77 coloured slides 1968.
These are particularly rare and historical photographs of buildings, places and people pre-devastation in Cambodia by Pol Pot's regime.
Indonesian collection. These are chiefly coloured slides (File 7) - Box 41-42
including:
a) 39 miscellaneous
b) Maslyn Williams in Indonesia in 1963, (19 slides)
c) Indonesian research for his Five journeys from Jakarta (60 Black and white prints)
d) Indonesia 1963-1964 Black and white negatives and proofs relating to Five journeys... Images include scenes of Java, Sumatra, Selewesi and West Irian. They were taken as "reminder" pictures to complement the diaries already held (Box 3 folder 17).
e) There are 6 sheets of negatives and contact prints.
Class. Consignment received November 1989
Series. His Mother's country: winner of the Fellowship of Writers' Award and the NSW State Award for non-fiction, 1989
Series. The Holy Virago
A novella yet to be published (a radio version has been produced by the ABC).
Class. Consignment received January 1990
Series. The woman in the brown outfit
section of a diary written in English, by a Japanese friend - Hiroshi Kibori - of Tomigaoka, a suburb of Nara. Hiroshi was, at the time, an up-and-coming executive in a major insurance company (22 July 1975-8 June 1976) (File 1-3) - Box 51
Three printed reports to the United Nations on the administration of Nauru (thought to be useful in confunction with records in Williams collection on the B.P.C.), 1928, 1960-1961, 1964-1965 (File 4-6) - Box 51
Class. Consignment received July 1989
Comprising BPC Research Material.
Series. Research Material Volume 12
1920/1921 (London) (Item 1) - Box 53
In augural meetings. Preceded by four single papers relating to the appointments of Ellis and Dickinson.
1925 (Vancouver) (Item 2) - Box 53
The conflict meeting which led, eventually, to the dismissal of Pope, the Australian Commissioner.
1931 (Melbourne) (Item 4) - Box 53
Retirement of Dickinson and General business.
a. A departmental run-down on the background of the BPC and an assessment of its activities to date.
b. Papers setting out the history and resolution of differences between the three Governments over the matter of 'foreign'sales and purchases of phosphate (not clearly defined in the Nauru Agreement of 1920).
c. The purchase of a ship for the Commissioners' business.
1947 (New Zealand) (Item 5) - Box 53
Considers from post-war moves to acquire Christmas Island.
Increased royalties to be paid to the Nauruans.
The matter of acquiring more land for mining on Ocean Island.
The BPC to join the Baltic Exchange and do its own chartering of ships.
Staff salaries.
Other general matters.
1949 (Melbourne) (Item 6) - Box 53
The take-over of Christmas Island Financial matters.
Staff retirements, payments, wages etc.
Island staff and labour arrangements.
A suggestion that the BPC become a body corporate.
Correspondence (indexed) underlining the continual differences of opinion between the 3 partner governments on financial aspects of the phosphate operation. (From 1922-1932) (Item 7) - Box 53
Dickinson to Ellis, 21.9.1922 (Item 8) - Box 53
A forthright letter warning Ellis that he is making a mistake in supporting the Hughes/Pope policy of aiming to get the phosphate operation into the hands of Australia.
Correspondence (indexed) tracing the history of conflict between the Commissioners in the area of allotments and sales of phosphate, 1920-1935 (Item 9) - Box 53
Documents relating to points of conflict between the Commissioners on the question of imported labour for the phosphate operation (Australia, having acquired the New Guinea mandate, was anxious to use New Guinea labour on Nauru to replace labour from the Marshall and Caroline Islands, newly under Japanese jurisdiction (period 1920-1926 the 'Pope' era) (Item 10) - Box 53
Some matters concerning the relationship between the EPC and civil officials of the Western Pacific High Commission (Item 11) - Box 53
Two letters concerning the possibility of a New Zealander succeeding Griffiths as Administrator of Nauru (Item 13) - Box 53
Notes on the connection between the old PPC people and Dickinson in connection with Makatea and the Anglo-French Phosphate Company (Item 14) - Box 53
Correspondence (1926-1929) relating to the proposed purchase by Australia and New Zealand, of the Christmas Island Phosphate operation (Item 15) - Box 53
Also includes a technical report on the Christmas Island operation prepared by the BPC Chief Engineer, Thompson, for Harold Gaze in 1932 when negotiations were again under way for a take-over bid.
Series. Research Material Volume 13
1939/1940 Australia and New Zealand Governments attempt to prevent the requisitioning of their Phosphate Ships by the UK Government for carrying wheat to the UK (Item 1) - Box 54
1941/1942. The planning and execution of the evacuation operation. An extraordinary correspondence within the various departments of the UK Civil Service about what to do about 'the natives' could have been taken from a satirical novel by Evelyn Waugh (Item 4) - Box 54
1942/1943. Chinese labourers, evacuated from Nauru and Ocean Island, were taken to work at the wolfram mines in Central Australia. Conditions at the mine are described in vivid detail by Mrs. Briget Tothill, wife of the BPC doctor who went with them (Item 5) - Box 54
Makatea 1934/1949. The French Pacific Island of Makatea became the main source of phosphate for New Zealand during the war. Divided loyalties on the island made relationships somewhat strained (Item 6) - Box 54
Series. Research Material Volume 14
Three Years of War - a paper distributed by Gaze in 1942, setting out the effects of the war on the operations of the BPC (Item 2) - Box 54
Seven Eventful Years - a complementary paper written in 1951, taking in the period of reconstruction and the effect of the 'winds of change' upon relations with the Nauruans, the Banabans and the imported Labour Force. Note: These matters are dealt with in various reports contained in this volume (Item 3) - Box 54
Chinese Riots on Nauru. Protest from the LMS pastor, Robinson, regarding police brutality, 1948 (Item 4) - Box 54
Gilbertese labour force strikes on Ocean Island. They are repatriated and replaced by Chinese, 1948 (Item 6a) - Box 54
Visit of acting Minister for External Territories (Chambers) in 1949. Principally an investigation of Nauruan complaints against Administrator Ridgway (Item 8) - Box 54
Series. Research Material Volume 15
1954. Report by R. Greene (BPC Admin) on the recruitment of Chinese Labour in Hong Kong. Compares BPC wage structures etc. with those paid elsewhere in the region (Item 1a) - Box 55
1956. Greene visits Hong Kong and Singapore to look into labour recruitment problems (Item 2) - Box 55
1957. Greene visits the phosphate islands and Hong Kong on labour recruiting problems (Item 3) - Box 55
1958. W. Marston (BPC Admin) goes to Singapore to discuss (a) the BPC Provident Fund in relation to Singapore's Social Security System (b) the chartering of a ship for the Singapore/C.I. run (Item 4) - Box 55
1595. Greene goes to Hong Kong to discuss recruiting matters including health, dental care and wages. Includes detailed lists of wages scales applied in Hong Kong relating to the employment of Chinese Labour in industry. These were used by the BPC in working out their wage scales for Chinese employed on the Phosphate Islands (Item 5) - Box 55
Series. Research Material Volume 18
Note: This volume deals (a) with the general history of the Banabans of Ocean Island since the discovery of the phosphate deposits, and with the ambivalent relationship between them and the 'exploiters'. On the one hand there was a mutual familial affection and on the other a feeling among the Banabans that they had never been given a fair deal.
During WW2 most of them were removed from the island by the Japanese, and in 1945/1946 were brought back from exile and settled on a more fertile island (Rambi) in the Fiji group.
A general history of relations between the Banabans of Ocean Island and the BPC in relation to land matters and royalty payments from 1900 until 1965 (Item 1) - Box 55
Correspondence dealing with land matters and the idea of the Banabans moving to another island (Item 3) - Box 55
In 1947 Maynard, on behalf of BPC, accompanies a party of Banabans to Ocean Island to mark out family land boundaries. Returning to Rambi the party gave an account of what they had done (Item 6) - Box 55
Series. Research Material Volume 17
Following upon the Pacific War there was a period when it seemed that the USA had assumed the role of Pacific region dictator, and there was a brief period of concerned activity when a suggestion was made that the US Navy was going to take over the phosphate mining on Nauru. The matter was complicated by the fact that the US Navy was able to dictate when and how Nauru (and Ocean Island) were to be recovered from the Japanese. A flurry of diplomatic activity got under way while at the same time BPC officials were briefing the US Command as to the best way to plan an assault on the islands (that never came off) (Item 1) - Box 56
Deals with the 1945/1948 negotiations between the BPC and The Christmas Island Phosphate Company for the purchase of the Christmas Island project (Item 2) - Box 56
Anticipating a vastly increased postwar demand for fertiliser in Australia and New Zealand the BPC was anxious to get its hands on another major supply to boost the Nauru and Ocean Island output, with special attention to the needs of Western and South Australia. Faced with extensive postwar reconstruction costs the C.I.P.C. was not averse from selling, but the shareholders wished to see no diminution of the dividend incomes and set their price at ten million pounds. After nearly three years of hard bargaining and the pulling of political strings the Australian and New Zealand Governments acquired the Christmas Island rights for 2.75 million pounds.
With the postwar formation of the United Nations Organisation the question of mandates and the rights of 'colonial' people came under scrutiny and much ideological discussion. The case of the Nauruans and the rights to mine their phosphate was debated at length and with partisan bias, and for a time it seemed that the operations of the BPC might be declared-illegal. Although this was avoided the first step had been taken towards Nauruan Independence and the takeover, 30 years later, of the phosphate operation by the Nauruans (Item 3) - Box 56
Series. Research Material Volume 18 - Box 56
These papers deal mainly with Postwar differences between the UK and the other two partner governments in the phosphate enterprise, mainly in the financial area. It was a period when Postwar Commissioners representing the UK and NZ were beginning to take more independent initiatives, at first questioning the authority of Gaze and, after his death, asserting themselves with more vigour than formerly.
1953/1957. The new UK and NZ Commissioners seek to restrict the authority of the General Manager in financial matters (Item 1) - Box 56
UK views on postwar Nauruan moves towards independence and ownership of the phosphate enterprise (Item 2) - Box 56
Labour problems on the Islands. Also various references to a visit of inspection by Colonial Office Labour Advisor, Geo. Foggon (Item 3) - Box 56
A UK proposal to send a Technical group to the islands and advise how the operation should be run for the remainder of its life. (1965) (Item 4) - Box 56
Differences between the partner Governments about sharing out the proceeds of the sale of the Nauruan Phosphate operation (Item 5) - Box 56
The Australian/NZ Commissioners, supported by BPC Management, seek to shift the distribution side of the business over to the CIPC, thus eliminating UK influence (Item 6) - Box 56
Class. Consignment received October 1992
Class. Consignment received November 1994
Series. My life revisited
The bulk of this instalment relates to a project in which Williams was working on from 1980 to 1990 - a novel based on various incidents in his life, thought not necessarily autobiographical. The work went through several revisions and was variously titled: 'The waterfall', 'A ladder so high', 'The Jonas notebooks', 'My life revisited' (umbrella title) and 'The prima donna's daughter'. The final titles were Book One: 'The Jonas Road', and Book Two: 'The prima donna's daughter'.
Under these headings there are notes, drafts, revisions, retypings, abandoned chapters and some editorial letters. In folder 30 is a letter in which Williams describes the background to the project.
'My life revisited': handwritten drafts and notes made during the 1992/1994 revision of novel which later became 'The Jonas notebooks'. (The 1992 revision was titled 'A ladder so high') (File 41-44) - Box 62
'The prima donna's daughter': synopses of chapter contents of the various rewrites as finally sent to agents in London and Sydney in 1994 Editing notes from Jacqueline Kent. 'These comments were used as guidelines for subsequent re-writes'. There are also letters from other people such as Jean Bednall, Morris West, Edmund Campion, copies of MW's letters to them and to Nancy Keesing (File 60) - Box 64
Series. Plays, short stories, screenplays, article
Short stories: 'The pear tree', 'My husband and I', 'Molly', 'Leini', draft of prelude for 'My Life Revisited', plus sketches for other stories (File 70) - Box 65
'Sihanouk and the God-Kings' - ABC radio play Film treatment of a short story 'Fabian/Ilona', 1988 (File 73) - Box 65
Series. Miscellaneous material, correspondence, business papers
Copy of typed transcript of diary by Annie Ellis of voyage to Australia in 1864. Typed history of Ocean Island by Ko-Na-Mauri (2 short typescripts) (File 81) - Box 66
'Recollections of Angau': typed manuscript of diary of Tom Grahamslaw, 1942-1944. Lent by Mrs Grahamslaw to Albert Speer for copying
Correspondence with Collins publishers,about various projects; includes agreements, and copies of MW's letters, 1963-1986 (File 88) - Box 67
Correspondence regarding publication of 'The temple'/'The innocence of Daniel Spotwich', 1981-1983 (File 90) - Box 67
Correspondence with publishers and literary agents regarding the non-publication of 'My Life Revisited', 1980-1983 (File 90) - Box 67
Original correspondence and proposal for the establishment of a national youth orchestra by the National Music Camp Association. Letters to and from Ruth Alexander and John Bishop, 1954 (Alexander's file) (File 91) - Box 68
Class. Consignment received April 1996
Comprising papers relating to 'My life revisited'.