Guide to the Papers of Maldwyn Rees

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MS 6781

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Maldwyn Rees
Title
Papers of Maldwyn Rees
Date Range
1930-1979
Collection Number
MS 6781
Extent
3.18 metres
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of papers relating to the business and personal activities of Maldwyn Rees editor and compiler of The Welsh Australian - a magazine for the Welsh community in Australia, and his wife Blodwen. The Welsh Australian began publication in 1935 with articles and contributions solicited being drawn from correspondence within this collection.

Maldwyn Rees' papers include material from various Welsh Australian churches and cultural activities of the welsh community. Rees served as the Sessions Clerk for the Welsh Presbyterian church for over thirty years during which time he was responsible for the publication of Y Ddolen - The Link. Rees resigned from this position in 1972.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2592115).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Maldwyn Rees, National Library of Australia, MS 6781, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Arrangement

The Records within the collection are arranged in eight series according to their nature and origin.

These records are sorted and arranged in the first series according to their chronological order, attention being paid to those of John Griffiths. Information on the family and pioneering histories of Welsh Australians is contained within note-books, articles and reminiscences solicited and arranged by Rees.

Biographical / Historical

Editor of the Welsh Australian, founded in 1935; Sessions Clerk, Welsh Presbyterian Church, Sydney; Secretary, Welsh Male Voice Party, Sydney.

Item Descriptions

Class. Original Consignment - Box 1-5 (boxes) (MS 6781), Elephant-Folio unnumbered (1 elephant folio) (MS 6781), Map-Folio unnumbered (1 map folio) (ms 6781)

2.28 metres,

Series 1(A). Correspondence written by Maldwyn and Blodwyn Rees, 1930-1979

Correspondence, Business and Personal, of Maldwyn and Blodwen Rees in compiling and organizing, The Welsh Australian, personal correspondence was used to provide material for articles. Consequently correspondence ranging from 1930 to 1979 has been divided into that which is sorted chronologically, and that which is unsorted.

February 1930-December 1937 (File 1) - Box 1
January 1938-December 1938 (File 2) - Box 1
January 1939-October 1940 (File 3) - Box 1
February 1941-November 1941 (File 4) - Box 1
May 1942-February 1979 (File 5) - Box 1
Unsorted correspondence and unmatched envelopes (File 6) - Box 1

Series 1(B). Correspondence written by 'Gowertonion' (John Griffiths) 1936 - 1939

John Griffiths under the pen name 'Gowertorion' provided material for, The Welsh Australian, on a regular basis, while living in Lithgow (1936) and Brisbane (1939). Griffiths was for some time Honourary Secretary of the Newcastle Cambrian Society.

March 1936-July 1941 (File 7) - Box 1
Unsorted (File 8) - Box 2

Series 2(A). The Welsh Australian - copies of the journal

September 7, 1935 No.2 - December 16, 1936 No. 17 (File 9) - Box 2
February 20, 1937 No. 9 - December 18, 1937 No.29 (File 10) - Box 2
January 22, 1938 No.30 - October 28, 1938 No. 39 (File 11) - Box 2
March 20, 1940 v.2 No.5 - November 30, 1940 v2. No.39 (File 12) - Box 2
Miscellaneous issues for 1941-42 (File [Unnumbered]) - Box 2
Unmatched pieces from articles in The Welsh Australian (File 13) - Box 2

Series 2(B). Articles written for inclusion in The Welsh Australian

The above (File 14) - Box 3
The above (File 15) - Box 3

Series 3. Welsh Australian Family Histories

In an attempt to compile some sort of history of Welsh Australian families, Maldwyn Rees solicited contributions from early Welsh immigrants and their descendants

Early Welsh Australian pioneers, reminiscences and contributions to Rees (File 16) - Box 3
Notebooks relating to correspondence (File 17) - Box 3
Notebooks and articles on the above and an article on "Wales, the Home of Cymry" (File 18) - Box 3
Registry book with information on Welsh Australian families and pioneers (File 19) - Box 3

Series 4(A). Welsh Australian Churches: General

The contents within this series are primarily pamphlets, newsletters and correspondence received by Maldwyn Rees in his long term capacity as Sessions Clerk for the Welsh Presbyterian Church, Sydney, and as editor of, The Welsh Australian and Y. Ddolen, The Link.

Contains pamphlets, church newsletters, typed hymn sheets, several copies of Y Ddolen, The Link, and the journal of the Welsh Church Community (File 20) - Box 4
Church Reports, minutes of session meetings and church membership certificates. Business relating to the Ben Elystan Price Memorial Library (bequeathed to the Welsh community in mid - 1930's) (File 21) - Box 4

Series 4(B). Welsh Presbyterian Church, Sydney

Contains miscellaneous church receipts, and July 22 1932 valuation of land upon which the church was built, and a contract for alterations to the Church (File 22) - Box 4

N.B. Folio size manuscript being the balance sheet for the Chalmers Street Church 1917.

Series 5. Welsh Cultural Activities

Correspondence to Maldwyn Rees requesting access to sheet music, and copies of plays for various cymanfa (Eisteddfods). This series contains copies of such material.

Sheet music of Welsh songs and hymns (File 24) - Box 4
Material relating to the Welsh Craft Exhibition, September 19, 1939 (File 25) - Box 4
Scripts of plays and sketches for eistedfords and radio broadcasts (File 26) - Box 4

Series 6(A). Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters

Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters of Welsh publication. Contains both English and Welsh language manuscripts such as Yr Enfys, and Yr Aelnyo (File 27) - Box 5

Series 6(B). Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters

Pamphlets, programmes, journals and posters of Australian publication on Welsh Australian Societies. Includes Llais, Y LLythyr, Journal of the Cambrian Society of Victoria (File 28) - Box 5

Series 6(C). Pamphlets, Programmes, Journals and Posters

Pamphlets, programmes, journals and posters of the Welsh communities' musical and cultural activities, February 28, 1926 - February 28, 1939 (File 29) - Box 5
February 1939-December 1976. Rules of: (File 30) - Box 5

(i) St David's Society, Brisbane, 1938-39

(ii) Cymordorian Society, Sydney

(iii) Cydney Welsh Mater Voice Choir

Series 7(A). Newspapers

Complete issues of newspapers, including various titles of folio size, of both English and Welsh language (File [unnumbered]) - Box 5

Series 7(B). Newspapers

Complete Issues of Welsh language papers: Y Tyst, Y Ford Gron, Y Ddolen, Y Enfys; together with Welsh and English language press clippings (File 31) - Box 5

Series 8. Memorabilia

Pictorial: includes sketch, watercolour and photocopies of pictures held in National Library's Pictorial section relating to the Welsh in Australia (File 32(A)) - Box 5
Manuscripts on Welsh casking (File 33(B)) - Box 5
Miscellaneous items such as visiting and business cards and menus (File 33(C)) - Box 5

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