Guide to the Papers of Frank Clune
MS 4951, MS Acc22.180
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Clune, Frank
- Title
- Papers of Frank Clune
- Date Range
- 1915 - 2020
- Collection Number
- MS 4951, MS Acc22.180
- Extent
- 38.85 metres (155 ms boxes + 86 archives boxes + 2 folio packets + 1 piece)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Taken as a whole, the collection comprises typescripts of books, correspondence, photographs and material gathered during Clune's research. For the purpose of his research, Clune kept diaries of his journeys and collected published Australiana. A number of the printed items in the collection are ephemeral or rare.
The correspondence includes letters from a wide range of people in many fields of activity, among them Cardinal Norman Gilroy, P.R Stephensen, Robert Close, Sir John Barry, Geoffrey Dutton and Noel Coward. The correspondence occurs throughout the collection, scattered amongst research files as well as concentrated in special files such as the P.R. Stephensen correspondence. Letters in subject files show queries made by Frank Clune and the replies received; also letters from readers of his books and listeners to his radio broadcasts. In the pursuit of material for his books, Clune corresponded with historians, librarians and archivists, government officials, families with well-known ancestors and friends interested in Clune's works.
There are thousands of photographs, scattered through the research files as well as concentrated in an alphabetical sequence. Many of the images have been copies from published sources, but there are a good many original images taken by Clune on his travels.
There are objects, including some of Frank Clune's medals (donated by Tony Clune in 1985) and Ben Hall's revolver revolver (see description following Box 92).
MS Acc22.180 comprises photocopies of correspondence, newspaper clippings, black and white, and colour photographs, family history, and painted portraits and artwork (including portraits by William Dobell of Frank Clune and Thelma Clune, and portrait by William Dargie of Western Arrernte artist Albert Namatjira) are included. Correspondence relating to Frank Clune's publications, a copy of the letter Frank Clune wrote from Egypt as a soldier to his mother on the 20th of August 1915, and copies of certificates of his birth, marriage, and death are also included.
Conditions Governing Access
Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2631836).
Conditions Governing Use
Conditions for copying and publishing of this collection may apply, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2631836). 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 Frank Clune, National Library of Australia, MS 4951, [class, box number, series and/or file/item number(s)]'.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
In the course of a long association with Frank Clune beginning in 1951, the Library acquired some manuscripts and diaries from time to time. These are shelved at MS 407, 457, 463, 501 and 724. The first major instalment of Clune's papers (MS 4951) was purchased after his death from his son, Terry. The other son, Tony, added books and other items between 1983 and 1996. Amongst these donations was Ben Hall's revolver, acquired in 1985. See information on the revolver following Box 92.
The second major component of the Clune Papers was purchased by the Library from the University of New South Wales in 1992, when the University rationalised its holdings of unpublished material. Clune's 'library' had been purchased by the University, which retained the published component (see 'Other holdings' below).
Related Materials
A typescript of Clune's book All roads lead to Rome may be found in some papers collected by Hazel de Berg (MS 888).
Lantern slides (donated in 1989 and held in Cabinet 14). Also in the Pictorial Collection is a Company Common Seal machine used by Clune Accounting Systems Ltd.
Recordings of Frank and Thelma Clune talking with Hazel de Berg are held in the Oral History Collection at DeB 66 and DeB 1017-1018 respectively. Frank Clune's influence helped to establish the National Library's Oral History Project. He encouraged de Berg to offer her recordings to the Library, which she did. From this foundation, the concept expanded to encompass the various types of oral history interviews which characterise the present Oral History Collection.
The Mitchell Library (State Library of New South Wales) holds some of Clune's drafts, research notes, articles, correspondence and diaries.
While the library belonging to Frank Clune was acquired by the University of New South Wales, his son, Tony, donated to the National Library in 1983 association copies of a number of his father's books. These consist of first editions signed by his father, together with a further group of volumes not signed. These are kept together in the printed stacks with the prefix CLUNE, with the exception of several volumes which contain pasted-in letters and clippings. The latter are held at MS 4951. Most of the titles are duplicated in the main deposit collection.
Arrangement
The research or subject files make up the bulk of the collection. Clune was methodical and kept his research material together with drafts of the resulting works in titled binders and files, mostly in alphabetical order. Clune's original binders have been kept alongside the archival folders into which the contents have been placed. The component received in 1975 is not alphabetically arranged, but in processing the instalment received from the University of New South Wales in 1992, staff have attempted to reconstitute the basic alphabetical order that must have once characterised Clune's 'library' of volumes and binders. The files are not in strict alphabetical order; some small files have been placed together in folders to best utilise space. A series arrangement has been imposed on the 1992 instalment. The substantial subject files and photographs have separate alphabetical sequences (Series 1 and 4), supplemented by smaller series such as that comprising letters found by University staff inside Clune's books (Series 3). Small additions received in the 1980s and 1990s have been shelved in no particular order and folders have not been numbered.
For the most part, Clune's own file labels have been used as the basis for the list. For example, 'New Guinea' has been used rather than 'Papua New Guinea'. Clune's spelling and terminology is idiosyncratic; incorrect words or facts have been corrected for the sake of clarity.
An index to the subject files in both major components forms an Appendix.
Because there are two sequences of folder/piece numbers, it is necessary to cite both box and folder number when requesting material.
Bibliography
Autobiographies: Try anything once (1933); Pacific parade (1945); Try nothing twice (1946); Korean diary (1955). Biographies: Chinese Morrison (1941); The Viking of Van Diemen's land: the stormy life of Jorgen Jorgensen (1954); Martin Cash: the last of the Tasmanian bushrangers (1956); Ned Kelly's last stand (1969). History: Wild Colonial boys (1952); Search for the golden fleece: the story of the Peppin merino (1965); The Norfolk Island story (1967); The Scottish Martyrs: their trials and transportation to Botany Bay (1969). Exploration: Dig: a drama of central Australia (1937); Last of the Australian explorers : the story of Donald Mackay (1942); Burke and Wills (1971). Historical novels: Dark outlaw (1945) - about the bushranger Frank Gardiner; Ben Hall the bushranger (1947). Travel: Rolling down the Lachlan (1935); Roaming round the Darling (1936); Prowling through Papua (1942); High-ho to London (1948); Journey to Pitcairn (1966).
Biographical Note
Born in Darlinghurst, Sydney, on 27 November 1893 of Irish descent, Frank Clune was a popular author who produced fifty-nine books, wrote prolifically for magazines such as Smith's weekly and gave regular radio broadcasts. Most were on travel or historical subjects. Explorers, murderers and bushrangers were favourites among these. His first book was the autobiographical Try anything once (1933). Later he published Try nothing twice: the story of two dozen jobs (1946). Through his easy style, Clune introduced to ordinary Australians the legendary figures of their country's past.
Educated in Sydney, Francis Patrick Clune left home at the age of 14 and travelled widely on sea and land within Australia, France, Belgium, the USA and Canada. He claimed to have had twenty-five different jobs by the age of 17. After joining the United States Army in Kansas in 1911, Clune deserted, became a seaman and then enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915. He was wounded at Gallipoli and invalided home. Pursuing a number of occupations throughout his early life, Clune was at various items a fireman, recruiting sergeant, concert balladist, steward, vaudeville artist and salesman.
In 1916 he married Maud Roy, from whom he was divorced in 1920. His second marriage, in 1923, was to Thelma Smith, who became a noted artist and proprietor of an art gallery. They had two sons, Terrence and Anthony.
Clune settled into an accounting career. His tax consultancy was established in 1924 and Clune Accounting Systems Ltd was registered in 1928. While recuperating from an illness, he wrote an account of his travels, called Try anything once (published 1933). This was the beginning of a writing career which produced over sixty books between 1934 and 1971. His rough-and-ready prose style, combined with historical detail and contemporary political comment, appealed to ordinary Australians in the age before television. Much of his research was supported by a vast library of Australiana, which was later acquired by the library of the University of New South Wales. P.R. Stephensen collaborated with Clune, to the extent of writing many of the books, based on Clune's diaries, correspondence, historical research and other raw material.
Branching out into journalism in the 1930s and 1940s, Clune gave radio talks on the ABC, as well as writing for newspapers and magazines. His regular program on the ABC between 1945 and 1957 was 'Roaming round Australia'.
Clune's writings, with their catchy, alliterative titles, often mixed fact and fiction and took liberties with the evidence. Despite being widely disparaged for his interpretation of history and for his 'slangy' style, he had a strong following. He once explained 'I am not writing for intellectuals but for the great mass of people. I want to tell them of the country they live in'. Indeed, readers such as Thomas Keneally were inspired to explore topics more deeply after early exposure to some of Clune's popular works.
Frank Clune was appointed OBE in 1967. He died in Sydney on 11 March 1971, aged 78. He was survived by his wife and two sons.
References: Australian dictionary of biography, Volume 13; Oxford companion to Australian literature (Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1994
Item Descriptions
Series. Detailed Inventory of Boxes 1-86
A typical file in this alphabetical sequence includes copies of research material (taken from books, articles and primary sources), press cuttings, notes and letters seeking information from librarians, archivists and descendants of the person Clune was researching. Sometimes there are also drafts of the works he wrote based on his research, but the great bulk of the contents of the subject files is not original.
John Lang - author. Reverend John Dunmore Lang. - cleric, writer, traveller, statesman, 'pioneer of democracy in Australia'. (File 1) - Box 1
Dias cross (Bartholomew Dias cross, placed on False Island, Alexandria district (Western Australia) to claim Portuguese discovery of the land) (File 2_3) - Box 1
Michael Dwyer, ex-convict - book by John Thomas Campion and notes on Irish convicts and pioneers of Australia (File 4_5) - Box 1
John Grant, 1793-1866, convict and grazier (File 6_7) - Box 2
Convicted of shooting a solicitor named Townsend who forbade Grant to see his fiancée; Brought attention to the cruelty of the penal system
John Grant (2) (draft of 'Tipperary John Grant from Clonmel to Cox's River' a memoir by Frank Clune, 1965) (File 8) - Box 2
Dr Alexander George Findlay, geographer and hydrographer, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society - notes on various islands (File 9_10) - Box 2
Bishop Jean Baptiste Francois Pompallier. Early history of the Catholic Church in Oceania (File 9_10) - Box 2
Lieut. George Mortimer - notes and observations made during a voyage in the Mercury (File 9_10) - Box 2
Dutch press cuttings (from the Clunes's trip to the Netherlands, March/April 1952) (File 16_17) - Box 3
Cutlack's aerial expedition (diaries, Oct Nov 1939) (File 18) - Box 4
Morley Cutlack journeyed to Ayers Rock.
Nicholas Devine (Newtown). Chief Superintendent of convicts at Sydney Cove, solicitor (File 25) - Box 5
Booklets, map, photographs: Hartley village, Kanimbla Valley; Bowenfels; Megalong (all NSW) (File 29) - Box 5
Correspondence with Trans Australian Airlines and John Meeking; Articles for TransAir (File 47_48) - Box 8
Material for 'In search of the golden fleece'; Wills Family, 1821-1840; Wills Family 1841-1859 (File 51) - Box 9
Talks in the 'Try anything once' series on ABC radio (File 61_62) - Box 11
Including cuttings, correspondence and photographs, 1933-40 and 1965; Book The old sixteenth, being a record of the 16th battalion A.I.F. during the Great War 1914-1918 by Captain C. Longmore.
Pamphlets, correspondence, diary transcript, Tales from Arnhem Land by Ann E. Wells (Sydney : Angus and Robertson, 1959) (File 66_67) - Box 12
Recollections of an Australian squatter, or, Leaves from my journal since 1835 by W.A. Brodribb (photocopy) (File 68) - Box 12
Brodribb led the second overlanding party to Melbourne, arriving 1837
Bully Hayes, notorious American sea captain and blackbirder. Known as the last of the pirates - notes and photographs (File 71) - Box 12
Guardian, ship, commanded by Lieutenant Riou, bound for Botany Bay in 1789; hit iceberg off the Cape of Good Hope, 1790 (File 72) - Box 12
Reliance and Supply, ships sent to Cape of Good Hope to stock colony with livestock (File 72) - Box 12
The voyage of Pedro Alvares Cabral to Brazil and India (Works issued by The Hakluyt Society) (photocopy) (File 73) - Box 12
The life and times of Sir Richard Dry, eminent Tasmanian statesman by A.D. Baker (Hobart : Oldham, Beddome Meredith, 1951) (File 74_76) - Box 13
The life and times of Fray Junipero Serra, O.F.M., or, The man who never turned back (1713-1784) Vol. 2. (Washington, D.C. : Academy of American Franciscan History, 1959) (File 79_80) - Box 14
Rev. Fr. Fermin Francisco de Lasuen. Missionary, founder of Santa Barbara Mission in South California (File 79_80) - Box 14
William R. Govett (Assistant Surveyor for N.S.W.) - Govett's Leap, Blue Mountains (File 81) - Box 14
Arthur Ranken. Ranken and James Sloan were the first white settlers around North Logan area of Lachlan River (File 81) - Box 14
Californian Missions: San Carlos de Borrromeo in Carmel, Monterey Peninsula; Mission Dolores; Mission San Francisco de Asis ; Mission San Gabriel, LA; Santa Clara. (File 85) - Box 15
Reform Bill, UK, 1832. Information about the government of England before and after the Reform Bill (File 86) - Box 15
English historical documents, 1783-1832. Edited by A. Aspinall and E. Anthony Smith (File 86) - Box 15
Henry Brougham, Later Lord Chancellor of England in government formed by Lord Grey on request of William IV (File 86) - Box 15
The secret history of the Coningham case by 'Zero' (Sydney : Finn Brothers, 1901) (File 89) - Box 15
Thomas Cooke, author of The exile's lamentations. (File 90_91) - Box 16
Convicted of writing threatening letters, forgery, sent to Norfolk Island; copies of original documents and transcripts.
Three lectures on Sydney given by Clune on behalf of Mainline Tourist Promotions, February 1970 (File 92) - Box 16
Serenade to Sydney : some historical landmarks / Frank Clune (Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1967) (File 92) - Box 16
The Stuarts : a study in English kingship / J.P. Kenyon (London : Batsford, 1958) (File 95) - Box 17
William Cobbett (File 96) - Box 17
Rural rides / William Cobbett ; edited with notes and an introduction by E.W. Martin (London : Macdonald, 1958)
Sydney Harbour by P.R. Stephensen (Adelaide, Rigby, 1966) (File 99_100) - Box 17
Drafts of chapters 14-22, which completed P.R. Stephensen's book after his death
Walsh-Pitman Murders (Joseph Walsh and Alex Pitman, policemen). William Coulter and Philip Treffene were convicted of their murder in 1926 (File 101) - Box 18
John 'Rocky' Whelan, convicted and executed of killing at least 12 men in five weeks, 1855 (File 101) - Box 18
Modesto Varischetti, Italian miner trapped in 'Westralia' mine by Floodwaters (File 101) - Box 18
Rescued by deep sea diver named Hughes.
Truth: Land scandals. Patrick William Crick, solicitor, politician, Minister for the Crown, race-horse owner, punter Involved in court case about land scandals at turn of twentieth century (File 102_103) - Box 18
Robert Lowe, Viscount Sherbrooke, retained for the defence in the Knatchbull Trial, 1844 (File 104_105) - Box 18
Alex Lockaye, aka William Edwards, Loo Kay or Loo Kaye, convicted at Gloucester in 1819 (File 106_107) - Box 18
Captain John Piper (File 108) - Box 19
Commandant of Norfolk Island, later one of the wealthiest landowners, bankers and sportsmen of Australia.
Captain John Palmer, Edward Riley Family, Mrs Ann Riley (File 108) - Box 19
Palmer was purser on the Sirius, last surviving member of the First Fleet.
George Barrington, also known as George Waldron. 'Convict, informer, author and wild Irishman' (File 118_119) - Box 20
Major Francis Grose. Formed the NSW Corps, governed Sydney for two years after Phillip (File 118_119) - Box 20
Bloemfontein, judicial capital of South Africa, Capital of the Orange Free State (File 120) - Box 20
Simeon Lord, convict who became 'merchant prince' and pioneer of Australian industry (File 121) - Box 21
Henry Kable, convict on First Fleet (File 121) - Box 21
Carried Governor Phillip on his shoulders from boat to dry land, making Kable the first white man to step ashore at Sydney Cove
John Black, Capt. Went down with the Fly on her voyage from Calcutta to Sydney, 1802 (File 121) - Box 21
Edward Simeon Black, son of John Henry Black, who was the adopted son of Simeon Lord (File 121) - Box 21
Rebecca Oakes, aka Frances Small (File 121) - Box 21
First white girl- second white child - born in colony. Later married Frank Oakes, missionary, settled in Australia. Father was John Small.
John Small, convict known as 'The Sergeant'. Selected on arrival in Australia as personal attendant to Governor Phillip (File 121) - Box 21
Roy de Mestre (File 121) - Box 21
Great-grandson of Edward, Duke of Kent (Queen Victoria's father) and Julie de Mestre, widow of the Baron de Fortisson, Jean Charles de Mestre
Gorgon, ship - voyage around the world, commanded by Captain John Parker, commander of Gorgon, and wife Ann Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (File 123) - Box 21
Jorgen Jorgensen, member of crew on brig Harbinger on second voyage through Bass Strait. Author of A shred of autobiography (File 127_8) - Box 22
Alejandro Malaspina (Captain of the Astrea) and José Bustamante. (File 130) - Box 22
Conceived idea of large scale scientific exploratory enterprise around the world
Lieut. J. Shillibeer, 1814 (File 132) - Box 22
Extract from A narrative of the Briton's voyage to Pitcairn Island
Jenny's story, 1819 (File 132) - Box 22
Jenny Martin was wife of Isaac Martin, one of the Bounty mutineers
Staniforth Ricketson. Great grandson of Amy Staniforth. Amy Staniforth. Poet, wrote Australia and other poems. (File 138) - Box 23
'Barratta' Station, NSW. Merino stud originally owned by Ben Boyd, who founded Boydtown at Twofold Bay (File 138) - Box 23
Neptune Newcombe Blood, captain in Australian New Guinea Administration Unit, the wartime control in New Guinea (File 138) - Box 23
Jonathan Binns Were. First Justice of the Peace, Port Phillip district, first Member returned for Brighton to the Victorian Legislative Assembly. Chairman of first stock exchange established Melbourne 1859 (File 138) - Box 23
Sydney Harbour: Kirribilli, Admiralty House, Kirribilli House, Royal Yacht Squadron, Anniversary Regatta (File 140) - Box 24
Sydney Harbour: Archibald Mosman, Mosman Municipality, Cremorne, James Robertson, Neutral Bay, Manly, notes on the history of Milson's Point and James Milson (File 141) - Box 24
Webster's journal - 'Cruise of The Wanderer'. John Webster sailed with Ben Boyd. Discovered the Edward River, NSW (File 145) - Box 24
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowships; Immigration, non-European entry to Australia, White Australia Policy (File 146) - Box 25
'Dig', 'Kelly Hunters', 'The Kelly Gang' etc. (films) (File 148) - Box 25
Anthony Quayle. A.D. Peters, literary agent, London - correspondence, 1956-57
Narrative of William Noah in the Hillsborough, 1798-99 (File 151_2) - Box 25
Typescript. Convict ship, later used as floating prison ship. Noah's death sentence for burglary was commuted to transportation.
Sir John Franklin, Governor of Tasmania. Later commanded an expedition to seek the North West Passage. Died in the Arctic. (File 153_154) - Box 26
Snowy Mountains trip, 1958, via Canberra; Cooma, Alpine Way, NSW; Corryong, Omeo etc. (File 156_157) - Box 26
Eliza Forlonge and Janet Templeton (pastoral pioneers) (File 164_166) - Box 28
Mrs Forlonge, with her mother Janet Templeton, imported the first fine wool sheep to Victoria.
ABC Short Stories (File 168) - Box 28
Correspondence from the ABC concerning talks by Clune on Radio 2BL. Story by Clune in Short story magazine, On. 43, 1948
James W. Lewis. Government surveyor, second-in-command of Colonel Warburton's expedition of 1873; died 1881 (File 172) - Box 29
John Boston, Scottish Martyr. Brewed Australia's first beer; came to Australia as settler with wife and three children, 1794 (File 178_179) - Box 30
James Wilson, journal of voyage of Captain Wilson when he was engaged in the wars of the East Indies, 1796-1800 (File 178_179) - Box 30
Mangareva, Polynesia. Mangareva was written by R.I. Eskridge and published in 1931 (File 182) - Box 31
Josiah Knowles. Captain of the Wild Wave, 1858, and one of San Francisco's greatest seafarers (File 183) - Box 31
Chatham Isles, Pitt Isles, Bounty Isles. Chatham Exiles, written by F.R. Simpson (File 184) - Box 31
Port Kembla, NSW; Kiama, NSW; Nowra, NSW; Shoalhaven River, NSW; Alexander Berry (File 188) - Box 32
Eden, NSW; Bateman's Bay, NSW; Bega, NSW; Bermagui, NSW; Jervis Bay, NSW; Benjamin Boyd (File 189a) - Box 32
Shoalhaven, NSW; Wattamolla, NSW; Nowra, NSW; National Park, NSW; Wreck of Sydney Cove; Boyd Massacre (File 190) - Box 32
Charles Chewings; W.C. Gosse explorations, 1873; J.E. Tregurtha. Prospector from Coolgardie, 1897 (File 194) - Box 33
Ernest Giles. Searched for an overland route from Charlotte Waters; to Perth, 1872; Baron von Mueller, died 1896; Edward J. Eyre, Overland, 1841 - journal of expedition into; Central Australia, 1841 (File 196) - Box 33
Allan Cunningham's journal; Nichol Bay District, WA; Roebourne, WA; Ernest Favenc, July 1878 (see also Prout Brothers) - notes on his book; History of Australian Exploration; A.C. Gregory, 1855-56 (File 197) - Box 33
'Chronicles of Chaplain Thomas Rogers', edited by his grandson, W.F. Rogers in 1840s; Thomas Jones (convict) (File 198) - Box 34
William Redfern. Ex-convict, doctor. Redfern (Sydney) named; after him - notes (File 203_204) - Box 35
Pittwater, Newport, Mona Vale, Concord, Hunters Hill, Parramatta; Bridge over Parramatta River (File 205) - Box 35
Pymble, North Sydney; Ball's Point, NSW; David Blackburn; Quarantine. Outbreak of 'Faraway' and smallpox, 1881-82 (File 206) - Box 35
Robert Burns - photographs; Thomas Muir; South Moluccas; Queen Anne Book News (Angus and Robertson) 1968 Stamps: small collection belonging to Clune (File 211) - Box 36
Father Junipero Serra; Sir Francis Drake; Captain Ebenezer Dorr; William Pitt. Portrait from a painting by T. Gainsborough, in the possession of the Earl of Rosebery (File 212) - Box 36
Lord Henry Cockburn, Maurice Margarot, Mary Wollstonecraft, Joseph Gerrald, John Hunter, Matthew Flinders, T.F. Palmer, Assistant, Providence (ships), William Haswell's voyage on Lydia to the Marianna Islands, Tahiti - photographs of natives in canoes (File 213) - Box 36
Articles and short stories by Frank Clune: 'A Man of Taste', 'Saltbush Saga', 'Gored by a Bull', 'The Red Bull's Revenge', 'The Liar', 'Case of the Sky Diamonds', 'Fire in the Savannah', 'Pearler Down a Goldmine', 'The Sacred Nugget of Kanowna', 'Flowering Desert in the West', 'The Hanging of Hagen', 'A Wild Colonial Boy', 'Wild White Men and Women', 'Hiroshima','Billycan Cattle King', 'The Bunyip's Skull'; Man Magazine; Jack Atkins - correspondence, 1955-56 (File 215_16) - Box 37
Ned Kelly; Thomas Jeffries, murderer. Sentenced to life imprisonment in; Launceston (File 217) - Box 37
Rev. Thomas Atkins. Chaplain at Penal Settlement, Norfolk Island; Major Joseph Anderson (File 228) - Box 39
Michael Hayes. Transported from Ireland in 1799 for complicity in the; 1798 rebellion (File 235) - Box 40
George Peppin and family. Diary of George Peppin Jnr, 1859, also Peppin Family notes (File 236_237) - Box 40
Captain James Wilson. Memoirs, containing an account of his enterprises and sufferings in India (File 241) - Box 41
London Missionary Society; Captain James Wilson of the Duff, 'the Mayflower of the Pacific' First mission ship to sail the Pacific, 1796 (File 242) - Box 41
Thomas Walker. Life story, also copy of his book A month in the bush of Australia; Rev. Joseph Docker; Mary Jane Docker - journal of an overland journey from Botany Bay to Port Phillip in 1838 (File 243) - Box 41
William Charles Wentworth and Wentworth Family; D'Arcy Wentworth; Frederick Walker - founder of the Black Police of Queensland; Henry O'Brien (File 244) - Box 41
'Queensland Unlimited'. Never published - photographs and correspondence, 1954, 1959 (File 248_251) - Box 42
Robert Campbell. First private merchant, 'Father of Australian Commerce', arrived in Sydney 10 June 1798 at the age of 29. (File 257) - Box 43
Canadian Exiles, including Louis Joseph Papineau - notes, clippings and 'Journal of a Political Exile in Australia' (File 257) - Box 43
Bartholomew Dias and John Davis. Notes on Dias (voyage 1482-88) and on the life of Davis the navigator (File 260) - Box 44
Henry Francis Fynn [sic], born 1803 - diary compiled from original sources and edited by James Stuart (File 262) - Box 44
W. Ullathorne; John McEncroe; Monsignor John Cullen - short articles 'Pastor of Nottingham', 'Paradise lost', 'A Friend in Need', 'The Charity of Christ'; Thomas Saulsby Wright. Convict on Norfolk Island. Died at 105. Robert William Willson. First Bishop of Hobart Town, died 1886 (File 263_264) - Box 44
Ethiopia. War between Italy and Ethiopia, 1937 - notes, pamphlets, clippings (File 265_266) - Box 44
Mary Bryant, convict and wife of Henry Bryant, who was transported in the first fleet for assisting smugglers; Lord Braxfield, Scottish judge (File 269) - Box 45
Tom Turner (McLaren Vale, SA). Died 1960. Had collection of cuttings about the Northern Territory - correspondence about him Andrew Thompson. Owned the largest wheatfields in the Hawkesbury area, 1773-1810 (File 275) - Box 46
Father John Therry Charles Throsby. Barrister, son of Charles Throsby, died at Glenfield near Liverpool on 9 March 1859 (File 276) - Box 46
Sydney: Circular Quay, Cadman's Cottage, bridges, inns, Bond Stores, Maritime Services, Robert Campbell (File 277) - Box 46
Sydney - Islands: Fort Denison, Garden Island, Cockatoo Island, Goat Island, Shark and Clark Islands (File 278) - Box 46
St Ignatius College; William Gore, d. 1845. Sydney's Chief of Police for 14 years; John James Farrell. Would-be assassin of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, first member of the Royal Family to visit Australia, 12 March 1868 (File 279) - Box 46
George Lavender. Married Billy Blue's daughter, Lavender Bay named after him; Billy Blue. Native of Jamaica, arrived in Sydney 1817. Blues Point named after him (File 280) - Box 46
Yalata Aboriginal Reserve; C.T. Madigan - narrative of the Simpson Desert expedition, 1939; W.H. Tietkens - journal of his expedition to Central Australia; G.W. Symes. Explored the Macdonnell Ranges; W.W. Mills (File 286) - Box 48
Horn Expedition, 1894; C.T. Winnecke. Explored from Alice Springs to the Herbert River and Tennant Creek (Horn Expedition); John McDouall Stuart (File 288) - Box 48
Joseph Holt, general in the Irish army - notes; George Howe, first government printer of NSW - notes (File 290) - Box 48
George Howe; Three bees, ship. Involved in one of two sensational incidents in the early chronicles of Sydney (File 291) - Box 48
Overland Telegraph; John Forrest; James Lewis; H. Barclay McPherson - explorations in Northern Territory. Gregory boab tree journey, 1855-56; Edward A. Colson; Captain Charles Sturt; George Edginton - photograph of him at his home in Alice Springs; Tennant Creek, NT; J. McDouall Stuart. First overlander between Adelaide and the Arafura Sea; Alice Springs, NT - photographs; Edward John Eyre. First man to explore the salt lakes of Central Australia; W.C. Gosse. Explored Central and Western Australia, 1873; Donald Mackay - photographs of Mackay Expedition to Central Australia (File 294) - Box 49
Darwin, NT; Adelaide, SA; Daisy Bates; Captain Phillip Parker King; David Carnegie; Ernest Giles; Frank Hann. Explorer , pioneer pastoralist, mainly in WA.; Ion Idriess and Frank Clune; W. Carr-Boyd; Alfred Giles (File 295) - Box 49
Morley Cutlack's Expedition 1939 - clippings and notes, also Clune's diary of the expedition; Clune's diary of Cutlack's aerial expedition, 1939 (File 301_302) - Box 50
Trial of Thomas Hardy. Arrested on false charge of high treason, w May 1794 - memoirs (File 305_307) - Box 51
James Bendrodt. Well-known animal-lover, sailor, soldier, actor, lumberjack, dancer, skater, radio star, restaurant owner - notes, clippings and photographs (File 308_309) - Box 51
Thomas Francis Meagher - speeches and writings by Captain W.F. Lyons on Meagher's career (File 317) - Box 53
Success, convict hulk - history of the vessel and its prisoners; Joseph Sudds. Formerly private of the 57th Regiment, later convict; Patrick Thompson. Formerly private of the 47th Regiment, later convict (File 318_319) - Box 53
Bank robbery, Sydney, 4 December 1828; John Blackston, bank robber; Jewboy (Edward Davis, bushranger); George Comerford, murderer of seven people, sentenced to death 1837 (File 337) - Box 56
Nat Buchanan - notes and stories about early cattle droving in the Kimberleys and NT (File 339) - Box 57
Papers - letters, cuttings (main correspondent P.R. Stephensen); Editor for Clune, 1942-63, including Puzzled Patriots, 1945-1968 (File 344_349) - Box 58-59
William Bligh and Bounty Santa Claus Club. Club started by Clune to bring Christmas to Pitcairn Island (File 358_359) - Box 61
Try anything once: autobiography of a wanderer (1933) - miscellaneous papers (File 366_367) - Box 62
Articles or short stories by Frank Clune: 'The Forlorn Hope', 'Greatest Liar on Earth', 'Captain Starlight', 'Goodbye Mick Considine', 'Colsons Crossing', 'Read or Dead', 'Lasseter's Ghost', 'Blood on the Spinifex', 'Murder in the Stone Age', 'Skeletons in the sand', 'Burke and Wills', 'The Man Who Found Leichhardt' (File 417) - Box 68
John Grant. Convict and grazier, 1793-1866. Convicted of shooting a solicitor named Townsend who forbade Grant to see his fiancee. Brought attention to the cruelty of the penal system. (File 423) - Box 70
A Tale of Tahiti - draft. 'Over the Coral Sea via Fiji and Samoa to Gaugin's Glamorous Isle, with Frank Clune' (File 424) - Box 70
The Trial of William Redfern - draft and photographs. Also Mutiny on the Nore (File 425_426) - Box 70
Diary No. 3 - world tour, 1967. First journey for The World Encompassed. Begins on 10 June 1967 at Kenya Airport and finishes In Sydney o 19 June 1967 (File 435) - Box 71
Irish Exiles. Tracks of Irish exiles in Australia - 'The Men of 98'; Robert Emmet, 1778-1803 - notes on his life and death (File 459) - Box 76
William and Catherine Davis. Notes, as well as marriage, birth and baptismal certificates (File 464) - Box 76
Clune's diary No. 2, 1961; Blackall Shire Council, Qld - pamphlet; Berrimah Training Centre, NT (File 476) - Box 79
Broadcasts, 1956 - 'Castles in Spain', 'Brussels in Belgium', 'Glorious Geneva', 'A Trip to Iceland', 'Adventures in Antwerp', 'Dutch costumes', diary 1-4, tour of New Zealand, 1956. Warakei to Christchurch 9-28 February; Christchurch to Timaru 28 February to 7 March; Tiamru to Auckland, 7 to 30 March, then to Tahiti 18 April. Journey continues to Auckland. (File 479) - Box 79
Fortune Hunters' Syndicate. Notes and clippings of Clune's 15,000 mile trip around Australia, including Coober Pedy opal mining; Articles for The Accelerator; Articles on Clune's Australian travels (File 482_483) - Box 80
Moulamein, NSW; David Dickinson Mann. Tried at Middlesex Sessions in 1798 and sentenced to death for forgery; William Maum, Norfolk Island (File 484) - Box 80
Mansfield Cemetery, Vic; Devils River, Vic. Hunter Brothers - notes; Augustus Morris. Born Tasmania 1820, died 1895 - clippings, notes, photographs (File 485) - Box 80
Camden Park Estate, NSW. Australia's oldest pastoral property; Jerilderie, NSW - notes and pamphlets; McCaughey Memorial Institute, established June 1845. (File 486) - Box 80
James Tyson. Australia's richest man - article by Clune; Samuel Terry. Businessman. Notes, certificates (File 500) - Box 83
Charles Tompson [sic], 1846-83; Andrew Thompson. Founder of Green Hills, near Windsor; John Tennant. Bushranger (File 501) - Box 83
Norfolk Island - convict outbreak, 1846 - report on trial by Judge Fielding Browne (File 506) - Box 84
Bounty mutiny - mutineers and their descendants on Pitcairn and Norfolk Islands (File 508_509) - Box 84
This age of oil - history of petroleum industry in Australia. Published by Petrol Information Bureau (Aust.), 1960; A history of the petroleum industry in Australia (book) (File 511) - Box 85
William Henry Barber. Transported for life for forging a will, 1840s; Norfolk Island (File 512_513) - Box 85
Series. Additions, October 1985
Clune, Frank. Chinese Morrison. Melbourne, The Bread and Cheese Club, 1941. Inscribed, with press clippings and photographic silhouette pasted inside front cover. (File) - Box 87
Clune, Frank. Why gather moss? Sydney, Angus and Robertson, 1940. Inscribed, with press cuttings pasted inside front cover. (File) - Box 87
Clune, George, and Power, John F. Easy come, easy go. Allied Authors and Artists. Inscribed. (File) - Box 87
Zimmerman (ed.). Zwerftochen (Dutch: Wanderings). Translation of Frank Clune's Try anything once. Batavia, Vitgave-Unie Bibliotheck, 1941 (File) - Box 87
A noose for Ned. Reprint of a very rare pamphlet with a foreword by Frank Clune. Melbourne, Hawthorn Press Melbourne. Inscribed (cover made by prisoners at Berrima Gaol - leather) (File) - Box 87
Jericho Family register, 1854-1970. Compiled by M.G. Johnson. Original work by J. Jericho (File) - Box 87
Clune, Frank. Korean diary. Typescript 'A journey to Japan and Korea in 1950', Angus and Robertson, 1950 (File) - Box 87
Clune, Frank. 'A soldier's letter home' in Despatch, monthly journal of the NSW Military History Society, page 139 (File) - Box 87
Clune, Frank and P.R. Stephensen. 'The pirates of the brig Cyprus' in Reader's digest, May 1983, Book Section, page 155 (File) - Box 87
Draft prospectus of Clune Accounting Systems Ltd; Memorandum and Articles of Association of Clune Accounting Systems Ltd; Revised page of Sydney gazette, 25 December 1803; Sheet of letter-headed writing paper which lists all Clune's books; Fake menu for dinner for Frank Clune to celebrate publication of his 94th book, The ashes of Hiroshima. Melbourne, Hotel Lonsdale, 14 November 1950 (File 519) - Box 88
Mock theatre program: 'Signor John Gartner presents Francesco Clune in the great Spanish Extravaganza'; Castles in Spain' or 'A little bull goes a long way'. 1 September 1952, Tattershall's Hotel, Melbourne; Souvenir: Dinner to celebrate publication of Land of hope and glory by Frank Clune, Tuesday 15 November 1949, Hotel Lonsdale, Melbourne; Card inscribed 'Dedicated to my noble friend Frank Clune without permission, John Gartner' (File 519) - Box 88
Newspaper article - book review of Clune's Scandals of Sydney Town, in Daily telegraph, 14 September 1957; Photograph of Frank Clune and Thelma Clune; Medals belonging to Major F. Clune (File 519) - Box 88
'Contracts - mostly Angus and Robertson' (File 520_522) - Box 88
The contents of these three folders came from a blue binder (enclosed in Box 88 with folders).
Photograph of Frank and Thelma Clune meeting Pope Paul VI (n.d.), and Frank Clune with Cardinal Norman Gilroy (1968) (File 521) - Box 88
'Angus and Robertson - General file' (File 523_526) - Box 89
The contents of these four folders were taken from and orange binder (enclosed in Box 89 with folders).
'Angus and Robertson - Royalties, royalty statements 1931' (File 527_529) - Box 90
The contents of these three folders were taken from a red tie binder (enclosed in Box 90)
Papers (File 530_532) - Box 90
The contents of these three folders were taken from the blue folder marked '1968' (enclosed in Box 91)
The contents of these six folders were taken from a pack of papers bound together with a cotton strap and have a general theme of Australian bushrangers (File 533_538) - Box 91
Biographical material on Patrick Curran and Ben Hall. Paddy Curran was an associate of William Westwood (Jacky Jacky). (File 533) - Box 91
Correspondence, newspaper clippings and photographs relating to bushrangers, 1937-47; 1973 (several undated items) (File 535) - Box 91
Blue folder titled 'Wild colonial boys photos, drawings etc' Printed booklet: Colt: a century of achievement, 1836-1936. Colt's 100th anniversary firearms manual (File 538) - Box 92
Memorandum and Articles of Association of Clune Accounting Systems Ltd; share certificates No. 30 and 31 (Added 17/5/95_ (File 539) - Box 92
The wonderful adventures of Ludo, the little green duck - children's book belonging to Clune's son, Anthony. (File 539) - Box 92
Ben Hall's revolver, ca. 1850 (Item) - Folio-Box (No. ?)
Now located at PIC OBJ A40009084 LOC MS SR. According to Tony Clune, the provenance of the revolver is that whilst researching and writing the Ben Hall and Wild Colonial Boys books, Frank Clune met Henry Taylor, a grazier at Ford's Bridge, NSW. Taylor was a grandson of Jim Taylor who seduced Ben Hall's wife. Frank Clune purchased the revolver from Henry Taylor.
Series. Additions, 7 Nov 1995
Publishers' correspondence and agreements by Frank Clune and his executor, ca 1937-85 (4 folders). (File) - Box 94
Toby Magnusson, re translation of The Viking of Van Diemen's Land, 1990-92; includes copy of Myteriet på briggen Cyprus (The Pirates of the brig Cyprus, 1962). (File) - Box 94
Series. Additions, 8 December 1995
"Estate of F.P. Clune" : legal papers including copy of will, cuttings, receipts, bank statements, income tax returns, 1961-1973 (4 folders) (File) - Box 95
Papers concerning the Ned Kelly film (File) - Box 96
Papers given by Mrs Win Stephensen on 11 September 1965, including letters about the Ned Kelly film, and agreements between Clune and Percy Reginald Stephensen, 1962-63 (1 piece). Photos relating to Ned Kelly, a 13 p manuscript entitled Ben Hall, bushranger by Frank Clune, clippings and some correspondence, 1969-70 (1 piece). Papers relating to Karel Reisz and the Ned Kelly film, including correspondence, photos, and clippings concerning the making of the film, Karel Reisz and Albert Finney, 1962-63 (1 piece)
Series. Additions, 2 December 1996
Book posters; magazines including four copies of Frank Clune's Adventure Magazine, 1948 (vol.1 nos.1, 6, 7 & 8); copy of a letter from Frank Clune dated 9-3-1942 (original donated to the Australian War Memorial); letter re donation of a collection of Frank Clune's books, dated 2-10-1996.
Series. Description of Addition, 2 October 1992
This instalment (originally 35 cartons) was purchased by the Library from the University of New South Wales in 1992. The papers have been arranged in the following series: Subject files; Clune's newspaper columns; Letters and cuttings found in books; photographs, films and microfilms; Miscellaneous.
As with the earlier instalments, the predominant group is the subject files, which are arranged according to Clune's alphabetical sequence. Some files were bound by Clune slightly out of alphabetical sequence for convenience. Photographs which are integral to the subject files have been kept in Series 1; the remainder are in Series 4.
A typical file in this alphabetical sequence includes copies of research material (taken from books, articles and primary sources), press cuttings, notes and letters seeking information from librarians, archivists and descendants of the person Clune was researching. Sometimes there are also drafts of the works he wrote based on his research, but the great bulk of the contents of the subject files is not original.
Series 1. Subject files
Old Eugowra, by E.C. Allen: book printed by St Vincent's Boys' Home, Westmead, NSW, 1940 (File 161) - Box 126
William Easton: Report on the North Kimberley District of WA, 1921, bound, typed manuscript illustrated with photographs (File 162) - Box 126
Frank Clune: 'Flying Dutchmen', subtitled 'Rambling around Holland" narrative of an expedition of discovery from Australia to the Netherlands with the Flying Dutchmen'. Typescript. (File 163) - Box 126
Fairfax [John Fairfax paper store at Pyrmont, also Simeon Lord, ancestor of the Fairfaxes] (File 175) - Box 128
George and Murray Expedition [F.R. George, George Edington, L.A. Wells, W.R. Murray] (File 190) - Box 131
Geographical journal [reprints from Oceania, The Australian geographer, The geographical journal] (File 202) - Box 132
S. Hack's journal; John Ainsworth Horrocks' journal; John Harris, Ultimo, NSW; Hancock's Tower [Robert Hancock] (File 231) - Box 137
Jorgen Jorgensen [manuscript draft]: 'Original prize text, rejected for prize by ABC for publication' (File 235_236) - Box 137
Leslie McArthur, George Mackillop, Maneroo Qld, Angus McMillan, Gippsland explorations (File 376) - Box 159
Mourilyan and Innisfail, Qld; Murrumburrah, NSW; Marulan, NSW; Mittagong and Moss Vale, NSW (File 381) - Box 160
Series 3. Letters and cuttings found in books
Staff of the University of New South Wales Library extracted enclosures from the books acquired from Clune and placed them in envelopes annotated with the bibliographic details of the relevant book. Most of the enclosures are letters and cuttings.
Series 4. Photographs, films, microfilms
Clune collected thousands of photographs. They range from original images taken by Clune on his many travels, to copies of published illustrations and texts gathered during his research. Clune placed them in titled envelopes, which are now brittle. Some of the photographs are also in poor condition. The contents of the envelopes have been placed in individual archival plastic bags with their original titles, and arranged in alphabetical order. Sometimes two or three subjects occupy one plastic bag. A large proportion of the photographs are not identified or dated beyond the details given on the packets and non-Australian images abound. Where the packet was found to contain written material and newsprint photographs, this extra material has been kept intact with the accompanying photographs.
See also Series 1 for additional images which were housed by Clune in 'bound volume' format.
The series also comprises small flat boxes (also brittle) containing prints or rolls of developed film, and unidentified microfilm reels.
Ayr, Qld; Atherton, Qld; Adelaide, SA; Angkor Wat; Abrolhos; Australian coast; Alice Springs, NT; Aquaplaning - Barrier Reef; Arnhem Land, NT (File) - Box 215
Bahrain; Baghdad; Basra; Bathurst Island; Batavia River Flight; Blaxland; Broken Hill, NSW; Borobudur and Prambanan; Ballarat; Brisbane, Qld; Broome Pearls and Beagle Bay, WA; Bandoeng (File) - Box 216
Brisbane (cont.), Sir Joseph Banks; Bullfighting; Barron Falls; Bligh and Restoration Rock; Burke and Wills; Burma; Bundaberg, Qld; Bowen, Qld; Bali; Buitenzorg; Ba---[Asia?] (File) - Box 217
Clune Clan, 1905; Cairns, Qld; Calcutta; David Collins; Cardwell; James Cook - general; Cox's voyage - Van Diemen's Land; Cook-town to Townsville, Qld; Celebes; Canada and Korea; Dean Case; Darwin, NT; Darke's Monument; Drysdale River; Dunk Island (File) - Box 218
Dairen (Chine); Darling Trip; Elsey Cemetery - Mrs Gunn; English provinces; Egypt, Explorers, Europe (File) - Box 219
Eire; England; Formosa/Snowy River; [Namat Jira 1958?]; Falkiner; Alex Forrest; Matthew Flinders, Erroll Flynn (File) - Box 220
Green Island - Great Barrier Reef; Hsinking; Gladstone, Qld; Goolwa and Lake Bonney, SA; Gordon Vale, Qld; Gold mining(?); A.C. Gregory; Gold and Hargraves; Goaribari Village (Papua); Hume and Hovell; Holdsworthy; Hiroshima; S.C. Henty, Hagen (PNG) (File) - Box 221
India ('Song of India', see also Box 232); Iran; Indonesia; Ingham (Herbert River); Iceland/Spain (File) - Box 222
Ned Kelly; Kabul; Keijo; Kure; Kennedy Expedition; Kangaroo Island; KNILM [airline] and low pressure flying (File) - Box 225
Lindeman Island; Landsborough; Lachlan River; David Lindsay; London; Middle East; Moresby and New Guinea (File) - Box 226
Mourilyan; Muk Den (Manchurian Incident); John McKinlay; Malaya; Melbourne; Mossman and Port Douglas; Makassar and Celebes; Mt Isa to Katherine; Mount Gambier, SA; Thomas Mitchell; Murray River (File) - Box 228
Normanton and Burketown/Thursday Island - Gulf of Carpentaria; Norfolk Island, Nile from Malakal to Juba; New Guinea (File) - Box 229
Ormiston, ship; John Oxley and Allan Cunningham; Palm Islands, Portland, SA; Peking; Papua; Pnom Penh; Peshawar and Khyber Pass (File) - Box 231
Peron's voyage along coast of WA and Tasmania; Papua; Rockhampton, Qld; 'Song of India' (see also Box 222) (File) - Box 232
Scotland; Stuart; Sturt; Sydney to Brisbane; Saigon - general; Siam, Sugar; South Australia; Sourabaya, South Coast NSW; Sundries (File) - Box 233
Tasmanian tour, 1946 and 1955; Thursday Island to Cooktown; Thursday Island and Wandana Trip/Somerset and Jardines; Tokyo; Townsville and Magnetic Island; Tully, Qld; Tarakan (Borneo), Telefolmin; Tasmania, Thailand (see Siam) (File) - Box 235
Victor Harbour; Victoria - Rural; Victoria River; Victoria - unsorted; Western Australia Trip, 1945; Uganda; World Tour, 1967 (File) - Box 236
Mixed, miscellaneous and unidentified, including Holland/Belgium/Norway/Sweden Tour/Round Australia 1953; Photostats - various (File) - Box 237
Class. Consignment received 2022, 1915-2020
0.03 metres,Photocopies of correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, artwork, and family history, 1915-2020 (File 1 (MS Acc22.180)) - Box 241
0.03 metres,This file comprises photocopies of correspondence, newspaper clippings, black and white, and colour photographs, family history, and painted portraits and artwork (in particular photocopied portraits by William Dobell of Frank Clune and Thelma Clune, and by William Dargie of Western Arrernte artist Albert Namatjira). Also included are copies of correspondence relating to Frank Clune's publications, a copy of the letter Frank Clune wrote from Egypt as a soldier to his mother on the 20th of August 1915, and copies of his birth, marriage, and death certificates.