Guide to the Papers of Rosalie McCutcheon
MS 9380, MS Acc09.126
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Rosalie McCutcheon
- Title
- Papers of Rosalie McCutcheon
- Date Range
- 1911-1998
- Collection Number
- MS 9380, MS Acc09.126
- Extent
- 2.7 metres (15 ms boxes + 1 folio item + 8 sound/av carriers)
- Physical Facet
- MS 9380 (13 ms boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Content
The papers comprise letters and correspondence written to family and friends, family papers relating to her son Kim and husband Oliver (who died while working as a missionary in India), diaries and notebooks, speeches, scripts for ABC radio morning devotional broadcasts, autobiographical writings, financial papers, photographs, slides, and cassette tapes. The papers relate to McCutcheon's work with the Australian Student Christian Movement, Frensham School (Mittagong, NSW), and International House at the University of Sydney. The collection includes a substantial sequence of letters written to her family while accompanying her husband in India in 1934-36.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn232927).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Rosalie McCutcheon, National Library of Australia [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The papers were donated to the Library by McCutcheon's literary executor Dr John Garrett in 1992. Two small additions (tapes of McCutcheon's funeral and memorial service and personal correspondence of Sister Constance (Paul) Fairhall) were donated in 1993. A third addition was donated by June Epstein in 2001. This material includes letters from McCutcheon to Madeline Crump, 1978-1991, letters from Anne McCutcheon, Leonore Collard, Mary Learmonth and others to Crump, 1990-1998, photographs (7) of McCutcheon and others, 1932-1970, and other papers.
Related Materials
Research material, photographs and memorabilia on Rosalie McCutcheon collected by June Epstein in the course of researching and writing Rosalie McCutcheon: a memoir (1993) are held at MS 8578. Records of the Australian Student Christian Movement are held at MS 980.
Arrangement
The McCutcheon Papers were received by the Library in a largely disordered state. While some of the material was filed, only Series 2 Files 12-19 (alphabetical correspondence files) had a discernible order. The present order of series and files has been imposed by the Library.
A quantity of loose slides from the collection were returned to Dr Garrett.
Biographical Note
Rosalie Joyce was born in Chewton, Victoria on 6 May 1904, the daughter of Miriam Woodruff (1871-1955) and Harry Sewell Joyce (1874-1932). Her father was a Congregational Minister and during Rosalie Joyce's early life the family moved to parishes in Prahran, Ballarat and East Malvern. She was educated at state schools in each posting, before finally attending Korowa Anglican Girls' School in Melbourne in 1918-21.
After leaving school, Rosalie Joyce applied for a teaching scholarship and in 1922 was offered a position at Spring Road State School in Malvern and later Somerville House in Brisbane. In 1926 she moved back to Melbourne to attend the Melbourne Bible Institute for missionary training and in 1927 transferred to Parkin Congregational College in Adelaide as a candidate for the London Missionary Society. She studied for a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Adelaide and a Bachelor of Divinity at Parkin College. While at University she began her involvement with the Australian Student Christian Movement, later becoming co-President.
After graduating from the University of Adelaide in 1929, Rosalie Joyce failed the medical examination needed to serve overseas with the London Missionary Society. Instead, in 1930 she joined the Australian Student Christian Movement as Travelling Secretary. In 1933 she resigned and travelled to India to marry Oliver McCutcheon, a Methodist missionary in Northern India. Her son John Kimball was born in 1935. Her husband contracted pneumonia in India and died in 1936.
After returning to Australia, Rosalie McCutcheon worked in various jobs to support herself and her son. In 1941-47 she worked at Frensham School in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales as head of the Junior School. In 1949-53 she was Australian Secretary for World Students Relief (later called World University Service) in Melbourne, assisting refugees and overseas students with their education and adjustment to Australia. In 1953 she worked briefly as Secretary of the Incorporated Association of Registered Teachers of Victoria before rejoining Frensham at Gib Gate (Frensham Junior School).
In 1956 McCutcheon travelled to England, working periodically for the British Council of Churches. In 1958 she returned to Australia and until 1964 worked again for the Australian Student Christian Movement as a Resident Secretary, counselling students at the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales. After a year of travel in India, Ceylon, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong, she joined International House at the University of Sydney as Deputy Director, where she worked until her retirement in 1972.
Rosalie McCutcheon died in Adelaide on 17 February 1992.
Source: June Epstein. Rosalie McCutcheon: a memoir (1993)
Item Descriptions
Class MS 9380. Original consignment
Series 1. Letters, 1926-89
Originals of letters written to family members including a large number of letters written while residing in India, 1934-36. The letters contain her observations on India, accounts of her marriage, the birth and progress of her son Kim, missionary work and the death of her husband. The series also includes copies of circular letters written to friends throughout her life.
Other letters by McCutcheon are in series 2, 3 and 8.
Series 2. Correspondence, 1939-92
Correspondence received by McCutcheon from friends and family. Correspondents include Charles Birch, Frank Engel, Constance (Paul) Fairhall, David Garnsey, Peter Garnsey, Austin James, Kathleen Kay, Mary Learmonth, Kim McCutcheon, Patricia Morton, Nan Partridge, Hugh Ryvers-Ellicott, and Winifred West.
Other correspondence is in series 3, 4 and 8.
Family correspondence from her sister Mary (1954-90), brother Alfred (1945-60), mother (1953-54), Uncle Jack (n.d.) and brother-in-law Paul McCutcheon (1937-55) (File 1) - Box 3
Correspondence and papers relating to McCutcheon's engagement and marriage and copies of The missionary review, 1933-37 (File 6) - Box 4
Series 3. Family papers, 1932-90
Papers of and relating to McCutcheon's son, John Kimball (Kim) McCutcheon, and her husband Oliver (Oko) McCutcheon.
Kim McCutcheon papers, 1949-82 . Includes letters by Kim McCutcheon to Rosemary Lee, his grandmother, Mary and David Learmonth, his uncle Alf and others and papers from his funeral service (File 1) - Box 6
File including last letters by Oliver McCutcheon (1936), letters by Kim to his mother (1948-81), letters by and to Rosalie McCutcheon, 1953-82, employment reference for Kim McCutcheon (1968) and an undated tribute to Oliver McCutcheon (File 2) - Box 6
Oliver McCutcheon papers including order of service for marriage (1934), letters (1932-36), Indian notebook (1933), and newspaper cuttings and memorial service regarding his death in 1936 (File 3) - Box 7
Series 4. Diaries and notebooks, 1933-92
Diaries recording the birth and achievements of McCutcheon's son Kim (1935-41), and her trips to Papua, Europe, India, Ceylon, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Rhodesia. Also includes notebooks containing addresses, quotations, extracts from letters (including excerpts of letters received after Kim's death), Christmas lists, hymn lists, Joyce Family genealogical details, and notebooks on her 80th birthday and the deaths of her father and son.
Series 5. Australian Student Christian Movement, 1932-65
Rosalie McCutcheon joined the Australian Student Christian Movement in the late 1920s while a student at the University of Adelaide and served as co-President. In 1930-33 she worked as a Travelling Secretary with the Movement. In 1958-64 she worked for the ASCM as a Resident Secretary, counselling students at the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales.
The series contains copies of The Australian intercollegian (1939-53), The power of God in human lives: a study of religious experience by W. Wallace F. Pratt and Rosalie W. Joyce (ASCM, 1932), cuttings from Honi soit (1960) and articles on McCutcheon's contribution to the ASCM (1965)
Series 6. Frensham School, 1940-90
In 1941-47 McCutcheon worked at Frensham School in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales as head of the Junior School. In 1953-55 she rejoined Frensham Junior School at Gib Gate.
The series contains copies of (and loose pages from) the Frensham chronicle (1966-90) including a speech by McCutcheon on her association with Frensham and a piece on the life of Winifred Mary West, headmistress of Frensham. Also includes notes of a speech delivered at Frensham (5 July 1964), two notebooks containing children's prayers and correspondence of Winifred West (including letters by McCutcheon), 1940-71.
Series 7. International House, 1966-92
McCutcheon joined International House at the University of Sydney as Deputy Director in 1966 and worked until her retirement in 1972.
The papers include cuttings on her appointment (1966) and work, notes on duties of the Deputy Director, speeches by McCutcheon on International House (1975-77), correspondence, 1966-79, minutes and newsletter of the International House Alumni Association (1990-92) and photographs.
See also Series 2, File 9 for International House correspondence and Series 7 File 2 for International House photographs.
Series 8. Writings, c.1911-92
Writings of Rosalie McCutcheon including speeches, articles, radio scripts and autobiographical writings.
Series 9. Financial papers, 1971-90
Income tax returns, 1973-90, financial correspondence, certificates and other papers relating to investments, and a 1971/72 workers' compensation claim, papers relating to her retirement home Resthaven, and social security documents.
Series 10. Photographs and slides, c.1929-c1987
Photographs and slides of family, friends, and places visited.
Series 11. Tapes, c.1985-92
Cassette recordings including an interview with McCutcheon on International House (c.1985), a broadcast with Peter Hetzel on 'The history of the Student Christian Movement' (5UV, May 1986), biographical tapes recorded in 1988 and Rosalie McCutcheon's funeral and memorial service (1992).
Rosalie McCutcheon Interviewed for IH Archives about 1985 [1 of 8] (Item NLA.MS-SAV003694) - Cassette-Box 164
1 item, TDK D90, Compact cassette tape
Rosalie McCutcheon S.C.M. Broadcast May 1986 "the History of S.C.M." [2 of 8], 1986 (Item NLA.MS-SAV003695) - Cassette-Box 164
1 item, TDK D60, Compact cassette tape
Rosalie McCutcheon "Turning Points in My Life" 16/01/1988 [3 of 8], 1988 (Item NLA.MS-SAV003696) - Cassette-Box 164
1 item, Hitachi C90 EX, Compact cassette tape
Rosalie McCutcheon Celebrating Rosalie's Life. A. Centennial Park 20/02/92, B. Wesley College Chapel 24/02/1992 [5 of 8], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV003698) - Cassette-Box 164
1 item, TDK AD120, Compact cassette tape[More details in the box]
Rosalie McCutcheon Celebrating with Rosalie Pilgrim Church 1992 [6 of 8], 1992 (Item NLA.MS-SAV003699) - Cassette-Box 164
1 item, TDK AD120, Compact cassette tape[More details in the box]