Guide to the Papers of Philip Mead

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MS 9354, MS Acc04.134

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Philip Mead
Title
Papers of Philip Mead
Date Range
1975-2004
Collection Number
MS 9354, MS Acc04.134
Extent
5.2 metres (16 boxes, 6 cartons)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The papers include personal and professional correspondence, drafts and typescripts of poetry, copies of articles, reviews, talks, lectures, manuscripts, writings, notes, cuttings and reports relating to Mead's career as a poet, writer, editor, lecturer, teacher and literary reviewer.

Correspondents include Kevin Hart, Les Murray, Judith Rodriguez, Alec Bolton, David Brooks, Andrew Sant, Geoff Page, John Tranter, R.A. Simpson, A.D. Hope, Tom Shapcott and Chris Wallace-Crabbe.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1762215).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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

Provenance

The papers were purchased by the National Library from Philip Mead in 1992.

Letters by Mead to Alan Gould are held by the Library at MS 6635.

John Tranter's papers are held by the Library at MS 5715.

Arrangement

The collection was arranged and listed by the donor before being transferred to the Library. The file titles and the arrangement of records within the files have been preserved by the Library. The Library has arranged the collection into 9 series which closely resemble alphabetical groupings made by Mead at the time of transfer to the Library.

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.

Biographical Note

DateEvent
1953Born in Brisbane, 31 August
1975B.A. (Honours), Australian National University
1981M.A., La Trobe University
1982Dip. Ed., University of Melbourne
1990PhD, University of Melbourne

Employment

DateEvent
1980-81Teaching Fellow in English, Geelong College, Geelong
1980-84Off Campus Assessor, School of Humanities, Deakin University
1982-85Head of English Faculty, Geelong College, Geelong
1986-87Research Assistant, School of Humanities, Deakin University
1986Tutor in English, Ormond College, University of Melbourne
1987-91Lockie Fellow in Creative Writing and Australian Literature, English Department, University Of Melbourne
1987-94Poetry Editor, Meanjin
1991-94Lockie Lecturer in Australian Writing, English Department, University of Melbourne
1995-Senior lecturer, English Department, University of Tasmania
DateEvent
1980-81Teaching Fellow in English, Geelong College, Geelong
1980-84Off Campus Assessor, School of Humanities, Deakin University
1982-85Head of English Faculty, Geelong College, Geelong
1986-87Research Assistant, School of Humanities, Deakin University
1986Tutor in English, Ormond College, University of Melbourne
1987-91Lockie Fellow in Creative Writing and Australian Literature, English Department, University Of Melbourne
1987-94Poetry Editor, Meanjin
1991-94Lockie Lecturer in Australian Writing, English Department, University of Melbourne
1995-Senior lecturer, English Department, University of Tasmania

Item Descriptions

Class MS 9354. Original consignment

Comprises personal and professional correspondence, drafts and typescripts of poetry, copies of articles, reviews, talks, lectures, manuscripts, writing, notes, cuttings and reports relating to Philip Mead's career as a poet, writer, editor, lecturer, teacher and literary reviewer. Correspondents include Kevin Hart, Les Murray, Judith Rodriguez, Alec Bolton, David Brooks, Andrew Sant, Geoff Page, John Tranter, R.A. Simpson, A.D. Hope, Tom Shapcott and Chris Wallace-Crabbe.

Contained in 16 boxes.

Series 1. Correspondence, 1971-91

The series consists of personal and professional correspondence. The personal correspondence is extensive; in particular there is a large number of letters written by Mead's close friend and fellow poet Alan Gould. These letters ( ca. 120 ) often run to six pages of typescript and are usually accompanied by poems written by Gould. Other correspondents include Kevin Hart, Les Murray, Judith Rodriguez, Alec Bolton, David Brooks, Andrew Sant, Geoff Page, John Tranter, R.A. Simpson, A.D. Hope, Tom Shapcott and Chris Wallace-Crabbe.

The series consists of in-letters, postcards, greeting cards, invitations, leaflets, notices, brochures and copies of the Victorian Fellowship of Australia Writers Bulletin.

The professional correspondence includes letters relating to the publication of his poems in newspapers and journals and papers relating to his academic studies and teaching positions.

Personal correspondence, September 1975 - April 1979 (File 1) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, June - December 1979 (File 2) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, January - November 1980 (File 3) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, December 1980 - December 1981 (File 4) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, January - November 1982 (File 5) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, January - December 1983 (File 6) - Box 1
Personal correspondence, January - December 1984 (File 7) - Box 2
Personal correspondence, January - December 1985 (File 8) - Box 2
Personal correspondence, January - December 1986 (File 9) - Box 2
Personal correspondence, January - December 1987 (File 10-11) - Box 2
Personal correspondence, January - December 1988 (File 12-13) - Box 2, 3
Personal correspondence, January - December 1989 (File 14-15) - Box 3
Personal correspondence, January - December 1990 (File 16-17) - Box 3
Professional correspondence: Poetry, May 1971 - April 1979 (File 18) - Box 4
Professional correspondence: Academic training, La Trobe University (M.A.) and University of Melbourne, Dip.Ed., PhD, Jan 1979 - December 1990 (File 19) - Box 4
Professional correspondence: Geelong College, July 1979 - February 1986 (File 20) - Box 4
Professional correspondence: Deakin University, 1980 - 88 (File 21) - Box 4
Professional correspondence: Lockie Lectureship in Australian Writing, Melbourne University, September 1977 - February 1991 (File 22) - Box 4

Series 2. Out-letters, 1989-91

Computer generated copies of letters written by Mead from 1989-91 relating to literary and academic matters. Recipients include John Tranter, Sue Abbey (UQP), and Linda Ristow (Penguin) (File 1) - Box 5

Series 3. Writings, 1985-91

This series is a comprehensive collection of drafts and typescripts of Mead's poems, articles, lectures, reviews, talks and translations. It includes a draft manuscript of This river is in the south published in 1984 by Penguin Australia. Bound copies of his theses, 'John Berryman's The dream songs'; (M.A., 1980) and 'Reading origins in Australian literature' (PhD, 1990) are located in folders 36 and 37.See also Series 7 for royalty statements for This river is in the south.

Critical writings: Reviews, review articles, 1985-91 (File 1-10) - Box 5
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: Radio review of John Tranter, Under Berlin: new poems 1988; Seamus Heaney, The haw lantern, ABC Radio 'First edition', 1988; Chris Wallace-Crabbe, I'm deadly serious, ABC Radio 'First edition', 1988 (File 11) - Box 5
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'The place of poetry now', Spoleto Festival, 1988 (File 12) - Box 5
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Writing the object: the language of art criticism,' 1988, a talk later published as 'Talking pictures', Agenda: Contemporary Art Criticism, 1988 (File 13) - Box 5
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Constructions of the colonial in Australian writing and painting', lecture to the Fine Arts Department, University of Melbourne, 1988 (File 14) - Box 5
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Poets and dreamers: history and apocalypse in McAuley's Quiros', The Australian Centre, 1989 (File 15) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Poetic theory/poetic practice,' Department of English, University of Melbourne, 1988 (File 16-17) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Horizon, then home', Cultural practice and the environment seminar series, The Australian Centre, May 1991; papers relating to a seminar titled 'Perception-language-description', 1991 (File 18) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Crucifixion and rose: religious art in Australia', The Catholic Worker, 1987 (File 19) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Memoranda of our feelings: John Ashbery's A wave', Scripsi, 1986; 'Self-fashioning and self-portraits: John Ashbery and Stephen Greenblatt', ABC 'Radio Helicon', 1988 (File 20) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Topopoesis: Laurie Duggan's The ash range', Scripsi, 1987 (File 21) - Box 6
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Charles Harpur and the fate of poetry', ABC Radio, 'Fictions', 1988; Charles Harpur selected poetry and prose, ed Michael Ackland, 'In the first place: Charles Harpur and the fate of poetry', The Age Monthly Review, 1987; Charles Harpur, Stalwart the bushranger, ed Elizabeth Perkins, 'Invisible heritage', The Age Monthly Review, 1989; 'Charles Harpur's disfiguring origins', Australian Literary Studies, 1990, delivered as a paper at a conference 'Romanticism and the Imagination', University of Melbourne, 1989 and published in collected papers Imagining romanticism: essays on English and Australian romanticisms, 1991 (File 22-23) - Box 6, 7
Talks, lectures, radio programs and public performances: 'Map-makers' colours: Paul Carter's The road to Botany Bay, Scripsi, 1989 (File 24-25) - Box 7
Poetry manuscripts: Draft manuscript, This river is in the south, 1983 (File 26) - Box 7
Poetry manuscripts: Poetry workbook to 1975 (File 27) - Box 7
Poetry manuscripts: Poetry drafts to 1975 (File 28) - Box 7
Poetry manuscripts: Poetry drafts, 1976-84 (File 29-31) - Box 8
Poetry manuscripts: Poetry drafts, 1985-90 (File 32) - Box 8
Poetry manuscripts: 'Poetry and biology', 'The Dante shirt' and 'Wallace Stevens and John Ashbury: the central of our being' (File 33) - Box 8
Translations of French and German poetry: Translations, 1981-82 (File 34) - Box 8
Translations of French and German poetry: Workbook, 1983 (File 35) - Box 8
Theses: 'John Berryman's The dream songs', 1980 (File 36) - Box 9
Theses: 'Reading origins in Australian literature', 1990 (File 37) - Box 9
Collaborations: 'Designs upon the reader: new critical perspectives on Australian literature', a proposal written with Kevin Hart (File 38) - Box 9
Reviews: Newscuttings and journals containing Mead's poetry (File 39-40) - Box 9
Reviews: Newscuttings and journals containing reviews of This river is in the south and Spring-mire (File 41) - Box 10
Reviews: Newscuttings, newspapers and journals containing reviews by Mead (File 42) - Box 10

Series 4. Penguin book of modern Australian poetry, 1989-91

The Penguin book of modern Australian poetry was edited by Philip Mead and John Tranter and published in 1991. Both have also contributed poems to the publication. The papers provide an interesting insight into the publication of the anthology as Mead was living in Melbourne and Tranter in Sydney. Much of the discussion was carried out in correspondence or by exchanging annotated copies of poems. The drafts of the introduction also went back and forth between the two editors.

The series consists of correspondence with John Tranter and Penguin, original selections, drafts of the introduction, galley proofs, permission letters, notes and journal articles and a draft manuscript.

Draft manuscript (File 1) - Box 10
Original selections (File 2) - Box 11
Galley proofs with covers (File 3) - Box 11
Permissions letters (File 4) - Box 12
Drafts of introduction (File 5) - Box 12
Correspondence with John Tranter (co-editor) and Penguin (File 6-7) - Box 12
Reviews of other poetry works (File 8) - Box 12
Journal articles (File 9) - Box 12
Miscellaneous notes, photographs of Philip Mead and John Tranter and two tapes (File 10) - Box 12
'House of vitriol', manuscript by Peter Rose (File 11) - Box 13
'Peniel', manuscript by Kevin Hart (File 12) - Box 13

Series 5. Manuscripts by others

The series consists of typescript copies of poems and writings by other Australian poets. There is evidence within the correspondence in Series 1 that material was circulated amongst this group and others for comment and criticism and general information.

Kevin Hart (File 1-3) - Box 13
Peter Craven, Michael Heyward, Christina Thompson, G. M. Gillard, John Forbes, Ann Mitchell, Ian Reid, Chris Wallace-Crabbe and Alan Gould (File 4) - Box 13
Martin Harrison (File 5) - Box 13
Lionel Mead (File 6) - Box 14
Laurie Duggan (File 7) - Box 14
David Herrkt, Alan Gould, Paul Kane, Les Murray, Chris Andrews and John Forbes (File 8) - Box 14
John Tranter (File 9) - Box 14
Judith Rodriguez, Bev Roberts, Chris Wallace-Crabbe (File 10) - Box 14

Series 6. Committees, 1988-91

In 1988 Mead was a judge for the ABC Bicentennial Literary Awards. From 1989-91 he was a member of a number of advisory groups for the Victorian Ministry for the Arts. These included the Premier's Literary Awards and the Literature Advisory Panel. He was also a committee member for the Melbourne International Writers' Festival in 1990 and 1991.

The series consists of correspondence, agenda, minutes of meetings, notes and reports.

Bicentennial Prize for Poetry, 1988 (File 1) - Box 14
Literature Advisory Panel, 1989-91 (File 2-4) - Box 14, 15
Premier's Literary Awards, 1989-91 (File 5-8) - Box 15
Melbourne International Writers' Festival, 1990-91 (File 9-11) - Box 15, 16

Series 7. University of Queensland Press, 1988-90

Royalty statements for Mead's book This river is in the south. There is also some correspondence with Sue Abbey (senior editor, UQP) and a manuscript relating to his position as a reader for Queenland University Press (File 1-2) - Box 16

Series 8. Open Door Press

Open Door Press was the initiative of a small group known as Canberra Poetry. The group was formed in 1972 when Alan Gould, David Brooks and Philip Mead, all students at the Australian National University, joined with Mark O'Connor, a lecturer in the English Department, to start a small quarterly magazine. The magazine was meant to serve those Canberra writers who had not been published before. A series of fortnightly Broadsheets was launched on 1 January 1975. Each broadsheet was a limited edition of between 100 and 150 copies, signed and numbered by the author.

A almost complete set of Broadsheets from 1 -26 ( items 10 and 22 are missing). They include poets such as R. F. Brissenden, David Campbell, Tom Shapcott, Les Murray, Judith Rodriguez and three of the original Canberra group - Alan Gould, David Brooks and Philip Mead. There are also copies of other publications including The skald mosaic by Alan Gould; Lyrical dust by Robert Crocker; Sketches from Herodotus by R. F. Brissenden; Encounters by David Campbell and The Convert by Kevin Hart (File 1) - Box 16

Series 9. Other papers, 1986-88

Miscellaneous papers. There are a number of photocopies of the contents pages of various literary journals. There is also an abstract and associated correspondence for a proposed paper for the Association for the Study of Australian Literature conference held in Launceston, 1987 (File 1) - Box 16

Class Acc04-134. Consignment added 2004

Comprises papers covering the period 1986-2004 and includes personal and professional correspondence, printouts of about 630 e-mails, papers relating to conferences and seminars, articles, reviews, references and papers by Mead, other writings by Mead, papers relating to Mead's co-editorship of the literary magazine RePublica, and manuscripts and drafts by others sent to Mead. There is some poetry by Mead, and titles include Hearts of the world, On this day she begins her fortieth year, Adult concepts, Melbourne or the bush, Postmodern love, Tell me everything and Cinema point. The major correspondents are Judith Rodriguez, John Tranter, John Barnes, Alan Gould, George Papaellinas, John Lucas, Amanda Lohrey and Ann Vickery.

Contained in 1 carton, 5 A3 cartons.


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