MS 5713
Papers of Robert Adamson



Scope and Content Note

Boxes 1-2, 5-6 available for reference; boxes 3-4, 7-12 restricted.

Series Description

Box 1

Folder
1-5
Draft and completed poems including those for his publication Cross the border.

Box 2

Folder 
6
Draft poems on New Romanticism
7
Robert Duncan
8
Adamson's final editorial for New poetry.
9
Playscripts, book reviews, grant application
10
Newspaper clippings of book Canticles on the skin and The rumour.
11
Letters written by Adamson 1975-76
12
Programmes
4 Scrapbooks
Three scrapbooks of newspaper clippings 
		of poems and book reviews by Adamson and other authors. 
		One scrapbook of typescript poems written by Adamson for 
		other people e.g. Dorothy Hewett.

Box 3 (Restricted)

Folder
17-19
Correspondence 1971-77
20
Correspondence and press cuttings 1970-74
21
Correspondence and press cuttings 1973-74
22
Correspondence with Tom Shapcott 1975-76
23
Correspondence with Robert Bertholf 1974-76
24
Correspondence with Vickie and Jack Shoemaker 1975-76

Box 4 (Restricted)

Folder
25-31
Correspondence added to collection in 1984. Arranged alphabetically. 
		See attached list of major correspondence.
32
Correspondence with publishers etc.
33
Correspondence with Dorothy Hewett

Box 5

Folder
34-35
Zoo file - Manuscript notebook containing draft 
		of play written by Adamson and Dorothy Hewett as joint 
		collaborators.
Typescript drafts.
36-39
Manuscript drafts for The law at heart's desire
40
Typescript drafts of Sgyrt yhr hof tudh
41
Proofs for Where I come from

Box 6

Folder
42
Notebook of miscellaneous jottings
43
Prism brochures and artwork 
44
Correspondence relating to play Zimmer by Adamson and Hewett
45
Typescript for Fetch the wild fishes written by Adamson and Hewett
46-47
Miscellaneous typescript drafts
Books and journals
Five books including: 
The Venice poem by Robert Duncan, 
		The law at heart's desire and The cross border 
		by Adamson, and New poetry vol. 28 no. 3 & 4 August 1981 
		and vol. 29 no. 1 and 2.

 

List of Major Correspondents in Box 4 (Restricted)

Peter Anderson
Bill Beard
Bruce Beaver
Robert Bertholf
John Blay
Graeme Blundell
John Blight
Veronica Brady
David Brooks
Gary Catalano
Margaret Diesendorf
Larry Buttrose
Penny Chapman
Michael Driscoll
Robert Duncan
Geoffrey Dutton
Christopher Edwards
Barbara Giles
Michele Field
Rodney Hall
Robert Harris
J.S. Harry
Martin Harrison
Gwen Harwood
Dennis Haskell
Dorothy Hewett
A.D. Hope
John Jenkins
Sallen Ben Jones
Bill Jones
Nancy Keesing
Stephen Kelen
Jennifer Maiden
Clive Miller
John Millett
Frank Moorhouse
Barry O'Donohue
Geoff Page
Dorothy Featherstone Porter
David Rankin
Barrett Reid
Judith Rodriquez
Gog Ryan
John A. Scott
Tom Shapcott
R.A. Simpson
Peter Skyznecki
Douglas Stewart
Tim Storrier
Lowell Tarling
Andrew Taylor
Tim Thorne
Dave Thwaites
Richard Tipping
John Tranter
Jim Tulip
Lyndon Walker
Chris Wallace-Crabbe
G.A. Wilkes
Edna Wilson
Judith Wright
Fay Zwicky

 

Addition May 1988

Box 7 (Restricted)

Folder
48-50
Miscellaneous poems and letters. Including poems for 
		the book By no man's code and the anthology 
		Australian Writing 1988. Correspondents include Bruce Beaver, 
		Manfred Jurgensen, Paul Zimmer, Libio Dobrez, Christopher Edwards, 
		Richard Walsh, Ron Simpson, M. Howard, P. Cravenand, John Broomhall.
51-53
Poems and miscellaneous papers.
 
These include drafts of reviews; personal references from John Tranter 
		('He is one of Australia's major poets'), Dorothy Hewett and Tom Shapcott 
		('One of the outstanding figures in our contemporary cultural life'); 
		an incomplete copy of Adamson's successful application c. 1984 to the 
		Literature Board for a fellowship to write 'my definitive Hawkesbury book'; 
		a photocopy of Angus & Robertson's 1986 contract for his Selected poems; 
		a photocopy of the 1986 registration for his BMW sedan (plus a garage invoice for 
		$960 for fitting it with a stainless steel exhaust); and a 
		1987 Social Security application form for continuation of unemployment benefit.
54
Letters. Photos of H.T. Adamson (Adamson's grandfather), Robert Adamson and of Gig Ryan.

Addition October 1988

Box 8 (Restricted)

Folder
55
Substantial folder entitled "Draughts of new work" 
 
Poems, prose-poems and fragments. They are mainly copies 
		but there are a few typescript original drafts, with handwritten annotations, 
		such as "The Anthology for Manfred. First draft 12.30 Wed. pm", 
		and "Camelot: for Robert Duncan". There are many duplicates 
		of poems such as "No river no death" and 
		"After what's slaughtered is gone".
56
Substantial folder entitled "Letters to Robert Adamson". 
 
Seventeen snapshots, largely unidentified but mostly featuring 
		Adamson. Correspondence and contributions, (some fragmented, many photocopies) 
		addressed to Robert, and/or Juno Gemes, approximately 1972-88. A number of letters 
		to and from Manfred Jurgensen are quite long and interesting. Correspondents 
		include Jurgensen, Michael Sharkey, Michael Blankes (?), Brett Whiteley, 
		Judith Berveridge, Tom Shapcott, Christopher Edwards, and David Brooks. 
		"Contributions" interpolated at random amongst the letters include 
		a review by Viki Vidikas of Brett Whiteley and Michael Driscoll's Native rose, 
		and one original typescript poem by Geoffrey Dutton, as well as other 
		photocopied poems and fragments.
57
"The stunned mullet and other poems - John Forbes". A typescript with some illustrations (photocopy)
58
"Tranter". Fragmented of typed, copied poems 
		and prose by Julia Martin, Grant Caldwell and Susan Hampton.
59
"Correspondence to be answered". Contains only three typed copies of poems by Geoffrey Dutton.
60
Small file entitled "Hawkesbury book in progress". Photocopied typescripts of prose-poems. 
61
Small file containing reviews of Manfred Jurgensen and Elizabeth Perkins (photocopies of printed articles).
62
Medium-sized file entitled "Documents", 
		containing an assortment of photocopied, typed poems, medical forms, 
		notice about a drink-driving charge in 1985, cuttings, letters, 
		business documents, Literature Board applications, and a list in 
		Adamson's handwriting of 
		"What Robert spent his Social Security money on today".
63
"Letters and notes by Robert Adamson". 
		A medium-size file containing 12 good photographs by Juno: portraits of Adamson, 
		Bruce Beaver, Dorothy Hewett. Some handwritten and typed letters by Adamson. 
		Report on grant for book of poetry on Brisbane Water, National park, some jottings, 
		and a version of "What's slaughtered is gone", with annotations.

Box 9 (Restricted)

Folder
64
Mock-up book of pasted photocopies of poems, entitled Found.
65
Booklet of photographs of Aboriginal Australians by 
		Juno Gemes entitled Under another sky: photography 1968-88. 
 
First draft, in pencil, in an exercise book, 
		for an abandoned play about Francis Webb (ends after 13 pages). 
		In the back is one poem fragment, notes and addresses.
66 
Photocopies of police documents concerning a stolen car and a list of Adamson's criminal charges.

Addition September 1995 (Restricted)

Adamson was poetry editor of Ulitarra literary magazine. Included in this addition (folders 77-82) are typescripts of drafts and final versions for publication with poets' names.Works are by published and previously unpublished poets. Also included is correspondence with the co-editor, Laura Danckwerts.

Folders 70-76 contain letters from other poets and friends who received copies of Waving to Hart Crane in 1994, or enclosing copies of their works for publication by Adamson. Also included is some correspondence regarding his applications for fellowships with the Australia Council, requests to appear at literary functions and correspondence with publishers.

Also contained in this addition (folders 85-93) is material by award winning Australian poet Robert Harris (1951-1993). Harris worked as an editor for New poetry during the 1970s and in the 1980s worked with Barrett Reid on Overland. Robert Adamson was his friend and publisher.

Box 9

Folder/piece
67
Illustrated folder titled 'Creon's dream January-August 1995'. 
		Drafts of poems written for the 1995 Newcastle Poetry Prize.

Box 10

Folder/piece
68
Folder titled 'Waving to Hart Crane 
		by Robert Adamson and photography by Juno Gemes. Counter compositions 1-5'. 
		Typescript with 7 photographic prints by Juno Gemes which illustrate 
		the book.
69
Folder titled 'Drafts for new poems' (unpublished poems?)
70-72
Folder titled 'Letters 1994-1995'. Note on cover 
		written and signed by Adamson reads 'These are all the letters from this 
		period - good quality only'.
73
Folder titled 'Letters 1995'.
74-75
Illustrated folder titled 'Letters from live poets'

Box 11

Folder/piece
76
Illustrated folder titled 'Keating fellowship'. 
		Correspondence and material regarding applications for Australia Council 
		fellowships by Adamson, 1989-1995. 
77
Folder titled 'Manuscripts from Ulitarra magazine 1994'
78-81
Folder titled 'Ulitarra poems'. Inner sleeve titled 
		'Poems for Ulitarra and letters from 
		Laura Dankworth (sic)' (c.1994).
82
Illustrated folder titled 'Poems for Republica'. 
		Correspondence and typescripts of poetry for Republica magazine and 
		Ulitarra. Poem handwritten on back cover of folder with dedication 
		'For Juno, 7 June 1994'. Also includes a sketch of the cover design for 
		Waving to Hart Crane.

Box 12

Folder/piece
83
Draft of The family curfew, 
		a novel by Geoffrey Proud. Letters to Robert Adamson from Tom Thompson, 
		of Collins Angus & Robertson, in response to submission for 
		publication.
84
Draft of book of poems Eating the sun, 
		by Lawrence Bourke. Published in 1995 by Angus & Robertson 
		and submitted for publication by Paper Bark Press (Adamson's publishing house).
Robert Harris papers
85
Handwritten and typescript drafts of 
		'The A to Z of how to be a poet' by Harris. Handwritten note 
		on cover reads 'and Robert Harris' last poems'.
86
Folder titled 'Draft projected, essays unfinished, book reviews, finished and unfinished'.
87-88
Folders containing drafts of articles and 
		poems and a letter from Robert Harris to Gough Whitlam, 
		whom Harris admired.

Box 13

Folder/piece
89-90
Drafts of articles and poems.
91
Scrapbook of published book reviews written by Robert Harris.
92
'Journal' of Robert Harris, 1986-93.
93
'Poetry notebook' of Robert Harris, 1989-93.
Publications
94
Robert Adamson The brutality of fact Applecross, W.A.: Folio, 1993.
95
Robert Adamson The clean dark Sydney : Paper Bark Press, 1989. 
		Handwritten note by Adamson describes copy as 'uncut just off press'. 
		Invitation to book launch included.
96
Dorothy Hewett Alice in wormland Printer's copy (blank pages) with dust jacket.
97
Robert Duncan The Venice poem 
		Sydney : Published by New Poetry for the Poetry Society of Australia, 1975.

Select list of correspondents (Addition September 1995)

Doug Barbour
John Bennett
Bob Carr
Laura Danckwerts
Michael Dargaville
Robert Dessaix
Rosemary Dobson
David Brooks
Anne Fairbairn
Robert Harris
Kevin Hart
Gwen Harwood
Robert Hughes
Caroline Jones
Manfred Jurgensen
John Kinsella
David Malouf
Hilary McPhee
Geoff Page
Barrett Reid
Andrew Reimer
Imre Salusinszky
Larry Schwartz
Michael Sharkey
Ron Simpson
Richard Tipping
Murray Waldren (The Australian)
Chris Wallace Crabbe
Don Westlake
Judith Wright
Fay Zwicky

Guide prepared December 1996. Last revised 28 January 1997.