Guide to the Papers of F. J. H. Letters

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MS 7208

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Francis Joseph Henry Letters
Title
Papers of F. J. H. Letters
Date Range
1930-1964
Collection Number
MS 7208
Extent
0.6 metres (4 ms boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The papers of the late Dr F.J.H. Letters were preserved and donated to the Library by his wife Mrs Kathleen Letters. The papers include correspondence, manuscripts of essays and poems, speeches and lecture notes, passports and knight-hood papers and newspaper clippings of historical value.

Francis Letters, who was a devout Catholic, was Associate Professor of Classics at the University of New England. The collection consists of original drafts of essays, poems and his letters to his friends and literary Societies. It also includes some of his essays and poems published in various journals and news-letters.

The newspaper cuttings comprise reviews of his writings, news of his receiving his Papal Knighthood, and obituaries published after his death. Since the papers were collected by his wife, she has made various notes and comments that the user will find useful when using the Collection. In most cases the order according to the notes has been maintained.

The manuscripts have been arranged in five series:- 1) Correspondence 2) Essays and poems (published and unpublished.) 3) Lecture notes and speeches 4) Miscellaneous personal items and 5) Newspaper cuttings.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2285505) 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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 F. J. H. Letters, National Library of Australia, MS 7208, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Biographical Note

Francis Joseph Henry Letters was born in Gympie, Queensland on 6th December 1897. He was educated at Christian Brothers College and Sydney University from where he graduated with an honours degree in classics and English in 1918. Three years later he became a Master of Arts in Classics, winning prizes for Latin verse and prose writing. In 1926 he graduated Bachelor of Laws and after a year in Europe studying modern languages he was called to the Bar of New South Wales. He practised as a Barrister for eleven years.

He joined the staff of New England University College in 1938 as one of the original five members of staff. In 1956 he was granted an honorary Doctorate in Literature by the National University of Ireland. The following year he was made an Associate Professor at the University of New England.

His devotion to his Church was recognised in 1960 by his Holiness the Pope who conferred on him the knighthood of the Order of St. Gregory. He retired from the University in early 1964 and died on 23 September 1964 after a short illness.

Sources: 1. Who's who in Australia 14th ed. Melbourne, The Herald, 1959.; 2. For Service to Classical Studies: essays in honour of Francis Letters edited by Maurice Kelly Melbourne, F.W. Cheshire, 1966.

Item Descriptions

Series 1. Correspondence

This series consists of correspondence by Francis Letters, correspondence to him, and various letters written by his wife and to his wife from friends.

Letters by F.J.H. Letters (File 1) - Box 1

The folder consists of letters by him arranged chronologically. These include letters to his mother mentioning his essays and poems; letters to his friends such as Jim Farrell and Mr Parker whom he mentions later in his poems. Also there are two letters written when he was seven years old.

Letters to F.J.H. Letters, 1930-1959 (File 2) - Box 1

Arranged chronologically, these include letters from the Secretary of Australia's 150th Anniversary Celebrations Council; International Mark Twain Society; Sheed & Ward, the publishers of his books; Mr C.M. Boura, Vice-Chancellor of Wadham College, Oxford, and various friends.

Letters to F.J.H. Letters 1960-1964 and miscellaneous undated letters (File 3) - Box 1

Correspondence arranged chronologically includes letters from Lois Marijon; A. Baccarini, J.M. Douglas, and Chris Brennan. There are various other letters from his lawyers and others.

Letters written to and by Kathleen Letters. (File 4) - Box 1

The folder consists of correspondence with their friends and other agencies. These include a letter from the Librarian at the University of New England honouring Frank's memory by naming a room in the library. There is a letter from Queensland University Press seeking permission to publish his essay. These also include letters of condolence after Frank's death.

Series 2. Essays and poems - published and unpublished

The published essays and poems include those published in journals, newsletters and newspapers, while unpublished comprise typed and manuscript materials collected by his wife.

Published essays in journals newsletters etc. (File 5) - Box 1

The folder includes copies of journals (20th Century Australian Quarterly Review), Catholic newsletters, University of New England Bulletin and records where some of his essays appear. Essays such as Faust Divine Comedy today and Roy Campbell, Poet and Matador appear in these journals and newsletters.

Manuscripts of Essays (typescript) (File 6) - Box 1

The following titles appear in this folder. They were housed together when received, labelled "Oral history".

1. Near

2. Saturday

3. Australia's unmentioned debt to United States

4. In defence of anonymous letter writing

5. The Pulicius

Manuscripts of essays (typescript) titled "You must read essays" (File 7) - Box 2

The following titles have been left in their original order.

1. You must read

2. The personal element in argument

3. Giants

4. Sympathies and Antipathies

5. Trains

6. Santa Claus

7. Skull and Mummy

8. Psychologist and Tact

9. Baric music

Manuscript of essays (typed form) Titled "religious subjects". (File 8) - Box 2

The essays in the folder have been left in original order.

1. Bunyan and Catholicism

2. The Soul of an English Opium eater

3. Faust and the Divine Comedy today

4. Virgil's prophecy and birth of Christ

5. Premature

Manuscripts of other essays (Typed form) (File 9) - Box 2

This folder contains essays that were filed together as "Humanities" essays.

1. Humanities

2. English as a university subject

3. The Barbarous "Univ. of Billabong"

4. Clearing out Drawers

5. The Storming of Ivory Tower

6. Alfred Deakin

7. Revolution in Our Universities

8. New Year Resolutions

9. Towers

10. Hosts of friends

11. Advertisements and social picture

12. Poet and the matador

Manuscripts of essays (Handwritten drafts) (File 10) - Box 2

The folder consists of handwritten drafts of two essays.

1. The history of Roman Satire - notes and preliminary survey of origins of satire. The scripts are numbered pages 1 - 116

2. First draft of edition of Hercules of Furens of Sereca. The scripts are numbered pages 1 - 92

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten drafts) (File 11) - Box 2

The folder consists of drafts of the following titles. Some sets have page numbers while other have certain sections missing.

1. Dante the poet of today

2. Secularium in literature (some pages missing)

3. Sophocles (Notes scattered)

4. Flying saucer and triumph of Common observer

5. Essayists of today

6. Lois De Granada - Poet of pulpit

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten) (File 12) - Box 2

There is no distinct title on this collection of papers. Various page numbers and dates appear on the pages. Letter from Mr Roach regarding publishing. Major portion of the Script is on his School Certificate unused portion of the paper.

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten form) (File 13) - Box 3

The folder contains drafts titled "Sacred and religious scripture". Some of the pages have numbers while others have dates. There seems to be no distinct title given to any set of papers. These have been left in their original order.

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten) (File 14) - Box 3

The folder contains two sets of drafts, the first is titled "The Jungle" while the second has no title with varying page numbers and dates.

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten) (File 15) - Box 3

The folder has two sets of drafts, the first titled "Babies are ...." (the third word not clear) with varying page numbers. The second set of papers has no title and also has varying page numbers and dates. These sets have been left in their original order.

Manuscripts of essays (handwritten) (File 16) - Box 3

The folder has a set of papers titled "The Longest letter" with 210 pages, accompanied by notes and comments by Mrs Letters.

Manuscripts of poems (typescript) (File 17) - Box 3

The folder contains drafts of about thirty various titles such as, The progress of Poesy, Spring at Booloominbah, and Reflection.

Manuscripts of poems (handwritten) (File 18) - Box 4

Some of the drafts have been transcribed by his wife with additional notes and comments.

Series 3. Lecture notes and speeches

The series includes a collection of speeches made by Frank Letters at various functions and some of his lecture notes used in teaching. A tape and a cassette mentioned is held in the Oral history collection of the National Library. The cassette tape 1: F.J.H. Letters interviewed by George Baker, September. 1963, the day before Letters entered hospital, tape 2: Part II of Commemoration of Benefactors, 1962. (University of New England).

Lecture notes and speeches (File 19) - Box 4

Folder includes text by speech made at Congregation for the Commemoration of Benefactors and Conferment of honorary degrees at Armidale University on 13th October 1962. Also includes speeches and lectures as guest of honour at other functions.

Also includes six books of lecture notes made at the University while teaching.

Series 4. Miscellaneous personal items

This series includes items of personal value to Frank Letters such as his passport, personal financial papers and character references by various people.

Miscellaneous personal items (File 20) - Box 4

The folder consists of text of address in his honour at National University of Ireland in July 1956; a copy of certificate appointing Ley as barrister; Character references by W.J. Woodhouse of University of Sydney and W.F. Jackson of University College Oxford, England; Copy of certificate from International Mark Twain Society; a passport, notebooks and various other documents.

Series 5. Newspaper cuttings

The series consists of various newspaper cutting collected by his wife.

Newspaper cuttings - arranged chronologically (File 21) - Box 4

The folder consists of articles, essays, criticisms and poems collected by his wife, together with a number of obituaries.


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