Guide to the Papers of Thomas Griffith Taylor

Series 1. Early years, 1880 - 1910 - Box 1, Box 2a, Box 2b

Correspondence, field notebooks, press clippings, photographs, maps and sketches relating to Taylor's early years, first as a schoolboy and later as a student at Sydney University and at Cambridge. The series includes extensive correspondence between Taylor and the various members of his family which contain a detailed account of his travels in the Pacific, North America and Europe as well as in Australia. Further material from this period may be found in Series 9 and 10.

Series 2. Antarctica, 1910 - 1922 - Box 4, Box 2a, Box 2b, Box 3, Map-Folio MS 1003/2, Folio-Box (Shared), Folio-Box Sledging flag

Correspondence, diaries, notebooks, press clippings, photographs, maps and sketches relating to Taylor's work as Senior Geologist with the British (Terra Nova) Antarctic Expedition. He also held the position of Physiographer with the Federal Meteorological Service during this period. The series includes a diary of day to day events, sledging diaries and other material giving details of the two sledging journeys of the Western Party of which Taylor was the leader. Also documented is extensive correspondence between Taylor and his family and friends with detailed descriptions of conditions in Antarctica and comments on the various members of the expedition. There are also manuscripts of articles by Taylor for the South Polar Times and the manuscript of With Scott, the silver lining, together with four original drawings by David Low for the book. The series also contains material relating to glacial studies in Europe and New Zealand in preparation for the expedition. Further material relating to Taylor's work in the Antarctic may be found in Series 9 and 10.

Series 3. Canberra and the surrounding district, 1910 - 1913 - Box 5, Folio-Box 8 (MS 1003), Folio-Box 10, Map-Folio MS 1003/3/25-30

From 1912 to 1913, Taylor, as Physiographer with the Federal Meteorological Service, participated in a survey of the Federal Capital Site. The Series includes a Report of the geology along the proposed railway to Jervis Bay, dated December 1912 and material relating to the opening of Canberra on 13 March 1913. There is also a field notebook of a physiographic survey of the capital site made by Taylor in 1910, photographs of early Canberra, and correspondence between Taylor and his family and friends. Further material may be found in Series 9 and 10.

Material from Files 11-23 and 31-34 can be found in Folio Box 8, while the Cycloramic View of Canberra (36-37) are in Folio Box 10.

Series 4. Commonwealth Weather Service and Sydney University, 1913 - 1928 - Box 6, Box 7, Box 8, Folio-Box 8 (MS 1003), Folio-Box 9, Map-Folio MS 1003/4/431

Correspondence, maps, field notebooks, newspaper articles and clippings, sketches, photographs and reviews relating to Taylor's career in the Commonwealth Weather Service till 1920 and at Sydney University from 1920 to 1928. During this period he travelled widely in Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and the Pacific as well as in Australia. There is extensive correspondence between Taylor and the various members of his family giving detailed accounts of his travels and including much scientific observation. The material reflects Taylor's special interest in the problems of settlement in tropical and in arid areas in Australia. It also illustrates Professor David's influence on the development of Taylor's career. Further material from this period may be found in Series 9 and 10.

Series 5. Chicago University, 1929 - 1935 - Box 9, Box 10

This series comprises mainly correspondence, much of which is between Taylor and his family and contains detailed accounts of his work as Senior Professor of Geography at Chicago University, and of his travels in North America, the Pacific, Australia and Great Britain. There is also correspondence of a more general nature including material relating to the publication of various books and articles. As well as the correspondence, there are lecture notes, field notebooks, press cuttings, maps, and photographs. Further material covering this period may be found in Series 9.

Series 6. Toronto University, 1935 - 1951 - Box 10, Box 11, Box 12, Box (Shared)

Correspondence, press clippings, photographs, maps and field notebooks relating to Taylor's work as Head of the new Department of Geography at Toronto University. During this period he maintained his usual extensive correspondence with his family and friends giving detailed accounts of his work and his travels in North America, Europe and Australia. The correspondence also relates to numerous articles and books written by Taylor during his period. Further material may be found in Series 9.

Series 7. Australian Institute of Geographers, Australian Academy of Science and ANZAAS - Box 13

After his retirement in 1951, Taylor returned to Australia where he was instrumental in the establishment of the Australian Institute of Geographers. In 1961 he became its first President. Most of the correspondence relates to his work for this organisation, and to his work for the Australian Academy of Science. There is also material relating to his interest in ANZAAS.

Series 8. Retirement, 1951 - 1963 - Box 14, Box 15, Box 16

Correspondence, press cuttings, articles, maps and photographs documenting Taylor's life in Sydney after his retirement. The series consists largely of correspondence relating to various publications, particularly to his autobiography Journeyman Taylor. Further material may be found in Series 9.

Series 9. Scrapbooks, 1880 - 1963 - Box 17, Box 18, Box 19, Box 20, Box 21, Box 22, Box 23, Box 24

Scrapbooks containing correspondence, press cuttings, photographs, pamphlets, notes, manuscripts of articles and reviews, field notebooks, diagrams and sketches covering the period from 1880 to 1963. Much of the correspondence is personal and includes many letters between Taylor and his family while on various journeys and field trips to many parts of the world. The correspondence also reflects the development of Taylor's career, his interest in various geographical and scientific societies, and the publication of his many books and articles. (All loose items have been removed from the scrapbooks and placed in other series.)

Series 10. 'Wanderyears', 1907 - 1915 - Box 25, Box 26, Box 27

A series of letterbooks containing carbon copies of letters written by Taylor and bound together to form six volumes which he titled 'Wanderyears'. It was Taylor's practice to keep a record of his travels in the form of copies of letters sent mainly to his family giving detailed descriptions (often containing geographical and geological data) of places he had visited. The series covers the years 1907 to 1915 when Taylor travelled extensively in Europe, South Africa, North America, Antarctica and the Pacific. Although most letters are to his family, they frequently contain a record of observations of a scientific nature. Also included are copies of some more general correspondence and a few press cuttings and pamphlets.

Series 11. Manuscripts and proof copies - Box 28, Box 29, Box 30, Box 31, Box 32, Box 33, Box 34, Box 35, Box 36, Box 37

Manuscripts and proofs of many of the books and articles written by Taylor, some of which remained unpublished. Many of them are incomplete.

Series 12. Publications - Box 38, Box 39, Box 40, Box 41, Box 42, Box 43, Box 44, Box 45, Box 46, Box 47, Box 48, Box 49, Folio-Box 1, Folio-Box 2, Folio-Box 3, Folio-Box 4, Folio-Box 5, Folio-Box 6 (MS 1003), Folio-Box 8 (MS 1003), Box 43A, Box 49A

Some of the many books, articles and reviews written, edited, or contributed to by Taylor, most of which are autographed or annotated. There are also some books and articles by other authors. Most of the reprints of Taylor's own articles have been collected and bound together.

The volume 'North Georgia Gazette, 1981', previously held in Box 49 has been rehoused in Folio Box 8.

Series 13. Miscellaneous

Various unidentified photographs, maps, sketches and press clippings.