MS 8434
Papers of Peggy Garland



Scope and Content Note

  • Papers
  • 1944-88
  • 10 cm (5 Folders)
The papers were purchased from Mrs Peggy Garland in April 1992.

The collection comprises letters of Patrick White to his cousins Mrs Peggy Garland (nee Withycombe) and Betty Withycombe, postcards sent by White to Garland and a few photographs.

Biographical Note

Betty and Peggy Withycombe were two of the three daughters of Jack Withycombe (Ruth White's cousin) and his wife Ellen who in the 1920's were living in Southampton in England. After he went to England at the age of 13, Patrick White became very close to the Withycombes, the only artists in his family. David Marr in his book Patrick White: a life, states that Betty Withycombe was the first person, apart from White's mother, Ruth, to encourage him to write.

Peggy Withycombe later married Tom Garland and for health reasons, they lived in New Zealand for a number of years. Patrick White corresponded regularly with both Betty Withycombe and Peggy Garland. In the late 1950s, White quarrelled with Betty and they exchanged very few letters after that. Nevertheless White continued to write to Peggy Garland until shortly before his death.


Series Description

1. Letters of Betty Withycombe

Date of correspondence

14 April 1961
25 December 1978
23 August 1977
24 April 1978
10 January 1979
18 March 1984
26  February 1986
29 June 1986
2. Postcards and photographs

There are 16 postcards, some of which were addressed to Peggy Garland.

3. Letters to Peggy Garland

Date of correspondence

18 December 1944
24 October 1948
23 November 1948
11 February 1949
2 May 1949
18 July 1949
14 August 1949
25 January 1950
1 July 1950
13 December 1950
22 February 1951
3 June 1951
15 August 1951
31 October 19515 March 1952
25 June 1952
3 November 1952 (To Tom Garland)
2 Decmber 1952
1 May 1953
Date of correspondence

15 November 1953
15 June 1954
27 November 1954
1 January 1955
12 October 1955
28 December 1955
14 February 1956
10 May 1956
10 September 1956
18 November 1956
28 December 1956
23 January 1957
30 May 1957