MS 4932
Papers of Kenneth Snell (1940-1993)



Scope and Content Note

  • Papers
  • 1971 - 93
  • 10.9 metres (64 boxes + 1 folio box)
  • Available for reference

The papers were purchased by the Library in 1994

The collection consists of files relating to Snell's book and music selling business, his research into 19th century music printing and publishing in Australia, and research for his popular music indexes. Snell's difficulty with dating Colonial music led to the gradual building up of working files. Sydney and provincial printers' addresses from Ferguson's Bibliography of Australia formed the basis of a database, and to this index were added printed addresses from dated sheet music, information from his own and Library card indexes of music publishers and printers, information from newspapers, maps, street and post office directories, and information from photocopied sheet music covers. Handwritten lists, and annotated published lists and printouts supporting his research, form a major part of this collection, much of which was incorporated into his published popular music indexes.

In addition, there are files of research material relating to band music, research into Waltzing Matilda and Matilda's ancestry, copies from books, articles and Sydney directories, newspaper advertisements and cuttings, extracts from 19th century magazines, microfilm and fiche of early newspapers and directories, all forming the basis of research into music publishing in Australia.

A large collection of book labels from the music and publishing world are a visually and historically interesting part of the Snell collection.

Biographical Note

Kenneth Snell, bookseller, music seller, and bibliographer, was born in 1940. His great interest was the history of music publishing, particularly music published in 19th century Australia. Many years of meticulous research, all documented, were to help with dating Colonial music, and with compiling his three Australian popular music indexes, arranged by title, author, and lyricist. The indexes were published between 1987 and 1991. When he died in 1993, he had another edition of his music index almost ready for publication.

Snell's book and music shop changed addresses several times: Buckland Valley via Porepunkah, 11 Station Street, Malvern, 113 and 169 Waverley Road, East Malvern, 44 Catherine Road, East Bentleigh and 38 Wamba Road, East Bentleigh.


Series List

Series

1.   Personal correspondence, 1971-93
2.   Business papers, 1987-93
3.   Drafts, notes
4.   Research material on Australian composers, lyricists, musicians and music publishers.
5.   Research material on 19th and 20th century printers, publishers, and engravers
6.   Research printouts for composers, lyricists, musicians, printers, publishers
and engravers
7.   Research material on the topography and businesses of Colonial Sydney
8.   Australian popular music series
9.   Bands
10.   Book labels
11.   Music and sound archives
12.   Extracts from 19th and early 20th century magazines
13.   Sheet music
14.   Catalogues, programs
15.   Microform
16.   Printed material
17.   Newspapers, cuttings, advertisements
18.   Photocopies
(i) Title pages of sheet music, album covers, first pages of music
(ii) Theatre programs
(iii) Articles, books, Sydney directories

Series Description
Series 1. Personal Correspondence, 1971-93

Correspondence is mainly from friends and acquaintances making contributions to Snell's research project, the popular music indexes. Correspondents include Pat Ward, Arthur Miller, Geoff Hayes, Peter Burgis, Jack Mitchell, Roslyn Maguire, Etta Clark, and the Fellowship of Australian Discographers.

Pieces

1   1971-85
2   1986-89 (includes biographical information on Charles Trussell, composer, bandmaster, 1860-1946)
3   1990-93
4   Directories
5   Miscellaneous

Series 2. Business Papers, 1979-93

The business correspondence in this series includes correspondence with the National Library and with State Libraries. There are handwritten lists and annotated printouts of names and addresses of customers, typed cards of customers' names and addresses, and sales files from 1987-93.

Pieces

6-8   Business correspondence
9   Correspondence with National Library
10-11   Sales file, 1987
12-13   Sales file, 1988-91
14   Sales file, 1992-93
15   Sales special interest forms
16-18   Customers files
19   Typed customer cards (held Box 3)

Series 3. Drafts, Notes

The handwritten drafts and notes in this series are the result of extensive research. There are biographies of early colonial engravers, printers and lithographers, William Baker, John Carmichael, John Allan, John Austin, Raphael Clint, J. G. Austin, Francis Cunninghame and Thomas Trood; lists of music titles and musicians, 1835-1880; dates of musical comedies and pantomimes c.1885; dates of Australian and overseas opera seasons 1850-1870; drafts of the preface to the composer and title indexes of Australian Popular Music; and a binder of research notes from the Sydney Gazette 1813-30, the Australian 1824-26, Sydney Monitor 1826-37, and the Sydney Times 1834-38.

Pieces

20   Early colonial printers, engravers, lithographers
21   Handwritten lists of overseas songs; music titles; notes on old Sydney
22   Drafts of preface popular music index; opera dates; lists of musicians
23   Notes compiled from newspapers, 1813-38

Series 4. Research material Australian composers, lyricists, publishers

Snell's research into musicians and music publishers is brought together in this series. Copies of handwritten cards have information added over a period of 14 years for colonial and early 20th century composers, lyricists, publishers, performers, performing groups, and organizations. Binders have handwritten lists of Australian colonial music sellers and publishers (J. R. Clarke, Woolcott and Clark), annotated alphabetical listings of printers, publishers, engravers, lithographic printers, booksellers and stationers, musical instrument makers and importers; handwritten lists of businesses connected with Snell's interests, compiled from various newspapers and directories, 1835-47. There are copies of covers for music composed by F. A. Packer and W. Vincent Wallace, Australian Bibliographic Network printouts of Australian patriotic songs, and a printout of Australian location songs and music. There are research files on Waltzing Matilda and Dudley Glass, biographical files which include information on Gertrude Johnson, Daisy Kennedy, Valda Aveling, Robert Helpmann, Alfred Hill, Sir Bernard Heinze, Dame Nellie Melba, Hephzibah Menuhin, Raymond Myers, Wilma Berkeley, and Marguerite Henderson.

Pieces

24-26   Cards, A - G; H - O; P - Z
27   Handwritten lists Australian colonial music sellers, publishers.
Annotated alphabetical listing of printers, publishers, engravers, booksellers and stationers, musical instrument makers, importers.
ABN printouts
28   Handwritten and annotated lists of publishers, copies of covers
29   Annotated copy NSW Post Office Directory 1832
Lists from newspapers, directories, 1835-47
30   Dudley Glass research material
31-32   Biographies A-H
33-34   J-P
35   R-
36   Unsorted biographies
37   Waltzing Matilda
38   Composers and compositions
39   Sellers and publishers
40   Lyricists
41   Miscellaneous, including list of musical institutes or societies, known to Snell, inaugurated in Australia 1841-1900

Series 5 Research material 19th, 20th century printers, publishers etc.

Snell's volumes of handwritten and printed notes and lists of colonial printers and engravers include the names John Allan, John Austin, J. G. Austin, W. M. Baker, E. D. Barron, John Carmichael, Samuel Clayton, F. Cunninghame, William Moffitt, Charles Rodius, J. S. Prout and F. Mansell. There are hand written notes on the history of the companies, J Albert & Son, Allen & Co, Chappell & Co, A M Dinsdale, Mullens and W.H. Paling; a handwritten list of Melbourne lithographers and engravers 1851-96; US printers; a photocopy of Handbook of early American sheet music 1768-1889, giving printers and lithographers, and a handwritten list of Melbourne lithographers and engravers 1851-1896. The biographies of printers and publishers in the series are mainly copies from the Australian Dictionary of Biography and include Edmund Thomas, Richard Jones, John Lewin, Richard Read and William Moffitt.

Also in the series is a card index of Australian printers and publishers, 1858-1900, compiled from Sands.

Pieces

42   Colonial printers and artists
43   Publishers
44   Biographies
45   Printers and lithographers
46   Index of printers and publishers

Series 6. Research printouts

Dating Australian music required a knowledge of which businesses were conducted at particular addresses at specific times. Snell used data from computer programs which extracted information in various sequences. From Ferguson's Bibliography of Australia entries were input for Sydney and provincial printers and engravers and lists produced in alphabetical and chronological sequence. Details of printers' addresses from dated sheet music were added to the list, as well as information from the National Library card index of musical publishers and printers compiled from Sydney directories and other sources.

There are printouts for composers and lyricists, with information for the database taken from photocopied sheet music covers.

Information from 19th century microfilm directories and Sydney newspapers, as detailed in Series 15, was added to the database. In total, the annotated printouts contain information on businesses, Sydney and Melbourne bookshops, music sellers, streets, music and musicians, printers, composers,engravers, lithographers and publishers.

Also in this series is a printout listing of a sheet music collection that was open to the public by appointment only, Etta's sheet music collection; 19th and early 20th century Australian patriotic songs 1900-60; and a listing of concerts 1839-49 advertised in the Australasian Chronicle.

Pieces

47-48   Printouts

Series 7 Research material on the topography and businesses of colonial Sydney

This series consists of research into early Sydney streets, with maps, charts, street guides and directories annotated with dates, addresses and names. There are handwritten lists of early colonial streets from the Sydney Gazette, including Pitt 1803-1810, Bridge, and Chapel Row (later Castlereagh); hand written chronological listings of sites and occupants of King Street, 1844-82, George Street,1815-69, Bridge Street, 1844-69, and Pitt Street, 1832-69; early maps and charts of various parts of Sydney annotated and highlighted; a street index, 1804-99, showing businesses (Ferguson printout); handwritten lists of businesses in Sydney streets, George, Pitt, Bligh, Castlereagh, Hunter, Macquarie Place, O'Connell, Phillip, and Essex Lane; and annotated plans of streets and buildings.

Bundle

49   Topography and businesses colonial Sydney

Series 8 Australian popular music series

Stages in the publication of the three indexes- Australian popular music : title index, Australian popular music : composer index, and Australian popular music : lyricist index. Series consists of research notes,corrected proofs, layouts, printouts, unbound completed copies, and annotated copies of the published indexes. Also included are letters to Snell after the publication of his indexes.

Pieces

50-51   Popular music indexes
52   Correspondence, 1987-91

Series 9 Bands

Files of research material relating to band music, band composers, and publishers. Includes articles and copies of title pages, and material on Thomas Bulch. Bulch created enormous interest in band music in Australia.

Pieces

53   Arthur Stirling collection, a research collection for band musicians
54   Band music publishers, Bulch, Lyons, Sutton, and Allan
55-56   Research folders including biography Thomas Bulch, 1860-1930
57   Copies of covers, first pages of music

Series 10 Book labels

Included in the series are book labels for music publishers and sellers, advertisements, bookmarks, booksellers cards, and paste-on labels advertising sheet music.

Pieces

58-60   Albums
61-64   Boxed labels

Series 11 Music, sound archives

The series comprises reports of the announcement by Barry Cohen of the establishment of a new National Film and Sound Archive, 5 April 1984; meetings, conferences, and newsletters of the International Association of Sound Archives; material on the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives, and Documentation Centres.

Pieces

65

Series 12 Extracts from early magazines

Topics of extracts from the early magazines include the Army, Australiana, collecting, detectives, fashion, flight, movies, Navy, politics, press and printing, sport and writers.

A folder of articles from Punch is also included.

Pieces

66-71 Extracts

Series 13 Sheet music

The collection of undated music in this series is mainly late 19th and early 20th century. The publishers include James S Kerr, Glasgow, and Suttons and Bulch, Australian publishers. Compositions by T E Bulch ( Henri Laski) include Florina, Federation, Euphemia, amd My Polly. There are violin solos by Carl Volti, Cuckoo and Spring time and three of his other compositions, The old folks at home and the mocking bird, The drawing room orchestra, and Assembly grand march; Scottish music, Sprigs of heather and Fifty gems of Scottish song; and several compositions in the Kerr's collection, Kerr's collection of merry melodies, Kerr's collection of latest dance music, Kerr's collection of country dances, and Kerr's pianoforte tutor; and Allan's popular sixpenny edition of Nobody, as sung by Hugh Ward.

A collection of manuscript music from the Snell Estate is listed in the Appendix.

Pieces

72   Music
94-133   Manuscript scores from Snell Estate in folio box

Series 14 Catalogues, programs

The catalogues are mostly undated. Included are catalogues for Allans (1984), Schirmer, Alberts, Chappell (1987), Ricordi (1960), and Frederick Harris; catalogue of tapes in the ABC's Musica Australis archive (1970), musical compositions in Australia (1969), Charles Delaunay's standard directory of recorded jazz (1948); and Forty six Australian composers and selected works (1969).

There are catalogues for The Old Vic and Sadlers Wells (1931-33)

Pieces

73-74 Catalogues, programs

Series 15 Microform

In this series are a collection of 19th century directories and newspapers on microfilm and fiche.

Snell scanned Sydney newspapers on microfilm for business advertisements placed by printers, engravers and lithographers. The papers included the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian, the Sydney Monitor, the Sydney Chronicle, the Peoples Advocate, the Weekly Register, and the Sydney Gazette. Directories scanned were those of Brabazon, Low, Ford, Waugh and Cox, and Sands, held on fiche at the Mitchell Library.

Pieces

75 (Fiche) City of Sydney directory 1844-47 (Low's)
Sydney commercial directory
1851 (Ford's).
Waugh & Cox's Sydney directory
1855
Sydney Post Office directory 1857
New South Wales & Port Phillip directory
1839
General town directory of New South Wales
1843 (Brabazon's)
76   Sands Sydney & New South Wales directory 1858-1900
77   Sunday Times 1834-64
78 (Film) Sydney Gazette 5 Mar 1803-30 Dec 1830
Australian 17 Oct 1824-21 May 1828
79   Peoples Advocate 2 Dec 1848-28 June 1856
80   Weekly Register 29 July 1843-27 Dec 1845
81   Sydney Chronicle 2 Aug 1839-30 Sept 1848
82   Squatting directory of New South Wales 1865
83   NSW Calander & General Post Office directory 1832-37
84   Sydney Monitor 17 May 1826-29 Dec 1841
85   Sydney Morning Herald 1 Jan 1845-30 Sept 1845
86   Letters re Jacob R. Clarke 1854-93
87   Heads of the people vol 1 no 1-vol 2 no 24 (17 Apr 1847-25 Mar 48)
88   7 mini disks - various topics
The Sydney Chronicle, 2 Aug 1839 - 30 Dec 1846 and the Sydney Monitor 17 May 1826 - 29 June 1829 are located in Newspapers

Series 16 Printed material

There are 2 boxes of printed material relating to Snell's interests in this series. Included are Monash University Library's Australian sheet music collection 1991, Popular Australian patriotic songs between the world wars, a thesis by Ian Toohill, 1979, Australian record and music review, (5 issues between 1989-93), Musical news (1920's), Music teachers directory (1972-87), Directories of libraries (1981-89), The making of Melbourne in maps by Jeff Leeuwenburg (1987), and catalogues of the Australian antiquarian booksellers fair.

Pieces

89-90 Printed material

Series 17 Newspapers, cuttings, advertisements, 1857 -1986

Snell kept clippings on musicians and the arts, general advertisements and advertisements for music and musical instruments, and an extraordinary edition of the Evening news, 23 Jan 1901, announcing the death of Queen Victoria. Also included here is a typed list of advertisements from the Argus, 1900-04.

Pieces

91   Advertisements
92   Clippings
93   Newspapers

Series 18 (I) Photocopies of title pages of sheet music, album covers.
  (II) Photocopies of theatre programs
  (III) Photocopies of articles, books, Sydney directories

Snell used information from copied covers and title pages for his popular music index, and for the study of the printing and publishing of music in Australia. The copies are grouped into the categories, Victorian, Edwardian, pre 1940, post 1940, Australian songs and songs published in Australia, and anthems.

Box

30-31   Victorian lithographs
32   Victorian songs
33   Edwardian songs and piano solos
34   Pre 1940 A - B
35     C - D
36     E - H
37     I
38     J - L
39     M - P
40     Q - S
41     T - V
42     W - Z
43   Post 1940 A - B
44     C - D
45     D - G
46     H - I
47     I - L
48     M
49     M - R
50     S
51     T - V
52     W - Z
53   Australian popular music (A - Z)
54-59   Australian songs, and songs published in Australia
60   Copies of Australian manuscript music by Australian composers; A3 covers
61   Theatre programs
62-64   Articles, books, Sydney directories

Appendix

Series 13 Manuscript music from the Snell Estate

Pieces

94   Batterham, Winifred Happiness (195-?) words by Ivy Eastwick
95   Batterham, Winifred Song of Bendigo (1951) words and music
96   Brett, Mary Moon canoe (193-?) poem by A. Gore-Jones
97   Burchett, Edwin Cyril There be none of Beauty's daughters. Byron
98   Butler, Lindsay Why don't you leave me alone (1961)
99   Butler, Lindsay You'd better change (1958)
100   Campbell, Phyllis Cradle song (1918) poem Padraic Colum
101   Emms, H.J. Breathe on me, breath of God. words E. Hatch
102   Emms, H.J. By love serve. words and music
103   Emms, H.J. The everlasting strength. words and music
104   Emms, H.J. The morning star. words and music
105   Findlay, George Wayfellows. words by Thomas Warrimer
106   Gleeson, Horace A flower picture. words by Alfred Fox
107   Gleeson, Horace There's something at the yardarm. E. Brady
108   Gower, Cedric W. (Songs and music) (1937)
109   Hicks, L.H. Song of Nauru. words and music
110   Holland, Dulcie Hope in spring (1956?)
111   Holland, Dulcie The hill pines were sighing (1936)
112   Jervis-Read, H.V. Requiescat. words by Oscar Wilde
113   Lorraine, A.G. Australia, Queen of the southern sea (1962)
114   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Contentment (195-?) words C. Laurenson
115   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Dawn (195-) words Mollie McGrath
116   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Dawn. medium voice and piano (195-)
117   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Gibbit (195-) words by Harold Hoad
118   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Little boy blue (197-) words by Eugene Field
119   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Moonya (195-) song cycle "Australia Primeval"
120   Marshall-Hall, Elsa Such liberty (195-?) words and music
121   Martin, Cleve Music when soft voices die (1934) lyric,Shelley
122   Olsen, Walter Look down to me, dear heart song (191-?)
123   Olsen, Walter To be with you song (191-)
124   Patching, Les The sunburnt country. words and music
125   Perrott-Smith, Mary E. Beloved land (197-?) words and music
126   Phillips, Beatrice Blow! Blow! Thou winter wind (1932)
127   Phillips, Beatrice Dying embers (193-?) words Helen Dames
128   Phillips, Beatrice The ploughman (193-?) words E. Harrington
129   Reeve I am a friar of orders grey. words John O'Keefe
130   Raphael, Leslie Sons and daughters of Australia (195-?)
131   Sattler, Eva Lifes island (194-?) words Roderic Quinn
Sattler, Eva Two eyes (194-?) words by R.J. Cassidy
132   Tucker, W.J. Raining violets (1936)
133   Wood, Robin I know a land (1950) words by Bettine Kauffman

Box List

Series Piece Box
1 1-5 1
2 6-19 2-4
3 20-23 5
4 24-26 6
4 27-29 7
4 30-36 8
4 37-41 9
5 42-46 10
6 47 11
6 48 12
7 49 13
8 50 14
8 51 15
8 52 16
9 53-54 17
9 55-57 18
10 58-60 19
10 61-64 20
11 65 21
12 66-71 21
13 72 22
13 94-133 Folio Box
14 73 23
14 74 24
15 75 16
15 76-82 25
15 83-88 26
16 89 27
16 90 28
17 91-93 29
18   30-64
     
Guide prepared August 1995. Last revised 19 December 1996.