Guide to the Papers of Christine Williams

MS 8065, MS Acc05.121, MS Acc06.174, MS Acc11.045, MS Acc23.117

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator: Williams, Christine
Title: Papers of Christine Williams
Date Range: 1876-2015
Collection Number: MS 8065, MS Acc05.121, MS Acc06.174, MS Acc11.045, MS Acc23.117
Extent: 3.36 metres (15 boxes, 2 cartons, 1 folio box, 2 folders)
Physical Facet: MS 8065: (11 ms boxes + 1 medium folio box)
Language of Materials: English
Repository: Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

This collection comprises anuscripts, proofs, correspondence, notes and photographs relating to Williams' biography of Christina Stead and her later publication, Fathers & sons. The addition of MS Acc11.045 comprises correspondence and other papers of Christina Stead collected by Christine Williams during and after the writing of her biography of Stead. They include: a card sent to John A. Dillaway; a letter of thanks from lawyer LL Davies about the Oombulgurri Defence campaign; a letter from Tella Freeman, to Christine Williams written after the publication of the biography; three pages of notes on Chomsky and Chartism; and royalty statements and other financial records. The latest consignment, MS Acc23.117 comprises correspondence written by Elizabeth Harrower to Christine Williams. The collection includes 49 dated, and 19 undated letters, with one letter and one printed email written from Christine Williams to Elizabeth Harrower.

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-vn52989).

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-vn52989).

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Christine Williams, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number or series/file number]'.

Separated Materials

There are 26 cassette tapes containing interviews with friends and acquaintances of Stead. These tapes are housed in the Library's Oral History Collection.

Finding Aid Source(s)

Please note: This finding aid may comprise or contain descriptive information provided by donors, researchers and/or volunteers.

Collection Retrieval Advice

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

Item Descriptions

Class MS 8065. Original consignment

Comprises manuscripts, proofs, correspondence, notes and photographs relating to Williams' biography of Christina Stead and her later publication, Fathers & sons. For the biography of Stead, the correspondence is mostly with Stead's friends and acquaintances. During the research Williams also corresponded with the Australian Archives, US Intelligence and FBI, Virago and McPhee Gribble. The chief correspondents are C.B. Christesen, Dorothy Green, Jack Lindsay and Kate Stead. Material for the book Fathers & sons includes correspondence, drafts of the interview manuscripts and photographs. The interviewees include Graeme Blundell, Ric Charlesworth, Marcus Einfeld, Michael Kirby, Lionel Rose, Norman Swan, Ted Whitten Jr., Robyn Williams and Michael Wilding.

Contained in 11 boxes, 1 fol. box.

Series 1. Manuscript of Christina Stead: a life of letters

This series contains the manuscript and notes of Williams' book. The manuscript was typed on a word processor.

Manuscript (labelled A by the author) (File 1_4) - Box 1

Outline of the biography's form and themes/major events, in the author's handwriting (labelled by the author) (File 5) - Box 1

Original outline of the biography (labelled C by the author) (File 6) - Box 1

Series 2. Proofs and the related papers of Christina Stead: a life of letters

This series contains various corrected proofs, including galley proofs.

Galley proofs (Page numbers differ from the final published version; labelled D by the author) (File 7) - Box 1

A set of page proofs (Page numbers differ from the final published version; labelled E by the author) (File 8_9) - Box 2

Galley proof of part of chapter one (Early version; labelled F by the author) (File 10) - Box 2

Mock-up of pp. 1 - 3 (labelled G by the author) (File 11) - Box 2

Mock-up cover (labelled H by the author) (File 12) - Box 3

Photocopies of photographs reproduced in the book; including a list of captions and sources with annotations by the author and the editor (labelled I by the author) (File 13) - Box 3

Lists of sources and bibliography with annotations by the author and the editor (labelled J by the author) (File 14) - Box 3

Index with annotations by the author and the editor (labelled K by the author) (File 15) - Box 3

Acknowledgements, select bibliography, list of primary sources, list of interviews and notes (labelled L by the author) (File 16) - Box 3

Series 3.1. Correspondence with friends and acquaintances of Stead, 1986-89

Correspondence A (File 17) - Box 3

Correspondence B (File 18) - Box 3

Correspondence Brissenden (File 19) - Box 3

Correspondence Christesen (File 20) - Box 3

Correspondence C (File 21) - Box 3

Correspondence D (File 22) - Box 3

Correspondence E (File 23) - Box 4

Correspondence F (File 24) - Box 4

Correspondence G (File 25) - Box 4

Correspondence H (File 26) - Box 4

Correspondence J (File 27) - Box 4

Correspondence K (File 28) - Box 4

Correspondence L (File 29) - Box 4

Correspondence M (File 30) - Box 4

Correspondence N (File 31) - Box 4

Correspondence O (File 32) - Box 4

Correspondence P (File 33) - Box 5

Correspondence R (File 34) - Box 5

Correspondence S (File 35) - Box 5

Correspondence Stallybrass (File 36) - Box 5

Correspondence Kate Stead (File 37) - Box 5

Correspondence U (File 38) - Box 5

Correspondence W (File 39) - Box 5

Series 3.2. Correspondence with the Australian Archives, 1986-88

This series contains correspondence, photocopies and notes. The correspondence is between Williams and the Australian Archives (H.W. Stokes and Angela Greig) requesting information relating to Stead. There are also some correspondence with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, concerning a request by Williams to gain access to closed ASIO material.

Correspondence with the Australian Archives, 1986-88 (File 40) - Box 5

Series 3.3. Correspondence with U.S. Intelligence and F.B.I, 1986-88

This series contains correspondence, photocopies and notes. The correspondence is between Williams and the U.S. Department of State, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defence, the National Archives and Records Administration, and the F.B.I.

Correspondence and photocopies (Part 1), 1986-87 (File 41) - Box 5

Correspondence, photocopies and notes (Part 2), 1988 (File 42) - Box 6

Series 3.4. Correspondence with McPhee Gribble, 1988-89

This series contains correspondence with Mary Callahan, Michael Langley, Judith Lukin, Sue Hines and Hilary McPhee of McPhee Gribble concerning Williams' book on Stead and also some additional captions.

Correspondence, 1988-89 (File 43) - Box 6

Series 3.5. Correspondence with Virago, 1989

This series contains correspondence and corrections relating to the 1990 edition of Williams book to be published by Virago Press

Correspondence, 1989 (File 44) - Box 6

Series 4. Photographs and negatives, 1904-88

This series contains black and white, colour photographs and negatives of the Stead family. Some of the photographs and negatives are mounted in a scrapbook

Negatives and loose photographs, 1904-88 (File 45) - Box 6

Scrapbook containing black and white, colour photographs and negatives [FOLIO], 1904-88 (Item 1) - Box 6?

Series 5. Miscellaneous material, 1876-1983

Photocopies from Cummulative index to publications of the Committee on un-American activities, 1938-1954 (File 46) - Box 6

Birth, marriage and death certificates of the Stead family and also Stead's husband William Blake and Stead's school certificates, 1876-1983 (File 47) - Box 6

Bromides used in the book [FOLIO] (Item 2) - Box 6?

Class MS Acc05.121. Consignment added 2005

Comprises a typescript of Jiddu Krishnamurti: world philosopher (1895-1986): his life and thoughts, with related research material and correspondence concerning the publication. In addition, there are extensive extracts from Krishnamurti correspondence 1920-1986 and research on Krishnamurti's visits to Australia, including transcripts of and notes on interviews conducted by Williams with people who attended Krishnamurti's last (1970) Sydney meetings.

Contained in 4 boxes.

Class MS Acc06.174. Consignment added 2006

Comprises papers associated with the research and writing of Green power: environmentalists who have changed the face of Australia.

Contained in 2 cartons.

Class MS Acc11.045. Consignment added 2011

This consignment comprises correspondence and other papers of Christina Stead collected by Christine Williams during and after the writing of her biography of Stead. They include: a card sent to John A. Dillaway; a letter of thanks from lawyer LL Davies about the Oombulgurri Defence campaign; a letter from Tella Freeman, to Christine Williams written after the publication of the biography; three pages of notes on Chomsky and Chartism; and royalty statements and other financial records.

Contained in 1 folder

Correspondence - Notes - Royalty summaries, 1976 - 1989 (File 1) - Box (Shared)

Includes correspondence, royalty summaries from Angus and Robertson, a family tree and notes on Chomsky and Chartism.

Notes - Chomsky and Chartism, n.d. (Item 1.2) - Box (Shared)

Includes three pages of notes on Chomsky and Chartism written on Stead's typewriter.

Family tree of the Earnshaws, Lintons and Heathcliffs, n.d. (Item 1.3) - Box (Shared)

Includes one page titled "Persons of the Story", the family tree of the Earnshaws, Lintons and Heathcliffs.

Royalty summaries, 1976 - 1977 (Item 1.4) - Box (Shared)

Includes royalty summaries from Angus and Robertson and Laurence Pollinger.

Letter from Tella Freeman to Christine Williams, 15 December 1989 (Item 1.5) - Box (Shared)

Relating to the publication of the Christina Stead biography.

Letter from LL Davies to Christine Blake - Oombulgurri defence campaign, 6 April 1977 (Item 1.7) - Box (Shared)

Includes a letter relating to the Oombulgurri defence campaign.

Card sent to John A. Dillaway, 3 May 1977 (Item 1.1) - Box (Shared)

Letter from David Stead to Christina Stead, 26 May 1977 - 1 June 1977 (Item 1.6) - Box (Shared)

Also includes other handwritten notes.

Class MS Acc23.117. Consignment added 2023

This consignment primarily consists of correspondence written by Elizabeth Harrower to Christine Williams. The collection includes 49 dated, and 19 undated letters, with one letter and one printed email written from Christine Williams to Elizabeth Harrower. Elizabeth Harrower was an Australian novelist and short story writer, who was greatly admired by authors such as Christina Stead and Patrick White. She had success as a novelist in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, publishing four novels from 1957 to 1966. In 1971, her fifth novel In Certain Circles was set to be published until she withdrew it from publication, and by 1977 had given up writing entirely. These novels slipped out of print until they were rediscovered and reissued to acclaim between 2012-2015, with a collection of her short stories - A Few Days in the Country and Other Stories - appearing in 2015.

Contained in 1 folder + 5 photographs.

Correspondence from Elizabeth Harrower to Christine Williams, 1988-2015 (File 1) - Box (Shared)

The letters cover a wide range of topics, including work, personal matters, daily thoughts and activities, discussion of books and writings, family, friends, prominent Australians, politics and events. Also included are birthday cards, Christmas cards and typed and handwritten postcards.

Colour photographs of Elizabeth Harrower, undated (Items 1.1) - Folder MS Cold Store 69

5 colour photographs including of Elizabeth Harrower, Lucy Taksa and her daughter; and another of Elizabeth Harrower in front of a selection of her published books.

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