Guide to the Papers of Peter Porter
MS 6640, MS Acc10.123, MS Acc13.092, MS Acc16.045
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Online Items
Class MS Acc13.092. Consignment received 2013
This instalment includes diaries; notebooks, typescripts and papers relating to his writings; reviews by Porter and of his work; publications by others; photographs and royalty statements. Correspondence, 1947-2010, comprises the largest portion of the papers. The numerous correspondents include Don Banks, Julian Barnes, Bruce Beaver, Bruce Bennett, Roger and Trish Covell, Peter Craven, Luke Davies, Morag Fraser, Dennis Haskell, Shirley Hazzard, Jack Hibberd, Liu Hongbin, Barry Humphries, Clive James, John Kinsella, David Malouf, Les Murray, Jill Neville, Ros Pesman, Barrett Reid, Peter Rose, Gig Ryan, Jacky Simms, Tom Shapcott, Anthony Thwaite, John Tranter, Chris Wallace-Crabbe and Elizabeth Webby
Series 2. Correspondence, 1948-2010
This series comprises an extensive holding of Porter's correspondence, spanning several decades. Correspondents include notable figures in the literary and arts scenes, Vernon Scannell, Arthur Boyd, Les Murray and family. Over the course of accumulating the correspondence, Porter used several methods of arrangement: chronological, files for travels to Australia, for individual correspondents, John Kinsella, Peter Rose, Peter Redgrove, Penelope Shuttle, and, in some cases, no discernable order at all. His arrangement has been maintained in this series. Mainly letters, postcards, telegrams and later emails from peers, publishers, friends and family. Included are invitations to literary and social events, professional engagements, some poetry of Porter and others
Letters, invitations, review requests, copies of poetry of others, 1986 (File 1) - Box 2 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Peter Craven, Michael Hayward, Dick Connolly, John Tranter, Jeremy Treglown, Peter Quartermaine, Geoffrey Dutton, Anthony Howell, Angela Huth, John Wakeman and Denis Haskell; includes audio cassette tape 90 min entitled Peter Porter Poetry read by D. Cummings; letters and poetry by Dachine Rainer and Victoria Radin; Biographical information on Randolph Stow
Letter and audio cassette from Des Cummings, c1993 (File 3) - Box 3 (MS Acc13.092)
Audio cassette without inscription and accompanying letter detailing reading of poetry; audio cassette tape 60 min entitled George MacBeth
Performance and conference programs; book launches and flyers, get-well cards, 1990-1993 (File 4) - Box 3 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Shelia Murphy, John Woolf, Tony Maude, Des Cummings, Peter Steele, Shirley Toulsen, Peter Forbes, Janet Turner, Les Murray, Heather Neilson, Patricia Brown
Letters, invitations, postcards, faxes, 1994 (File 4) - Box 5 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Bruce Bennett, Tom Shapcott, Roger and Trish Covell, Anthony Thwaite, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, Cassandra Pybus, Gavin Ewart, Peter Rose, Donald Atkinson, Sonja Chalmers, Heather Neilson, Janet McKenzie, Jude Bourguignon (Oxford), John Lennard, Alastair Niven, Albert Hirst; copies of outgoing faxes from Porter to Bennett and Louise Carbines (The Age); Letter to Porter from Univerity of New South Wales regarding appointment as Visiting Fellow; photocopies of Porter's poetry; typscript poems from others; article and letter to Porter requesting support in nominating Judith Wright for Nobel Literature Prize; Invitation to Elaine Feinstein's launch of Selected Poems published by Carcanet; Invitation to reception at Australia House; audio cassette cassette tape 60 min entitled Best words 27/05/95
Letters, invitations, cards, 1997-1998 (File 5) - Box 10 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Nicholas Robins (Shakespeare's Globe), Anthony Thwaite, Meredith Curnow, Michael Horovitz,Donald Aitkinson, Hannah Kelly (Camden Poetry Group), Jacky Simms, Michael Schmidt (Carcenet) Lorna Goldsmith (British Museum), Dame Leonie Kramer, Steve Hirst, Nigel Rees, Chris Wallace-Crabbe, OUP, John Lucas (Shoestring Press), Paul Kane, BBC; Various invitations from Australian High Commission; Guest list of over 300 for Porter's 70th birthday and anthology launch; Heather Neilson's (ADFA) paper (19 p) with letter; flyers and pamphlets - Ambit, Literature festivals, Australian Cultural News; Offprint Raritan: a quarterly review
Letters, invitations, papers, cards, poetry, 1986; 2000; 2001 (File 4) - Box 13 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Geoffrey Burgon, Alan Brownjohn, Liu Hongbin, John Tranter, John Spurling, Nicholas Robins (Shakespeare's Globe) Morag Fraser, Marie de Lepervanche, Martin Bax, Bruce Bennett, Trish and Roger Covell, Stan Smith, Dick Laurie, Peter Rose; Icludes invitations to Alexander Boyd piano recital, Writer's Awards, C. Morey de Morand Mind Dance exhibition, Buckingham Palace reception for the British Book World, book launch for Will Eaves, George Bull requiem Mass; Papers include letter from John Forbes (1986) notes on reverse, musical score O Dark yet lovely night by Jean Stephan Hall with letter, University of Sydney Alumni list, Centre for Studies in Australian Literature annual bulletin (2000), Hot news (jazz publication) Winter 2000 edition - letters interfiled; Colour photographs (x3) of John Tranter, Porter, Martin Harrison and Caroline Lurie? Music and spoken word CD "The lovemakers" by Alan Wearne
Correspondence, papers and audio cassette tapes, 1989-1994 (File 3) - Box 34 (MS Acc13.092)
Correspondents include Robert Crawford, Jan Meredith; Porter's examiner papers for drama students; Papers (mainly from U.K., some Australian) arts and literature societies); Audio cassette tapes (x2) 90 minutes 2 parts - with inscriptions Naples: meditation on a city and A house on the sea (Naples prog. 2) as well as publishers - comprising catalogues, pamphlets, bulletins, conference papers; Invitations include to works by Geoffrey Burgon, T. Torao
Series 7. Audio recordings
Cassette and compact disk recordings, most of radio broadcasts. Also includes one reel recording.
'John Dryden: Inventor of England' on BBC Radio 3 broadcast 30/04/2000, 30/04/2000 (Item NLA.MS-SAV010016) - Cassette-Box 532
Valentine Cunningham explores how the poet and dramatist John Dryden used his position as poet Laureate during the Restoration to promote an idea of English cultural nationalism which is still central to Today's debate about English identity.
Fine Lines' presented by Christopher Cook. BBC Drama North Episodes 2 (1/08/1999) and 4 (15/08/1999). Broadcast on BBC Radio 4, 1/08/1999, 15/08/1999 (Item NLA.MS-SAV010112) - Cassette-Box 532
Side A: 'The Unbroken Circle' by George Newson (1977). Side B: 'Songs for the Turning Year' by George Newson (1991) (Item NLA.MS-SAV010514) - Cassette-Box 533
Track list in cassette case
Class MS Acc16.045. Consignment received 2016
This consignment includes correspondence, Porter's writing on music including many drafts, published music that Porter wrote poetry for; manuscript and published music scores, notes and notebooks, and a small amount of recorded music. This material dates from 1947 to 2009