MS 8556 Papers of Colin Thiele (1920- )
- 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.
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 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).
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
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
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
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