Guide to the Papers of Manning Clark
MS 7550, MS Acc03.178
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Clark, Manning, AC, Professor (Charles Manning Hope)
- Title
- Papers of Manning Clark
- Date Range
- 1907-1992
- Collection Number
- MS 7550, MS Acc03.178
- Extent
- 30.3 metres (198 boxes, 1 folio box)
- Physical Facet
- MS 7550: (196 ms boxes + 1 large folio box + 3 map folios)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The papers that make up this collection were almost entirely created and assembled in Clark's home in Canberra. There is relatively little material on his teaching, his supervision of postgraduate students or his other official duties at Melbourne University, Canberra University College and the Australian National University. Similarly, there are few papers on his work for the Australia Council, the Australian Society of Authors and other organisations. Instead, the papers document his family life and friendships, his private thoughts and ideas, his travels, the research and writing of all his books and a huge number of articles, lectures, broadcasts, addresses and reviews, and his involvement in public debates and discussions. The bulk of the collection dates from about 1950 until his death in 1991.
The papers include a wide-ranging and substantial correspondence, long runs of diaries and notebooks, the manuscripts and typescripts of books, articles, reviews, lectures and talks, research material for his books, conference papers, business and travel documents, photographs, newspaper cuttings and printed ephemera.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn383394).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Manning Clark, National Library of Australia, [call number, box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
Manning Clark's association with the National Library extended over forty years and much of his research for A history of Australia was carried out in its reading rooms. In the final volume, published in 1987, he wrote that 'The Petherick Room, the Manuscripts Room, and the Newspaper Room are present in every page of this volume, just as they are present always in my heart'.
In 1988 Clark began transferring papers from his home to the Library and they were formally presented under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme in April 1989. Further donations under the Scheme were made in January 1990, June 1990 and May 1991, a few days before his death. The papers received in 1989-91 make up the bulk of the collection. They include most of the correspondence, the drafts of his books and other writings, and the research material for A history of Australia.
In his will Clark bequeathed his papers and unpublished works to the Library on condition that they be closed until the year 2000. The remaining papers were received from Dymphna Clark in 1994-95. They included his diaries, notebooks and further correspondence, including some substantial files of letters from major correspondents. Some correspondence, manuscript articles and references were also transferred from the History Department at the Australian National University.
Related Materials
The portrait of Manning Clark by Arthur Boyd was bequeathed by Clark to the Library but, in accordance with the terms of the bequest, is currently in the custody of the Clark Family.
A collection of 94 photographs of Manning and Dymphna Clark and their family were lent for copying by the Clark Family in 1995. The copies are held in the Pictorial Section. In addition, there are photographic portraits of Clark by Jeff Carter, Heide Smith and Alec Bolton.
Several interviews with Clark are held in the Oral History Section. The interviewers were Hazel de Berg, 1967 (DeB 253-54), Don Baker, 1985 (TRC 1187), Neville Meaney, 1986-87 (TRC 2053), Michelle Rowland, 1986 (TRC 2141) and Terry Lane, 1990 (ROH 907.2092 C594). A recording of Clark's address to the National Press Club in 1987 is also held (TRC 4036).
Arrangement
Apart from the diaries and notebooks, most of the papers had been kept by Clark in manila folders, sometimes very large, and usually with a title in his handwriting. Some were kept in filing cabinets in his study, but others were in cupboards in other rooms or in boxes under the house.
Although often scattered, many of the files formed sequences and these sequences have generally been preserved in the series arrangement imposed by the Library. This is especially true of the general correspondence (Series 1), travel files (Series 10) and the papers relating to Clark's publications and other writings (Series 11-28). For preservation reasons, the contents of the folders were transferred to acid-free envelope folders, with the exception of the research materials for A history of Australia (Series 17). However, the contents of folders were not rearranged in any way and the evidence of Clark's erratic and inconsistent filing methods has therefore been preserved. As many of the manila folders were extremely large, with a single folder sometimes filling a box, it was often necessary to divide the contents into two or more envelope folders. Where this has been done, small Roman numerals have been added to the titles on the folders. Thus Correspondence 1957 (i) and Correspondence 1957 (ii) indicate that the original folder has been divided into two. Similarly, in the series descriptions below, where a title is preceded by multiple file numbers it can be inferred that there was originally one folder which has been divided by the Library into two or more parts.
Finding Aid Source(s)
Please note: This finding aid may comprise or contain descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.
Collection Retrieval Advice
Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.
Biographical Note
Charles Manning Hope Clark was born in Burwood, Sydney, on 3 March 1915, the second son of the Reverend Charles Clark and his wife Catherine née Hope. When he was six the family moved to Phillip Island, Western Port, Victoria, and then in 1924 they settled in Belgrave, near Melbourne. Clark was educated at Belgrave State School and Mont Albert Central School and in 1928 he won a scholarship to Melbourne Grammar School. From 1934 to 1938 he read History and Political Science at the University of Melbourne, graduating with first class honours.
In August 1938 Clark sailed for England to pursue his studies at Balliol College, Oxford. He was accompanied by Hilma Dymphna Lodewyckx, whom he married at Oxford on 31 January 1939. He began a thesis on the French political philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville, carrying out research in both England and France. Late in 1939 he took up a teaching post at Blundell's School at Tiverton, Devon. In July 1940 the Clarks left England to return to Australia and Manning was offered a position at Geelong Grammar School. He continued his work on de Tocqueville and on completing his thesis in 1944 was awarded a Master of Arts degree at Melbourne University.
In May 1944 Clark left Geelong to become a Lecturer in Political Science at Melbourne University. Two years later, at the request of Professor R.M. Crawford, he began to lecture in Australian History, which was to be his passion for the rest of his life. In 1949 he was appointed Professor of History at Canberra University College. In 1960 the College merged with the Australian National University and Clark continued to be Professor and Head of the History Department in the School of General Studies until December 1971. He remained in the Department for a further four years as the first Professor of Australian History. He was a Fellow of both the Australian Academy of the Humanities and the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.
While living in Melbourne in the late 1940s Clark began collecting sources on Australian history which led to his first publication Select documents in Australian history 1788-1850 (1950). The second volume, covering the period 1850-1900, was published in 1955 and Clark then turned to writing his greatest work, A history of Australia. The first volume was published in 1962 and the sixth and final volume appeared in 1987, four years before his death. It was the most ambitious work ever undertaken by an Australian historian. It reached an exceptionally large audience and Clark was both admired and condemned for his highly personal view of history, his concern with grand themes, ideas and conflicts rather than dry facts and figures, and his unique literary style. Other books written by Clark included Sources of Australian history (1957), Meeting Soviet man (1960), A short history of Australia (1963), Disquiet and other stories (1969) and In search of Henry Lawson (1977). In his last years he wrote three volumes of autobiography.
From the 1960s until his death Clark was the most famous historian in Australia and one of the best-known public intellectuals. He accepted numerous invitations to write for newspapers, give lectures and broadcasts, and address academic, literary, cultural and political organisations and societies throughout Australia. He also travelled widely overseas. He spoke about Australian and world history, and also on a great range of political, social and literary themes. His political statements were at times highly provocative and his broad generalisations, dire prophecies and oracular style often infuriated conservatives and made him a controversial figure. Some of his books and lectures provoked intense public debate. He had a huge legion of admirers and in his last years received many honours: honorary doctorates, literary prizes, a Companion of the Order of Australia (1975) and the title Australian of the Year (1981). Geoffrey Serle wrote that 'as no one else Clark greatly increased public consciousness of Australian history and widened the imaginative horizons of innumerable compatriots'.
Manning Clark died in Canberra on 23 May 1991. He was survived by Dymphna and their six children.
References: Bridge, Carl, ed., Manning Clark; essays on his place in history, Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 1994; Holt, Stephen, Manning Clark and Australian history, 1915-1963, Brisbane, University of Queensland Press, 1982; Holt, Stephen, A short history of Manning Clark, Sydney, Allen and Unwin, 1999
Item Descriptions
Class MS 7550. Original Consignment
Comprises correspondence, diaries, notebooks, personal documents, newspaper cuttings, photographs, printed ephemera, research materials and manuscripts and typescripts of Clark's books, articles, reviews, lectures, addresses and speeches. There are some papers relating to Clark's teachings at the Australian National University, but the bulk of the collection comprises private papers, providing a detailed record of his ideas and thoughts, his friendships, his travels, his participation in public debates and discussions and the whole range of his writings. Series 16-18, occupying 102 boxes, relate to A history of Australia, including the original manuscripts and typescripts, research materials, reviews and correspondence with publishers, friends and readers. The correspondence mostly dates from 1950 to 1991 and is very extensive. The correspondents include Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Geoffrey Fairbairn, James McAuley, R.M. Crawford, John La Nauze, Sir Keith Hancock, Geoffrey Dutton, Russel Ward, John Ritchie, Don Baker, G.P. Shaw, Bruce Grant, Judah Waten, Patrick White, Ken Inglis, John Ritchie, Lyndall Ryan, Suzanne Welborn, Humphrey McQueen, Pat Dobrez and Helen Garner.
Contained in 196 boxes, 1 fol. box.
Series 1. General Correspondence, 1939-91
Box numbers for Correspondence files are ordered chronologically and can be found below the alphabetical correspondents list.
Only a small number of letters have survived from Clark's years in Melbourne and Oxford or even from his first years in Canberra. The correspondence essentially begins in 1953, when Clark and his family moved into the house in Tasmania Circle, Forrest, designed by Robin Boyd. Clark lived there for the rest of his life and most of the papers were accumulated in that house.
Until the late 1960s most of the letters were filed simply by date. Clark then began to devise a more complex filing system, forming sequences under such headings as 'Comments on my work', 'My great friends' and 'Public life'. Sadly, there were great inconsistencies in his filing. Letters from a particular person can be found under several headings, while routine or business letters can be found under the heading 'My great friends'. Some sequences were abandoned and near the end of his life he again filed many letters simply by year. Despite the inconsistencies, the files have been left largely intact.
In his last years Clark began to create files for specific individuals, especially close friends, and he removed their letters from the more general files. This rearrangement was incomplete at the time of his death. The Library has not created any new files for individuals, but where a file already existed it added letters from the individual found elsewhere in the general correspondence.
Many of the files contain newspaper cuttings and printed ephemera, as well as letters. This is especially true of the sequences 'Comments on my work' and 'Public life'.
Clark wrote most of his letters and postcards by hand and did not keep copies. The bulk of the correspondence therefore consists of incoming letters. However, he often made handwritten drafts of letters of importance and they can be found among the letters he received. In addition, there is one folder of out-letters and drafts (1/65).
The series is a large one, containing well over 10,000 letters. Clark maintained a very wide correspondence and in some cases it continued for decades. His most prolific correspondents were Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Geoffrey Fairbairn, James McAuley, R.M. Crawford, John La Nauze, Sir Keith Hancock, Frank Kellaway, Geoffrey Dutton, Don Baker, Barbara Penny, Russel Ward, Judah Waten, Patrick White, Bruce Grant, Ken Inglis, G.P. Shaw, John Ritchie, Lyndall Ryan, Suzanne Welborn, Pat Dobrez, Humphrey McQueen, Helen Garner and John Embling. A more extensive list of the principal correspondents can be found in Appendix I. It should be noted that many of the correspondents only used their first names and often it has not been possible to identify them with certainty.
Most other series in the collection also contain correspondence. In particular, letters can be found in the series entitled Australian National University (7), Harvard University (8), Journeys (10), nearly all the series on publications (11-26) and Family correspondence (30).
Select list of correspondents in Series 1: Clark received letters from thousands of individuals. The following list covers writers who are either well-known or who were frequent correspondents and indicates the approximate date range of their letters to Clark. It is not comprehensive, as many writers only used their first names and they cannot be identified with any certainty.
It should be noted that letters of many of the writers listed below can be found in other series, in addition to Series 1.
Adams, Phillip 1977-89
Alexander, Fred, Prof. 1959
Anderson, Hugh 1958
Anderson, Jessica 1988
Armstrong, David, Prof. 1961-90
Arndt, Heinz, Prof. 1954-90
Atwood, Margaret 1978
Auchmuty, J. J, Prof. 1972
Auchmuty, Rosemary 1972-85
Aurousseau, Marcel 1966-71
Baier, Kurt 1987
Bail, Murray 1989
Bailey, Sir Kenneth 1958-72
Baker, Don 1964-90
Ball, W. Macmahon, Prof. 1959-85
Barrett, John 1981-82
Barry, Sir John 1957-59
Bartlett, Norman 1975-78
Bassett, Marnie, Lady 1967-72
Bean, C. E. W 1959
Blainey, Geoffrey, Prof. 1953-90
Bolton, Alec 1959
Bolton, Geoffrey, Prof. 1961-85
Boyd, Arthur 1972-85
Boyd, Robin 1952-55
Briggs, Asa, Prof. 1959
Brisbane, Katharine 1971
Brissenden, R.F 1956
Bryan, Harrison 1983
Bruce, S. M, Viscount 1963
Buckley, Vincent, Prof. 1956-60
Burke, Sir Joseph 1972
Burns, Creighton 1954-55
Burton, Herbert, Prof. 1955-83
Campbell, David 1967-78
Campion, Edmund 1990
Carolin, Mary 1981-85
Chisholm, A. H 1959
Christesen, C.B. 1955-90
Cobley, John 1962-65
Coleman, Peter 1958-83
Coombs, H. C 1972-90
Cowen, Sir Zelman 1956-80
Cowper, Sir Norman 1975-85
Craven, Peter 1989-90
Crawford, Sir John 1962-68
Crawford, R. M, Prof. 1954-85
Crisp, Helen 1986-90
Crisp, L. F, Prof. 1955-83
Crocker, Sir Walter 1956
Crowley, Frank, Prof. 1955-89
Cumburlege, G. 1952-56
Curnow, Tim 1981-87
Currey, C.H. 1951-66
Dacre, Hugh Trevor-Roper, Baron 1981
Dallas, Ken 1956
D'Alpuget, Blanche 1980-87
Dark, Eleanor 1946-80
Darling, Sir James 1965-75
Davidson, Alistair 1963-70
Davidson, Jim 1984
Davies, Alan, Prof. 1961
Davis, Beatrice 1958-86
Dawe, Bruce 1981-88
Dening, Greg, Prof. 1957-70
Denoon, Donald, Prof. 1972-73
Devaney, James 1958-70
Dobrez, Livio 1982-90
Dobrez, Pat 1982-91
Dobson, Rosemary 1976-90
Downing, R. I, Prof. 1955-75
Drysdale, Sir Russell 1975-80
Durack, Mary 1983
Dutton, Geoffrey 1960-91
Dutton, Ninette 1984
Duyker, Ed 1986-87
Ebbels, Noel 1955
Eddy, John 1975
Egerton, Judy 1957-90
Elliott, Jane 1989
Elliott, Ralph, Prof. 1983
Ellis, M. H 1955-62
Embling, John 1980-88
Eyre, Frank 1951-59
Fabinyi, Andrew 1962
Fairbairn, Geoffrey 1945-80
Ferguson, G. A 1954-61
Ferguson, Sir John 1952-61
Fitzgerald, Tom 1958-61
Fitzhardinge, L. F 1956-60
Fitzpatrick, Brian 1954-61
Fitzpatrick, Dorothy 1961-80
Fitzpatrick, Kathleen 1953-90
Fry, Eric 1959-86
Gammage, Bill 1964-89
Gardiner, Laurie 1954-84
Garner, Helen 1978-90
Gibson, R. Boyce, Prof. 1955
Gilbert, Alan 1965
Golding, Bill 1975-83
Gollan, Robin, Prof. 1975
Goodall, Heather 1983
Grant, Bill 1987-90
Grant, Bruce 1956-88
Grattan, Hartley 1967-79
Green, Dorothy 1980-83
Greenwood, Gordon, Prof. 1957-82
Greenwood, Irene 1981-84
Grey, Nancy 1989
Grimshaw, Patricia 1989
Grose, Kelvin 1970-71
Haddrick, Ron 1967
Hamer, Sir Rupert 1953-81
Hancock, Ian 1971-90
Hancock, Sir Keith 1956-84
Hardy, Frank 1961-90
Harlow, Vincent, Prof. 1956
Harper, Norman, Prof. 1955-72
Harris, Stewart 1972
Harrower, Elizabeth 1980
Hart, Kevin 1977-80
Hasluck, Sir Paul 1971-72
Hawke, R. J 1983
Hazzard, Shirley 1980
Hayden, Bill 1981-82
Headon, David 1990
Henderson, Peter 1985-86
Herbert, Xavier 1978-83
Hergenhan, Laurie 1966-74
Heydon, Sir Peter 1970
Hodgkin, D. K. R 1056-60
Hohnen, R. A 1956-57
Hone, Brian 1954-58
Hooper, Beverley 1975
Hope, A. D, Prof. 1956-81
Hope, Jeffrey 1959-60
Horne, Donald 1985-89
Humphries, Barry 1965-88
Huxley, Sir Leonard 1966
Inglis, Amirah 1962-75
Inglis, Ken, Prof. 1955-90
Jacobs, Marjorie 1957
James, Gwyn 1953-60
Jolley, Elizabeth 1991
Jones, Barry 1980-83
Jose, Nicholas 1981
Kellaway, Bill 1956-58
Kellaway, Frank 1979-91
Kiddle, Margaret 1953-57
Kiernan, Colm, Prof. 1955-84
King, Hazel 1963
Kinloch, Hector 1966-83
Kneipp, Pauline 1970
Knight, Ruth 1961-66
Koch, Christopher 1965
Kramer, Dame Leonie 1972-88
Krugerskaya, Oskana 1961
La Nauze, John, Prof. 1954-81
Lacour-Gayet, R 1971
Lawson, Sylvia 1983
Legge, John, Prof. 1955-80
Lindsay, Joan, Lady 1979
Low, Anthony, Prof. 1975
Lowenstein, Wendy 1981-82
McAuley, James, Prof. 1956-76
McBriar, A 1958-59
MacCallum, Duncan 1955
McCarty, John 1979
McCulloch, Sam, Prof. 1957-80
MacDonagh, Oliver, Prof. 1965-66
McInnes, Graham 1965-69
Macintyre, Stuart, Prof. 1982-90
McKay, Fred, Rev. 1983
McKernan, Michael 1971-84
McLachlan, Noel 1959-89
McLeod, Don 1981
McManners, John 1956-60
McPhee, Hilary 1985-91
McQueen, Humphrey 1981-90
Mair, Ian 1956-84
Malouf, David 1983-90
Mansfield, Bruce, Prof. 1979-90
Marchant, Leslie, Prof. 1956-85
Marshall, Alan 1966-84
Martin, Allan, Prof. 1955-89
Martin, David 1962
Martin, Philip 1974
Masterman, K. 1956
Melville, Sir Leslie 1960
Milner, Ian 1967-90
Molony, John, Prof. 1974-89
Moore, Tom Inglis, Prof. 1956
Morgan, Ed 1989-90
Morris, Deirdre 1971-75
Morrison, John 1961
Moyal, Ann 1966-85
Muir, T. L 1954-55
Mulvaney, John, Prof. 1971-83
Murdoch, Iris 1967-90
Murray, Les 1968-87
Murray-Smith, Stephen 1954-87
Murtagh, J. G 1955-57
Nairn, Bede, Prof. 1964-82
Neale, R. G, Prof. 1956
Niall, Brenda 1974-90
Nolan, Sir Sidney 1967-80
O'Brien, Eris, Archbishop 1954-67
O'Brien, John 1961
O'Connor, Mark 1982-90
O'Farrell, Patrick, Prof. 1965-75
Oliphant, Sir Mark 1962-89
O'shaughnessy, Peter 1972
Owen, T. M 1954-90
Packer, David 1958-60
Palmer, Helen 1959-60
Partridge, P. H, Prof. 1966
Paszkowski, Lech 1972-82
Penny, Barbara 1955-80
Perkins, Elizabeth 1980-82
Phillip, June 1954-56
Phillips, A. A 1955-59
Pike, Douglas, Prof. 1957-67
Porter, Hal 1966
Poynter, John, Prof. 1971
Price, Sir Archibald Grenfell 1963
Prichard, Katharine S. 1967
Pringle, J. D 1955-81
Pryor, Len 1957-85
Pugh, Clifton 1985
Radi, Heather 1975-83
Rathausky, Rima 1984-87
Reed, Bill 1980-84
Reid, Genette 1977-90
Reynolds, John 1955
Reynolds, Margaret 1960-87
Ritchie, John, Prof. 1961-89
Rivett, Rohan 1966
Roberts, Barney 1982-91
Robinson, Portia 1972-83
Robson, Lloyd 1967-90
Roderick, Colin, Prof. 1953-65
Roe, Jill, Prof. 1966-89
Roe, Michael, Prof. 1960-81
Roland, Betty 1984
Rowse, A. L 1956
Roxburghe, Rachel 1987-90
Rudé, George, Prof. 1961-64
Runciman, Sir Steven 1970
Rusden, Heather 1983
Rudnitsky, Artem 1987-91
Ryan, John 1980-85
Ryan, Julia 1981-84
Ryan, Lyndall 1968-91
Ryan, Peter 1970-84
Ryan, Susan 1981-89
Santamaria, B. A 1983-85
Sayers, Stuart 1966-84
Sculthorpe, Peter 1982
Serle, Geoffrey, Prof. 1954-90
Seymour, Alan 1965
Shaw, A. G. L, Prof. 1960-67
Shaw, George 1966-89
Shaw, Sir Patrick 1956-72
Sheehan, Frank 1981-84
Sinclair, K. V, Prof. 1980-86
Sinclair, Keith, Prof. 1960-84
Smith, Bernard, Prof. 1982-91
Souter, Gavin 1974-87
Southern, Sir Richard 1965-90
Stead, Christina 1981
Stephen, Sir Ninian 1988-89
Steward, H. D 1982-89
Stewart, Douglas 1953-83
Stilwell, Geoffrey 1966
Stivens, Dal 1971
Stow, Randolph 1966
Stretton, Hugh, Prof. 1958-69
Sumner, Humphrey 1939
Swan, K. J 1966-71
Tawney, R. H, Prof. 1955
Throssell, Ric 1959-89
Thwaites, Michael 1940-87
Tipping, Marjorie 1967-72
Todd, Murray 1954-57
Tomasetti, Glen 1961-90
Tranter, John 1981
Turner, Ian, Prof. 1958-78
Waddy, Lloyd 1983
Ward, John M., Prof. 1960-65
Ward, Russel, Prof. 1954-89
Waten, Judah 1954-85
Waterhouse, Jill 1967-80
Watson, Don 1983-91
Welborn, Suzanne 1973-91
West, Francis, Prof. 1965
West, Morris 1984
White, Patrick 1961-89
Whiting, Bertram 1956-65
Whitlam, E. G 1974-78
Wigmore, Lionel 1956-75
Williams, Mick, Prof. 1955-86
Williamson, David 1973-88
Winant, Ursula 1969
Winks, Robin, Prof. 1965
Wood, F. L. W, Prof. 1959-65
Woolcott, Richard 1967-90
Wright, Judith 1967-88
Yarwood, A. T, Prof. 1967-81
Zainu'ddin, Ailsa 1954-69
Zubrzycki, George, Prof. 1982
Series 2. Diaries, 1938-91
Clark used small notebooks for recording diary entries. The entries were frequent, but not usually daily. Some diaries were kept intermittently over a period of years, others covered only a few days, and there was some overlap between volumes. The distinction between the diaries and the notebooks in series 3 is not sharp, as the latter often contain precisely dated entries. In general, the notebooks record Clark's reading and research as a young man, while the diaries record his activities generally over a period of fifty years, including travels, lectures, meetings and conversations. They also record his private thoughts and feelings.
Series 3. Notebooks, 1937-77
Most of the notebooks date from the period 1935-55 and record Clark's historical and literary studies at Melbourne and Oxford, as well as his readings while a school teacher in Devon and Geelong. They include notes that he took at lectures and notes made while reading modern European history. Some of them are precisely dated, while others can only be approximately dated. The later volumes contain some notes for lectures in Canberra and also Clark's first thoughts on writing a history of Australia.
Balliol College, Oxford, 1938-39: Jane Austen; Henri Pirenne: Histoire de l'Europe des invasions au XVI sièle (Item 3) - Box 33
Balliol College, Oxford, 1938-39: Georges Lefebvre, R. Guyot et Philippe Sagnac: La Révolution françise (Item 6) - Box 33
Balliol College, Oxford, 1938-39: Philippe Sagnac et Saint-Léger: La prépondérance françise (Item 7) - Box 33
Balliol College, Oxford, 1938-39: Victor Hugo, Gustav Flaubert, George Sand, Honoré de Blazac, B. de Saint-Pierre (Item 8) - Box 33
Series 4. Newspaper cuttings, 1938-54
The early cuttings in the 1938-44 album include reports of speeches by Clark at Melbourne University in 1938, his engagement to Dymphna Lodewyckx, and their departure for Europe. Most of the other cuttings relate to the War and international relations and were taken from German, British and Australian newspapers. The 1954 cuttings refer to a statement on Indo-China signed by Bishop E. H Burgmann, Professor J. W Davidson, Professor C. P Fitzgerald and Manning Clark.
In general, Clark did not maintain separate cutting files, but instead interfiled cuttings with letters and other papers. The cuttings are, in fact, very extensive. Of particular note are the extensive cuttings about Clark in the sequences entitled 'Comments on my life' and 'Public life' in Series 1, the files on overseas trips in Series 10, the reviews that are among the papers on each of his publications (Series 12-25) and the subject files in Series 29.
Series 5. University of Melbourne, 1937-49
Clark enrolled at the University of Melbourne as an undergraduate in March 1934 and was a student at Trinity College. He completed the course in 1937, gaining a first class honours degree in History. He returned to the University in 1944 as a lecturer in Political Science and later History, a post he held until he moved to Canberra in 1949.
There are very few papers for this period, but the lectures and lists of sources document the beginnings of Clark's interest in Australian history.
Series 6. Canberra University College, 1953-60
Canberra University College, which was affiliated with the University of Melbourne, took its first students in 1930. Most of the students were public servants and all were part-timers. After the War, funding for the College was increased significantly. In January 1949 Herbert Burton was appointed Principal and Professor of Economic History and his immediate task was the appointment of new staff. His first appointment was Clark, who arrived in Canberra in September 1949 to take up the first chair of History. He remained in this position until 1960, when the College amalgamated with the Australian National University.
There are relatively few papers on Clark's work as a teacher or on Canberra University College generally. Most of the papers relate to meetings of Australian historians in 1955-58.
Series 7. Australian National University, 1960-76
The 1946 Australian National University Act provided for the possible incorporation of Canberra University College. There was strong opposition to the idea from some academics, but at the end of 1959 the Prime Minister announced that the two institutions would be amalgamated. The amalgamation took place on 1 October 1960. The departments of Canberra University College formed the new School of General Studies and were organised into four faculties: Arts, Economics, Law and Science. Herbert Burton continued to be Principal of the School until his retirement in 1965.
Clark was the Head of the Department of History from October 1960 until 31 December 1971. He then remained in the Department as the first Professor of Australian History, finally retiring in 1975. He was also Dean of the Faculty of Arts in 1961-63.
The bulk of the papers in this series were files kept in the office of the History Department; they were transferred to the Library after Clark's death. The correspondence files contain both in-letters and out-letters, but the latter predominate. Many of them relate to the University and to colleagues and students, but there are other letters on public matters or of a personal kind. In some instances, the letters written to Clark can be found in Series 1, whereas the replies are in this series. The recipients of letters include Don Baker, Geoffrey Bolton, John Cobley, R. M Crawford, Geoffrey Dutton, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Alan Gilbert, Bruce Grant, Ken Inglis, Noel McLachlan, Ann Moyal, Les Murray, Patrick O'Farrell, Geoffrey Serle, G.P. Shaw, Sir Patrick Shaw, Keith Sinclair, Sir Richard Southern, Hugh Stretton, J. M Ward, Russel Ward, Patrick White, E. G Whitlam, Robin Winks and Judith Wright.
Files 45-57 were received from Clark's home. They contain correspondence, minutes of Faculty meetings and leaflets and other papers documenting student protest activities at the University. The correspondents include Sir Leonard Huxley, Sir John Crawford, Cecil Gibb, Herbert Burton and W. S Hamilton.
Series 8. Harvard University, 1975-79
In 1975, in observance of the bicentennial celebrations of the American Revolution, the Australian Government made a gift to Harvard University to establish an Australian Bicentennial Chair in Australian Studies. Clark was involved in the negotiations that led to the gift and in December 1975 visited Boston to discuss the arrangements with officers of Harvard University. In September 1978 he took up the Visiting Professor of Australian Studies at Harvard. He returned to Australia in February 1979.
The papers in this series consist of correspondence and also student essays, student lists and other memorabilia which Clark accumulated during his time at Harvard in 1978-79. Correspondents include Senator R.G. Withers, Derek Bok, Henry Rosovsky, William Olney, Robin Winks, Sir Nicholas Mansergh, Geoffrey Blainey, D. A Low, G. PShaw, Peter Ryan, John Gross, Bruce Grant, Jill Conway, Don Baker, Geoffrey Fairbairn, Margaret Atwood, Barbara Penny, Terry Smith, Verna Johnson, Kay Ronai and Sir Keith Hancock.
Series 9. Australian Council for the Arts, 1973
Clark was appointed a member of the Literature Board of the Australian Council for the Arts in early 1973 and remained on the Board until June 1974. The Board was chaired by Geoffrey Blainey. Clark presumably returned most of the papers to the Board, but he retained two files containing photocopies of notices of meetings, agenda papers, correspondence and some grant applications. There is also one letter from the Chairman of the Council, H. C Coombs.
In 1975 the Australia Council replaced the Australian Council for the Arts. Its function was to provide policy advice to the Commonwealth Government on all the arts and to consider and allocate grants to artists and arts organisations. Clark was a member of the Council from 1975 to 1978, but he did not keep any papers on the work of the Council.
Series 10. Journeys, 1955-91
Clark created a series of files which he labelled 'Journeys' which documented many of his visits to overseas countries, as well as his travels within Australia and short-term attachments to various universities. The papers include correspondence, drafts of letters, speeches and lectures, travel documents, itineraries, invitations, photographs, newspaper cuttings, programs, brochures and maps.
Correspondents include Robin Winks, Richard L. Watson, Keith Sinclair, John Mulvaney, Barbara Penny, George Chaloupka, Patricia Ratcliff, Dymphna Clark, Pat Dobrez, Michael Cooke, Dali Doljanin
Papers concerning Clark's visit to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia in 1958 can be found in Series 1 and and papers on his trips to Harvard University in 1976-79 are in Series 8.
Series 11. The ideal of Alexis de Tocqueville, 1938-50
In 1938 Clark was persuaded by his tutor at Balliol College, Humphrey Sumner, to work on the writings of the French political philosopher and historian Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859). In 1939 he and Dymphna spent some time in France, where he worked on manuscripts of de Tocqueville at Paris and the Chateau de Tocqueville at Cosqueville in Normandy. He continued work on the thesis after his return to Australia and it was accepted by the University of Melbourne which awarded him a Master of Arts degree in 1944. Clark's thesis was published posthumously by Melbourne University Press in 2000.
Apart from a few notes dating from 1950, the papers in this series comprise notes made by Clark in 1938-40 of de Tocqueville's published and unpublished writings, together with drafts of his thesis.
Series 12. Select documents in Australian history, 1948-56
In 1946 Clark began to teach Australian history at the University of Melbourne and his teaching led him to search for early Australian documents in the Public Library of Victoria and the Mitchell Library in Sydney. Two years later he decided to publish some of the documents he had used in his teaching. Len Pryor of the Melbourne Teachers' College had had the same idea and the two men collaborated on Select documents in Australian history 1788-1850. It was completed in 1949 and published by Angus and Robertson in 1950. Clark originally hoped to cover the period 1850-1940, but the second volume, published by Angus and Robertson in 1955, dealt with the period 1850-1900. Both books were received with great acclaim.
Very few papers have survived relating to Volume 1. Most of the papers comprise handwritten or typescript copies of documents assembled when Clark was writing Volume 2. There is a comprehensive collection of reviews for both volumes. There are a few letters among the reviews. The writers include Eris O'Brien, Ailsa Thomson, A. Lodewyckx, C. A McCallum, Russel Ward and A. G. L Shaw.
The series also contains reviews and cuttings of Clark's book Sources of Australian history, which was published by Oxford University Press in the World's Classics series in 1957. The volume contained an almost entirely new selection of documents, including newspaper articles, poems and ballads, dating from 1788 to 1919.
Series 13. Alexander Harris, Settlers and convicts, 1952-64
In 1952 Gwyn James, the Manager of Melbourne University Press, asked Clark to prepare a new edition of Settlers and convicts; or, recollections of fourteen years' labour in the Australian backwoods, by an 'Emigrant Mechanic', first published in London in 1847. There has been some uncertainty about the authorship, but most writers have agreed with Clark in attributing the book to Alexander Harris (1805-1874), who emigrated to Australia in 1825. Clark wrote a foreword to the new edition, which was published in 1953.
The small series contains research notes by Clark, manuscript maps, the manuscript of the foreword, letters from individuals and organisations in both Australia and England providing information about Harris, and reviews of the book. The correspondents include Gwyn James, J. A Ferguson, James Whittaker, Herbert Rumsey, Russel Ward and A. D Hope.
Series 14. Meeting Soviet man, 1958-60
In November 1958 Clark, together with Judah Waten and James Devaney, spent three weeks in the Soviet Union as the guests of the Union of Writers. On his return to Australia, Clark wrote a number of newspaper articles about his impressions. His impressions and ideas were developed in his book Meeting Soviet man, which was published by Angus and Robertson in 1960. It received a mixed reception and political opponents of Clark were to draw heavily on the book in later years.
The papers consist of the manuscript of the book and handwritten drafts of talks and letters, letters from both Russian and Australian correspondents, articles from Russian newspapers, newspaper articles by Clark or reporting his speeches, printed items and memorabilia collected during his trip to the Soviet Union, and reviews of the book. The correspondents include Dymphna Clark, Vincent Buckley, W. G Mountier, Judah Waten, Alexei Surkov and Oksana Krugerskaya.
Series 15. A short history of Australia, 1961-92
In 1961 Clark was asked to write a single volume history of Australia for the New American Library of World Literature. It was published in New York in 1963 with the Mentor Books imprint. A second edition was issued by Heinemann in 1969. An illustrated edition was published by Macmillan in 1981, with new editions by Penguin in 1983 and 1987.
The correspondents include E. L Doctorow, Ursula Winant, J. E Madgwick, Edgar Waters, Geoffrey Muirden, Bill Gammage, Tim Curnow, Bill Reed, Katsuo Tamura and Rosario Scarpato.
Series 16. A history of Australia: drafts
When he was at Oxford in May 1956 Clark decided to embark on a general history of Australia, a task that was to occupy much of his time for the next thirty years. Volume 1 of A history of Australia, subtitled 'From the earliest times to the age of Macquarie', was published by Melbourne University Press in 1962. It was received with great acclaim, but also subjected to strong criticism, most notably from the journalist and biographer M. H Ellis. Volume 2 was published in 1968, Volume 3 in 1973, Volume 4 in 1978, Volume 5 in 1981 and Volume 6 in 1987. Clark had originally planned to deal with the post-1851 period in a single volume, but in fact three volumes were devoted to this period. The final volume ended in 1935. Clark's use of sources, his carelessness with facts and his distinctive style have been much debated, but his History is generally regarded as one of the great works of Australian literature.
The drafts of Volume 3 are missing, but manuscript and typescript drafts of the other five volumes of A history of Australia have survived. They document the evolution of the book and the considerable textual and stylistic changes that took place between Clark's first draft and the final publication.
Series 17. A history of Australia: research materials, 1960-86
This is the largest series in the collection and the least organised. Clark and his research assistants accumulated a huge quantity of notes, photocopies and microfilm printouts, which were filed roughly under subject headings. Unlike the other series, the files have not been re-foldered, except in cases where the files were very thick and the papers were becoming damaged. The papers have been grouped by volume, but the order of files within each volume is random and they are not numbered. It is not known whether they were ever in any definite order.
Clark was helped on the History by a number of research assistants: Barbara Penny, Rima Rossall, Lyndall Ryan, Deirdre Morris, Susan Eade, Beverley Hooper and Roslyn Russell. They transcribed or copied much of the material in this series.
Series 18. A history of Australia: correspondence and reviews, 1960-91
Clark created files for each volume of A history of Australia and in general divided them into correspondence and reviews. The latter comprised cuttings or photocopies of reviews of the book. However, the division was not always observed and some letters can be found in the review files and some reviews in the correspondence files. In addition, some of the letters have no connection with A history of Australia.
The correspondence falls into three categories. There are a large number of letters from Melbourne University Press, particularly Peter Ryan, about the editing and publishing of the volumes. There are some letters from libraries, museums and historical societies about sources and requests for photographs. The third and largest category is the letters from friends, colleagues and members of the public praising or criticizing the book. All three categories are interfiled. The bulk of the correspondence is in-coming, but there are occasionally handwritten drafts of Clark's replies.
The correspondence spans more than 30 years and is very extensive. Among the correspondents are Gwyn James (Melbourne University Press), Peter Ryan (Melbourne University Press), Barbara Ramsden (Melbourne University Press), Wendy Sutherland (Melbourne University Press), Nick Walker (Melbourne University Press), Marjorie Hancock (Mitchell Library), Patricia Reynolds (La Trobe Library), Don Baker, Geoffrey Blainey, Robin Boyd, Asa Briggs, Margaret Carnegie, Clem Christesen, Noel Counihan, R. M Crawford, Geoffrey Dutton, Geoffrey Fairbairn, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Bill Gammage, Laurie Gardiner, Bruce Grant, Hartley Grattan, Irene Greenwood, Sir Keith Hancock, A. D Hope, Ken Inglis, Ruth Knight, John La Nauze, Stuart Macintyre, Elsie Macleod, Alan Marshall, Allan Martin, Ann Moyal, Bede Nairn, Sidney Nolan, Douglas Pike, Len Pryor, John Ritchie, Lyndall Ryan, John Sendy, Geoffrey Serle, A. G. L Shaw, Douglas Stewart, Dal Stivens, Hugh Stretton, Suzanne Welborn, Patrick White, E. G Whitlam, Ursula Winant and Ailsa Zainu'ddin.
Series 19. Short stories
During the 1950s and 1960s Clark wrote a number of short stories, some of them featuring a Canberra public servant described as 'The man in black'. They were published in the Bulletin, Quadrant, Partisan, Prometheus and the Melbourne University Magazine. In 1969 twelve of the stories were published by Angus and Robertson in a volume entitled Disquiet and other stories. These stories and two new stories appeared in Collected short stories, published by Penguin in 1986.
Apart from reviews of Disquiet and other stories and a small quantity of letters, this series comprises handwritten and typescript drafts of stories and notes and jottings for stories.
Series 20. The Boyer Lectures, 1975-88
In 1975 the Australian Broadcasting Commission invited Clark to give the 1976 Boyer Lectures. First broadcast in 1959, the lecturers have been prominent Australians who present the results of their work and their thinking on major social, scientific or cultural issues. Clark entitled his lectures 'A discovery of Australia' and spoke of how he discovered one way of writing the history of Australia. The lectures were published by the ABC in 1976. In 1988 Clark was one of a number of former lecturers who were asked to write postscripts to their lectures. His lectures, together with the postscipt, were republished by the ABC in 1991.
Most of the letters deal with the content of the lectures, or the published version of the lectures, both favourably and unfavourably. There are also many letters and cuttings relating to the controversy preceding the lectures, especially the attempts of the ABC management to vet the lectures and the criticisms of Clark made by Senator John Carrick. The correspondents include Talbot Duckmanton, Beatrice Davis, Lady Casey, Allan Martin, John Haslem, Lady Braddon, Russel Ward, Irene Greenwood, W. Macmahon Ball, Ken Inglis, John Molony and Yvonne Boyd.
Series 21. In search of Henry Lawson, 1977-88
While writing the later volumes of A history of Australia, Clark became preoccupied with the character of the poet and short story writer Henry Lawson (1867-1922). His book In search of Henry Lawson was published by Macmillan in 1977. He stated that he was not attempting to write a definitive life, but rather 'a hymn of praise to a man who was great of heart'. As with Clark's other later writings, the book provoked mixed reactions and reviews. It was savagely attacked by Colin Roderick, who had edited Lawson's writings, on grounds of both inaccuracy and ideology and the controversy raged for several weeks.
There are some letters about the research, publishing and launching of the book. Most of them, however, relate to the public response and in particular the highly critical comments by Colin Roderick, Max Harris and some other readers. The correspondents include John Ross (Macmillan), Kay Ronai (Macmillan), Stewart Edwards, Patrick White, Nancy Keesing, Geoffrey Dutton, Geoffrey Fairbairn, Bill Gammage, Heather Radi, Geoffrey Serle, Pauline Fanning, Barbara Penny and Lance Loughrey.
Series 22. Ocasional writings and speeches, 1979-81
This selection of writings by Clark was published by Collins in 1980. Dating from 1943 to 1979, the twenty works were divided into Writings on History, Writings on Australia, and Personal, and comprised lectures, journal and newspaper articles, contributions to anthologies and other books, and funeral orations and tributes.
The series contains typescripts, photocopies and cuttings of papers considered for inclusion in the book, together with a large number of reviews.
Series 23. A history of Australia - the Musical, 1980-89
In 1983 a group of friends led by the historian Don Watson made an agreement with Clark and Melbourne University Press to devise a theatrical production based on A history of Australia. After four years of negotiations and writing, and with financial assistance from the Australian Bicentennial Authority, 'A history of Australia - the Musical' opened at the Princess Theatre, Melbourne, on 16 January 1988. It was directed by John Bell, the script was written by Tim Robertson, John Romeril and Don Watson, and the music was written by Martin Armiger, George Dreyfus and David King. The reaction of audiences and critics were mixed and the company struggled to complete the six week season, incurring a large financial loss.
The papers in this series consist of correspondence, legal agreements, scripts, scene breakdowns, reviews and other newspaper cuttings, and programs, extending from 1983 to 1989. The correspondence documents not only the original conception of the production and the drafting of the script but also attempts to obtain sponsorship and suitable reviews and the reactions of critics and members of the audience. The correspondents include John Timlin, Don Watson, Tim Robertson, Tim Curnow and Peter Ryan.
The series also contains some papers about a proposal by Grundy Organisation Pty Ltd to produce a television mini-series based on A history of Australia. The series never eventuated.
Series 24. The puzzles of childhood, 1907-91
The first volume of Clark's autobiography was published by Penguin Books in Melbourne in 1989. It portrayed his forebears and covered his childhood years in Sydney, Phillip Island and Melbourne, ending with his time at Mont Albert Central School and Melbourne Grammar School.
The first file in this series contains cuttings, quotations and a few letters that Clark assembled when he first considered writing an autobiography. The rest of the papers comprise the handwritten draft of The puzzles of childhood, various typescript drafts, correspondence, research material, reviews and photographs. The research material comprises booklets, leaflets, photocopies of documents, microfilm printouts, photographs, letters from libraries and other sources. The photographs are of special note, consisting of both original prints and copies of images of Clark's parents, brothers and other members of his family, social gatherings, school groups and cricket teams.
There is a file of correspondence relating to Clark's research for the book. The other files contain letters from Penguin Books and the publishing contract and many letters from friends, acquaintances and general readers. The correspondents include Bruce Sims (Penguin Books), Peg McColl (Penguin Books), Beryl Hill (Penguin Books), Ruth Park, Geoffrey Blainey, Marjorie Pitt, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Barrett Reid, Bernard Smith, John Legge, Chester Eagle, Jill Roe, Brenda Niall, Helen Garner and Gwyn Dow.
Series 25. The quest for grace, 1989-91
The second volume of Clark's autobiography, which originally had the title 'Puzzles of the riper years', roughly covered the years 1934-62. It dealt with his time as an undergraduate at Melbourne University, his travels in Europe in 1938-39 and studies at Oxford, his work as a teacher at Geelong Grammar School, his return to Melbourne University as a lecturer in 1944, the beginnings of his interest in Australian history and his early years in Canberra.
The papers comprise several drafts of the book (including the original manuscript), research material, photographs, correspondence and reviews and comments. There are letters from the publisher, but most of the correspondence is from friends, acquaintances and general readers commenting on or criticizing the book. The correspondents include Beryl Hill (Penguin Books), Humphrey McQueen, Geoffrey Dutton, George Zubrzycki, Gordon Powell, Amirah Inglis, Colin Moodie, Bruce Anderson, Michael Thwaites, Elizabeth Riddell, Wilfrid Prest, Bede Nairn, Suzanne Wellborn, Barry Humphries, A. T Yarwood and Bill Gammage.
Series 26. A historian's apprenticeship, 1990-91
Clark wrote the drafts of this book in the last months of his life. After his death the four chapters were edited by Dymphna Clark, who reduced them to three: Wanting to tell the story, Learning to tell the story, Trying to tell the story. The book also contained two excerpts from A history of Australia on W. C Wentworth and Robert O'Hara Burke. It was published by Melbourne University Press in 1992.
This series contains Clark's manuscript and three typescript drafts.
Series 27. Manuscripts, 1931-91
Clark wrote relatively few articles for academic journals, but he was a prolific writer of articles, reviews and short pieces for newspapers, popular magazines and professional journals. This series contains manuscripts, typescripts, offprints, cuttings and occasionally whole issues of journals. There are articles, book reviews, news commentaries, school broadcasts, addresses, eulogies and forewords to books. Letters are sometimes attached to the manuscripts. In the 1980s his filing system became more erratic and the files contain cuttings and other items that were not written by Clark but simply quote him or refer to him.
The manuscripts were arranged chronologically by Clark, beginning with a short piece on the Australian Aborigine published in The Melburnian in 1931. His output was very high in the 1950s, but declined in the 1960s, presumably because he was concentrating on A history of Australia. It increased again in the mid-1970s and remained at a high level until his death.
The last group of files contain some more substantial writings. In particular, there is material for a life of W. C Wentworth which Clark was planning to write in the 1970s but which he eventually abandoned.
Series 28. Lectures, 1940-87
This small series contains rough notes for lectures, as well as manuscripts and typescripts of lectures and addresses delivered at universities and many other public places. It overlaps with the previous series. After 1974 Clark no longer separated lectures from his other manuscripts.
Series 29. Subject files, 1936-91
The files in this series were all created by Clark, but they did not form a definite sequence. Some of them provide documentation of events, organisations or projects in which Clark was involved, such as his Order of Australia award in 1975, his membership of the Australian Society of Authors, and his assistance to the Parliament House Construction Authority in the early 1980s. These files may contain letters, but they mostly comprise roneoed papers, cuttings and printed items. The other files, especially those on individuals, are essentially reference files and consist largely of cuttings, photocopies and printed items. Occasionally, however, there will be some letters. For instance, the files on David Campbell contain letters about the funeral oration delivered by Clark in 1979.
It should be noted that in the case of some individuals, such as Eleanor Dark, Patricia Dobrez, Judah Waten and Patrick White, there are files of letters in Series 1, whereas the files in this Series contains cuttings or other items about these writers.
Series 30. Family correspondence, 1958-75 Restricted
Clark directed that his letters to his wife and family and letters from his wife and children should be held under restricted access. There were no separate files of family letters, but some letters were found in the general correspondence, mainly dating from 1958-64 and 1971-75. These letters have been segregated and arranged by correspondent.