MS 7408

Papers of Donald Crick



Scope and Content note

  • Date range: 1955-1993
  • Quantity: 68 cm. (4 boxes)
  • Accession no.: MS 7408
  • Access conditions: Available for reference.

The collection consists of manuscripts and typescripts of novels and plays, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, book reviews and articles by or about Donald Crick. The first consignment was purchased by the Library in 1987 and a further consignment purchased in 1997.

Biographical Note

Donald Crick was born in Sydney on 16 July 1916. He has worked as a writer, farm and factory worker, clerk, insurance representative, contributor and book reviewer for The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, Overland, Australian Author and Realist. Crick has published five novels: Bikini girl (1963), Martin Place (1963), Period of adjustment (1966) - winner of the Mary Gilmore Centenary Award in 1965, A different drummer (1972) and The moon to play with (1981) - winner of the Rigby 1980 Anniversary Award. He was awarded Commonwealth Literary Fund grants in 1970 and 1973-74

Box List

Drafts and Typescripts

Box 1

Typescript Bikini girl (1963)
First draft manuscript Martin Place (1963)
Typescript Martin Place (1963)

Box 2

First draft manuscript Period of adjustment (1966)
Typescript Period of adjustment (1966)
First draft manuscript A different drummer (1972)
Typescript A different drummer (1972)

Box 3

First draft manuscript The moon to play with (1981)
Typescript The moon to play with (1981)
Roneoed copy of the screenplay of The Veronica (1983)
Roneoed copy of screenplay of A different drummer (1985)
Photocopy of transcript of screenplay of The moon to play with

Addition of October 1997

Box 4

Folder 1 Correspondence with R.M. Williams, 1963-93 (c. 27 letters). Crick began corresponding with the businessman, cattle station owner and horse breeder, R.M. Williams, in 1963. In his letters, Williams discussed in some detail his work, including mustering and breaking horses on his cattle station, Rockybar, in Queensland, drought and his family. There are also references to Crick’s books, Alan Marshall, the R.M. Williams shops, his move in 1972 to Hodgson Vale, near Toowoomba and his new venture of breeding Arabian horses. Typescripts of Williams’ reminiscences and copies of a number of Crick’s letters are also included. In one of his letters, Crick gave an account of his visit to the USSR in 1972 in connection with the publication of Martin Place in Russia.
Folder 2 Correspondence with Dymphna Cusack and her husband, Norman Freehill, 1969-71 (seven letters, and copies of five of Crick’s letters). Subjects discussed include Patrick White’s The Vivisector, Dal Stivens winning the Miles Franklin Award, a magazine of the Foundation of Aboriginal Affairs, David Ireland, Thomas Keneally’s Three cheers for the paraclete and other books, articles for Meanjin and Jill Hellyer.
Folder 3 USSR correspondence, 1965-92 (c. 21 letters). Correspondence with Anatoly Melnikov (Liaison Officer of the Writer’s Union who accompanied Crick on his visit to the USSR), Eugenie Dombrovskaya (Lecturer in Australian Literature at Moscow Institute who was responsible for having Martin Place published in USSR) and Irina Golovaya
Folder 4 Miscellaneous correspondence and copies of some of Crick’s letters, 1955-92. Correspondents include A.D. Hope, Alan Jones, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Max Harris and others.
Folder 5 Miscellaneous correspondence and copies of some of Crick’s letters, 1967-84. Correspondents include: Arthur Calwell, E.G. Whitlam, Geoffrey Blainey, A.J. Grassby and others. Subjects include censorship, Australian Society of Authors, Commonwealth Literary Fund, and immigration.
Folder 6 Miscellaneous correspondence and copies of some of Crick’s letters, 1978-89. Subjects include Literature Board of the Australia Council and the Australian Society of Authors.
Folder 7 Cuttings and typescripts of book reviews (The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald) written by Crick, 1966-74.
Folder 8 Miscellaneous articles (The Australian Author) written by Crick, 1964-80.
Folder 9 Darwin Aboriginal Writers Workshop, 1974. The file includes photographs, typescript reports of the workshop and an article entitled ‘Aboriginal new writing’ by Crick, roneoed copy of ‘Aboriginal literature’ by Kath Walker and other papers.
Folder 10 New Zealand material, 1969-70. Papers relating to Crick’s visit to New Zealand in 1969 to establish a New Zealand branch of the Australian Society of Authors.