Guide to the Papers of Rosemary Dobson

Searching...

MS 4955

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Dobson Bolton, Rosemary
Title
Papers of Rosemary Dobson
Date Range
1923 - 2004
Collection Number
MS 4955
Extent
3.87 metres (21 MS Boxes + 4 Archive Boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The papers of MS 4955 include a considerable amount of correspondence about literary, business and personal matters, drafts of poems, drafts of reviews, index cards, press cuttings, sketches, material about writers' festivals, details of seminars, papers relating to Moscow trefoil and Seven Russian poets, papers relating to Francis Webb and information about poetry competitions. Major correspondents are Margaret Horder, Christina Stead, Francis Webb, Nan McDonald, Geoffrey Bingham, Claire O'Brien, Elizabeth Marsh, Denise Levertov, Ray Mathew, Alan Tregaskis, Lady Casey, Patrick White, David Marr, David Campbell, R.D. FitzGerald, A.D. Hope, Douglas Stewart, James McAuley and Judith Wright (25 boxes).

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn388124).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Rosemary Dobson, National Library of Australia, MS 4955, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers were donated to the Library under the Cultural Gifts Program by Rosemary Dobson in several consignments between July 1986 and December 2004. Three publications were separately donated to the Library by Rosemary Dobson in 2005.

Biographical / Historical

Author and poet, Rosemary de Brissac Dobson, was born in Sydney 18 June 1920. She married Alec Bolton in 1951. She has had a long and distinguished career as a poet and essayist and has also worked as an editor and reader for Angus and Robertson Publishers in the 1940s, and as an art and art history teacher. Her interest in art, antiquity and mythology and her personal experiences of motherhood are reflected in her work.

Dobson’s publications include In a convex mirror (1944), The ship of ice (1948), Child with a cockatoo (18955), Australian poets : Rosemary Dobson (1963), Cock crow (1965), Focus on Ray Crooke (1971), Selected poems (1973), World of difference : Australian poetry and painting in the 1940s (1973), Three poems on water springs (1973), Moscow trefoil (1975), translated with David Campbell, Greek coins (1977), Over the frontier (1978), Seven Russian poets (1979), with David Campbell, Continuance of poetry (1981), The three fates (1984), Summer press (1987) a novel for young adults, Collected poems : Rosemary Dobson (1991) and Untold lives (1992). Dobson has contributed to many Australian publications including Sydney Morning Herald, Age, Australian, Meanjin, Quadrant, Bulletin, Southerly, Luna, Westerly, Island magazine, Overland, LiNQ, Poetry Aust, Hemisphere, Australian letters, Poetry review and others. Her overseas contributions include Antaeus, Texas quarterly, Voices (USA) and Poetry review. She has also written articles, essays and radio scripts on various writers and artists including Denise Levertov (1985), Natalya Gorbanyevskaya (1988) and Vasko Popa (1988). A selection of her poems, L’Enfant en Cacatoès, was translated into French in Autour du Monde (1967).

Dobson has received the following recognition and awards for her work: Sydney Morning Herald award for poetry, 1948 (The ship of ice); FAW Christopher Brennan Award, 1978; Robert Frost Prize, 1979; Senior Fellowship, Literature Board of the Australia Council, 1980; Patrick White Award, 1984; Grace Leven Poetry Prize, 1984 (The three fates); Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, 1985 (The three fates); Emeritus Fellowship, Literature Board of the Australia Council, 1996.

Dobson was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1987 for her outstanding contribution to Australian literature. She is a member of the Australian Society of Authors and was made an honorary life member of Association for the Study of Australian Literature in 1985.

Item Descriptions

Class. Original consignment

Poems, press cuttings, sketches, The ship of ice and Riverside (File 1) - Box 1

Index cards and four early poetry books (File 2) - Box 1

Correspondence about Focus on Ray Crooke, 1967-1971 (File 3) - Box 1

Correspondence, 1965-1979 (File 4) - Box 1

World Festival of Poetry article (File 5) - Box 1

Letter from Margaret Horder to Dobson, 1955 (File 6) - Box 1

Correspondence with Francis Webb, 1946-1967 (File 7) - Box 2

Correspondence with Francis Webb, 1972-1973 (File 8) - Box 2

Correspondence between Francis Webb and Nan McDonald, 1961-1973 (File 9) - Box 2

Correspondence about Francis Webb, 1962-1983 (File 10) - Box 2

Correspondence with Norman Lindsay, Judith Wright, Douglas Stewart, Philip Lindsay, Isobel Lindsay and other correspondents, 1947-1971 (File 11) - Box 2

Correspondence with Geoffrey Bingham including poem 'Camp', 1945-1946 (File 12) - Box 2a

Correspondence with Robert D. FitzGerald, Bruce Dawe, Ray Mathew and other correspondents, 1951-1973 (File 13) - Box 2a

Correspondence with Nancy Cato, Geoffrey Dutton, Sylvia Lawson, Alexander Craig, John Blight, Laurence Collinson, Douglas Stewart, Ethel Anderson, Robert Lindsay, Judith Wright and other correspondents, 1941-1975 (File 14) - Box 2a

Correspondence with James McAuley, Hal Porter, Harold Stewart, Margaret Sutherland, Gladys Scott, Roland Robinson, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Tom Shapcott, Douglas Stewart, Judith Wright McKinney, Russell Drysdale, Sheila Wiley, Henrietta Drake-Brockman, Valentine Ackland, Dulcie Pearse, Russell N. Hill, Lloyd Ross and other correspondents, 1948-1975 (File 15) - Box 2a

Correspondence with James McAuley, John Rowland, Majorie Pizer Holburn, Tom Shapcott, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Alexander Craig, David Campbell, Ray Matthew, Bruce Dawe, R.D. FitzGerald, and other correspondents, 1948-1975 (File 16) - Box 2a

Letters of Nan McDonald to Dobson, 1940s to 1974, including poems (File 17-23) - Box 3

Letters of Dobson to Nan McDonald, 1960s and 1970s, including poems (File 24-30) - Box 4

Drafts of poems 'F.V.S.P.' (File 31-35) - Box 5

Drafts of Russian poem translations (File 36-40) - Box 5

Class. Consignment added, 17 April 1990 and 11 February 1991

Letters from Margaret Horder, 1965 (Added April 1990) (File 41) - Box 6

Correspondence with Christina Stead, 1980-1983 (File 42-43) - Box 6

Correspondence on anthologies, 1961-1967 (File 44) - Box 6

A small group of business letters concerning the publications of poems in anthologies. The correspondents include Douglas Stewart, Ian Mudie, Max Harris, James McAuley and Geoffrey Dutton.

General correspondence, 1973-1986 (File 45-48)

A large group of business and literary letters mostly relating to Dobson's contribution to magazines,

reproduction of poems in anthologies and elsewhere, ABC programs, talks to schools and publishing

projects. There are also a number of circulars and leaflets. The correspondents include Beatrice Davis,

C.B. Christesen, Thea Astley, Paul Carter, Kevin Hart, Gwen Harwood, Nancy Keesing, Judith Wright,

Gerald Murnane, Philip Roberts, Vivian Smith, Graham Kinross Smith, Dal Stivens, Ron Petty, Alan Ashbolt,

David Brooks, Debra Adelaide, Ron Simpson, Barrett Reid, Jill Hellyer, William Hart Smith, Lou Klepac,

Dimitris Tsuloumas, Philip Martin, Clare O'Brien and Barbara Blackman.

General correspondence, 1973-1986 (File 49-52) - Box 7

Correspondence and general papers on the Sisters Publishing Ltd., 1979-1984 (File 53-54) - Box 7

The correspondents include Clare O'Brien, Hilary McPhee and Diana Gribble.

Correspondence concerning Sisters poets 1 (File 55) - Box 7

Published by the Sisters Publishing 1979. The correspondents are Susan Hampton, Joyce Lee, Anne O'Donovan and Anne Lloyd.

Correspondence concerning the David Campbell Seminar at ADFA, held in September 1985, with Harry Heseltine and Barry Andrews (File 56) - Box 7

Correspondence concerning the Martin Bequest Travelling Scholarship, 1981-1990 (File 57) - Box 7

Class. Consignment added, 26 February 1991

General correspondence, 1973-1989 (File 58-62) - Box 8

The correspondents include: Robert Adamson, Cheryl Adamson, Harry Aspland, Ross Blackwood, Judith

Brett, R.F. Brissenden, David Brooks, C.B. Christesen, Richard Connolly, Tim Curnow, Geoffrey Dutton,

Chris Edwards, June Epstein, Michele Field, Clare Fleming, Helen Frizell, Peter Gebhardt, Barbara Giles,

Christine Green, Michael Griffith, Suzanne Hayes, Leoni Hensch, Joy Hooton, Konrad Hopkins, Nancy

Keesing, Frank Kellaway, Brian Kennedy, Lou Klepac, Elaine Lindsay, Phillip Mathews, T.B. Millar, Les

Murray, Jeremy Nelson, Claire O'Brien, Carole Olsen, Barbara Petrie, B. Porter, Lucy Rees, Annette

Renshaw, Stuart Sayers, Vivian Smith, Graeme Kinross-Smith, David S. Thomson, Dane Thwaites, Michael

Thwaites, G. Ursing, Vicki Viidikas, Susan Wild and Richard Walsh.

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1965-1972 (File 63) - Box 8

Correspondence with Clare O'Brien of Sisters Publishing Ltd., 1981-1983 (File 64) - Box 8

Correspondence with Elizabeth Marsh, 1979 (File 65) - Box 9

Correspondence with the University of Tasmania, 1979 (File 66) - Box 9

Salamanca Writers' Festival, 1988 (File 67) - Box 9

Correspondence with Denise Levertov, relating to the 'Poet's Tongue', 1981-1982 (File 68) - Box 9

Correspondence with Alan Tregaskis, 1978-1980 (File 69) - Box 9

Anthology correspondence, 1977-1980 (File 70) - Box 9

Correspondence with the Australian Literature Board, 1972-1981 (File 71) - Box 9

Drafts of poems, including The fisherman and the moon (File 72) - Box 9

Struga Poetry Festival, 1972 (File 73) - Box 9

Drafts for Continuance of poetry (File 74) - Box 10

Early poems, 1953-1965 (File 75) - Box 10

Seminar at the Humanities Research Centre, ANU, 1977 (File 76) - Box 10

Seminar at the Capricornia Institute of Advance Education, 1979 (File 77) - Box 10

Drafts of reviews, 1984-1988 (File 78) - Box 10

Drafts of the Greek coins (File 79) - Box 10

Papers on the National Poetry Competition, the Literature Board Assessment Panel, the National Books Council's Award and the Bicentennial Poetry Awards, 1979-1986 (File 80) - Box 10

Translations of Dobson's poetry into French by Margaret Diesendorf and Louis Dautheuil (File 81) - Box 10

Miscellaneous papers (File 82) - Box 10

Class. Consignment added, 12 February 1993

Maie Casey's letters and writings sent to Rosemary Dobson and Alec Bolton, 1966-1968 (File 83) - Box 11

Maie Casey's letters, lecture notes and other miscellaneous writings sent to Rosemary Dobson, 1969-1976 (File 84) - Box 11

Letters of Maie Casey to Ruth Dobson (1967-1972) and Marjorie Dobson, (1967 and 1976) (File 85) - Box 11

Letters of Patrick White to Rosemary Dobson (1974-1982) and correspondence between Dobson and David Marr pertaining to White's letters, (1991-1992) (File 86) - Box 11

Letters of Francis Webb to Rosemary Dobson, 1973 (File 87) - Box 11

Drafts of poem 'Folding the sheets' (File 88) - Box 11

Typescript of poem 'The harrowing of Balmain - a mock-heroick poem in four books in the style of Mr Hope' signed by Alan Gould and Kevin Hart (File 89) - Box 11

Class. Consignment added, 17 August 1999

Correspondence (1973-1977) on Russian Translation Project; notes on Osip Mandelstam (File 90) - Box 12

Poetry typescripts (File 91) - Box 12

Typescript entitled 'From the Russian of Osip Mandelstam' (File 92) - Box 12

Version by David Campbell and Rosemary Dodson based on literal translations by Robert Dessaix, Olga Hassanoff and Natalie Staples

Annotated typescripts of poetry after Osip Mandelstam translated by Olga Hassanoff (File 93) - Box 12

Typescript draft of foreword by A.D. Hope to Moscow trefoil; translations by Natalie Staples (File 94) - Box 12

Poetry transcripts with handwritten annotations (File 95) - Box 12

Literal translations by Natalie Staples (File 96) - Box 12

Seven Russian poets (File 97) - Box 13

Typescript entitled 'Poems from the Russian of Osip Mandelstam' (File 98) - Box 13

Versions of poems from the Russian of Osip Mandelstam (File 99) - Box 13

Poetry of Natalya Gorbanevskaya (File 100) - Box 13

Correspondence (1981) about Jill Scurfield's article 'Some recent translations of Mandelstam' (1981). Copy of Dobson's article 'A poet's response', (1981) (File 101) - Box 13

Correspondence (1972, 1974). Mandelstam material (File 102) - Box 13

Seven Russian poets: imitations by R. Dobson and David Campbell (File 103) - Box 14

Draft of Seven Russian poets (File 104) - Box 14

Literal translations by Olga Hassanoff and Robert Dessaix (File 105) - Box 14

Correspondence (1978-1980) with University of Queensland Press. Reviews of Seven Russian poets (File 106) - Box 14

Assorted Mandelstam versions by Dobson and David Campbell (File 107) - Box 14

Poems from the Russian (File 108) - Box 14

Correspondence with Laurie Hergenhan (Australian literary studies) (1982-1983). Annotated typescripts of poetry (File 109) - Box 14

Moscow trefoil: poems from the Russian of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam / David Campbell, Rosemary Dobson, translator: Natalie Staples, foreword by A.D. Hope (Canberra: Australian National University Press, 1975) (File 110) - Box 14

Class. Consignment added, 9 September 1999

Papers in this instalment comprise correspondence, articles, newspaper cuttings and other papers relating to the poet Francis Webb. Dobson has kept the papers in Files and the Library has preserved this arrangement and the Files titles.

Correspondence with the family of Francis Webb, especially Claudia Snell (Webb's sister), 1962-1989 (File 111) - Box 15

Correspondence with Sister Mary Francesca, 1966 1973-1974 (File 112) - Box 15

Correspondence mostly with Michael Griffith, 1974-1993 (File 113) - Box 15

Correspondence concerning seminars on Francis Webb, 1974-1993 (File 114) - Box 15

Correspondence with John Tulip, 1976-1980 (File 115) - Box 15

Correspondence and research concerning Francis Webb's collection of English landscape paintings from the Norwich School, 1976-1980 (File 116) - Box 15

Articles (typescripts and photocopies) on Francis Webb written by A.D. Hope, David Campbell, Graeme Kinross Smith and others (File 117) - Box 15

Newspaper cuttings, 1973-1980 (File 118) - Box 15

Seminar, conference and other papers concerning Francis Webb, 1980-1993 (File 119) - Box 16

Notes, a photograph and photocopies of Webb's poems (File 120) - Box 16

Miscellaneous papers (File 121) - Box 16

Class. Consignment added, 4 February 2000

Letters of Francis Webb to Rosemary Dobson (1 Feb. 1964) and Ian Bolton, (22 Dec. 1972 and 6 Sept. 1973) (File 122) - Box 16

Class. Consignment added, 21 September 2001

The papers in this addition include correspondence and papers concerning David Campbell. The main correspondents are R.D. FitzGerald, A.D. Hope, Douglas Stewart, Harold Stewart, James McAuley, Stuart Sayers (Literary Editor of The Age), R. Scot Skirving and Judith Wright. Dobson has kept the papers in Files and the Library has preserved this arrangement and the Files titles.

Letters and cards from David Campbell, 1955-1979 (File 123) - Box 16

Signed poems by David Campbell (File 124) - Box 16

Unsigned poems by David Campbell (File 125) - Box 16

Writings and bibliography on David Campbell (File 126) - Box 16

Correspondence with R.D. FitzGerald, 1955 1970-1987 (File 127) - Box 16

Correspondence with A.D. Hope, 1966-1977 (File 128) - Box 17

Correspondence with James McAuley, 1962-1976 (File 129) - Box 17

Letter of Herbert Read concerning the poetry of Francis Webb, 1969 (File 130) - Box 17

Correspondence with Barrie Reid, 1992 (File 131) - Box 17

Correspondence with Stuart Sayers concerning book reviews by Dobson, 1981-1986 (File 132) - Box 17

Correspondence with R. Scot Skirving, 1933-1981 (File 133) - Box 17

The Files also includes cuttings, an obituary by A.T. Bolton and other articles.

Correspondence with Douglas Stewart, 1963-1984 (File 134) - Box 17

Correspondence with Harold Stewart, 1974-1983 (File 135) - Box 17

Correspondence with Judith Wright, 1956-1998 (File 136-7) - Box 18

Correspondence with Judith Wright, 1990-1997 (File 138) - Box 18

Draft 'For JW's memorial occasion 19 July 2000', cuttings and other papers concerning Judith Wright, 2000 (File 139) - Box 18

Class. Consignment added, 2 December 2003

Articles about and reviews of Rosemary Dobson's work, 1950-1989 (File 140) - Box 18

In newspapers and Australian literary journals such as Westerly, Meanjin and Southerly

Correspondence 1981 between Dobson and Stuart Lee, and related correspondence with eg Professor Peter Elkin, University of New England (File 140) - Box 18

Stuart Lee authored The Poetry of Rosemary Dobson (a bibliography and general introduction to her work with set poems for use in schools)

Correspondence with Tim Curnow, literary agent (File 141) - Box 18

Relating to reissuing of anthology A Song for All Seasons: 100 Poems for Children (first published by Angus and Robertson in 1967).

Letters from Joyce Lee to Dobson, 1980-1981 (File 141) - Box 18

Concerning her poems and including some photocopies of her work.

Talks, 1965-1989 (File 142-143) - Box 18

Comprising 32 typescripts of talks given by Rosemary Dobson together with related material. Events and organisations addressed include: Australian Museum, 1986; Canberra Tales, launch, 1988; Joy Warren and Elizabeth Durack, 'Solander Women's Art Opening', 1975; 'Modern Australian Poetry: a Personal View', The Teaching of English – Journal of the English Teachers' Association of New South Wales, 1964; Obituary for Thelma Herring, Southerly, August 1977; 'On Russell Drysdale', nd, np, together with letter from Russell Drysdale 3 July 1980, 2pp, thanking her for her piece about him; 'Poetry and Painting', University of Western Australia, 1977; Report on the Montsalvat Festival, 1978; Society of Women Writers, First Biennial Conference, 1978; Sydney Girls High School prizegiving 1984; 'Tobit Translated', 8pp., Warana Festival Writers' Week, Brisbane September-October 1978; 'Women Writers of the Forties and Today', Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education, 1979.

Files of a proposed project, 1985-1986, submitted to Sylvia Hale of Hale and Iremonger, for an anthology, edited by Dobson, of writings by Australian women writers on the process of writing and on other Writers (File 144) - Box 18

The project was ultimately abandoned. Included are carbons of Dobson's letters to Hale and Hale's replies; letters from authors agreeing to contribute: Nene Gare, Gwen Harwood, Elizabeth Jolley, Antigone Kefala, Kylie Tennant and Fay Zwicky, together with their letters after the cancellation of the project; also photocopies of letters from Jessica Anderson, Thea Astley, Helen Garner, Elizabeth Harrower, Margaret Jones, Eleanor Witcombe and Judith Wright.

Youngstreet Poets (File 145) - Box 18

Originals and photocopies of correspondence between Jean Stone and Rosemary Dobson, 1984, 1990-1991 Together with a photocopy of Dobson's introduction to her edited collection Youngstreet Poets Anthology 1990

Summer Press (St. Lucia: UQP, 1987) (File 145) - Box 18

Press clippings re Dobson's novel for young adults, one letter from a reader and correspondence between Rosemary Dobson and Alison Coates at University of Queensland Press

Press clippings from Times Literary Supplement, Quadrant, Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, The Australian and New Statesman, 1950s-1970s (File 146) - Box 19

Correspondence relating to requests for permission to reprint poems; letter from Nuri Mass for editor RD Fitzgerald rejecting Dobson's poems for Australian Poetry 1942 (File 146) - Box 19

Ship of Ice (Sydney: Angus and Robertson 1948) (File 147) - Box 19

Press clippings of reviews and clean typed extracts

Songs for All Seasons (File 147) - Box 19

Frivolities, 34pp ms compiled by Dobson and Nan McDonald, 'each penning two lines and placing the other with testing situations to folklore'

Songs for All Seasons: Mock poet's rejection letter on Angus and Robertson letterhead, 18 April 1950 (File 147) - Box 19

Songs for All Seasons (File 147) - Box 19

Three letters from Angus and Robertson re proposed anthology of poems for children, 1963-66

Cock Crow (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1965) (File 148) - Box 19

Press clippings from Sydney Morning Herald, Age and Canberra Times

Collected Poems (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1991) (File 148) - Box 19

Correspondence of Tim Curnow with Angus and Robertson, 1989, and of Rosemary Dobson with Tim Curnow, 1990 regarding the publication

Over the Frontier (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1978) (File 149) - Box 19

Correspondence with Angus and Robertson regarding Greek spellings of classic names and other matters, 1977

Radio Scripts: Nancy Keesing,' The Poetry of Rosemary Dobson', nd, 7pp., carbon (File 149) - Box 19

Radio Scripts: Rosemary Dobson, 'Some Poems of Natalya Gorbanevskaya', nd, 15pp (File 149) - Box 19

Radio Scripts: Rosemary Dobson, 'The Poetry of Denise Levertov', nd, 12pp Press clippings about Dobson's work (File 149) - Box 19

Child with a Cockatoo (Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1956): Press clippings (File 150) - Box 19

Judging 1983-1993: Correspondence relating to invitations to judge poetry competitions and related matters (File 150) - Box 19

Rights and permissions, 1990-2000 (File 151-152) - Box 19

Correspondence, mostly from Australian publishers

Poetry readings, 1973-1998 (File 153) - Box 19

Notes, talks, correspondence, press clippings, leaflets and other material relating to poetry readings, mostly in Sydney and Canberra

Curtis Brown, 1974-2000 (File 154) - Box 20

Correspondence from Tim Curnow to Rosemary Dobson, c50 letters, mostly brief and relating to business matters

Various papers, (File 155-156) - Box 20

Articles written by Rosemary Dobson. Obituary for Hazel de Berg, 1p, nd; Typescript on Nancy Keesing, 3pp nd; Notes on Poetry, 2pp, 1984; Article, `Poetry and Light', extract from Southerly 1: 1981, 12pp; Article on Modern Australian Poetry, extract from The Teaching of English October 1964; Article, `When Poets Read Poets', Hemisphere, Vol 20 No 3; Article, `Poetry and Painting', Quadrant November 1977; Introduction to book re Max Dupain's Landscapes, 4pp, 1988, drafts and final version, together with 1p letter from Max Dupain; Letter from Bulletin re an article, 1981; Article, `The Riddle of Nicholas Freydon', Bulletin 5 October 1982, together with drafts, correspondence and research relating to the article; Article re favourite work of art (Roy de Maistre's Sunlight and Trees – St Jean de Luz) for Art and Australia, 1994: drafts, correspondence, research material; Typescript re Beatrice Davis, 2pp, nd; Handwritten draft `The art of the book in England in the twentieth century': written for submission to Professor Waldock, English Department, University of Sydney, nd (?late 1930s?); Article, with Joan Phipson, on The Frensham Press, Biblionews, Vol 12 November/December 1994

ANU Wine List Poets' Lunch Poems: Correspondence on a documentary by two Sydney University students featuring Rosemary Dobson reading five poems, 1981, together with two related colour photographs (File 157) - Box 20

ANU Wine List Poets' Lunch PoemsDrafts of 7 poems (mostly 1p typescript with corrections) (File 157) - Box 20

Includes 'Some Millenia After', 'Potters' Projec't, 'Medicinal or In Praise of Champagne' (1979), 'Dry Roads' (1978), 'Carmina Burana' (1976) and 'Good-bye Graphics' (1982)

Greek Poems (File 157) - Box 20

Translations of four poems (2 by Cavafy) written when learning Greek, 1984, together with original poems (mostly 1p) based on 'Pausianas's Travels' including 'Of Poetry', 1971, 'The Greek Vase' 1976, 'Knossos', 1971, 'The Myceneans' (nd), 'Phigalia' (2pp, 1973), 'Theseus' (1972) and 'The Flute-Player' (2pp, 1973)

Letter to Lydia - drafts (File 158) - Box 20

Copy of poem published in Quadrant January-February 1981, together with letter of thanks; photocopy of 4pp 1972 letter from Lydia Stephanou (Greek poet) from which phrases are quoted in the poem; 4pp letter from Veronica Brady, nd, on the poem; 2 6pp photocopies of amended drafts, 1980; handwritten notes exploring ideas for the poem; copy of 'The Cyclamens' (for Lydia, not published), May 1995

Translations of Gorbanevskya and others for inclusion in The Three Fates, decided against: including 'Coastal Holiday' (revised 1995 for publication in the National Library's Voices magazine) and drafts (usually handwritten and typed versions) of 'Grandmother', 'Coastal Holiday', 'In This City' and 'Signs and Portents', 1995 (File 159) - Box 20

Caren's Russian Project: 3 items of correspondence relating to 2001 project by Caren Florance, while assisting Dobson with the organisation of her papers, for creating an artist's book using poems translated from the Russian by Rosemary Dobson and David Campbell in the 1970s (File 159) - Box 20

The Three Fates and Other Poems (published by Hale and Iremonger) (File 160) - Box 20

42pp manuscript and drafts of 3 poems, correspondence with Angus and Robertson 1983 who initially delayed a decision on publishing the book, correspondence 1983 with subsequent publisher Sylvia Hale and also Max Dupain, Tim Curnow (of Curtis Brown), academic Jim Tulip and Alison Summers (Nimrod Theatre), together with correspondence about launch, Australian Book Review review by Philip Martin and correspondence received from friends and admirers

The Three Fates: working copies of poems and drafts, 1979, 1983 1991 (File 161) - Box 20

Greek Coins: post-publication. Correspondence received 1978 after publication including from Manoly Lascaris (`a lovely little book'), Bruce Beaver, Margaret Manion, Arthur Rolls and Yvonne Boyd, together with press clippings of reviews and advertisements (File 162) - Box 20

Drafts of poems for Over the Frontier (1976) including 'Drowned Person' (1975), 'Callers at the House' (1976), 'Pollen Dispersal' (1975), 'Of Poetry' (1972), 'One Life' (1972), 'Mrs Potts' 'The Flat-Iron' (1977), 'Theseus' (1972), 'The Flute-Players' (1973), 'At Tainarou' (nd) and 'The Message in the Bottle' (1973), together with background material and notes about the poems (File 162) - Box 20

Early Poems: photocopies of 4 poems written while teaching at Frensham, nd (returned to Dobson by June Epstein, 1999); correspondence on 'Child with a Cockatoo' (1956) and copies of 'Child of our Time' (1961), 'Into Winter' (1961), 'Essay for a French Class' (1967), 'Tombs' (1968) and 'The Mother' (1952); also cover image for 'Cock Crow' drawn on scraper board by Ray Crookes, nd (File 163) - Box 21

'The Radiant Hand: Concept and Contents' (unpublished) (File 163) - Box 21

Outline of contents, letter to Curtis Brown and proposed list of poems. The contents were subsequently absorbed in Collected Poems.

Untold Lives: complete ms with history of states, ?1987 (File 164-5) - Box 21

Museum Poems from The Three Fates: poems and states, 1983 (File 166) - Box 21

Pamphlet Poems: correspondence with the National Library re Seeing and Believing and order of the poems, 1990. (File 166) - Box 21

'The Book' (2001): various states and correspondence about the poem with Ivor Indyk, editor of Heat, 2001 (File 167) - Box 21

Selected Poems: correspondence relating to Dobson's choice of a European painting (St Ivo by Rogier van der Weyden) for the cover [Douglas Stewart wanted Australian landscape], 1972-73; also correspondence with Angus and Robertson 1990 on revised edition (File 167) - Box 21

First or early copies of poems in the Collected Poems, 1985-1988 (File 168) - Box 21

Includes 'A Letter to Lydia', 'Of Poetry', 'The Eye', 'At Carcoar' (1974), 'Grieving', 'The White of the Almond-Tree' and 'Two Silences'

Selected Poems, 3rd ed., 1990 (File 168) - Box 21

Including drafts of 'The Nicholson Abstract' (1976), 'The Foot-Soldier' (1987),' The Other Eye' (1987), 'Learning Absences' (1986), together with published versions of other poems

Collected Poems: correspondence relating to publication, 1990-1996 (File 169) - Box 21

Untold Lives and Later Poems: correspondence and publishing history on Untold Lives, published by Brindabella Press, 1987-1992 (File 170) - Box 21

Including letters from Allan Martin (1993), Sir Ninian Stephen (1992) and Geoffrey Dutton (1987, 1988).

Untold Lives and Later Poems: congratulations from friends and others on Untold Lives and Later Poems (National Library, 2001). (File 170) - Box 21

Including from Les Blakeborough, Bruce and Brenda Beaver, Kay Craddock, Michael Thwaites and Ivor Indyk [the book later won the Age Book of the Year Award].

Various reviews, 1965-81 (File 171) - Box 22

Launches and other appearances, 1964-95: invitations, press clippings (File 172) - Box 22

Short Stories, mostly early: 5 undated drafts, either not published or published in the Bulletin `to earn money'; referred to as encapsulating `parts of my early life' (File 173) - Box 22

Vasko Popa: Radio script, 1986, and other material relating to Yugoslav poet whom Dobson met at the World Festival of Poetry in Toronto, June 1986 (File 173) - Box 22

Osip Mandelstam: copies of poems and correspondence 1981 relating to work by David Campbell and Rosemary Dobson on translations of his poems by Robert Dessaix (File 174) - Box 22

Summer Press research: (a) correspondence with University of Queensland Press re Summer Press, 1988 (book for the mature teenager); (b) correspondence 1986-93; (c) corrected typescript, 126pp (File 175-177) - Box 22

Loose papers: Commonwealth Fund lectures, University of New England, 1960; letters and poems from Philip Martin, 1975 (File 178) - Box 22

Class. Consignment added, 8 December 2004

Papers in this instalment consist largely of correspondence from writers and publishers.

Some of the papers Dobson kept in Files. The Library has preserved the arrangement of the contents within the Files and the Files titles, as well as the grouping of other letters as they were received. Many of the letters and Files contain dated annotations by Dobson, providing correspondents' names or explanatory notes.

Paris trip: correspondence and papers relating to 'The Australian Writers Dialogues' event held in Paris, 1990 (File 179) - Box 23

Dorothea Mackellar and Gunnedah poetry awards and celebrations: correspondence, photographs and other papers, c. 1982-1992 (File 180) - Box 23

Talks by Rosemary Dobson: a list of talks (1972-1997); handwritten and typescript texts of talks; correspondence; and advertising material relating to events at which Dobson spoke, 1990-2002 (File 181) - Box 23

Kerry King and Szymborska notes: correspondence and papers relating to a comparative study written by King on the poetry of Dobson and Wislawa Szymborska, c. 1996-2001 (File 182) - Box 23

Correspondence relating to the publication of Australia suite, by Lynn Hard, 1998-1999 (File 183) - Box 23

Janet Laurence (Sculpture, environment and poetry project, 'Veil of trees') (File 184) - Box 23

Photographs and correspondence relating to Dobson's part in this project, including correspondence with Judith Wright, 1999.

Max Dupain: letters from Max Dupain, and other correspondence relating to Dobson's role as writer of a foreword to the publication, Max Dupain's Australian landscapes, (1988), 1985-1989. (File 185) - Box 23

Maie Casey: letters and cards from Maie Casey; press cuttings; photographs (including one of Maie Casey by Cecil Beaton, 1968);drawings by Maie Casey and Dobson; and the text of an obituary for Maie Casey written by Dobson, c. 1966-1993 (File 186) - Box 23

Miscellaneous correspondence from writers and other friends, 1966, c. 1975-2001 (File 187) - Box 23

Includes letters from Thomas Shapcott, Barbara Blackman, Stephen Holt, Elizabeth Harrower, David Brooks, Martin Langford, Barbara Giles, Hazel Rowley, John Tranter, Thea Astley, Ian Templeman and Patricia Excell.

Copy of a letter from Francis Webb to Norman Lindsay in 1965. (File 188) - Box 23

Letters from Bruce and Brenda Beaver, c. 1975-1992 (File 189) - Box 24

Letters and cards from Hu Wenzhong, c. 1993-1998 (File 190) - Box 24

One contains an undated photograph of Dobson.

Miscellaneous letters and cards, c. 1936-1939, c. 1950-1992 (File 191) - Box 24

Correspondents include Ron Geering, Dymphna Cusack, S. Elliott Napier (literary editor of the Sydney Mail), Sybil Thorndike, Frank Hutchens, Ethel Anderson, Clem Christesen, Manoly Lascaris, Lloyd Ross, Andrew Taylor and David Martin.

Miscellaneous correspondence, c. 1969-1995 (File 192) - Box 24

Includes letters from Vera Newsom, Tim Winton, Glenda Adams, Tom Shapcott, Alec Bolton (to friends in England enclosing a poem by Dobson), Thea Astley, Hal Porter, Dorothy Green, Shirley Hazzard and Gwen Harwood.

Correspondence relating to the translation of Dobson's poetry into French for an Editions Seghers publication (Authors of the world series), largely letters from the translators, Margaret Diesendorf and Louis Dautheuil, 1960-1967 (File 193) - Box 24

Miscellaneous letters: two letters from the University of Buffalo soliciting manuscripts of Dobson's poems for their poetry archive, 1950-1954; one from Clem Christesen, 1966; and one from Myfanwy Gollan regarding the death of Ray Mathew, 2002 (File 194) - Box 24

A list of the correspondence prepared by Dobson for offer to the National Library of Australia in 2004; draft of a talk by Dobson on John Rowland; and a cutting of an obituary for Joan Phipson written by Dobson in 2003. (File 195) - Box 24

Class. Consignment added, 10 March 2005

Three publications: Cuckooz contrey, by Kenneth Slessor (1932); Poems, by Rosemary Dobson (1937); and Vision: a literary quarterly, No. 1 (May 1923) (File 196) - Box 25


Top