Guide to the Papers of Patricia Clare
MS 9459
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Patricia Clare
- Title
- Papers of Patricia Clare
- Date Range
- 1907-2000
- Collection Number
- MS 9459
- Extent
- 1.2 metres (5 boxes, 1 folio box)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Content
The papers were assembled by Patricia Clare and fall into two categories. The earliest material is associated with Bland Holt and comprises two letters from him to Violet Canty, the sister of Clare's father, a New Year message and two Christmas messages, dating from 1907 to 1922. There is also a photo of Violet Canty as Maida in 'The breaking of the drought' produced by Bland Holt. This group of documents includes a photograph of Claire Canty, Clare's mother who was a great niece of Sir Henry Parkes. There is a copy of the 'Memorandum of Agreement' between The Olympia (Entertainments) Co. and Claire Parkes to sing in Max Reinhardt's production 'The Miracle' in London in December 1911.
The second category comprises the papers of Clare and includes correspondence, press cuttings, literary works and photographs. There are two photos of Dame Mary Gilmore and a copy of her anthology Marri'd and other verses [s.d.] inscribed by Gilmore to Patricia Canty. 'The Occasional book of Patricia Clare' contains poetry, newspaper cuttings and memorabilia of Clare's husband, Harry Scholer (1914-1986).
The collection includes several articles and short stories published by Clare, the scripts for a number of Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio broadcasts, and a copy of her book The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef (1971) with a typescript Index prepared by Clare, and reviews of her book. There is also a group of documents relating to Patrick White. They include two letters written by White in 1975 and 1986, and White's list of books by Edmund Wilson that he owned. There is an inscribed copy of White's book Patrick White speaks and a copy of the script of The Aunt's story, by Patrick White, dramatised for radio by Clare.
The collection also includes correspondence with publishers. Finally, there are many letters written by Clare to various animal rights groups, embassies, Parliamentary Committees and Government Ministers and Premiers on such themes as the battery cage system, the use of animals to test commercial products, trade in fur products, the transportation of live animals and whaling.
Among the correspondents are E.G. Whitlam, R.J. Hawke, Premiers J. Fahey and N.F. Greiner, Patricia Nosher of The New Yorker and Suzanne Martell of Harper's magazine.
Conditions Governing Access
Restricted materials: correspondence with The New Yorker (1961-98) regarding short stories and poems submitted for publication, including the short story 'On Logan's Hill. This correspondence is restricted until Clare's death (file 24).
Clare's typescript diary and notes covering the period February 1996 to December 1997. These documents are restricted for thirty years after Clare's death (file 25).
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 Patricia Clare, National Library of Australia, MS 9459, [series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The papers were purchased by the Library from Patricia Clare in June 2000.
Biographical Note
Clare, who lives in Sydney, is the author of short stories, original plays, features and dramatisations for radio. She has worked as a professional journalist. In 1971 her book The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef was published in England and the U.S. The book had a critical success, although the title imposed on it was not generally liked (one critic called it 'deadly'). Clare's preferred title had been 'Scenes in the life of the Great Barrier Reef', expressive of the fact that the book dealt with more than 'the struggle' against the crown of thorns and would-be exploiters. It was also an account of the sea creatures, land creatures, Aborigines, big-game fishermen and other characters of the area: and it presented scenes in the author's journey through the islands and along the adjacent coast as she searched out incidents and people to illuminate Reef life. Clare was married to civil engineer, Harry Albert Scholer: they divorced but maintained a close friendship. Source: Letter from P. Clare to G. Powell, 31 August 2000.