Guide to the Papers of Elizabeth Harrower

Series 1. Novels, 1969-1970

Harrower did not keep the drafts of her first two novels. This series contains typescripts with manuscript amendments, notes and printer's proofs of three of her novels, one of which, 'In certain circles', was never published.

Note: Correspondence with publishers may be found in Series 6.

Series 2. Short stories, 1976-1977

This series contains several drafts and typescripts of short stories by Harrower. It also includes reviews by Harrower of books by Lesley Rowlands, Eric Linklater, Pamela Hansford Johnson, Harrison Salisbury, Colin McInnes, Walter Allen and others.

Note: Correspondence with publishers may be found in Series 6.

Series 4. Personal correspondence, 1963-1999

The strength of the collection lies in this series, comprising as it does almost entirely in-coming letters. Most of the correspondents are fellow writers and artists. The most extensive series of letters are from Nancy Phelan. There are also long runs of letters from Bill Cantwell, Dorothy Green, Antigone Kefala and Judah Waten.

Series 5. General correspondence and papers, 1961-1996

This series contains correspondence relating to various literary activities with which Harrower has been involved. They include the Age Book of the Year Award for which Harrower was on the 1985 Judges' Panel, the National Book Council for which she was on the 1981 Judges' Panel, the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for which she was a judge in 1987 and the Alexander Mackie College of Advanced Education where she was appointed Writer-in-residence in 1978. There is correspondence with the Commonwealth Literary Fund from which Harrower received a one-year Fellowship in 1967 and with the Literature Board of the Australian Council for the Arts (later the Australia Council) from which Harrower received a two-year Fellowship in 1973.

There is correspondence with a number of institutions and miscellaneous business papers, including correspondence with editors, invitations and papers about interviews. There is also a copy of a paper written by Beverley Brown of Sydney University, together with related correspondence and letters of congratulation sent to Harrower on her winning the 1996 Patrick White Literary Award.

The major correspondents include Sidney Baker, W.R. Cumming, Max Harris, Jill Hellyer, Laurie Hergenhan, Chris Hemmensley, Nancy Keesing, Leonie Kramer, Stephen Murray-Smith, Barrett Reid, Eric Rolls, Stuart Sayers, Anne Summers and Judah Waten.

Series 6. Correspondence with publishers, 1956-1990

This series contains correspondence with publishers and literary agents, mainly concerning publication of Harrower's books. There is correspondence with Cassell & Co. Ltd. concerning Down in the city and The long prospect, with Cassell & Co. Ltd. and David Higham Associates concerning The catherine wheel, with A.P. Watt & Son, Richard Scott Simon, Macmillan & Co. and others concerning In certain circles, with Sun Books concerning The long prospect and with Robert Cross of St Paul's Bibliographies. Also included are contracts, royalty statements and reviews.

The correspondents include Geoffrey Dutton, Max Harris, J.D. Pringle and Brian Stonier.

Series 7. Patrick White, 1968-1996

Harrower was a close personal friend of Patrick White. Contained in this series is correspondence, newspapers cuttings and papers relating to White and the transcript of an interview with White's companion Manoly Lascaris by Rodney Wetherell in 1996. Correspondence includes letters from White and Lascaris, condolence cards sent to Harrower on the death of White and correspondence with David Marr relating to his editing and publication of Patrick White: letters. There is a publisher's advance copy of Peter Carey's Oscar and Lucinda, which was sent to White with a covering letter from the University of Queensland Press.

Series 8. Cynthia Nolan, 1967-1997

Harrower was a close friend of Sidney and Cynthia Nolan. She corresponded with Cynthia Nolan from 1967 until Nolan's death in 1976. This series comprises letters of Cynthia and Jinx Nolan and miscellaneous papers relating to the Nolans. There is also correspondence about and drafts of Harrower's introduction to the re-publication of Cynthia Nolan's four travel books by HarperCollins in 1994 in one volume entitled Outback and Beyond. At one stage, Cynthia Nolan suggested to Harrower that she write her biography and included in the papers is a notebook containing notes taken by Harrower during conversations with Cynthia Nolan.

Note: Files 1-3 of this series are closed.

Series 9. Christina Stead, 1969-1997

Harrower was a friend of Christina Stead and corresponded with her from 1969 until Stead's death in 1983. Contained in this series are letters to and from Stead and papers relating to Stead. There is also correspondence with Chris Williams, who published Christina Stead : a life of letters in 1989, and Hazel Rowley, who published Christina Stead : a biography in 1993.

Series 10. Miscellaneous papers, 1963-1987

This series includes a copy of a 1982 MA thesis by Nola Adams entitled 'A dark realism; the fiction of Elizabeth Harrower' and cuttings and papers, some relating to Edward Ford, sent to Harrower by Bill Cantwell.