Guide to the Papers of Gwen Stockfeld

Searching...

MS 9228

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Gwen Stockfeld
Title
Papers of Gwen Stockfeld
Date Range
1864-1996
Collection Number
MS 9228
Extent
1.82 metres (13 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises handwritten drafts and typescripts of Stockfeld's unpublished memoirs Cream Puffs and Cow Pats and Grandpa's Wooden Dentures; related papers including publishing correspondence, notes and research material; notes and exercises from writing classes; personal correspondence; and financial papers.

The personal correspondence includes letters from relatives, friends, neighbours, and writing classmates. The principal correspondents include Marian Eldridge, David Stockfeld, Ken Eldridge, David Eldridge, James Eldridge, Elizabeth Eldridge, Catherine Eldridge, Margaret Murray, Sue Stockfeld, Rebecca Stockfeld, Simon Stockfeld, Sally Stockfeld, Martin Stockfeld, Ted Ford, Dorothy Meissner, Iris Stockfeld, Doris Brisbane, and Avril McBurnie.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn529869).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Gwen Stockfeld, National Library of Australia, MS 9228, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The collection was received in two instalments. The Library purchased a copy of Gwen Stockfeld's manuscript Cream Puffs and Cow Pats in September 1988, while the remainder of the collection was purchased from Ken Eldridge in May 1997.

The Library holds the papers of Stockfeld's daughter, the short story writer and novelist Marian Eldridge (MS 9227).

Arrangement

Stockfeld kept her papers in good order, and the Library has maintained this arrangement.

Biographical Note

Gwendoline May Favel Stockfeld (nee Stott) was born in Melbourne on 26 August 1908. In 1935 she married Brian Stockfeld and moved to 'The Gap', a small farm near Lancefield, Victoria. They had two children, Marian Eldridge and David Stockfeld. After her husband's death in 1971 Stockfeld moved from the property and began writing an account of their life together, Cream Puffs and Cow Pats. She also worked on an account of her childhood, Grandpa's Wooden Dentures. These works remain unpublished. Stockfeld belonged to the Adult Education Association of Victoria writer's group, and the Society of Women Writers (Australia). Stockfeld died in Melbourne on 21 April 1997.

Item Descriptions

Class [unnumbered]. Original consignment

Series 1. Letters of Marian Eldridge, 1942-95

Stockfeld and her daughter Marian Eldridge were regular correspondents for over thirty years. This series contains a long sequence of letters from Eldridge, discussing her time at boarding school and University, her marriage, children, and writing activities.

1942-47 (File 1) - Box 1
1954-55 (File 2) - Box 1
1956-57 (File 3) - Box 1
1958-60 (File 4-5) - Box 1
1961-62 (File 6-7) - Box 2
1963-64 (File 8) - Box 2
1965-66 (File 9) - Box 2
1967-68 (File 10) - Box 2
1969 (File 11) - Box 2
1970-71 (File 12) - Box 3
1972 (File 13) - Box 3
1973-74 (File 14) - Box 3
1975-76 (File 15) - Box 3
1977 (File 16) - Box 3
1978-79 (File 17) - Box 3
1980-81 (File 18) - Box 4
1982-83 (File 19) - Box 4
1984-85 (File 20) - Box 4
1986-87 (File 21) - Box 4
1988-89 (File 22) - Box 4
1990-91 (File 23) - Box 4
1992-93 (File 24) - Box 5
1994-95 (File 25) - Box 5

Series 2. Letters of David Stockfeld and family, 1954-94

The series comprises letters to Brian and Gwen Stockfeld from their son David Stockfeld and his family, including his first wife Margaret Murray, second wife Sue Stockfeld, and children Rebecca, Simon, Sally, and Martin Stockfeld. The letters contain family news.

1954-59 (File 1) - Box 5
1960-69 (File 2-3) - Box 5
1969-79 (File 4) - Box 5
1980-83 (File 5) - Box 6
1983-85 (File 6) - Box 6
1986-94 (File 7) - Box 6

Series 3. Letters of the Stockfeld and Eldridge grandchildren, 1968-95

The series includes letters from Stockfeld's eight grandchildren containing family news.

Letters of David Eldridge and family, 1972-95 (File 1) - Box 6
Letters of James Eldridge and family, 1968-94 (File 2) - Box 6
Letters of Elizabeth Eldridge, 1972-94 (File 3) - Box 6
Letters of Catherine Eldridge, 1972-95 (File 4) - Box 7
Letters of Rebecca Stockfeld, 1978-94 (File 5) - Box 7
Letters of Simon, Martin, and Sally Stockfeld, 1979-95 (File 6) - Box 7

Series 4. Letters of relatives and friends, 1966-96

Stockfeld corresponded with numerous relatives, friends, neighbours, and writing classmates. The principal correspondents include Ted Ford, Vic Bean, Margaret Murray, Dorothy Meissner, Iris Stockfeld, Allan Burnet, Doris Brisbane and Avril McBurnie.

Letters from various relatives and friends, 1966-96 (File 1-3) - Box 7
Letters from various relatives and friends on the occasion of Stockfeld's 80th birthday, 1988 (File 4) - Box 8

Series 5. Papers of Burrows and Stott families, 1864-1986

The series consists of papers relating to Stockfeld's manuscript Grandpa's Wooden Dentures (an unfinished recollection of her childhood in Melbourne), as well as various papers relating to George Stott (her father) and John and Hannah Burrows (her maternal grandparents). These papers include research material on the Burrows and Stott families, drafts of the manuscript, photographs, photocopies of photographs, newspaper cuttings and related correspondence.

Drafts, notes and research material relating to Grandpa's Wooden Dentures, 1903-86 (File 1) - Box 8
Letters to George Stott from family and friends, particularly his granddaughter Marian Eldridge, 1959-71 (File 2) - Box 8
Drawings for 'Grandpa-Pop' (George Stott) from his Eldridge great- grandchildren, 1965-69 (File 3) - Box 8
Book of Common Prayer (1864), inscribed 'Mrs J.G. Burrows May 29th 1865' (File 4) - Box 8
George Stott's certificate of membership for the United Grand Lodge of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons of Victoria, 1911 (File 5) - Box 8

Series 6. Cream Puffs and Cow Pats, 1972-1996

Cream Puffs and Cow Pats is an account of life on a small mixed farm in central Victoria from 1935 to 1971. The series includes drafts of the work, many annotated with comments from writing classmates and Marian Eldridge, as well as typescripts, photographs, a bound copy of the finished manuscript, and correspondence regarding publication.

Drafts, notes and research material, and correspondence regarding printing, 1975-89; an index of names and subjects compiled by Marian Eldridge (File 1-2) - Box 9
Copies of Literature Board applications, 1979-86; correspondence regarding publication, 1975-92 (File 3) - Box 9
Drafts, titled True Tales for Grandchildren (File 4-5) - Box 9
Draft 2 (File 6-7) - Box 9, 10
Draft 3 (File 8-9) - Box 10
Draft 4 (File 10-11) - Box 10
Typescripts (File 12-15) - Box 11
Bound manuscript (File 16) - Box 11

Class [unnumbered]. Consignment received 14 November 2002

Series 6. Cream Puffs and Cow Pats, 1972-1996

Mounted photographs, together with letters of Gwen Stockfeld, Marian Eldridge, Lizz Murphy and Melbourne University Press, c. 1972-1996 (File 17) - Box 11

Series 7. Other writings, 1957-94

Stockfeld belonged to a number of writing societies, such as the Australian Education Association of Victoria, where she took part in various writing classes. The series includes notebooks, drafts of short stories, correspondence, research material, and copies of the published short stories. Those published include 'Andrew the errand boy', 'Mystery lady', 'Noah and the flash flood', 'A Christmas special' and 'Friends'.

Notes, research material, and correspondence regarding writing and publishing, 1957-94 (File 1) - Box 12
Typescripts of short stories (File 2-3) - Box 12
Drafts of short stories (File 4-5) - Box 12
Copies of published short stories, 1976-86 (File 6) - Box 12
Notebooks (File 7-23) - Box 13

Class [unnumbered]. Consignment received 4 June 1999

Series 7. Other writings, 1957-94

Short stories published 1981-86: (File 24) - Box 13

'The present' (1981)

'Romance - country style' (1984)

'Friends' (1986)

Series 8. Financial papers, 1964-86

This series of financial papers includes receipts and accounts from numerous local businesses, bank statements, tax returns, and financial and legal correspondence.

Correspondence, mainly letters from family solicitor Ian B. Still, 1971-77 Receipts and accounts, 1969-77 (File 1) - Box 13
Tax returns, 1964-86 (File 2) - Box 13

Top