Guide to the Papers of Drusilla Modjeska

Searching...

MS 8320, MS Acc00.054, MS Acc07.045, MS Acc14.110

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Created: May 2025

Collection Summary

Creator
Modjeska, Drusilla
Title
Papers of Drusilla Modjeska
Date Range
1959-2012
Collection Number
MS 8320, MS Acc00.054, MS Acc07.045, MS Acc14.110
Extent
11.25 metres (57 ms boxes, 1 carton, 2 small folio boxes, 1 elephant folio, 2 digital carriers)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Notice

Item 13 of the MS Acc14.110 consignment contains Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) of the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara people as it includes photographs of Uluru, and may contain images featuring ceremonial and/or gender specific sites which are sacred to these peoples.

Scope and Contents

The original consignment comprises correspondence, 1959-1987, including letters sent by Modjeska Drusilla's family (parents and sisters) and friends. Major correspondents are Charles Modjeska (her former husband), Klim Gollan, Tony Moniaty, David F. Pocock, Lyndall Hannaford, Deb Jordan, Marsha Rowe and Marlous Terweil. Drusilla's diaries and personal documents for 1948-1987 in the collection include school and marriage certificates, copies of job applications, diaries and notebooks. Also included are book reviews and talks, 1975-1991, from when Modjeska worked as a book reviewer for The Sydney morning herald, McPhee/Penguin and others, with typescripts and newspaper cuttings of some of the reviews. The series relating to her writings comprise drafts, typescripts, research notes and some correspondence relating to the following books: Women writers: a study in Australian cultural history, 1920-1939 (1979), Exiles at home: Australian women writers 1925-1945 (1981), The poems of Lesbia Harford (1985), Inner cities: Australian women's memory of place (1989), Poppy (1990) and The Orchard (1994).

The MS Acc00.054 consignment comprises further papers.

The MS Acc07.045 consignment comprises diaries dating from 1992, material relating to Stravinsky's Lunch, and other material.

The MS Acc14.110 consignment contains catalogues, papers, and CDs relating to the exhibition "Wisdom of the Mountain: Art of the Omie" and other research material about Nioge (barkcloth) art which is practised exclusively by Ömie women of Oro Province, Papua new Guinea. Also includes journals, drafts and edits of "The Mountain", correspondence, and a Barkcloth artwork.

Conditions Governing Access

Access conditions may apply to this collection, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1388901).

Conditions Governing Use

Conditions for copying and publishing of this collection may apply, please refer to the collection's catalogue record for further information (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1388901).

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Drusilla Modjeska, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/item number(s)]'.

Provenance

Drusilla Modjeska presented the first three instalments of her papers to the National Library in April 1991, June 1992 and November 1995 under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme. Further additions were made in 2000, 2007 and 2014.

Collection Retrieval Advice

Please note: each class in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Reading Room Access Note

For preservation reasons, we are unable to deliver digital and audiovisual carriers to the Special Collections Reading Room. Please contact (Ask a Librarian) to enquire about access.

Biographical Note

Writer, feminist, academic. Drusilla Modjeska was born in London in 1946 and raised in Hampshire. At 20 She married Anthropologist Nicholas Modjeska and moved to Papua New Guinea, where she studied at the University of Papua New Guinea. Modjeska moved to Australia in 1971, where she still resides. During the 1970's she completed a BA (Hons) in History at the Australian National University and a PhD in History at the University of New South Wales, and began her writing career.

During her academic career she taught in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences of the NSW Institute of Technology, followed by research fellowships at the University of Sydney.

In 2004 Modjeska was one of the first outsiders to visit the Ömie peoples of Mt Lamington, Oro Province, She has returned to Papua New Guinea frequently since then, becoming involved with two communities - The Ömie peoples and the Korafe peoples in the fjords of Cape Nelson, Oro Province, drawing her fictional characters in The Mountain from these communities. In 2011 Modjeska co founded SEAM (Sustain Education Art Melanesia) to support learning and literacy in Papua New Guinea.

Amongst Modjeska's publications as a writer are the following books; Women writers: a study in Australian cultural history, 1920-1939 (1979), Exiles at home: Australian women writers 1925-1945 (1981), The poems of Lesbia Harford (1985), Inner cities: Australian women's memory of place (1989), Poppy (1990), The Orchard (1994), Stravinsky's Lunch (1999), Timepieces (2002) The Green in Glass: The Work of Janet Laurence (2005), The Mountain (2012) and Second Half First (2015). Women writers was based on Modjeska's PhD thesis.

Item Descriptions

Class MS 8320. Original consignments received 1991, 1992 and 1995, 1959-1994

3.45 metres,

Comprises correspondence, 1959-1987, including letters sent by Modjeska Drusilla's family (parents and sisters) and friends. Major correspondents are Charles Modjeska (her former husband), Klim Gollan, Tony Moniaty, David F. Pocock, Lyndall Hannaford, Deb Jordan, Marsha Rowe and Marlous Terweil. Drusilla's diaries and personal documents for 1948-1987 in the collection include school and marriage certificates, copies of job applications, diaries and notebooks. Also included are book reviews and talks, 1975-1991, from when Modjeska worked as a book reviewer for The Sydney morning herald, McPhee/Penguin and others, with typescripts and newspaper cuttings of some of the reviews. The series relating to her writings comprise drafts, typescripts, research notes and some correspondence relating to the following books: Women writers: a study in Australian cultural history, 1920-1939 (1979), Exiles at home: Australian women writers 1925-1945 (1981), The poems of Lesbia Harford (1985), Inner cities: Australian women's memory of place (1989), Poppy (1990) and The Orchard (1994).

Contained in 23 boxes.

Series 1. Letters of Modjeska to her mother, 1959-83 - Box 1 (MS 8320)

Modjeska reclaimed the letters she wrote to her mother when she died in 1983. This series comprises letters written from England, Papua New Guinea, Canberra and Sydney, 1959-83 (6 Folders).

Series 2. Family Letters, 1967-87 - Box 2-3 (MS 8320)

Modjeska maintained a close relationship with her family after leaving England in the early 1970s. This series contains letters from her parents, sisters Anna Medd and Jane Bentley and other members of the Medd Family (14 Folders).

Series 3. Personal correspondence, 1966-88 - Box 3-8 (MS 8320)

This series comprises letters written by Modjeska's friends, as well as copies of many of her own letters. The letters reflect their close personal relationships, as well as literary, social and feminist concerns. Some of them were sent to Modjeska while she was in London in 1975.

The major correspondents include Charles, George and Tisha Modjeska, Ina Bertrand, Julia Bishop, Eleanor Dark, Diane Collins, Sara Dowse, Klim Gollan, Geoff Gray, Lyndall Hannaford, Kay Iseman, Deb Jordan, Tony Maniaty, David F. Pocock, Marsha Rowe, Paula Taylor and MarlousTerweil. It also includes letters written by her former husband, Charles Nicholas, while he was working in Papua New Guinea and Modjeska was living in Canberra in 1971 and copies of Modjeka's letters (42 Folders).

Series 4. Financial papers, 1967-77 - Box 9 (MS 8320)

This series contains only bank statements, receipts and accounts (7 Folders).

Series 5. Diaries and personal documents, 1948-87 - Box 10 (MS 8320)

School and marriage certificates, copies of job applications, thirteen diaries and notebooks form this series (1 Folder).

Series 6. Business correspondence, 1973-91 - Box 11-12 (MS 8320)

This series contains correspondence with academics, fellow writers and publishers concerning research and writing, as well as some financial papers. The major correspondents include Eleanor Dark, Dorothy Green, Ric Throssell, Jill Rowe, Rosemary Creswell, Lyn Riddett and Tony Maniaty (15 Folders).

Series 7. Work notebooks and scrapbooks, 1973-77 - Box 13 (MS 8320)

In this series there are three work notebooks containing newspaper clippings and loose notes.

Series 8. Book reviews and talks, 1975-91 - Box 14 (MS 8320)

Modjeska had worked as a book reviewer for the Sydney Morning Herald, McPhee/Penguin Books and others. This series comprises typescripts and newspaper cuttings of some of the reviews (1 Folder).

The series also contains typescripts and newspaper cuttings of book reviews and talks from 1987-91 (4 Folders, Added 16 November 1995).

Series 9. Exiles at home: Australian women writers, 1925-1945 - Box 15 (MS 8320)

Exiles at home traces the lives of a number of Australian women writers, including Marjorie Barnard, Eleanor Dark, Miles Franklin, Nettie Palmer and Katharine Susannah Prichard.

This series comprises drafts, photographs and some correspondence relating to the book. Some of the material in this series overlaps with those in Series 7 Women writers: A study in Australian cultural history, 1920-1939 (10 Folders).

Series 10. The poems of Lesbia Harford, 1982-85 - Box 16 (MS 8320)

Modjeska and Marjorie Pizer edited The poems of Lesbia Harford. The series contains material associated with the preparation of the book, including correspondence, drafts and a carbon copy typescript of poems that had been in the possession of Nettie Palmer. The correspondence files include copies of letters of Harford to Nettie Palmer (1939-40), letters of Esmonde Keogh (n.d.) and letters of Lesbia Harford (1914-21).

The other correspondents include Stephen Murray-Smith and Marjorie Pizer (8 Folders).

Series 11. Inner cities: Australian women's memory of place - Box 17 (MS 8320)

The series contains papers associated with the preparation of the book, which was edited by Modjeska, including correspondence and drafts.

The major correspondents include the contributors to the work, such as Barbara Hanrahan, Margaret Jones, Glenda Adams, Amirah Inglis and Daphne Gollan (8 Folders).

Series 12. Poppy, 1977-82 - Box 18-19 (MS 8320)

This series contains several heavily worked manuscripts drafts with corrections and typescripts of Poppy, Modjeska's prizewinning book about the life of her mother (14 Folders).

Series 13. Women writers: a study in Australian cultural history, 1920-1939 - Box 20-21 (MS 8320)

This series contains files relating to Modjeska's Ph.D. thesis which was later published as a book, drafts and complete type scripts of the book and correspondence. The correspondents include Rick Throssell and Jack Lindsay (13 Folders).

See also Series 10.

Series 14. Miscellaneous - Box 21 (MS 8320)

This series contains Virago interviews and typescripts of interviews (2 Folders), addresses and miscellaneous items (1 Folder).

Series 15. The Orchard - Box 22-23 (MS 8320)

These papers consist primarily of a series of drafts for the book, The Orchard (1994), as well as some preliminary notes, research material and a small amount of correspondence relating to it (13 Folders, Added 16 November 1995). The preliminary notes and one letter (2 Folders) are in the closed access part of this collection.

Class MS Acc00.054. Consignment added 2000, 1987-1992 - Box (7 ms boxes + 1 carton) (MS Acc00.054)

1.5 metres,

Comprises further papers, 1987-1992.

Contained in 7 ms boxes + 1 carton.

Class MS Acc07.045. Consignment added 2007, 1992-2007 - Box 1A - 5C (MS Acc07.045)

2.4 metres,

Comprises diaries dating from 1992, material relating to Stravinsky's Lunch, and other material.

Contained in 16 ms boxes.

Class MS Acc14.110. Consignment received 2014, 1998-2012

3.45 metres,

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Notice: This consignment contains Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) of the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara people, as it includes photographs of Uluru. More information is provided at file level.

Scope and Contents Note: This consignment includes catalogues, papers, CDs relating to the exhibition "Wisdom of the Mountain: Art of the Omie" and other research material about Nioge (barkcloth) art, which is practised exclusively by Ömie women of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. Also includes journals, drafts and edits of "The Mountain", correspondence, and a Barkcloth artwork.

Contained in 11 ms boxes, 2 folio boxes, 1 elephant folio, 2 digital carriers.

Papua New Guinea journal, March 2004 (Item 1) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Moleskine journal from time in Papua New Guinea.

Wisdom of the Mountain: Art of the Ömie, (Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria), 2009 (Item 2) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

A book of nioge (barkcloth) art practised exclusively by the Ömie women of Oro Province, Papua New Guinea. Includes printed emails and essay drafts tucked into the back.

Three books of Ömie Nioge (barkcloth) art, 2006 - 2009 (File 3) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Research notes - Ömie Nioge, 2002 - 2004 (File 4 - 1 of 4) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Research notes relating to the Ömie and their barkcloth art. Includes correspondence.

Research notes - Ömie Nioge, 2004 - 2008 (File 4 - 2 of 4) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Research notes relating to the Ömie and their barkcloth art.

Research notes - Ömie Nioge, 2009 (File 4 - 3 of 4) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Research notes relating to the Ömie and their barkcloth art.

Research notes - Ömie Nioge, 2003 - 2012 (File 4 - 4 of 4) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Research notes relating to the Ömie and their barkcloth art.

Ömie studio visit with Jo Bertini, 7 July 2009 (Item NLA.MS-DM008790) - Digital-Carriers-Box 150
1 item, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)
Ömie July 2009 - After the Return of Dapen[?] - Pauline and Alban (Item NLA.MS-DM008791) - Digital-Carriers-Box 150
1 item, Data CD (any content on recordable CD-R)

Paperwork and correspondence, 2006 - 2012 (File 5) - Box 1 (MS Acc14.110)

Papers relating to Drusilla Modjeska's funding of the education of a student in Vanuatu/New Caledonia, Prisca Lakome. Includes correspondence between Drusilla and Prisca, and six colour photographs. Originally housed in accordion manila folder.

Scrapbook journal, 1999 - 2000 (Item 6) - Box 2 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes correspondence and four colour photographs.

Correspondence, 1999 - 2000 (File 7) - Box 2 (MS Acc14.110)

Postcards, letters and emails.

Scrapbook journal, March 2000 - July 2000 (Item 8) - Box 2 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, correspondence, newspaper cuttings, event invitation, and colour photographs.

Scrapbook journal, August 2000 - October 2000 (Item 9) - Box 3 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, correspondence, photographs.

Scrapbook journal, December 2000 - December 2001 (Item 10) - Box 3 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes correspondence, photographs, art prints and cards, and cuttings from newspapers.

Scrapbook journal, December 2001 - July 2002 (Item 11) - Box 4 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, colour photographs, correspondence, and newspaper cuttings.

Scrapbook journal, August 2002 - January 2003 (Item 12) - Box 4 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes correspondence, photographs, cards, and cuttings from newspapers.

Scrapbook journal, February 2003 - September 2003 (Item 13) - Box 5 (MS Acc14.110)

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Notice: This file contains Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) of the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara people, as it includes photographs of Uluru. These photographs have been covered by library staff as they may contain images of ceremonial sites and/or gender specific material which is sacred to these peoples, but due to the nature of the scrapbook, these covers may come loose. Please handle the object with this in mind and turn the pages with care.

Includes correspondence, art, photographs.

Scrapbook journal, 1999 - 2002 (Item 14) - Box 5 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes small fragments of writing, and sketches in pen. A postcard from "Helen" is tucked inside the back cover.

Scrapbook journal, 2003 - 2004 (Item 15) - Box 5 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes correspondence, cards, photographs, newspaper cuttings, and an opera flyer.

Scrapbook journal, May 2004 - July 2005 (Item 16) - Box 6 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes correspondence and colour photographs.

Scrapbook journal, July 2005 - December 2005 (Item 17) - Box 6 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, correspondence, and colour photographs.

Scrapbook journal - "Ömie 2004", 2004 (Item 18) - Box 6 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, colour photographs.

Scrapbook journal, September 2006 - July 2007 (Item 19) - Box 7 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries, colour photographs, and postcards and correspondence.

Scrapbook journal - "Vanuatu 2006", 2006 (Item 20) - Box 7 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes colour photographs, postcards, and journal entries.

Scrapbook journal, July 2007 - November 2008 (Item 21) - Folio-Box 8 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes journal entries and colour photographs.

Scrapbook journal, November 2008 - end 2009 (Item 22) - Folio-Box 13 (MS Acc14.110)

Journal entries, colour photographs (including photographs of barkcloth art), correspondence, art, newspaper cuttings.

Scrapbook journal - "Ömie 2 2009", 2009 (Item 23) - Box 7 (MS Acc14.110)

Colour photos, including photos of barkcloth art. Also includes journal entries, correspondence, and details of an exhibition of Ömie barkcloth art at the National Gallery of Victoria.

Papers relating to the Ömie people, 2010 (File 24) - Box 7 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes email correspondence, a black and white image of a backcloth artwork by Lila Warrimou, and a retelling of the story that accompanies the artwork: The Story of the Lost Boy and Ninivo, the Bird of Paradise of Mt. Ömie.

The Mountain draft, 2010 (File 25 - 1 of 4) - Box 7 (MS Acc14.110)

Writing on the front reads: "Russell's copy. Draft read by Russell Soaba". Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

The Mountain draft, 2010 (File 25 - 2 of 4) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

The Mountain draft, 2010 (File 25 - 3 of 4) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

The Mountain draft, 2010 (File 25 - 4 of 4) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

Feedback from editor and revised draft of Part I of The Mountain, 2011 (File 26) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

A sticky note attached to the first page reads: "Catherine Hill RH first edit." Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

Feedback from editor and revised draft of Part II of The Mountain, 2011 (File 27) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes annotations and annotated sticky notes.

The Jericho Track - "Responses to 2008 draft", 2008 (Item 28) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

Feedback from Susan Hampton on a 2008 draft of The Jericho Track.

Correspondence from Patsy Asch with feedback on a manuscript, 2011 (File 29) - Box 9 (MS Acc14.110)

An attached sticky note reads: "Patsy Asch (ethnographic Film Maker) comments 2010 draft".

Annotated draft of The Mountain, 15 December 2011 (File 30 - 1 of 2) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Annotated draft with sticky flags, and paperclips (replaced with archival clips) marking insertions.

Annotated draft of The Mountain, 15 December 2011 (File 30 - 2 of 2) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Annotated draft with sticky flags, and paperclips (replaced with archival clips) marking insertions.

Comments and feedback on The Mountain, 2011 (File 31) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Correspondence and notes giving feedback on a draft of The Mountain.

Notes for and drafts of The Mountain, 2011 (File 32) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Includes annotated drafts and research notes.

Draft of The Mountain, n.d. (File 33) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Draft with annotated sticky flags.

Drafts and articles - Drusilla Modjeska, 2005 - 2012 (File 34 - 1 of 2) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed in a yellow manila folder with handwritten labelling.

Drafts and articles - Drusilla Modjeska, 2005 - 2012 (File 34 - 2 of 2) - Box 10 (MS Acc14.110)

Work correspondence, 1998 - 1999 (File 35) - Box 11 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed in blue manila folder.

Work correspondence, 2000 - 2001 (File 36) - Box 11 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed in blue manila folder.

Work correspondence, 2002 (File 37) - Box 11 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed in blue manila folder.

Work correspondence, 2003 - 2008 (File 38 - 1 of 2) - Box 11 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed in green manila folder.

Work correspondence, 2003 - 2008 (File 38 - 2 of 2) - Box 11 (MS Acc14.110)

Letters, 2002 - 2010 (File 39 - 1 of 3) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

Originally housed ina yellow manila folder labelled: "PNG letters of various sorts". Includes subfolders labelled: "OMIE Related (patchey) some David's", "fjord villages", and "Marian Jacke".

Letters, 2005 - 2010 (File 39 - 2 of 3) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

Letters, 2004 - 2010 (File 39 - 3 of 3) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

Correspondence relating to issue of Meanjin on Papua New Guinea edited by Drusilla Modjeska, 2002 - 2003 (File 40 - 1 of 4) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

A note enclosed with this file (originally one box) read: "This box contains correspondence etc from the P.N.G issue of Meanjin that I edited. No 3. 2003."

Correspondence relating to issue of Meanjin on Papua New Guinea edited by Drusilla Modjeska, 2002 - 2003 (File 40 - 2 of 4) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

Correspondence relating to issue of Meanjin on Papua New Guinea edited by Drusilla Modjeska, 2002 - 2003 (File 40 - 3 of 4) - Box 12 (MS Acc14.110)

Correspondence relating to issue of Meanjin on Papua New Guinea edited by Drusilla Modjeska, 2002 - 2003 (File 40 - 4 of 4) - Folio-Box 13 (MS Acc14.110)

Barkcloth artwork (Item) - Elephant-Folio 1 (MS Acc14.110)


Top