MS 8556
Papers of Colin Thiele (1920- )



Scope and Content

  • Papers
  • 1933-92
  • 7.84 m.. (56 boxes)
  • Series 1-2, 4-15 Available for reference; Series 3 restricted

The papers were donated to the Library under the Taxation Incentives for the Arts Scheme, by Colin Thiele in 1992. They include family, general and children's correspondence, handwritten drafts, typescripts and some illustrations for Thiele's writings and films, reviews, speeches and addresses, newspaper cuttings and printed material.

Biographical Note

Colin Thiele was born in 1920 in Eudunda, South Australia. His paternal grandfather migrated from Germany to South Australia in 1855. In 1945 Thiele married Rhonnie Gill and they have two daughters.

Thiele taught in high schools in South Australia (1946-56) before joining the Wattle Park Teachers' College (later known as Wattle Park Teachers' Centre). He was Principal (1965-73) and Director (1974-80) of the College.

Thiele has written more than 50 books. They include children's books, radio plays, verse, fiction, historical, environmental and educational works. He has also edited verse anthologies and short stories.

He has played an active role in organisations such as the Australian Section of International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Commonwealth Literary Fund, Australian Society of Authors and Writer's Week.

See: The Oxford companion to Australian literature, p.676.

Series List

Series               Name                                                        
  1                  General correspondence, 1939-92                             
  2                  Children's correspondence, 1961-92                          
  3                  Personal papers. 1920-85  (Restricted)                                  
  4                  Papers relating to Thiele's autobiography,                  
                     1974-82                                                     
  5                  Writings for children, 1952-93                              
  6                  Writings for adults, 1933-88                                
  7                  Films, 1974-88                                              
  8                  Broadcasts, 1945-78                                         
  9                  Speeches and addresses, 1952-80                             
  10                 Wattle Park Teachers College, 1962-80                       
  11                 Tour of the United States, 1958 - 1959                      
  12                 Other activities, 1962-92                                   
  13                 Writings about Thiele, 1974-81                              
  14                 Cuttings, 1944-91                                           
  15                 Printed Material, 1969-77                                   


Series Description

Series 1. General correspondence, 1939-92

Thiele retained extensive correspondence from 1939 onwards. It relates to Thiele's career with the South Australian Department of Education and his broadcasting activities with the Australian Broadcasting Commission. There is also much correspondence with other writers and publishers, such as Walter McVitty, Jacaranda, Oxford University Press, Collins, Angus and Robertson, E.S Wigg and Georgian House.

There are also correspondence with the South Australian Arthritis and Rheumatism Association and requests for various speaking engagements.

Copies of Thiele's letters, especially after the mid 1970s, are included.

The main correspondents include Ray Mathew, R.G. Howarth, Eve Langley, Vivian Smith, Bruce Dawe, David Martin, S.J. Baker, Frank Dalby Davison, Grace Perry, Douglas Stewart, Judith Wright, Edna Walling, Roland Robinson, Olaf Ruhen, Rex Ingammels, Geoffrey Dutton, Penny Chapman, Barbara Leach, Felicity Shea, Joyce Morley, Aviva Ziegler, Patricia Adams, Jane Covernton, Suzanne Wilson, Brigitta Gahrton and Margaret Wild.

Series 2. Children's correspondence, 1961-92

Thiele received a large number of letters written by children and their teachers from all parts of Australia and overseas. The children gave their views on the books they have read; some of these are part of their book review assignments. Copies of Thiele's replies are often included. The series also include birthday cards made and sent by children.

Series 3. Personal Papers, 1920-85 (Restricted)

The series include correspondence with Thiele's wife Rhonnie while on a study tour of the United States (1958-59); birthday and father's day cards from Rhonnie and the children (1977-83); letters and telegrams, some sent on Thiele's wedding day photographs (1952-81); financial papers (1952-75) and miscellaneous documents (such as a passport and a driver's license).

Series 4. Papers relating to Thiele's autobiography, 1974-82

Transcripts and a few correspondence relating to the National Library oral history interviews (1974 with Suzanne Walker and 1977 with Hazel de Berg). The series also includes a typescript entitled 'Mini autobiography' (1982).

The correspondents are Graeme Powell and Mark Cranfield.

Series 5. Writings for children, 1952-93

The series comprises handwritten drafts, typescripts (including corrected typescripts and final copies), background material and illustrations for over 50 children books (fiction, non-fiction and poetry) and book reviews.

For the list of titles see Appendix 2.

Series 6. Writings for adults, 1933-88

Most of Thiele's books for adults are non-fiction, including poetry and historical writings set in South Australia. Some of these works remain unpublished. The hand written drafts, typescripts (corrected typescripts and the final copies), research material and book reviews have been arranged in chronological order.

See also Appendix 2.

Series 7. Films, 1974-88

A number of Thiele's books have been made into films. They are Storm Boy, Water trolley, Blue Fin, Fire in the stone, The South Australians and The Story makers. The papers include typescripts of film scripts and screen plays, correspondence, news paper cuttings and leaflets.

Series 8. Broadcasts, 1945-78

Thiele was for many years a regular schools broadcaster with the Australian Broadcasting Commission. Typescripts of the broadcasts and some miscellaneous correspondence are included in this series.

Series 9. Speeches and addresses, 1952-80

Thiele has been a speaker at schools and Teachers Colleges, art shows and commemorative ceremonies. The papers in this series comprise invitations to speak and typescripts of the speeches.

Series 10. Wattle Park Teachers College, 1962-80

Thiele was Principal (1965-73) and Director (1974-80) of the Wattle Park Teachers College (later known as the Wattle Park Teachers Centre). The small group of papers in this series relate to his work for the college, including best wishes and retirement cards sent to Thiele in 1980.

Series 11. Tour of the United States, 1958-1959

In 1958 Thiele was awarded a Fulbright-Smith-Mundt scholarship to attend the International Teacher Development Program in Arizona State College in Tempe, Arizona, USA. The series comprise correspondence, notebook/diary, a copy of Thiele's report and some printed material.

The main correspondents are J. Sebald, Winston G. Nethery, R.S. Coggins, Richard Adler, J.B. Barnes, Ann Lachlan and John Ingamells.

Note: Correspondence with his wife, Rhonnie, written while in America, can be found in Series 3.

Series 12. Other activities, 1974-81

Thiele played an active role in various organisations such as the Commonwealth Literary Fund and the Australian Society of Authors and he was involved in various projects. The series comprises the following groups of papers:

1. Australian Society of Authors (Thiele was the President in 1989): newsletters, annual reports, financial papers and leaflets.

2. Commonwealth Literary Fund (Thiele was a Fellow in 1962): correspondence and papers relating to Lecture Tours of Western Australia (1962) and New South Wales (1964). The correspondents include Pamela Casey, John Penfold, Anthony King and Donovan Clarke.

3. International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Australian Section: correspondence and leaflets. The correspondent is Ena Noel.

4. Austrian Children's Book Prize: papers relating to Thiele's visit to Austria and Germany to receive awards for the German editions of Sknuks and The Hammerhead light

5. Hans Heysen: correspondence with Geoffrey Serle concerning Heysen's entry for the Australian Dictionary of Biography and papers relating to Thiele's writings on Heysen for Don Cornes of the International Printmakers' House. See Series 6 for Heysen of Hahndorf.

6. Miscellaneous files: relating to plays edited by Thiele, including The living stage and Plays for young people; and Ranger's territory by Frank Woerle from a story told by Thiele. Material pertaining to lecture tours of Melbourne (1962-63) and Tasmania (1968); Literature in Australian Schools: intensive adult education course to study various aspects of Australian Literature, held at the University of Adelaide, May 1972; and games and puzzles created by Jonathan Appleton based on Thiele's books (1987).

7. Requests to reproduce Thiele's writings: requests from publishers to reproduce poems or parts of Thiele's books in different formats, such school text books. The correspondents include Joan Mcfarlane, Cynthia Graham, Carol Barrie, Gillian Cardinal, Alison Rowe, Margaret Parry, Margaret Craddock, Tom Hayllar and Mary Abela.

Series 13 Writings about Thiele, 1974-81

A number of essays and a thesis have been written about Colin Thiele. This series contain a thesis by Annette Keil (1981), an article by Rosemary Wighton (1978), and essays by John Prance (1980) and Beryl Hazlewood (1974).

Appendix 1

Title                                    Date of Publication        Box           
Fiction:                                                          

High sea                                 1960                       24            
Secret cave                              1960                           
The sun on the stubble                   1961          
Storm Boy                                1966                       25            
The water trolley                        1966                                     
Mrs Munch and puffing Billy              1967                                     
Blue Fin                                 1969                                     
Yellow-Jacket Jock                       1969                                     
Flash Flood                              1970                                     
Flip-flop and tiger snake                1970                                     
The fire in the stone                    1973                       26            
Albatross two                            1974                                     
Magpie island                            1974                       27            
Uncle Gustav's ghosts                    1974                                     
The little desert                        1975                                     
The hammerhead light                     1976                                     
Storm Boy picture book                   1976                                     
The shadow on the hills                  1977                                     
The shadow on the hills (cont.)                                     28            
The sknuks                               1977                                     
River Murray Mary                        1979                                     
Ballander Boy                            1979                                     
Chadwick's chimney                       1980                                     
Chadwick's chimney (cont.)                                          29            
Tanya and Trixie                         1980                                     
Little Tom little                        1981                                     
The valley between                        1981                                     
The valley between (cont.)                                          30            
The undercover secret                    1982                                     
Piquo                                    1983                                     
Young magpies Australia                  1984                       31            
Coorong captive                          1985                                     
Scarface: the great white shark          1985                                     
Seashores and shadows                    1985                                     
Farmer Schulz's ducks                    1986                       32            
Skipton's landing                        1986                                     
Seeds of inheritance                     1986                                     
Shatter belt                             1987                       33            
Jodie's journey                          1988                                     
Danny's egg                              1989                                     
Klontarf                                 1988                       34            
Stories short and tall (including The    1989                                     
spa disaster)                                                                     
Rotten egg Paterson to the rescue        1990                       35            
Farmer Peltz's pumpkins                  1990                                     
Emma Keppler: two months in her life     1991                                     
Speedy                                   1991                                     
After shock                              1992                                     
Charlie vet's pet                        1992                                     
Martin's mountain                        1993                                     

Poetry:                                                            

Looking at poetry                        1960                       36            
Gloop the gloomy bunyip                  1962                                     
Gloop the bunyip                         1970                                     
Song in my thongs                        1982                                     
Poems in my lugage                       1988                                     

Non fiction:                                                       

The state of our state                   1952                       36            

Appendix 2

                 Title                   Date of Publication        Box           
Fiction:                                          

Of few days                               1943-44                                 
Labourers in the vineyard                 1970                                    

Non Fiction:                                                       

Lady Franklin's diary (unpublished)      [c. 1952-64]               37            
Talking shop                             1952                       38            
J.D. Sommerville on Lady Franklin        1952                                     
Miscellaneous short stories              [c. 1954-55]                             
Barossa Valley sketchbook                1968                                     
Heysen of Hahndorf                       1968                                     
Heysen of Hahndorf (cont.)                                          39            
Little Knell (unpublished)               [c. 196?]                                
Coorong                                  1972                                     
Range without man: the north Flinders    1974                                     
Grains of mustard                        1974                       40            
Heysen's early Hahndorf                  1976                                     
The bight                                1976                                     
Lincoln's place                          1978                                     
Maneater                                 1979                       41            
Adelaide story                           1982                                     
Something to crow about                  1986                                     
South Australia revisited                1986                       42            
A welcome to water                       1986                                     
Ab diver                                 1988                                     
Miscellaneous typescripts (unpublished)  [n.d.]                                   

Poetry:                                                            

Miscellaneous poems (unpublished)        1933-44                    42            
Splinters and shards                     1945                                     
Miscellaneous poems (unpublished)        1956-63                    43            
In charcoal and conté                    1966                                     

Box List

Series               Box                                            

1                    1-13                                           
2                    14-21                                          
3                    22-23A  (Restricted)                                        
4                    23                                             
5                    24-36                                          
6                    37-43                                          
7                    43-45                                          
8                    46-49                                          
9                    49-50                                          
10                   50                                             
11                   51                                             
12                   51-54                                          
13                   55                                             
14                   55                                             
15                   56