Guide to the Papers of Laurence Collinson
MS 6327
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Laurence Collinson
- Title
- Papers of Laurence Collinson
- Date Range
- 1941 - 1985
- Collection Number
- MS 6327
- Extent
- 2.10 metres (11 ms boxes + 1 folio)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- NLA
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The papers mainly document Collinson's life as a playwright and poet, his later professional work as a counsellor and his active involvement in the homosexual law reform group.
The collection comprises manuscripts of plays, mostly typescript; correspondence in annotated files; material on the theatre and production of plays, scenarios, poetry manuscripts; papers of other writers, personal documents, photographs, sketches by R.A. Simpson, publications and audio tapes.
The majority of letters date from the 1960s and 1970s, and include letters from notable Australian writers such as Patrick White, Muir Holburn, Alan Seymour, Geoffrey Dutton, Rosemary Dobson, Miles Franklin, Thea Astley, Catherine Duncan and other writers. There are also letters from publishers, family and friends.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2167614).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Laurence Collinson, National Library of Australia, MS 6327, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The collection was purchased by the Library from Laurence Collinson in 1979 and an addition was purchased in 1986.
Related Materials
Four paintings by Laurence Collinson are held at the Pictorial Section, National Library. (PIC R10356-10359)
Arrangement
The papers have been organised into eight series.
Wherever possible, Collinson's file arrangement has been maintained by the Library. In the correspondence series he arranged the files alphabetically and included details about the correspondents' occupations and relationships to him. Other correspondence has been organised by the Library chronologically.
Bibliography
Collinson's publications include: Poetry Poet's dozen (1953), The moods of love (1957) Who is wheeling grandma? (1967) Hovering Narcissus (1977) Plays No sugar for George (performed Brisbane, 1949) Friday night at the Schrammers (1962) The Zelda trio ( performed 1961, Melbourne, London 1974) A Slice of birthday cake (1965) Thinking straight (1975) Television plays Uneasy paradise (Australia, 1963) Nude with violin (written by Noel Coward, television adaptation by Collinson, Australia, 1964) The audition (Australia, 1964) The moods of love (Australia, 1964) Number thirty approximately (England, 1968) Loving Israel (England, 1968) The girl from upstairs (England, 1971) Radio plays A slice of birthday cake (Australia, 1963) The slob on Friday (Canada, 1969) Novel Cupid's crescent (privately printed London, 1973)
Biographical Note
Laurence Collinson was born in Leeds, England, on 7 September 1925. His family emigrated to Australia in1930 and he was educated at primary and secondary schools in Melbourne, Sydney, Dalby and Brisbane. Collinson completed a secondary teaching diploma at Merrer House, Melbourne and from 1955-61 he taught mathematics and English at Melbourne secondary schools. In 1961-64 Collinson worked as the editor of a teachers' journal, The Educational Magazine.
In 1964 he returned to London to pursue a career in freelance writing. He considered himself as much a playwright as a poet. His stories and poems have been included in many journals and anthologies, and his plays for stage, television and radio have been produced both in Australian and England.
For many years he was a member of the editoral board for the Australian magazine Overland, and in the 1940s he founded Barjai, a literary magazine for youth. In his later life Collinson became interested in transactional analysis therapy (TA) and worked as a counsellor.
Collinson died in London on 10 November 1986.
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence (alphabetical) 1938-76
Series 1 contains many personal letters, from friends and fellow Australian writers. There are also some business letters relating to various aspects of publishing and letters relating to the homosexual law reform group. Collinson filed his letters in alphabetical order according to the correspondent's name. This filing order has been maintained. The bulk of the letters date from the 1960s and 1970s.
Correspondents include Eunice Hanger, David Martin, James McAuley, Stephen Murray-Smith, Miles Franklin, Dymphna Cusack, Nancy Cato, Clem Christesen, Bruce Dawe, Vincent Buckley, Greg Branson, Thea Astley, Roderic Anderson, Betty Roland, Barrie Reid, Leonard Shellam, Alan Seymour, Sybil Thorndike, Kylie Tennant, Patrick White, Judith Wright, Nettie Palmer, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Eric Collinson (Laurence's uncle) Geoffrey Dutton, Catherine Duncan, Diane Pearson, Margarey Vosper, Rosemary Dobson, Universum, Peter Porter, Jean Campbell, R.A. Simpson, Roger Baker, Geoffrey Blainey, Arnold Wesker, James Corbett, Peter Mathers, Muriel Mathers, Judah Waten, Dr. Hohsna Moes, Michael Summerskill, Claude Steiner, Jim and Beth Smyth, Alan Prior, Muir Holburn, Marjorie Pizer, John Sumner, the Australian Broadcasting Comission and Thames Television.
Series 2. Correspondence (chronological) 1960-85
This series comprises letters relating to the publication of Cupid's crescent, counselling and analysis. There are letters from Eric Collinson (Laurence's uncle), Catherine Duncan, Roger Baker and James Corbett.
In 1973 Laurence self-published his novel Cupid's crescent and the series contains letters, invoices, book orders and other material relating to Cupid's crescent.
Box 11, folders 11 and 12 consist of correspondence between Collinson, Roger Baker and James Corbett. This box is closed.
Series 3. Manuscripts and typescripts, 1949-77
In maintaining Collinson's arrangement, folder 2 (Book publicity and other papers, 1957-59) and folder 9 ( Reviews and other papers, 1961, 1974) have been kept with series 3.
Poetry: The moods of love, 1957: Television script, shooting script and correspondence, 1964 (File 1) - Box 3
Plays: The Zelda trio, 1961, 1974: Photocopy of typescript and newpaper profile on Collinson, 1974 (File 8) - Box 4
Plays: Thinking straight, 1975: Two typescripts, one copy, typescript with annotations and an autographed copy (File 10) - Box 4
Television plays: Nude with violin (1964), The audition (1964) and Number Thirty approximately (1968): Typescripts (File 13) - Box 5
Radio play: Typescripts of 'The slob on Friday', 1969 and another typescript for a television play entitled Grave and friendly (File 15) - Box 5
Other manuscripts and typescripts: Typescripts of One penny for Israel (performed London, 1978) other typescripts, playscripts, synopsis and Council of Adult Education notes (File 16_21) - Box 5
Series 4. Reviews and publicity, 1953-78
In keeping with Collinson's arrangement, some of the review and publicity papers can be found in series 3.
Newspaper reviews and journal articles about The moods of love and Who is wheeling grandma?1957-67 and letters relating to the publication of The moods of love, 1957-59 (File 1) - Box 7
Series 5. Personal documents and photographs, 1941-77
The documents in this series include school certificates, teaching diploma, references, biographical notes, family wills, estate notice, death notices and family photographs. There are many photographs of mainly friends and some family (list in folder 5) and publicity photographs for play and television productions.
Series 6. Works by other writers, 1945-75
Series 7. Miscellaneous papers and tape recordings, 1945-77
In 1946 Collinson exhibited with artists Laurence Hope, Pamela Seeman and others at the Miya Studio in Brisbane. There is a catalogue and other papers relating to the Exhibition.
The series also includes Collinson's personal statement, material relating to the Communist Party of Australia, correspondence with a Czechoslovakian literary magazine and a contract for the play Thinking straight. In 1974 Laurence Collinson and Roger Baker interviewed William Burroughs and subsequently the interviews were transcribed and published in a book Gay Sunshine Interview, 1978. There are some small pencil sketches, one larger ink drawing by R.A. Simpson and a letter from Geoffrey Blainey.
Art exhibition catologue of Collinson's work, R.A. Simpson's drawings and another small painting on paper, 1945-77 (File 1) - Box 8
Collinson's personal statement, contract, Overland magazine articles and material relating to Communist Party of Australia, 1959-68 (File 2) - Box 8
Correspondence and Collinson's impressions of his stay at the Foundation Karolyi, France, letter from Geoffrey Blainey and poem by R.A. Simpson and other papers, 1962-74 (File 3) - Box 8
Contract and a copy of the paper Gay News, including cuttings of articles, financial papers, theatre and poem readings and programs, 1965-77 (File 4) - Box 9
Series 8. Publications, 1946-85
Collinson published many poems in literary and gay liberation journals.