MS 5028
Papers of David Watt Ian Campbell
Scope and Content Note
Papers
1935-80
3.22 m (23 boxes + 2 folio items)
Available for reference
The collection was received from David Campbell and his wife, Judy
Campbell, in a number of instalments between 1975 and 1988.
The papers include correspondence, manuscript and typescript drafts,
page proofs, notebooks, newspaper cuttings and other printed material covering
much of Campbells literary career. There are drafts and other papers
relating to Campbells poetry, short stories, articles, reviews and other
writings. Those documented in the collection include The miracle at Mullion
Hill (1956), Evening under lamplight (1959), Poems
(1962), Selected poems (1968), The branch of Dodona and other
poems (1970), Starting from Central Station (1973),
Devils Rock and other poems (1974), Death and pretty cousins
(1975), Moscow trefoil (1975), Flame and shadow (1976),
Words with a black orpington (1978), Seven Russian poets
(1979) and The man in the honeysuckle (1979).
The correspondence comprises letters from family, friends, other writers
and publishers. Among the correspondents are Bruce Beaver, Alec Bolton, R.F.
Brissenden, Vincent Buckley, Nancy Cato, John Couper, Beatrice Davis, Bruce
Dawe, C. Day Lewis, Rosemary Dobson, Russell Drysdale, Geoffrey Dutton,
Geoffrey Fairbairn, R.D. FitzGerald, H.M. Green, Rodney Hall, Kevin Hart, A.D.
Hope, Nancy Keesing, Thomas Keneally, Geoffrey Lehmann, Norman Lindsay, James
McAuley, Ronald McCuaig, Nan McDonald, Ann MacLean, James McNeish, John
Manifold, Philip Martin, Elyne Mitchell, Les Murray, Roland Robinson, John
Rowland, Thomas Shapcott, Kenneth Slessor, Douglas Stewart, Brian Stonier, John
Thompson, E.M.W. Tillyard, Russel Ward, Francis Webb, Patrick White and Judith
Wright.
The Library has tried to retain the order of the papers as they were
maintained by Campbell. Many of the folders have been identified and annotated
with contextual information by Judy Campbell.
The Library also holds Campbells self-portrait in the Pictorial
Collection (R 10682), as well as a 1967 conversation (DeB 329-330) with
Campbell and poetry readings (DeB 62 and DeB 239) by him in the Oral History
Collection.
Biographical Note
| 1915 |
Born at Ellerslie Station, Adelong, New
South Wales, on 16 July |
| 1930 |
Entered The Kings School,
Parramatta, Sydney |
| 1933-34 |
Held the J.D. Futter Memorial
Scholarship, The Kings School |
| 1935 |
Entered Jesus College,
Cambridge Represented England in Rugby Union |
| 1937 |
Graduated Bachelor of Arts, Jesus
College |
| 1938 |
Returned to Australia |
| 1939-45 |
Joined the Royal Australian Air Force.
Campbell served as a pilot in World War II and was awarded the Distinguished
Flying Cross and Bar. |
| 1940 |
Married Bonnie Edith Lawrence |
| 1949 |
Published Speak with the
sun |
| 1956 |
Published The miracle of Mullion
Hill |
| 1959 |
Published Evening under lamplight:
short stories |
| 1962 |
Published Poems |
| 1964-65 |
Worked as poetry editor of the
Australian newspaper |
| 1966 |
Edited the journal Australian
poetry |
| 1968 |
Published Selected poems
1942-1968, for which he was awarded the 1968 Grace Leven Prize |
| 1970 |
Published The branch of Dodona and
other poems, 1969-1970 |
| 1970 |
Received the Henry Lawson Australian Arts
Award |
| 1970 |
Edited Modern Australian
poetry |
| 1973 |
Published Starting from Central
Station: a sequence of poems |
| 1973-76 |
Held a senior fellowship of the
Literature Board of the Australia Council for the Arts |
| 1974 |
Published Devils Rock and other
poems, 1970-1972 |
| 1974 |
Married Judith Anne Jones |
| 1975 |
Published Moscow trefoil: poems from
the Russian of Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam with Rosemary Dobson and
Natalie Staples |
| 1975 |
Received the Patrick White Literary
Award |
| 1975 |
Published David Campbell reads from
his own work (Poets on record; 14) |
| 1976 |
Published Flame and shadow: selected
stories |
| 1976 |
Published The history of Australia
with Keith Looby |
| 1977 |
Published Encounters |
| 1978 |
Published Words with a black
orpington |
| 1979 |
Published Seven Russian poets:
imitations with Rosemary Dobson |
| 1979 |
Died in Canberra on 29 July |
| 1979 |
The man in the honeysuckle,
published posthumously |
| 1979 |
Posthumously awarded the NSW
Premiers Prize for Poetry, the Fellowship of Australian Writers
Christopher Brennan Award and the Grace Leven Prize |
Series List
|
Series |
Title |
| 1 |
Correspondence, 1935-79 |
| 2 |
Poetry, c.1935-79 |
| 3 |
Short Stories, c.1939-76 |
| 4 |
Other Writings, c.1952-78 |
| 5 |
Notebooks, 1935-75 |
| 6 |
Printed Material, 1935-80 |
| 7 |
Miscellaneous Items, 1939-76 |
Series Description
Series 1 Correspondence, 1935-79
This series of correspondence reflects David Campbells creative
work, interests and relationships within the literary community in Australia,
from the early 1930s until his death in 1979. Although there are few of
Campbells own letters in the collection, there are extensive sequences of
letters from numerous literary figures, including Douglas Stewart, Geoffrey
Dutton, Rosemary Dobson, A.D. Hope, R.F. Brissenden and Patrick White.
Other major correspondents include Bruce Beaver, Alec Bolton, Vincent
Buckley, Nancy Cato, John Couper, Beatrice Davis, Bruce Dawe, C. Day Lewis,
Russell Drysdale, Geoffrey Fairbairn, R.D. FitzGerald, H.M. Green, Rodney Hall,
Kevin Hart, Nancy Keesing, Thomas Keneally, Geoffrey Lehmann, Norman Lindsay,
James McAuley, Ronald McCuaig, Nan McDonald, Ann MacLean, James McNeish, John
Manifold, Philip Martin, Elyne Mitchell, Les Murray, Roland Robinson, John
Rowland, Thomas Shapcott, Kenneth Slessor, Brian Stonier, John Thompson, E.M.W.
Tillyard, Russel Ward, Francis Webb and Judith Wright.
These letters contain often detailed comments from writers regarding the
progress of their writing and publishing projects, as well as discussing
Campbells work. The letters also reflect Campbells interests in
trout fishing, painting, pottery and life on the land. This series includes
family letters, publishing correspondence and authors agreements,
together with drafts and typescripts of poems sent to Campbell as poetry editor
of the Australian (1964-65).
Folder
| 1 |
Correspondence, 1935-64 |
| 2 |
Correspondence, 1943-70 |
| 3-4 |
Correspondence, 1947-68 |
| 5 |
Correspondence, 1948-68 |
| 6 |
Correspondence, 1949-68 |
| 7 |
Correspondence, 1959-68 |
| 8 |
Correspondence, 1968-69 |
| 9 |
Correspondence, 1968-78 |
| 10 |
Correspondence, 1969 |
| 11 |
Correspondence, 1970 |
| 12 |
Correspondence, 1971 |
| 13-14 |
Correspondence, 1972 |
| 15 |
Correspondence, 1973 |
| 16 |
Correspondence, 1973-74 |
| 17 |
Correspondence, 1974 |
| 18-19 |
Correspondence, 1975 |
| 20 |
Correspondence, 1976 |
| 21 |
Correspondence, 1976-77 |
| 22 |
Correspondence, 1976-79 |
| 23 |
Correspondence, 1977 |
| 24 |
Correspondence, 1977-78 |
| 25 |
Correspondence, 1978 |
| 26-27 |
Correspondence, 1979 |
| 28 |
Family letters, 1979 |
| 29-30 |
Letters from writers, 1938-68 |
| 31 |
Publishing correspondence, 1947-68 |
| 32 |
Letters from Rosemary Dobson,
1949-66 |
| 33 |
Letters from Rosemary Dobson and Manning
Clark, 1979 |
| 34-35 |
Letters from Douglas Stewart,
1950-68 |
| 36 |
Letters from Geoffrey Dutton,
1955-68 |
| 37 |
Authors agreements and related
correspondence, 1965-79 |
Series 2 Poetry, c. 1935-79
David Campbell was one of Australias most accomplished poets. This
series comprises notes, manuscript and typescript drafts and proofs of much of
his work, including some published poems. Campbell was often working on
numerous projects simultaneously, and there is extensive overlapping between
folders of drafts.
Ten of Campbells volumes of verse are represented in this series,
from The miracle of Mullion Hill (1956) to the posthumously published
The man in the honeysuckle (1979). There are also papers relating to
Campbells verse translations (or imitations) of Russian,
French and Chinese poets, particularly Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam.
Campbell produced two volumes of verse translations with Rosemary Dobson,
comprising Moscow trefoil (1975) and Seven Russian poets
(1979). Campbell also edited Modern Australian poetry (1970) and
collaborated with the artist Keith Looby on The history of Australia
(1976).
Together with drafts of Campbells poems are poems and prose by
other Australian writers, including poems submitted to Campbell as poetry
editor of the Australian
(1964-65). These writers include R.F. Brissenden, Rosemary Dobson,
Geoffrey Dutton, A.D. Hope, Geoffrey Lehmann, James McAuley, Philip Martin,
Vivian Smith, Douglas Stewart, John Thompson and Chris Wallace-Crabbe.
Poetry and prose by other writers is also included in Series 1.
Folder/Piece
| 1 |
Drafts of early poems, 1930s-40s, including cuttings of poems
published in The Bulletin, 1943-45 |
| 2 |
Drafts of early poems, c.1940s, including cuttings of poems
published in The Bulletin, 1946-48 |
| 3 |
Drafts of poems, including works included in Poems (1962)
and The miracle of Mullion Hill (1956) |
| 4 |
Drafts of poems, including 'Looking down on Canberra' page proofs
and poems included in Poems (1962) |
| 5 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Poems (1962) and
'Talking to strangers' (unpublished) |
| 6 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Selected poems
(1968) |
| 7 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Selected poems (1968)
and The branch of Dodona and other poems (1970) |
| 8 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for The branch of Dodona and
other poems (1970) |
| 9 |
Drafts of poems, miscellaneous, together with papers relating to
Modern Australian poetry (1970) |
| 10 |
Miscellaneous poems of David Campbell, together with 'The
apocalypse of Christopher Smart' (1966) by A.D. Hope, and papers re Modern
Australian poetry (1970) |
| 11 |
'Soliloquy of an astronaut' (poem) by David Campbell, c.1972
(broadsheet) |
| 12 |
Page proofs of David Campbell reads from his own work
(1975) (Poets on record, 14) |
| 13 |
Drafts of poems for Starting from Central Station (1973)
and Devil's Rock and other poems (1974) |
| 14 |
Photocopy of typescript titled 'Starting from Central Station',
which was published as Devil's Rock and other poems (1974) |
| 15 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Starting from Central
Station (1973), Devil's Rock and other poems (1974) and
Deaths and pretty cousins (1975) |
| 16 |
Drafts of poems for Devil's Rock and other poems
(1974) |
| 17-20 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Devil's Rock and other
poems (1974) and Deaths and pretty cousins (1975) |
| 21 |
Drafts of poems, including poems and page proofs for Devil's
Rock and other poems (1974) and poems for Deaths and pretty
cousins (1975) |
| 22 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Deaths and pretty
cousins (1975) |
| 23-24 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Deaths and pretty cousins
(1975) and some Russian imitations |
| 25-28 |
Drafts of poems for Moscow trefoil (1975) |
| 29-30 |
Typescript drafts 'Moscow trefoil Part I' and 'Moscow trefoil Part
2' |
| 31 |
Drafts of Russian imitations |
| 32 |
Drafts of Mandelstam imitations, c.1974 |
| 33-37 |
Drafts of Mandelstam imitations |
| 38 |
Drafts of Mandelstam imitations for Seven Russian poets
(1979) |
| 39 |
Typescript of Seven Russian poets (1979) |
| 40 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for The history of Australia
(1976) and Words with a black orpington (1978), together with
some Russian imitations |
| 41 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Words with a black
orpington (1978) and some Russian imitations |
| 42 |
Drafts of poems, 1975 (Europe), including poems for Words with
a black orpington (1978) |
| 43 |
Drafts of poems, c.1975-76, including poems for Words with a
black orpington (1978) |
| 44-45 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Words with a black
orpington (1978) |
| 46 |
Photocopy of draft manuscript 'Mottoes on sundials' which was later
published as Words with a black orpington (1978) |
| 47 |
Revised draft manuscript, c.1977, of Words with a black
orpington (1978) |
| 48-49 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for Words with a black
orpington (1978) and The man in the honeysuckle (1979) |
| 50-55 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for The man in the honeysuckle
(1979) |
| 56 |
Page proofs of The man in the honeysuckle (1979) |
| 57 |
Final typescript of The man in the honeysuckle (1979) |
| 58 |
Drafts of poems, including poems for The man in the
honeysuckle (1979), Poetry Australia (December 1981), and
Russian, French and Chinese imitations |
| 59 |
Typescript 'Poems in progress', 1979 |
| 60-61 |
Typescript and manuscript poems by David Campbell and others,
including poems submitted to Campbell as poetry editor of the
Australian, c.1965 |
| 62-63 |
Poems sent by others, c.1960s-78 |
| 64-66 |
Miscellaneous manuscript, typescript and published poems and
articles by David Campbell and others, c.1970 |
| 67 |
Drafts of poems, miscellaneous, c.1968-72, including unpublished
poems and Russian imitations |
| 68-69 |
Drafts of poems, miscellaneous, c.1969 |
| 70 |
Drafts of poems, miscellaneous, c.1974-77 |
| 71-77 |
Drafts of poems, miscellaneous |
Series 3 Short Stories, c. 1939-76
This series comprises manuscript and typescript drafts of
Campbells short stories. Most of these stories were published in
Campbells two short story collections, Evening under lamplight
(1959) and Flame and shadow (1976). The stories were reissued in
1987 as Evening under lamplight: selected stories of David Campbell,
with a foreword by David Malouf.
Folder
| 1 |
'Queensland daisies', The Bulletin, 1939, 'Dooley's cod',
The Bulletin, 1949, and 'Early birds', c.1969 |
| 2 |
'The archway' and 'Rabaul recco' |
| 3 |
'Tumult in the clouds' |
| 4 |
'Tumult in the clouds', 'Tom death', 'The knife', 'Faxes don't
wait', 'Life and works', 'The scarf', 'Trout fishing' and 'Rain in the north
west' |
| 5 |
'Evening under lamplight', 'The fire engine', 'Haunted cradle', 'I
wouldn't miss Christmas', 'The heart of the world', 'St. John's Wart', 'Apples
and pears', 'Eastward in Eden', 'Come on Billy' and 'Midnight supper' |
| 6 |
'The little chiropodist', 'Eastward in Eden" and 'Angels, ain't
they?' (short story collection) |
| 7 |
'Actresses must have flowers' (short story collection) |
| 8-9 |
'Ask for it nice and other short stories' (collection) |
Series 4 Other Writings, c. 1952-78
David Campbells other writings include reviews of publications of
various Australian writers, together with articles, speeches and radio scripts
regarding poetry, particular poets, art and other topics. There are drafts,
notes and research material relating to his writings, including The
brutal mouth of song, a review of A.D. Hopes The wandering
islands (1955), articles on the poet Francis Webb, a radio script on trout
fishing and an address on Robert Burns. Drafts and copies of Campbells
prose may also be found in Series 1 and 2.
Folder
| 1 |
'In miracle vein', c.1950s; 'The brutal mouth of song', review of
A.D. Hope's The wandering islands (1955); and other writings of
Campbell |
| 2 |
Annotated copy of Jindyworobak anthology 1951 (1952), and
drafts of a review of the book by Campbell for The Bulletin, 1952 |
| 3 |
Paper on Emily Dickinson for an American Literature course, c.1966;
script 'Is poetry really necessary?' for Australian poets speak,
Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) radio, c.1970; notes on work with Glen
Tomasetti; and script 'The branch of Dodona', ABC radio, c.1972 |
| 4 |
Drafts of prefaces by Campbell for various books, 1970-74, and his
review of Rosemary Dobson's Child with a cockatoo (1955) for
Southerly |
| 5 |
Script 'Quality Street', ABC radio, c.1972; script 'Australian
landscape poetry', for Educational Materials, Angus and Robertson, 1973; speech
'Charles Blackman: Colette drawings', c.1977-78; and other writings of Campbell
|
| 6 |
Speech 'Robert Burns', Burns Club, Canberra, c.1970; 'Francis Webb:
from Morgan's country to Harry', 1975; and other writings of
Campbell |
| 7-8 |
Drafts and notes for a lecture by Campbell on 'Creative forces and
how they manifest themselves in art', for a course on 'Human Adaptability' at
the Australian National University, 1977 |
Series 5 Notebooks, 1935-75
Campbells notebooks contain notes and drafts of poetry and prose.
The poems were mostly published, and include poems used in Selected
poems (1968), The branch of Dodona and other poems (1970),
Starting from Central Station (1973), Devils Rock and other
poems (1974) and Deaths and pretty cousins (1975).
The notebook Recco over Rabaul records Campbells
experiences as a pilot in World War II. There are also family history research
notes, together with notes on the administration of Campbells property
Palerang, in the Monaro region of New South Wales.
Piece
| 1 |
'E.M.W. Tillyard' (Cambridge), 1935-37 |
| 2 |
'Recco over Rabaul', 1941-42 |
| 3 |
'Jack Spring stories', c.1950s |
| 4 |
c.1960-65 |
| 5 |
c.1962 |
| 6 |
c.1965-68 |
| 7 |
c.1966-69 |
| 8 |
c.1967-70 |
| 9 |
c.1969 |
| 10 |
c.1969-71 |
| 11 |
c.1970-72 |
| 12 |
c.1973-75 |
| 13 |
c.1975 |
Series 6 Printed Material, 1935-80
This series includes newspaper cuttings, broadsheets of poems by five
Australian poets, a thesis on Campbells poetry (1972) and other printed
material.
The newspaper cuttings include cuttings of poems by Campbell and other
writers, as well as reviews of most of Campbells published works. The
copies of the Jesus College magazine Chanticlere date from Campbell's
time at Cambridge (1935-37), and include two of his early poems.
Folder/Piece
| 1-2 |
Newspaper cuttings, 1949-80 |
| 3-9 |
Chanticlere (Jesus College magazine), 1935-37 |
| 10 |
Walter Murdoch. Lucid intervals (1936) |
| 11 |
Glen Tomasetti. Songs from a seat in the carriage: 8 songs from
the Seventies (1970) |
| 12 |
Terry Larsen. 'Totemism in the poetry of David Campbell', Bachelor
of Arts thesis, University of Sydney (1972) (photocopy) |
| 13 |
Autographed broadsheets numbers 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, published by Open
Door Press, including Kevin Hart 'The departure', A.D. Hope 'The Mayan books,
1562', Geoff Page 'Daguerreotype tennis', Rosemary Dobson 'Primitive painters'
and Peter Strzynecki 'Devil fish' (nd) |
Series 7 Miscellaneous Items, 1939-76
This small series includes a logbook kept by Campbell while serving as a
pilot in World War II. The logbook records details of flights and operations
carried out mainly in Papua New Guinea and the surrounding region. Associated
with the logbook are a small number of letters, including letters of Norman
Lindsay and Douglas Stewart (nd)
Folder/Piece
| 1 |
Royal Australian Air Force Flying Logbook kept by Campbell,
1939-45, including letters of Norman Lindsay and Douglas Stewart (nd) |
| 2 |
Canberra Boys Grammar School Parent opinion
questionnaire, partly completed by Campbell for his step-son David Jones,
1976 |
| 3-5 |
Three binder covers with annotations by Campbell |
Box List
|
Box |
Series |
Folder/Piece |
| 1 |
1 |
1-7 |
| 2 |
|
8-13 |
| 3 |
|
14-19 |
| 4 |
|
20-25 |
| 5 |
|
26-31 |
| 6 |
|
32-37 |
| 7 |
2 |
1-7 |
| 8 |
|
8-13 |
| 9 |
|
14-20 |
| 10 |
|
21-27 |
| 11 |
|
29-35 |
| 12 |
|
36-43 |
| 13 |
|
44-50 |
| 14 |
|
51-57 |
| 15 |
|
58-64 |
| 16 |
|
65-70 |
| 17 |
|
71-77 |
| 18 |
3 |
1-7 |
| 19 |
|
8-9 |
| |
4 |
1-5 |
| 20 |
|
6-8 |
| |
5 |
1-5 |
| 21 |
|
6-13 |
| 22 |
6 |
1-12 |
| 23 |
7 |
1-5 |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| Folio 1 |
2 |
28 |
| (HW Map Cabinet Shelf
17) |
6 |
13 |
November 1999 |