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Series 1: Letters, 1933-1949

Letters from Betty Frank (nee Scorer) to her mother, Amy Scorer, in London. The letters primarily date from the 1936-1937 tour of Australia and New Zealand by Colonel W. de Basil's Monte Carlo Russian Ballet. Frank danced with the company under the name Elisabeth Souvorova.
There are two early letters written by Frank from Scotland and Liverpool, and then several letters from her tour of Europe with the Ballets Russes de Leon Woizikowsky, beginning in Berlin, 1935, and travelling through Spain and France. From September 1936 to August 1937 the letters record Frank's role as a member of the Monte Carlo Russian Ballet, as the company embarked on its tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Frank's letters provide vivid descriptions of the company's voyage to Australia aboard the SS Moldavia; places visited on the voyage and throughout the tour in Australia and New Zealand; members of the company, including Leon Woizikowsky, Alexander Philippov, Jacques Lidji, Valentina Blinova, Mira Dimina and Nina Raievska; rehearsals and performances of such works as L'apres-midi d'un faune, Contes russes and Les sylphides; cultural life in Australia; and events such as the death of Mira Dimina from leukaemia in Melbourne, November 1936, coronation celebrations in May 1937 and the Franks' marriage in Melbourne, c.July 1937.
The series includes several letters from Frank's husband, Alexis Frank, signed 'Alyosha'. There is also a letter (in French) from Colonel Wassily de Basil.
Please note: these letters have been digitised, and are available online through this finding aid (http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms9915).

 

Item 1 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [16] September 1933
Item 2 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 20 September 1933
Item 3 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [8] November 1935
Item 4 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [9] November 1935
Item 5 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [November] 1935
Item 6 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [3] December 1935
Item 7 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 18 December 1935
Item 8 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 25 December 1935
Item 9 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [December] 1936
Item 10 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [January] 1936
Item 11 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [9] January 1936
Item 12 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [January] 1936
Item 13 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [14] January 1936
Item 14 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 16 January 1936
Item 15 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [January] 1936
Item 16 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [January] 1936
Item 17 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 26 January 1936
Item 18 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, July 1936
Item 19 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 1936
Item 20 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 9 September 1936, with a note by Alexis Frank
Item 21 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [10] September 1936
Item 22 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [15] September 1936
Item 23 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [15] September 1936
Item 24 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [17] September 1936
Item 25 Alexis Frank to Amy Scorer, [17] September 1936
Item 26 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [24] September 1936
Item 27 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [25] September 1936
Item 28 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 26 September 1936
Item 29 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [October] 1936
Item 30 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 9 October 1936
Item 31 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 15 October 1936
Item 32 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 22 October 1936
Item 33 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 25 October 1936
Item 34 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [November] 1936
Item 35 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 10 November 1936
Item 36 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 17 November 1936
Item 37 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 24 November 1936
Item 38 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [December] 1936
Item 39 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 9 December 1936
Item 40 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 15 December 1936
Item 41 Alexis Frank to Amy Scorer, [December] 1936
Item 42 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 24 December 1936
Item 43 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 5 January 1937, with a note by Alexis Frank
Item 44 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 12 January 1937
Item 45 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 26 January 1937
Item 46 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 27 January 1937
Item 47 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 5 February 1947
Item 48 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 9 February 1937
Item 49 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 19 February 1937
Item 50 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 2 March 1937
Item 51 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 8 March 1937
Item 52 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 16 March 1937
Item 53 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 19 March 1937
Item 54 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 6 April 1937, with a note by Alexis Frank
Item 55 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 13 April 1937
Item 56 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [April] 1937
Item 57 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 23 April 1937
Item 58 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 25 April 1937
Item 59 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 11 May 1937
Item 60 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 16 May 1937
Item 61 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, [4] June 1937
Item 62 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 15 June 1937
Item 63 Betty Scorer to Amy Scorer, 2 July 1937
Item 64 Betty Frank to Amy Scorer, 8 July 1937, with a note by Alexis Frank
Item 65 Betty Frank to Amy Scorer, 28 July 1937
Item 66 Betty Frank to Amy Scorer, [9] August 1937
Item 67 Colonel Wassily de Basil to Betty Frank, 1949
Item 68 Typescript by Maroussia Richardson of Items 3-10, 12-57 and 59-66
Please note: two letters featured in the transcript (a telegram from Frank to her mother, 31 December 1935 and a letter from Frank to Tatiana Sergeyevna, c.July 1937) are not held by the National Library.
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