Guide to the Papers of Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor
MS 7407
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor
- Title
- Papers of Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor
- Date Range
- 1938 - 2000
- Collection Number
- MS 7407
- Extent
- 11.25 metres (58 boxes) + 3 fol. boxes + 1 carton + 3 large cartons + 1 small carton.
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
MS 7407 includes personal and family correspondence; correspondence relating to Expression magazine, business and property correspondence; diaries, published and unpublished writings including poems, plays, novels, short stories and theses; reviews of Bladen's works; family papers, personal documents, scrapbook; photographs; artwork; literary publications by other authors, memorabilia and other papers.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2037185).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Papers of Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor, National Library of Australia, [class/series and/or file number]'.
Related Materials
Other Bladen papers are held by the University of Western Australia Library.
Biographical / Historical
Peter Louis Bladen was born in Perth in 1922. His studies at the University of Western Australia were interrupted by the Second World War, during which he served in the Royal Australian Navy. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (honours) in 1951, and later from the University of Melbourne with a Masters degree.
Bladen's first book Selected Poems (1945) was published under the name L. Bladen. He subsequently published under the names Peter Bladen, L. Bladen and Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor. He won a prize in the Commonwealth Jubilee Literary Competition Long-Poem Section in 1951 for his first major work The Old Ladies at Newington: a Poem or Several Voices.
In the 1960s Bladen moved to the eastern states and worked as a journalist and writer, including some time writing for the Mavis Bramston Show. He published and edited the literary quarterly Expression, the official journal of the Writer's Guild of Queensland, from 1962 to 1972.
In 1984 Bladen moved to Turkey and continued to write. There he became a Muslim, assuming the name Yusuf Peter Louis Bladen-Pryor. In the 1990s he travelled through the United States. In later years he concentrated on the sonnet, culminating in the 2000 publication of his collection of a thousand sonnets Millefleurs, written between 1944 and 1999.
Bladen died in October 2001 and was survived by his sister, Joy Foster. She described him as a gentle man who was highly intelligent, thrifty and methodical. His brother, Geoffrey pre-deceased him. Bladen's literary executor Professor Les Marchant said in a eulogy that his writing bestowed fame on his university, state and nation.
Item Descriptions
Class MS 7407. Original Consignment
MS 7407 includes personal and family correspondence; correspondence relating to Expression magazine, 1967-1977; business and property correspondence; diaries, 1955-1964; published and unpublished writings including poems, plays, novels, short stories and theses; reviews of Bladen's works; family papers, personal documents, scrapbook; photographs; artwork; literary publications by other authors, memorabilia and other papers.
Correspondence – Expression – letters to Peter Bladen from Sid Hume President of Queensland Writers' Guild (File 51) - Box 9 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Expression – letters to and from J. Gaunt Secretary of Queensland Writers' Guild Copies of Expression, 1962-1969 (File 53) - Box 9 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – letters IN from Pam and Gordon Oates (Pam Oates is sister of Quentin Smith) Peter Bladen to Pam and Gordon Oates (File 57) - Box 11 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – letters IN from Edna Oddy (friend of Lil Fenton of Lord Howe Island) Peter Bladen to Edna Oddy (File 58) - Box 11 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Peter Bladen to Ooi Kee Hock (Ken Ooi) Peter Bladen from Ooi Kee Hock (Ken Ooi) (File 59) - Box 11 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Peter Bladen - letters In from Quentin Smith Peter Bladen to Quentin Smith (File 60) - Box 12 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – letters IN from Lloyd C. Douglas and mother Peter Bladen to Lloyd & Nellie Douglas (File 66) - Box 13 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – letters from Myra Edwards also Bernice Bilney Myra's sister (File 71) - Box 13 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – letters to Peter Bladen from Madeline Pages (Madeline is sister of Mercedes Slight) (File 76) - Box 14 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Expression - letters to and from Charles Buckmaster and Michael Dugan (File 87) - Box 16 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Expression - letters to and from Berber Eygelaar Jude Siekmann and Lolo Houbein (see also annual File) (File 88) - Box 16 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Expression – inwards and outwards re his publications; Lazy walkabout (File 92) - Box 17 (MS 7407)
Correspondence – Expression (File 93) - Box 17 (MS 7407)
Letters inwards and outwards re Bladen's publications.
Biographies Masque for a modern minstrel and The old Ladies at Newington - letters to and from Angus and Robertson and miscellaneous papers
Property correspondence re 55 Como Pde East; 247 Morphett St Adelaide and Mrs Tuttle's house in Railway Tce Quorn South Australia (File 112) - Box 20 (MS 7407)
Property correspondence re 74 Crockford Street Pt Melbourne land at Laura and various other properties (File 113) - Box 20 (MS 7407)
Business correspondence – letters re books etc purchased in England 1976 (File 118) - Box 21 (MS 7407)
Miscellaneous letters - to and from the Haydock family of Geraldton WA and letters from Turkey (File 120) - Box 22 (MS 7407)
Miscellaneous letters - letters to and from various friends members of International P.E.N.; to and from The Commonwealth Literary Fund and from Joyce Batty (File 121) - Box 22 (MS 7407)
Two bound typed volumes of early poems numbered 1 to 499 and 500 to 860 (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Songs for all seasons chosen by Rosemary Dodson Angus & Robertson Sydney 1967. Includes "Coronation Day at Melrose". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Modern Australia Verse Vol. 2 chosen by Douglas Stewart Angus & Robertson Sydney 1964. Includes "Coronation Day at Melrose". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
The Wide Brown Land chosen by Douglas Stewart Pacific Books Sydney 1971. Includes "Coronation Day at Melrose". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Australian Poetry selected by Ronald McCuaig Angus & Robertson Sydney 1954. Includes "Coronation Day at Melrose". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Australian Poetry selected by James McAuley Angus & Robertson Sydney 1955. Includes "Rag doll at the roadside". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Australian Poetry selected by Nancy Keesing Angus & Robertson Sydney 1959. Includes "The garden of faces". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Australian Signpost edited by T. A. G. Hungerford and F. W. Cheshire. Includes chapter from "Lazy walkabout" 1956. (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
H.M.A.S. Mark 3 Australian War Memorial 1944 - presentation copy. Includes "The men in the mangrove swamps". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Southerly No. 2 1951. Includes "Escape" and "Paths awaiting the moonlight". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Southerly No. 4 1956. Includes review of "The old ladies at Newington". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
The Winthrope Vol. 1 No. 1 1953. Includes review by H. P. Heseltine of "The poetry of Peter Bladen". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Meanjin Vol. XI No. 1. Includes "The pond" from The old ladies at Newington (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Meanjin Vol. XIII No. 1 Autumn 1954. Includes review by R. D. Fitzgerald of The old ladies at Newington. (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Jindyworobak Anthology 1950 edited by R. G. Howarth. Includes "Spring" and "Fisherman at Mosman Bay". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Jindyworobak Anthology 1952 edited by Arthur Murphy. Includes "Earth lover" and "New day". (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
The Sphinx Perth Modern School Vol. 10 No.. 70 December 1937. Includes 3 poems under initials L. P. (Louis Pryor) (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Scots Church Leaflets. Includes various poems. "Lazy Walkabout" original typescript with photos (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
"Island Diary" (a novel in 5 books). This formed the basis for "Island Trilogy" (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
"The Lifeline" (1st draft 1980) by Peter Bladen and Lutfi Uygur. Typed on goatskin parchment (File) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
"Sally on the Coast Road" (Portland to Melbourne) c. 1948 (unpublished typescript of 228pp) (File 126-127) - Box 23-25 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to and from Bladen's mother V. A. Bladen, 1949-1971 (File 128-131) - Box 29 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to Bladen's sister Joy Marie Foster (File 145-149) - Box 32 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters from Bladen's sister Joy Marie Foster (File 150-152) - Box 32 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to and from Bladen's aunt Edith Potts (nee Bladen) (File 153) - Box 33 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to Bladen's brother Geoff W. Pryor and to Pryor's children John Carol and Margaret (File 154) - Box 33 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters from Bladen's brother Geoff W. Pryor and from Pryor's children John Carol and Margaret (File 155-156) - Box 33 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to and from Bladen's niece Shirley Tuffin (née Foster) (File 157-158) - Box 33 (MS 7407)
Family correspondence: letters to and from Bladen's paternal cousin Mary Chechucci; from his mother's cousin Phyllis Wells Bladen; from Aunt Hilda (Pat) Bladen and miscellaneous family letters (File 159) - Box 33 (MS 7407)
Extracts from Journals of Explorations by R. T. Maurice Government Printer Adelaide, 1904 (File 176) - Box 36 (MS 7407)
The basis for play "The Explorer". Included are the birth and death certificates of R. T. Maurice and hand-written notes by Bladen from Maurice's Across the great thirst land
Painter of the Hills (two act play). Basis for "Namatjira" an opera (File 177-178) - Box 36 (MS 7407)
The Explorer verse play in three acts 1978. Based on the journeys of Richard Thelwell Maurice (File 180) - Box 36 (MS 7407)
Jubilee Sonnets 1976. Typed copy of the volume presented to the Queen with a thank you letter from Buckingham Palace (File 181) - Box 36 (MS 7407)
"The antique merry-go-round" 1977 typescript with corrections on goatskin parchment (File 182-183) - Box 36 (MS 7407)
"The antique merry-go-round" 1977 typescript with corrections on goatskin parchment (File 184-185) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
Thoreau 1951. Rough copy with notes of essay submitted as thesis for B.A. (Hons). University of W.A. Photos and colour film slides (File 186) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
"The attitude of Australian poets to nature" thesis submitted for Master of Arts degree University of Melbourne. (Peter Louis Bladen was duly admitted to the degree on the second day of August 1961) (File 187) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
"Benim Koy" – "My Village" by Lutfi Uygur. Translated and edited by Peter Bladen (File 188) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
The Old Ladies at Newington: a poem for several voices by Peter Bladen (File 189) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
First draft of "The Mother River"(The Old Ladies) together with some untitled poems (File 190) - Box 37 (MS 7407)
A small manuscript album: "Revenges in Rhyme" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning Christina Rossetti Ella Wheeler and Wilcox Auld purchased in England in 1976 (File 198-201) - Box 39 (MS 7407)
Manuscript book of poems 6 November 1976 to 4 January 1978 (book A) (File 198-201) - Box 39 (MS 7407)
File of Miscellaneous papers and writings With poems hand-printed on art paper for V. A. Bladen in the early 1940 (File) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Island Trilogy Acacia Press South Australia. Private printing. No. 1 of 250 signed and numbered copies (File) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Adelaide Sonnets Acacia Antiques Adelaide. Private printing. No. 1 of 220 signed and numbered copies (File) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Early family letters birth and death certificates and the Bladen family tree (File 202-204) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
"The Disappointed Ghost": Bladen's first play staged at Perth Modern School, c. 1938 (File 202-204) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Papers by other authors: Ned Kelly's letter to Mr Cameron; memorial remarks at the graves of Kendall and Namatjira; and verse by George Price South Australia (File 202-204) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
The Winthrop Review June 1953 Vol. 1 No. 1. Selected Pems under the name L. Bladen (Paterson Perth) (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Certificate from Scottish Universities Entrance Board. Letter re "Apology to Her Majesty" (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
"Everything in its proper place" by Alan Johnson (one of 3 copies printed in Quorn South Australia) (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
"Barred from the sky" by Jody Nancarrow and Alan Johnson (2 of 6 copies printed in Quorn South Australia) (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
"Australian poets speaking their own verse" (list of poets on the recordings arranged by Hazel de Berg and John Thompson). The recordings are in the folio run. (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Original design for cover of The Old Ladies at Newington by Ralph Oliver of South Perth a former school-friend at Subiaco State School (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Letterheads of Australian Creative Art Centre (Interstate Affiliations) (ACACIA) and Bruse's Hall South Australia the latter from the pencil sketch by Rev Don Francis (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
Review ABC copy and publisher's mailing slip for The Old Ladies at Newington (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
The Scots Church Melbourne: programme for the 25th Anniversary Service 1963 attended by the Queen (File 205-206) - Box 40 (MS 7407)
"Narsreddin" (a musical comedy in three acts. First draft of the libretto) (File 217) - Box 43 (MS 7407)
File of unpublished short stores entitled (File 218) - Box 44 (MS 7407)
"Sweet taste of freedom"; "Old Sandy"; "Two of a kind"; "Heinrich's mate";
"The big shot"; "A dream to share"; "Introducing Johnny Ironsides"; "The
Englishman went home"; "Memories of happy"; "Buddy"; "The needle"
A small rosewood jewel box set with jade and malachite once Bladen's gift to his mother (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
It contains her miniature copy of King Lear his decorations (war music and
lifesaving medals) and personal trinkets. The gold Parker pen with which he
wrote all his work until leaving Quorn (South Australia) has been replaced by two new Parker pens one a legacy from his mother the other a gift from Lloyd Douglas
Photos: "Lazy Walkout"; Brisbane; Quorn; Peter Bladen; Louis and Joy Pryor (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Intarsia of Mount Ledgbird made by Alan Osterstock for frontispiece to Island Trilogy (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Scrapbook of cuttings photos cards etc bearing the name "L. Bladen" B. file, 1946 (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Signatures from the Visitors' Book at Bruse's Hall Quorn 25 April 1969 to 11 October 1976 (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
"Australian Poets Speaking Their Own Verse" (three LP records). Arranged by Hazel de Berg and John Thompson. (Collection up to 1960) (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Certificates received for Pianoforte Theory and Musical Perception Swimming Lifesaving French B. A. and B. A. (Hons) (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Lifesaving Certificate (1938) oil painting of Bladen by Helen Devitt (vide "Portrait of an Artist" an unpublished short story) and the original sketch for "Camphor Joe" from The Bulletin (1957) (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Set of The Bulletin containing "Lazy Walkabout" in serial form and "Camphor Joe" (File) - Folio-Box [No. ?] (MS 7407)
Class MS ACCGB 1992/2809. Consignment Received 1992
The Acc GB 1992/2809 instalment comprises correspondence, in and out, 1985-1992; 'Benim Koy, my village' and 'Turkish sonnets' by Bladen-Pryor; 'The triumphant tour' (of Ultra-Asia) by Belinda Petrie; three further manuscripts by Bladen-Pryor: 'Miscellaneous poems', 1988-1992, 'Creation', c. 1980, and, 'The Gandhi sequence', c. 1990.
Class MS ACCGB 1993/0906. Consignment Received 1993
The Acc GB 1993/0906 instalment includes manuscript drafts and correspondence.
Class MS ACCGB 1994/2507. Consignment Received 1994
The Acc GB 1994/2507 instalment comprises correspondence, c. 1984-1994, a handprinted edition of Perth sonnets, and poems written in Northern Cyprus, 1993.
Class MS Acc GB 1996/2202. Consignment Received 1996
The Acc GB 1996/2202 instalment includes correspondence and papers relating to Bladen-Pryor's manuscript poems, Poems from a non-existent land.
Class MS Acc99/10. Consignment Received 1999
The Acc99/10 instalment comprises correspondence, 1996-1998, and a folder containing 'Poems written and revised in 1997-1998' in two volumes.
Class Ms Acc01/257. Consignment Received 2001
The Acc01/257 instalment consists mainly of correspondence with family, friends (both in Australia and Turkey), libraries, bookshops and government officials. Correspondents include Clem Christesen, Honor Coutts and Bladen-Pryor's sister, Joy Marie Foster.