Guide to the Papers of Mervyn Horton

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MS 6919

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Mervyn Horton
Title
Papers of Mervyn Horton
Date Range
1956-1983
Collection Number
MS 6919
Extent
1.4 metres (10 boxes, 1 folio package)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection includes correspondence with artists and friends including Justin O'Brien, Michael Shannon, Jeffrey Smart, Bryan Westwood, Donald Friend, EspieDods, and Sir Lorimer Dods; a small amount of business correspondence relating to Art in Australia; diaries and notebooks; photographs; theatre and exhibition programs; and papers relating to Horton's involvement in the Galleria Expresso coffee bar, the Sydney Lord Mayor's Arts Advisory Panel, the XIIIthBienalInternacional de São Paulo, overseas travel and properties owned by Horton.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn649413).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Mervyn Horton, National Library of Australia, MS 6919, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The Horton Papers were received from the Estate of Mervyn Horton in 1983.

The records of Art and Australia are held at MS 4665. An interview with Horton by Hazel De Berg is held by the OralHistory Section at ORAL DeB 635.

Bibliography

Publications included Present day art in Australia (1969) and Australian painters of the 70's (1975).

Biographical Note

Mervyn Emrys Rosser Horton (1917-1983) was educated at Newington College, Sydney and the University of Sydney

DateEvent
1940Director, Katoomba Collieries
1943-48Honorary Secretary, Apex Club, Sydney
1950Joined Ure Smith Publishers, becoming director of the company and editor
1952-61Secretary, Society of Artists
1956Opened Galleria Expresso coffee bar in Rowe Street, Sydney
1960-65Executive Member, Arts Council of Australia, NSW Division
1961-62Member, National Trust of Australia, NSW Division
1963-83Founder and editor of Art and Australia
1972-77Member, Executive Committee, Lindsay National Trust
1973-76Trustee, Art Gallery of NSW
1974Member, Lord Mayor's Arts Advisory Panel (Sydney)
1976Australian Commissioner for the XIIIthBienalInternacional de São Paulo
1978Director, Traversi Jones Pty Ltd
1978-Member, Friends of Australian Ballet
1982Awarded Order of Australia
DateEvent
1940Director, Katoomba Collieries
1943-48Honorary Secretary, Apex Club, Sydney
1950Joined Ure Smith Publishers, becoming director of the company and editor
1952-61Secretary, Society of Artists
1956Opened Galleria Expresso coffee bar in Rowe Street, Sydney
1960-65Executive Member, Arts Council of Australia, NSW Division
1961-62Member, National Trust of Australia, NSW Division
1963-83Founder and editor of Art and Australia
1972-77Member, Executive Committee, Lindsay National Trust
1973-76Trustee, Art Gallery of NSW
1974Member, Lord Mayor's Arts Advisory Panel (Sydney)
1976Australian Commissioner for the XIIIthBienalInternacional de São Paulo
1978Director, Traversi Jones Pty Ltd
1978-Member, Friends of Australian Ballet
1982Awarded Order of Australia

Item Descriptions

Series 1. Business correspondence, 1965-82

Correspondence relating to Art and Australia. Includes letters to Marjorie Bell, 1965-66, written from London, New York, Los Angeles and Adelaide, and other business correspondence, 1970-82, relating to contributions and photographs for the magazine and other matters. Correspondents include Sam Ure-Smith, Ross Lansell, Sir Russell Drysdale, Suzi Gablik, Joe Buche, Gary Catalano, Brian Dunlop and Robin Wallace-Crabbe (File 1 - 2) - Box 1

Series 2. General correspondence, 1958-83

Personal and other correspondence including postcards and some carbon copies of out-letters. Some letters are addressed to Christopher Davis. Major correspondents are the artists Justin O'Brien, Michael Shannon, Jeffrey Smart and Bryan Westwood. Other correspondents include Donald Friend, the architect EspieDods, Christopher Davis, Liz Turnbull, Sir Lorimer Dods and Billy McCann.

Justin O'Brien, 1967-82 (File 1-2) - Box 1

Michael Shannon, 1965-78 (File 3) - Box 1

Jeffrey Smart, c.1965-81 (File 4-5) - Box 1

Bryan Westwood, undated (File 6) - Box 1

General correspondence, 1958-82 (File 7-13) - Box 2

Congratulatory correspondence on award of the Order of Australia, 1982 (File 14) - Box 2

Correspondence received by Horton during his illness, 1983 (File 15-19) - Box 3

Undated correspondence (File 20) - Box 3

Postcards and greeting cards (some handmade), 1962-83 and undated (File 21-25) - Box 4

Series 3. Diaries and notebooks, 1964-81

Pocket diaries, 1964-81; address books and a notebook containing editorial and style notes (File 1 - 4) - Box 4, 5

Series 4. Galleria Expresso, 1956-81

Visitors book containing signatures and newspaper cuttings relating to Horton's coffee bar in Rowe Street Sydney (1 volume) (Item 1) - Box 5

Series 5. Lord Mayor's Arts Advisory Panel, 1974-76

Correspondence, minutes and other papers relating to Horton's involvement in the Lord Mayor's Arts Advisory Panel (Sydney) (File 1) - Box 5

Series 6. XIIIth Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, 1975-76

Passport, correspondence, cuttings, records of expenses, reports, invitations and other papers accumulated by Horton as Australian Commissioner for the XIIIth Bienal Internacional de São Paulo, 1976 (File 1) - Box 5

Series 7. Travel papers, 1969-81

Receipts, air tickets, itineraries, correspondence, passports, brochures, airline menus and other travel papers collected by Horton on overseas trips for Art and Australia and for private travel (File 1 - 15) - Box 5, 6, 7

Series 8. Properties, 1963-83

Architectural plans, specifications for alterations, papers relating to house security, correspondence with architects, receipts and other papers relating to residential properties owned by Horton at Potts Point and Palm Beach, a commercial property at Double Bay, and Christopher Davis Antiques, Paddington (8 pieces + 1 folio package).

34-36 Victoria Street, Potts Point, 1963-83 (File 1-3) - Box 7

Potts Point and Palm Beach, 1972-74 (File 4) - Box 8

73 Pacific Road, Palm Beach, 1973 (File 5) - Box 8

13 Bay Street, Double Bay, 1966 (File 6) - Box 8

Christopher Davis Antiques, 12 Wentworth Street, Paddington, 1978 (File 7) - Box 8

Other properties (File 8) - Box 8

Potts Point architectural plans (Folio) (File [unnumbered])

Series 9. Photographs, 1956-c.1977

Photograph albums, 1956; photographs from overseas trips, c. 1977 and other photographs (File 1 - 3) - Box 8, 9

Series 10. Programs

Australian and overseas exhibition programs and overseas theatre programs collected by Horton (3 pieces) (Item 1 - 3) - Box 9

Series 11. Other papers, 1961-83

Miscellaneous papers including entertainment diaries and guest lists for parties, 1976-82; a decoration with signatures presented to Horton by his friends, 1983; typescripts of articles and addresses by Horton; other typescripts; cuttings; and an unidentified film (File 1 - 5) - Box 10


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