Guide to the Papers of Les Murray
MS 5332, MS Acc12.024, MS Acc22.060
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Les Murray
- Title
- Papers of Les Murray
- Date Range
- 1930-2022
- Collection Number
- MS 5332, MS Acc12.024, MS Acc22.060
- Extent
- 15.42 metres (62 ms boxes + 6 archives boxes +3 phase boxes + 1 medium folio box + 2 packets + 1 folder)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
MS 5332 comprises correspondence, drafts of most of his poems, newspaper cuttings, notes, drawings and printed material. Correspondents include: Ang Cheon Geok, Iain Bamforth, David Campbell, Gary Catalano, Hal Colebatch, Jennifer Compton, Bruce Dawe, Bob Ellis, Peter Goldsworthy, Alan Gould, Christopher Koch, Andrew Lansdown, Penelope Nelson, Robin Norling, Mark O'Connor, Geoff Page, Peter Porter, Philip Roberts, Myra Schneider, Douglas Stewart, Chris Wallace-Crabbe and Derek Whitelock.
The MS Acc12.024 instalment includes edited manuscript and typescript drafts of poems, cuttings about Murray together with reviews of his published works, and ephemera from literary events. The drafts of poems are interleaved with other papers throughout the installment, and are mostly undated. However, adjacent papers provide a possible date range. There is extensive correspondence with friends and colleagues, letters from readers, and general correspondence, mostly with people in the literary sphere including publishers, editors and coordinators of literary events. Correspondents include Peter Alexander, Gary Clark, Hal Colebatch, Asha Das, Suzanne Edgar, Thomas Eichhorn, John Foulcher, Ang Chin Geok, Thierry Gillyboeuf, Peter Goldsworthy, Alan Gould, Beverley Kingston, John Kinsella, Andrew Lansdown, Margitt Lehbert, Gwenyth Lewis, Morris Lurie, Dennis O'Driscoll, Geoff Page, Anuraag Sharma, Myra Schneider, Andrew Slattery, Barry Spurr, and John Whitworth.
The MS Acc22.060 instalment includes source material for Les Murray's posthumous work: Continuous Creation; Last Poems. The material is described on page xii of 'Continuous Creation' and includes 'The Great Books' - three large scrapbooks containing postcards, photographs, images, verse and other source material for his poetry. Also includes the contents of a large cardboard box in Murray's study at Bunyah, NSW which housed handwritten drafts of poems, correspondence, posters, and pictorial material.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1099918) 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 Les Murray, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file number]'.
Arrangement
The 2000 and 2003 additions to MS 5332 were arranged and described with the assistance of the Ray Mathew and Eva Kollsman Trust.
Collection retrieval advice
Please note: each class in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.
Finding aid source(s)
Please note: This finding aid contains descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.
Biographical / Historical
One of Australia's most respected and prolific poets, acclaimed both nationally and internationally. After publication of his first book of poetry in 1965, Murray has gone on to publish over 30 books of his work. He is one of Australia's most influential literary critics, a regular contributor of book reviews and literary articles to newspapers and journals, has acted as poetry reader for the publisher Angus & Robertson, was editor of Poetry Australia, and was literary editor of the journal Quadrant. Murray has won many literary awards, including the Grace Leven Prize (1980 and 1990), The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry (1984 and 1993), the Petrarch Prize (1995), the T.S. Eliot Award (1996) and the Queens Gold Medal for Poetry (1999, on the recommendation of Ted Hughes). In 1989 Murray was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.
Item Descriptions
Class MS 5332. Consignment added August 1981
Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies; Association for the Study of Australian Literature; Australia Council Literature Board (File 37) - Box 6
Bruce Dawe, Rosemary Dobson, Geoffrey Dutton, Michele Field, Gary Francis, Friday Club (File 40) - Box 6
X.J. Kennedy, King O'Malley Theatre Co. G. Kinross-Smith, Christopher Koch, Herbert Kuhner (File 44) - Box 6
Republican flag, Philip Roberts (Island Press), Roland Robinson, Judith Rodriguez, Bruce Clunies Ross (File 56) - Box 7
Scottish Arts Council, Scottish and English engagements, Mark Scrivener, Tom Shapcott, R.A. Simpson, Peter Skrzynecki (File 58) - Box 8
Class MS 5332. Consignment added October 1985
Class MS 5332. Consignment added July 1988
Miscellaneous papers, 1982-1986 (File 109) - Box 16
Includes: Newsclippings, publishers blurbs, invitations to book launches, agreements with publishers and printed items.
Miscellaneous papers, 1987-1988 (File 110) - Box 16
Includes: Newsclippings, reviews, Assessments of son Alexander, programmes of seminars, earnings/royalty statements and pamphlets.
Typescripts of articles and poems by Murray and other writers; Robert Crawford, Gerald Dawe, John Murray, Marlene Philip and Philip Hodgins (File 111) - Box 17
Handwritten and typescript drafts of poems published in The Daylight moon and The Idyll wheel (File 114_116) - Box 17
Photocopy of edited galley proofs for The New Oxford book of Australian verse, 1985 (File 119_121) - Box 18
Corrected typescripts of indexes for The New Oxford book of Australian verse, 1985 (File 122) - Box 18
Miscellaneous papers, 1977-1984 (File 123) - Box 18
Includes: Passport, issued 1977; 8 colour photos of portraits of Murray by Helen Potter; newsclippings, 1979-1984; agreements with A&R, 1982-1983; copy of paper by Peter Malone, 1984; and script of "I Own the racecourse"
Miscellaneous papers, 1985 (File 124) - Box 18
Includes: Papers by Bruce Clunies Ross and J Stewart Copenhagen; correspondence with A&R; newsclippings; invitations; earnings statements; and printed items.
Miscellaneous papers, 1986-1987 (File 125) - Box 18
Includes: Memorandums of agreements; newsclippings letters; invitations and earnings statements.
Miscellaneous papers, 1977-1984 (File 125a) - Box 19
Includes: Passport, issued 1977; 8 colour photos of portraits of Murray by Helen Potter; newsclippings, 1979-1984; agreements with A&R, 1982-1983; copy of paper by Peter Malone, 1984; and script of "I Own the racecourse"
Miscellaneous papers, 1985 (File 126) - Box 19
Includes: Papers by Bruce Clunies Ross and J Stewart Copenhagen; correspondence with A&R; newsclippings; invitations; earnings statements; and printed items.
Miscellaneous papers, 1982-1986 (File 127) - Box 19
Includes: Newsclippings; publishers blurbs; invitations: to book launches; agreements with publishers; and printed items.
Miscellaneous papers, 1986-1987 (File 128) - Box 19
Includes: Memorandums of agreements; newsclippings; letters; invitations and earnings statements.
Class MS 5332. Consignment added 1992
This consignment includes letters, drafts of poems (handwritten and typed), cuttings, reviews, leaflets, programs, certificates and numerous writings by others (submitted to Murray for appraisal). The date range for the whole group is 1988-1992.
While at first glimpse it may appear chaotic, the unsorted layers of correspondence interspersed with poems and other items reflect the succession of Murray's activities and creative impulses.
A pattern can be discerned: several letters will be followed by two or three roughly penned, annotated or patched-together drafts of poems. Occasionally there are also typed drafts (with headings, signatures and dates).
The impression gained after sifting through the entire sequence is that Murray reaches for a piece of paper and jots lines or notes while the inspiration is fresh. Sometimes the cardboard backs of notepads are used when paper runs out.
Because the intermixing of various genres of material reflects Murray's creative process, this consignment has been maintained in original (rough chronological) order from 1988 (Box 20) to 1992 (Box 25).
Series 1. Correspondence
The correspondence consists of a mix of personal (mostly with literary associates or admirers), business and publishers' letters and sundry requests to speak at or attend functions. The literary correspondence is exceptionally rich, and includes letters of several pages discoursing on creative techniques or the literary scene. The most prolific writer in this regard is Alan Gould, who often includes his latest writings. A number of the letters are handwritten, including many by authors who would be expected to make great use of typewriters or word-processors. Postcards and greeting cards are usually "value-added", in that the writer pens more than a brief greeting.
Altogether there is something in the region of 1,875 pieces of correspondence, being inward letters, a few outward letters, postcards and greeting cards. There is only a handful of copies of letters by Murray or his wife. These appear to have been kept for their significance. Included is a letter by Murray explaining the background to "High River".
Apart from publishers' correspondence, invitations to speak/write/attend, and the literary discussions of work in progress or other writers, topics covered in the correspondence include: the trouble at Angus and Robertson and retrenchments (1989); Murray's clinical depression and public reaction to Rosemary Sorensen's article on it; reactions to Murray's work, for example Idyll wheel and Daylight moon; congratulations on his honorary doctorate and Order of Australia; Catholicism, family history, a film about Murray produced by Don Featherstone, and a translation of his poems into Hebrew. Below is a list of the major correspondents.
Series 2. Drafts of poetry and articles - Box 20-25
This consignment includes about 470 fragments of Murray's poetry. Some of these have titles and signatures, but most are disjointed. The majority are handwritten. All are heavily annotated. Numerous poems and articles by others are contained in this consignment. A select list of drafts follows.
Two small ring binders of Australian religious poems by Murray and others gathered for an anthology. Some annotated (Box 20) (Item) - Box 20
Article by Michael Mitchell "Methodology and characterisation in 'The boys who stole the funeral"' (Item) - Box 20-25
Series 3. Other material
A select list of material in this series is as follows.
Numerous reviews, mainly published and mainly of Murray's work, for example a review of Daylight moon in Parnassus poetry; one on Dog fox field by Julian Croft, and one on Murray's The new Oxford book of Australian verse. An example of Murray's reviews is one on the Australian national dictionary (Item) - Box 20-25
Class MS 5332. Consignment added March 1996
Series 1. Business correspondence, 1992-1996
Business correspondence, 1992-1996 (File 172_175) - Box 26
Correspondents include Murray's English publisher, Michael Schmidt of Carcanet (Manchester, U.K.), Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York), William Heinemann Australia, Alec Bolton (Brindabella Press), and Jean Waggoner (Bath, U.K.), agent during Murray's appearances in the British Isles.
Series 2. General correspondence, 1951-1996 - Box 26
General correspondence including personal letters from friends and other writers, offers to speak and attend festivals and other events, congratulation on winning the 1995 Petrarch Prize, sympathy letters on the death of Murray's father in 1995 and letters of appreciation from readers. Also includes a small number of copies and faxed originals of letters written by Murray and some letters of Valerie Murray.
Major correspondents include Alan Gould, Penelope Nelson, Gary Catalano, Geoffrey Bewley, John Ridland, John Kinsella, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Jan Owen, Peter Goldsworthy, Geoff Page, Saxby Pridmore, Myra Schneider, Peter Coleman, Mark O'Connor and Philip Hodgins.
Series 3. Writings
Translations from the natural world. Typescripts, proofs, cover proof and reviews, 1993-1994 (File 205_206) - Box 31
The estuarine sonnets: 1. Pelican posts 2. Twin towns history 3. The sandy dingoes (File 207) - Box 31
Series 4. Other papers
Correspondence, draft letters to the editor, press releases, newspaper cuttings, Australia Council Reform Association newsletters and other papers relating to the reform of the Australia Council, 1991-1995 (File 216_217) - Box 32
School reports for Alex and Peter Murray (1993), Leaving Certificate (1957) and Intermediate Certificate (1954) for Les Murray, papers relating to Murray's father, Cecil Murray (1956-1973), Arnall family tree, Australian flag competition designs by Murray and an interview with Murray by Barbara Williams, Toronto,1991 (File 218) - Box 32
Leaflets, programs, flyers and itineraries for events attended by Murray in Australia and overseas, 1991-1996 (File 219) - Box 32
Writings by others including drafts of War cameraman: the story of Damien Parer by Neil McDonald and Honk if you are Jesus by Peter Goldsworthy, 1992-1995 (File 222_225) - Box 33
Class MS 5332. Consignment added 1 March 2000
Series. Business correspondence, c. 1995-1999
Letters and cards received by Murray in his role as Literary Editor, Quadrant, c. 1995-1999 (File 232_235) - Box 35
Correspondents include Iain Bamforth, Gary Catalano, Hal Colebatch, Jennifer Compton, Alan Gould, Andrew Lansdown and Pascale Petit. Includes correspondence relating to the resignation of editor Robert Manne in 1997. In most cases the work submitted by writers was separated from the covering letters and cards by Murray. Some may be amongst papers in Folders 282-287. Correspondence from Quadrant contributors not specifically relating to submissions to the journalmay be found in Folders 239-260.
Business correspondence, 1997-1999 (File 236_238) - Box 35
Correspondents include Murray's English publisher, Michael Schmidt of Carcanet (Manchester, U.K.), Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York), William Heinemann Australia, Alec Bolton of Brindabella Press, Michael Duffy of Duffy and Snellgrove (Australia) and Jean Waggoner (Bath, U.K.), agent for Murray's appearances in the British Isles.
Series. General correspondence, c. 1992-1999
Letters and cards received by Murray Including: personal letters from friends and other writers; offers to speak and attend festivals and other events; congratulations on winning the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1997, including one from Prime Minister John Howard; get-well wishes after a serious illness in 1996; letters sympathising with Murray's depression after the publication of Killing the black dog in 1997; and general fan mail.
Correspondents include Tony Abbott, Ang Cheon Geok, Tim Bowden, Geoffrey Dutton, Bob Ellis, Carmel Gaffney, Lynn Hard, Barry Hill, Ted Hughes, Manfred Jurgensen, Brian Kennedy, Christopher Koch, Philip Martin, Ann Moyal, Geoff Page, Glen Phillips, Peter Porter, Eric Rolls, Bill Scott, Angela Smith, Gary Smith, Joe Spears, William Stoneking and Janette Turner Hospital. There are a small number of postcards sent home by Murray whilst overseas in 1997.
See Folder 271 for Murray's letters to newspaper editors, Folder 276 for correspondence relating to Murray's involvement in the writing of the Preamble to the Constitution, and Folder 277 for correspondence from Murray's biographer, Peter Alexander.
Correspondence, 1994, 1997-1999. Includes photographs of Murray with Emeritus Professor Ken Dutton, 1999 (File 240) - Box 35
Photocopy of a photograph of Parnell Place, Newcastle, and a letter from Pat Wilson describing wartime damage, 1997 (File 254) - Folio-Box 1
Series. Writings
The manuscript and typescript poetry drafts (Folders 265-270) have been arranged in alphabetical order by title, with variant titles used by Murray added in brackets.
Series. Manuscript and typescript drafts of poetry, c. 1997-1999
The water plough (File 269) - Box 39
World-rise
You find you can leave it all
Young General Macarthur in a coonskin coat (Douglas Macarthur in a coonskin coat)
Series. Other papers
Copyright Agency Ltd agreements, 1975, 1986, and publishing agreements for various works, c. 1993-1999 (File 274) - Box 40
Correspondence and copies of press cuttings relating to the reform of the Australia Council, c. 1993-1998. (File 275) - Box 40
Drafts of the Preamble to the Australian Constitution written by Murray, correspondence and press cuttings about it, and other papers relating to the Australian Republican Movement, 1996-1999 (File 276) - Box 40
Letters from Peter Alexander, author of Les Murray: a life in progress, other correspondence about the biography, and press cuttings of reviews of the book, 1997-1999 (File 277) - Box 40
Personal and family papers (File 278) - Box 40
Including: an invitation and press release about the Queen's Gold Medal and T.S. Eliot Prize awarded to Murray in 1997 and 1998 respectively; a 1988 passport; a Les Murray 'chronology' covering 1938-1997; a photocopy of a school photograph from 1952; a photograph of a portrait of Murray; and transcripts of interviews of medical staff regarding Murray's acute illness, 1996.
Murray family history information sent to Murray by Jim Kable and Jennifer Holmes. (File 279) - Box 40
Leaflets, programs, posters for events attended by Murray in Australia and overseas, 1997-1999 (File 280) - Box 41
Class MS 5332. Consignment added 2 December 2003
Series. Business correspondence, 1994-2003
Quadrant: Letters, faxes and cards received, and a small number of faxes sent, by Murray in his role as Literary Editor, Quadrant, c. 1995-2003 (File 296_303) - Box 43
Correspondents include Iain Bamforth, Gary Catalano, Gary Clark, Hal Colebatch, Jennifer Compton, Alan Gould, AndrewLansdown, Pascale Petit, Myra Schneider and John Whitworth. In most cases the work submitted by writers was separated from the covering letters and cards by Murray. Some may be amongst papers in Folders 387-396. Correspondence from Quadrant contributors not specifically relating to submissions to the journal may be found in Folders 314-357.
Other business correspondence, 1994-2003 (File 296_303) - Box 43
Including many faxes to and from Murray. Correspondents include: publishers Michael Schmidt of Carcanet (Manchester, U.K.), Farrar, Straus and Giroux (New York) and Michael Duffy of Duffy and Snellgrove (Australia); agents Jean Waggoner (Bath, U.K.) and Margaret Connolly (Australia); and translators of Murray's poetry, particularly the German translators Thomas Eichhorn and Margitt Lehbert. Folders 307 and 313 consist largely of faxes between Murray and these two translators.
Series. General correspondence, c. 1992-2003
Letters, faxes and cards received, and faxes sent, by Murray, including: personal letters from friends and other writers; offers to speak and attend festivals and other events; get-well wishes after a serious illness in 1996; congratulations on winning the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry in 1997 including one from Prime Minister John Howard; and general fan mail.
Correspondents include Ang Cheon Geok, Hal Colebatch, Bob Ellis, Carmel Gaffney, Peter Goldsworthy, Barry Hill, Brian Kennedy, Christopher Koch, Gwyneth Lewis, Rose McKinley, Penelope Nelson, Mark O'Connor, Geoff Page, Gabriel Planella, Anurag Sharma, Joe Spears, William Stoneking and Janette Turner Hospital. There is a small amount of correspondence relating to the retirement of Dame Leonie Kramer from the position of Chancellor at University of Sydney and to the controversy surrounding the resignation of Peter Hollingworth as Governor-General. A small number of cards and faxes between Valerie and Les and postcards to their children whilst Les was overseas constitutes the Murray family correspondence.
Murray sent a substantial number of letters to newspaper editors, some of which can be found in Folder 375. The remainder are with the general correspondence as he often faxed them with extensive covering notes. See Folder 380 for correspondence relating to the reform of the Australia Council, Folder 381 for correspondence associated with Murray's involvement in the writing of the Preamble to the Constitution and his interest in an Australian Republic, Folder 382 for correspondence between Murray and his biographer, Peter Alexander, and Folder 383 for papers relating to the setting up of a Les Murray website.
Correspondence, 1996-1997. Folder 327 contains many cards and letters congratulating Murray on being awarded the T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. (File 325_327) - Box 46
Series. Writings
The manuscript and typescript poetry drafts (Folders 367-373) have been arranged in alphabetical order by title, with variant titles used by Murray added in brackets.
'Sound/sight' and 'Four madrigals'. Music scores, composer Pelle Gudmundsen, poems and text by Murray, 2000-2001 (File 362) - Box 51
Painted verse: year 2002 calendar, published by the Art Gallery of New South Wales [2001] (Item 363) - Folio-Box 1
Scrapbooks containing images of artworks at the National Gallery of Australia and poems by Murray, compiled in the preparation of The full dress, (published 2002) (File 364) - Box 51
Series. Manuscript and typescript drafts of poetry, c. 1996-2003 - Box 51
Through the lattice door (Slant rhyme with delay, Slant rhymes with timber delay) (File 372) - Box 52
Travelling the British roads (The trance-era of roads, Time-travelling the British roads) (File 372) - Box 52
Yregami (The crack of doom refuses to be a jet aircraft, Inland town, Sheltering from the culture) (File 373) - Box 52
Series. Other papers
Publishing, copyright, appearance and film narrative writer's agreements, 1992, 1996, 2000-2001 (File 379) - Box 53
Press cuttings, correspondence and papers re reform of the Australia Council, c. 1994-1996 (File 380) - Box 53
Papers relating to Murray's draft Preamble to the Australian Constitution and his interest in an Australian Republic, c. 1996-2003 (File 381) - Box 53
Includes correspondence, press cuttings and correspondence about, and the text of, Murray's Senate OccasionalLecture, 'A poet's view of the Republic'.
Correspondence between Murray and Peter Alexander, author of Les Murray: a life in progress, and other papers relating to the biography, 1996, 1999-2003 (File 382) - Box 53
Includes material on the controversy about Manning Clark's Order of Lenin medal, which was reignited after the biography was published.
Papers relating to the setting up of Murray's internet website, largely correspondence with Jason Clapham, 2000-2003 (File 383) - Box 53
Family and personal papers; includes a family tree for the Arnall family, 1990, 1996, 2000-2003 (File 384) - Box 53
Invitations, leaflets and programs for events attended by Murray in Australia and overseas, or which he declined to attend, 1985, c. 1996-2002 (File 385) - Box 54
Writings by others about Murray and his writing, including reviews of his published works, c. 1996-2003 (File 387_388) - Box 54
The trespass of the sign: deconstruction in theology, by Kevin Hart (published in 1989), typescript (File 391) - Box 54
Writings by others, c. 1995-2000. Includes an article by Valerie Murray, 'A case for rats'. (File 392) - Box 55
'Sir Katherine', a screenplay by Bob Ellis, from a scenario by Murray, Robert Lawrence and Bob Ellis, 1993 (File 394) - Box 55
Class MS Acc12.024. Consignment added 2012
Correspondence and papers; arrangements for a literary tour of Germany c Apr 2006; contract for Selected Poems; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The Ashes', 'Drought overcast', 'Observing the mute cat', 'Mollusc' (included in a letter to Margitt Lehbert, 8 Nov 2006), and 'Flannel', 2006 (File 1) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'As country was slow'; 'The conversation', and 'The death of Isaac Nathan', 2006 (File 2) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; Order of service for conferring on Murray of an Honorary Doctor of Letters (honoris casusa), La Trobe University, 23 July 2006; typescript draft entitled 'The Hopetoun show: an overview' by Phil Taylor, 1 Dec 2006; itinerary for literary tour of India, Jan 2006; edited drafts of poems with the titles ' Automotive', 'Groundwaters', 'In the tea tree', and 'The toppled head', 2006 (File 3) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; itinerary for literary tour of Germany, May 2006; publicity schedule for The Biplane Houses, Apr 2006; two contracts for Collected Poems, one for Sweden and one for Australia/New Zealand; printed document, of which Murray was one of the principal signatories, sent to the Parliament of NSW objecting to the sale of Snowy Mountains Hydro Co.; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The dancer', 'Frisk', and 'Bluelookout Mountain', 2006 (File 4) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; proof of the cover for The Biplane Houses; proof, edited by Murray, of 'Holy Cows' by Thomas Reche, 22 Mar 2006; edited draft of a poem with the title ' From a tourist journal', 2006 (File 5) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Papers relating to Murray's literary tour of India, Jan 2006. Includes 'Les Murray Reading Notes' (20pp) and a booklet containing a selection of his poems, 2006 (File 6) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; autobiographical notes by Murray, written in response to a questionnaire from Pauline Smith, Jan 2006; typescript, edited by Murray, entitled 'The journey over the Pyrenees' by Carina Birman, late 2005-2006 (File 7) - Box 2 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; CD entitled Passion for Australian Poetry compositions by Australian composer, Nirmali Fenn [based on the poetry of Murray and Judith Wright]; edited draft of a poem with the title 'Jet stereo 22', 2005 (File 8) - Box 2 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; manuscript draft of a talk by Murray entitled 'Aspects of editing'; typescript of chapter one of 'Avenue Moliere' by Ang Chin Geok, 2005; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Sunday on a country river', 'The brick funnel', Ripe in the arbours of the nose', 'Sunday on the big river', and 'The physical diaspora of William Wallace', 2005 (File 9) - Box 2 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; photocopy of a typescript entitled 'The boys who stole the funeral - a novel sequence' by Murray, (139pp), nd; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'To one who asked for summer', 'An acrophobe's dragon', 'Birthday', and 'Norfolk Island', 2005 (File 10) - Box 2 (MS Acc12.024)
Copies of the following books: Lost found time, 2004, with a foreword by Murray; History will out, with a dedication to Murray from the author, Kathleen Letters, 1998, 1998; 2004 (File 11) - Box 3 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; cuttings in German and Italian relating to Murray, 2005; CD Finelines Series 9, with Christopher Cook and guests Margaret Atwood & Les Murray [radio 4 UK] c2004; copy of Ein Zyklus, a poem published in Germany, 1995; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The Norfolk Island Nation', 'The uncollective', 'The blueprint', and 'Japanese sword blades in the British Museum', 1995; 2004-2005 (File 12) - Box 3 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Pastoral sketches', 'Limits of the German language', 'Church', 'Panic attack', 'Shush', 'Gentrifical force', and 'The tether', 2004-2005 (File 13) - Box 3 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Adrenalin', 'The bright lights', 'Social physics', 'Church', and 'Birthplace', 2005 (File 14) - Box 3 (MS Acc12.024)
Bound typescript entitled 'Finding the angel in it: Les Murray at Bunyah: a critical cartography' by Paul Cliff, draft, 2001, 2005 (File 15) - Box 3 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; photograph of Murray and John Greening at Kimbolton Castle School, 2004; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Norfolk Island'/'The Mutineers' trajectory', 'The uncollective', 'The blueprint', 'The mare out on the road', 'The lone farmstead', and 'The green ends of the earth', 2004-2005 (File 16) - Box 4 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript, in German, of an interview of Murray by Thomas Poiss, 2004; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Driving to the outback', 'The blinding book', 'Church', and 'A levitation of land' (Oct 2002), 2002; 2004 (File 17) - Box 4 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The Occidental Triads', and 'Dilation of line length in the sonnet', 2004 (File 18) - Box 4 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; autobiographical notes by Murray, written in response to questions from Thomas Poiss, Aug 2004; contract for The best Australian poems 2004, Sep 2004; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Tar land bridge straight west', and 'Dark matter is nothing but the past', 2004 (File 19) - Box 4 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript, in German, entitled 'Auf der suche nach Daheim: eine studie zu Les Murray's Fredy Neptune', 2004 (73pp); edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The ball owns me', 'The blinding book', 'Eleven poems', 'Death from exposure', 'The ice green', 'The murder of Black Tommy McPherson at Bold Nob Hotel', and 'Science fiction', 2004 (File 20) - Box 4 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; reviews, in German, of Fredy Neptune; typescript of an interview of Murray by Dennis O'Driscoll, 2003; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Neocon anthem'/ 'Neocon Nature Ramble', and 'The shining slopes and planes', 2003-2004 (File 21) - Box 5 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; itinerary for Fredy Neptune publicity tour of Germany, 2004; edited draft of a poem with the title 'An acrophobe's dragon', 2003-2004 (File 22) - Box 5 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; brochure for a poetry reading by Murray at The Poetry Centre of the 92nd Street Y, 1985; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The hoaxist', '1872-1942', 'The offshore island', and 'An acrophobe's dragon/'The Precipice dragon', 1985; 2004 (File 23) - Box 5 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript of translations of Murray's poems into [Spanish?]; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'A stampede of the sacrifices'/'A bellowing of the sacrifices, 'My first fully hoofless land', and 'Ghost story', 2003-2004 (File 24) - Box 5 (MS Acc12.024)
Proofs of Murray's book Poems the size of photographs, May 2002-Sep 2003, 2002-2003 (File 27) - Box 6 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript of an interview with Murray for Chimera, Issue 8, Jul 2011, questions by Paul Stevens and Peter Bloxsom; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The typist', 'The attributions', 'English as a second language', 'The top dogs', 'Red barns', 'Restoration of best', 'Cold Boyne Water', 'Powder of light', Floodtime night shelter', 'Regional collections', and 'Turnover costume', 2011-2012 (File 28) - Box 6 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; musical score by Joe Dolce to Murray's poem 'Cherries from Young'; typescript of an essay by Cathy Bray entitled 'Australian anagnorisis and the poetry of Les Murray', 2010; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Cold Boyne Water', '1728', 'Sun Taiko', 'La Nina', 'The typist', 'Flying horses', and 'After the camping model', 2010-2012 (File 29) - Box 6 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'When two percent were students', 'Low rise', 'The Sanctification' (Rome 17/10/10), 'Matthew chapter two', 'The casino's inner door', 'Inspecting the rivermouth', and 'The civil order', 2010 (File 30) - Box 6 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited typescript entitled 'Infinite anthology: adventures in Lexiconia', nd (8pp); typescript of 'A conversation with Les Murray' by J. Mark Smith, 2010; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Midwinter framing'/ 'Midwinter formal', 'Mythology at thirty south', 'Tribute runes for Alan Brigadiersson', and 'Winding up at the bootmakers', 2010 (File 31) - Box 7 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; itinerary for literary tour of UK, May 2009; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Refusing Saul's armour', 'The death of words', 'The 41st year of 1968'/ 'Deepest 1968', 'Port Jackson greaseproof rose'; 'Kangaroo nests', 'Rugby wheels', 'The blame'/ 'The grazier's rabbit eaters'/'Escaping the story', 'Singing tour in Vietnam'/ 'Little Pattie in Vietnam', 'Hesiod on bushfire', 'The submerged chute in Bass Strait', and 'The Springfields', 2009 (File 33) - Box 7 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'A frequent flyer proposes a name', 'Matt Laffan 1971-2009', and 'Greaseproof Rose'/ 'Blues Point timber ferry', 2009 (File 34) - Box 7 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; copy of a booklet of poetry by Geoff Page - a tribute to his mother following her death in 2007; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Eucalypts in exile', 'The bronze bull', 'Refusing Saul's armour', 'The drizzle of chef's knives', 'The market beasts', 'The sphere', 'Atlantic pavements', and 'The toppled head', 2008-2009 (File 35) - Box 7 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript of answers to biographical questions, nd; copy of Liter christelijk literair tijdschrift', No 55, 2009, which includes poems of Murray printed in both English and German; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The man in the White Bay Hotel', 'The 41st year of 1968', 'The blame', 'The cartoonist', and 'The mirrorball', 2009-2010 (File 32) - Box 7 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The kiln cavalry of Xian', 'Refusing Saul's armour', 'Visiting the unpardoner', 'Visiting an Ayatollah', 'Brown suits', 'Moonlight apology haiku', 'The drizzle of chef's knives', 'The submerged chute of Bass Strait', and 'Atlantic pavements', 2008 (File 36) - Box 8 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'In the doorways', 'Refusing Saul's armour', and 'Vertical hand farming', 2007-2008 (File 37) - Box 8 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript draft of 'Afterword' for new edition of Killing the black dog; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Vertical farming', 'Pacific Rim stanzas/'Link stanzas', 'Inflorescence', 'Chained dogs', 'High speed bird'/ 'They have just one speed'/'Forest kingfisher', 'Old buried fivers', and 'Discordant', 2007-2008 (File 38) - Box 8 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Lunar eclipse', 'Reading by starlight'/ 'The evolving universe', 'Cherries from Young', 'Old buried rivers', and 'The Monroe Survey', 2007-2008 (File 39) - Box 8 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript entitled 'The Lazarus files: a lifetime of psychiatric language crimes' by Gwyneth Davis; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'Eucalypts in exile', and 'Instructions for Buck Rogers', 2007 (File 40) - Box 8 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The suspect corpse', 'Dead three months', 'Instructions to Buck Rogers', 'The double diamond', 'On the return of the Astral', and 'The space race', 2007 (File 41) - Box 9 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; edited drafts of poems with the titles 'The world's biggest art form', 'Brown suits'/ 'A tie in the heart', and 'The egged bus', 2007 (File 42) - Box 9 (MS Acc12.024)
Correspondence and papers; typescript entitled 'Ten favourites, unaccompanied', 2007 (File 43) - Box 9 (MS Acc12.024)
Class MS Acc22.060. Consignment added 2022
"The Great Book" Volume 1, 1987 - 1999 (Item) - Phase-Box 1 (MS Acc22.060)
Cultural sensitivity advisory notice: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this collection may contain names, descriptions and images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive.
This item contains images of Yolŋu artist Marmburra Wananumba Banduk Marika AO and husband Mark Alderton. Also includes newspaper article on Barbara Chisholm, an Indigenous woman who claimed to be the great-grandaughter of King Edward VIII.
Visual scrapbook containing a combination of printed postcards, clippings - both complete and fragments - printed versions of poems, brief news items, admission tickets, flags of the world, classified advertisements, letters to the editor, cartoons, two photographs of Les Murray, Murray family photographs or prints from around Bunyah of various sizes; many annotated by Les Murray, both factually or to add something to the item. There is no explanation of the motives or methods behind the assembling. Estimated 1,250 images or texts in this volume.
From the introduction to 'Continuous Creation' a posthumous publication of Les Murray's works: "three massive volumes of the project Les referred to … as his hobby: 'I collect images, postcards, photos, bits of verse, weird newspaper snippets, labels. They all go into big old-style ledger books to which Clare gave the title, The Great Book', pronounced in Scots."
"The Great Book" Volume 2, 1998 - 2006 (Item) - Phase-Box 2 (MS Acc22.060)
Cultural sensitivity advisory notice: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this collection may contain names, descriptions and images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive.
Combination of contents as above; less annotated; one letter from Chris King to Les Murray (24 September 2001), after becoming a fan, and describing a game, devised with his friends, combining poets and baseball. Estimated 1,000 images or texts in this volume.
From the introduction to 'Continuous Creation' a posthumous publication of Les Murray's works: "three massive volumes of the project Les referred to … as his hobby: 'I collect images, postcards, photos, bits of verse, weird newspaper snippets, labels. They all go into big old-style ledger books to which Clare gave the title, The Great Book', pronounced in Scots."
"The Great Book" Volume 3, 2006 - 2018 (Item) - Phase-Box 3 (MS Acc22.060)
Cultural sensitivity advisory notice: Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and other First Nations people are advised that this collection may contain names, descriptions and images of deceased people and other content that may be culturally sensitive.
Combination of contents as above, examples: tarot cards, $2.00 note, Mark McKillop reappears, maps - real, imaginary, info-graphic, cartoon - "Twelve Odd WWII Facts", "The Conversations" by Les Murray, book not full.
From the introduction to 'Continuous Creation' a posthumous publication of Les Murray's works: "three massive volumes of the project Les referred to … as his hobby: 'I collect images, postcards, photos, bits of verse, weird newspaper snippets, labels. They all go into big old-style ledger books to which Clare gave the title, The Great Book', pronounced in Scots."
Clippings, correspondence, and articles, 1986 - 2018 (File 2) - Box 4 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes interview transcript, photocopy of "Have They Run Out of Provinces Yet?", clippings regarding Les Murray, Letters from Margitt [Lehbert, German translator] seemingly from Germany, grieving, asking for a poem.
Under a Dragon Moon - A Memoir, by Hal Colebatch, 1997 (File 3) - Box 4 (MS Acc22.060)
Attached note reads; I don't propose to publish the enclosed for many years if ever, but I have had a very small number of copies bound for a very few very special friends. I hope you will find it of interest.
Published reviews, and Henriette Fritsch's thesis "Les Murray's Fredy Neptune: a Twentieth-Century Pilgrimage", 2006 - 2015 (File 4) - Box 4 (MS Acc22.060)
Folder containing printouts of all the poems in Continuous Creation, n.d. (File 5) - Box 4 (MS Acc22.060)
The Biplane Houses, clean photocopies of poems, 2005 (File 6) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes faxes between Chris Feik and Les Murray (9 December 2005) establishing contents and poems in Chris' possession.
Envelope of family photographs and "A History of Sawyer's Creek, Willina and Bunyah", 1930, 1939, 1983, (File 7) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
"Taller When Prone" printout of poems, 2009 (File 8) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Attached note to Chris [Black inc., Melbourne] "Hope you enjoyed Frankfurt. … Here's an initial ms. of next collection - it's bound to gather a few more poems to itself in the next 2-3 months as publication time approaches."
Les Murray, Bunyah. [Ubersetzung Margit Lehbert. Verlag: Thomas Reche], 2014 (File 9) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Paste-up of proposed book of Les Murray poems in English, interspersed with photographs of Murray's family and area around Bunyah; texts of poems pasted in with Les Murray's annotations and editorial instructions.
Published books and Journals regarding Murray, 2002 - 2022 (File 10) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes; Autumn 2015 publication of the Poetry Book Society;
October 2011 edition of Poetry;
Letters to Les, a collection of prose and poetry in celebration of Les Murray, edited by Donata Carrazza and Paul Kane;
The Poetry of Les Murray: Critical Essays, a special issue of Australian Literary Studies and;
Continuous Creation: Les Murray last poems.
Waiting for the Past, photocopies and clean printouts with some annotations., n.d. (File 11) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Correspondence, c.2000's (File 12) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Incoming correspondence to Les and Valerie, senders include Michael Duffy, and Michael McGirr, enclosing his piece on Les Murray. Includes miscellaneous printed ephemera, single incoming letters, regarding material for Quadrant, readers to share experiences, after meeting, Christmas postcards, printed ephemera regarding readings, and profiles.
Letter from Chris Koch to Les Murray, 13 November 2012 (File 13) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
After a cancer diagnosis, seeming recovery; looking back on their early lives; "They say that surviving cancer changes you. I wouldn't say that it's changed me; what it has done is to make me value the visible world even more, and value my friends. My life has been uneven, but I'm glad of all the good memories, and you figure in many of these. Ours was an important friendship - certainly for me - and sits at the centre of our lives. ... As well, I'll always be grateful for the part you played in launching The Year [of Living Dangerously], the book that changed my life, when you took it to B[eatrice] Davis at Nelson."
Appointment certificate as "Honorary Fellow of the Association of Scottish Literary Studies" from The Association for Scottish Literary Studies, 26 April 2013 (File 14) - Box 5 (MS Acc22.060)
Drafts of Poems, many with annotations, 2010 - 2022 (File 15) - Box 6 (MS Acc22.060)
Titles where available: Dog Skill; Human Widths and Spaces; When Nothing Still Happened; Grain Silos of a Century; Primavera O.K? (published as 'O.K. Primavera Lips'); Big Rabbit at the Verandah; Diabetica; The Typist; Time Twins; All of Half Way; The Blame; When Two Percent Were Students; The Glory and Decline of Bread; Eating from the Dictionary; Radiant Pleats, Mulgoa; The Unangelic Typist; An Only Child; The Only True Humans; Raising An Only Child; Crimping All Ten to Grooming With Nail Clippers; Inside the Vanish; Beasts of the City; Leaves Missing; The Carers; The Battlers; Boardings in Town for School; Half-Price Hardback; Speed; Frederick Arnall; Silo Portraits, Western Victoria; 1917 North; Galway Effigy; Laze Creates Island; School Bus; The Invention of Pigs;
Also includes: Prose, beginning "My home district of Bunyah …"; The 100 Best Poems of LM (in his opinion) for book in Australia and bilingual version in German world; A Memorial the Size of a Word - Text of a talk; and Notes, quotations, and visual commonplace books.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 16) - Box 6 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes printed ephemera for readings and books, and handwritten notes of quotations, from Australia, UK, USA, and Germany.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 17) - Box 6 (MS Acc22.060)
Printouts and photocopies of articles sent to Les Murray, profiles and reviews in German and French, and letters from Magit.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 18) - Box 6 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes "Waiting for the Past", photocopies and clean printouts, some annotations. Note to Chris at Black Inc., with reproduction of Robert Dickerson painting as proposed cover.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 19) - Box 7 (MS Acc22.060)
Includes two postcards from Les Murray to Lyn Riddett which are franked and returned; Ang Chin Geok's letter of 29-Jul-14; and a request from John [J.M.] Coetzee for permission to include "Buladelah-Taree Holiday Song Cycle" in a book of poems for a Spanish edition in Argentina.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 20) - Box 7 (MS Acc22.060)
From Australia, France, USA, UK, and Macau.
Proof copy of "The Best 100 Poems of Les Murray", n.d. (File 21) - Box 7 (MS Acc22.060)
With note from Black Inc. publishing.
Correspondence and ephemera, 2012- (File 22) - Box 7 (MS Acc22.060)
Papers from Murray's time as Quadrant literary editor, role in the Macquarie Dictionary, questions from German publisher, inviting, sending, thanking, involving if possible; from individuals, institutions, writers' festivals, publishers, literary organisations. Includes published book of poems sent from friend /colleague / admirer; beginning, "It's been ages since I wrote to you …"