MS 8890 Papers of the David Family
- Papers
- 1823-1992
- 2.2 metres (13 boxes) + 1 folio
- Restricted until Anne
Edgeworth's death
The papers were purchased by the Library in 1995 from Ms Anne Edgeworth
The papers relate to members of Anne Edgeworth's family, chiefly her
grandfather Sir Tannatt Edgeworth David, her grandmother Caroline David, her
mother Margaret Edgeworth McIntyre, and her aunt Mary Edgeworth David. The
collection dates from the 1820s to the 1980s and is arranged by family member.
All the series contain family correspondence.
The Edgeworth David component includes honours, letters of sympathy and
tributes after his death, photographs, articles by and about him, and reprints
of some of his papers. Included in the many letters to his family is a
typescript of a letter written at Granite Harbour on 1 November 1908, to be
opened by his wife Caroline in the event of his death during the Antarctic
expedition. There is also the typescript of a letter written on the same day to
Lieutenant E. H . Shackleton, the commander of the Nimrod.
A diary kept by Caroline David at Funafuti and later published in 1899
as 'the unscientific account of a scientific expedition' is in Series 2. There
is extensive material on the Samurai sword given in gratitude to her husband by
the leader of the first Japanese Antarctic Expedition in 1912, and later
presented to the Australian Museum by the David family.
Margaret McIntyre's papers include her writings and papers on community
schools and centres.
Mary (Molly) David's papers have a large component of letters to her
niece Anne Edgeworth, and many business letters written by Anne on behalf of
her aunt, negotiating the publication of 'Letters to Meg'. Handwritten drafts
and illustrated typescripts of the unpublished 'Letters to Meg', as well as
original typescripts with annotations of Passages of Time and
Professor David, form an interesting part of the collection.
Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David, 1858-1934
The geologist and Antarctic explorer Tannatt Edgeworth David was
born in Glamorganshire, Wales, in 1858, son of the Reverend William David and
Margaret Thomson. It was from the Thomson family that the names Tannatt and
Edgeworth came.
He arrived in Australia in November 1882 to fill a position of assistant
geological surveyor for the New South Wales Government, and three years later
married Caroline Mallett whom he had met on the voyage to Sydney. In 1897 he
and his wife joined a geological expedition to Funafuti, an atoll on the Ellice
Islands, to investigate the origin of coral reef formations in the Pacific, and
ten years later he accompanied Shackleton's expedition to the Antarctic
(1907-9)
His reputation as an explorer, writer and lecturer was world wide.
Edgeworth David's appointments at the University of Sydney included Professor
of Geology and Physical Geography, 1891-1924, Chairman of the Professorial
Board, and Dean of the Faculty of Science. His Geological map of the
Commonwealth of Australia and a volume of Explanatory notes were
published in 1932. He published 150 scientific publications and a considerable
number of articles in newspapers and journals. The main David Papers with their
geological emphasis are held at the University of Sydney.
He was knighted in 1920 and honoured with a Commonwealth and State
funeral in 1934.
Caroline Martha David, 1856-1951
Caroline David had a long and distinguished career of service to
the community. She came to Australia in 1882 to be the first woman principal of
the Hurlstone Teachers Training College in Sydney, and met her future husband,
Edgeworth David, on the voyage out.
In 1897 she accompanied David to Funafuti, made friends with the
islanders, and kept a diary. An unscientific account of the expedition, based
on the diary, was published in 1899. To her regret the published Funafuti :
or, three months on a coral island did not contain her very candid social
observations.
Caroline David was involved in many community organizations and was
president of the Women's National Movement for Social Reform which successfully
campaigned for 6 o'clock closing. She was well known as a platform speaker
throughout New South Wales, especially at meetings concerning the well being of
women and children.
Margaret Edgeworth McIntyre, 1886-1948
Community worker and author of many articles on politics and welfare,
Margaret Edgeworth McIntyre, eldest daughter of Caroline and Edgeworth
David, spent most of her married life in Launceston where her husband William
Keverall McIntyre was a medical practitioner.
As well as bringing up four children, Margaret was involved in community
and welfare activities, particularly those concerned with education and youth.
She was State Commissioner for Girl Guides for a number of years. A great
interest was education for constructive leisure, and directing plays was how
she used her leisure time constructively, for plays drew members of the
community together. She was awarded an OBE in 1948 for services to the
community.
Her tragic death in a plane crash near Tamworth came after only six
months in Parliament. Her win in the seat of Cornwall as an independant in 1948
made her the first woman to be elected to the Tasmanian State Parliament.
Mary Edgeworth David, 1888-1987
Conservationist and writer Mary Edgeworth David, second daughter
of the Edgeworth Davids, lived an almost self sufficient life on a hectare of
land in Hornsby, dying in her 99th year in 1987.
Mary David wrote a biography of her father, Professor David
(1937), and she also wrote about her parents, her family, and her own life
in Passages of time (1975), a book that was very well received.
Letters to Meg: an old-eye view, reminiscences in the form of
illustrated letters to her sister Margaret, had not found a publisher at the
time of her death.
An example of her versatility was her undertaking a mechanics course in
1915 so she could service the family car.
- Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David, 1858-1934
- Caroline Martha David, 1856-1951
- Margaret Edgeworth McIntyre, 1886-1948
- Mary Edgeworth David, 1888-1987
SERIES 1. Sir Tannatt William Edgeworth David, 1858-1934
The earliest of the letters in the Thomson and Edgeworth David family
correspondence is one in 1823 from William Thomson to Tannatt Thomson. Tannatt
Thomson's daughter Margaret married the Reverend William David, Edgeworth
David's father. The early letters are listed in folder 1 and include David's
letters to his aunt Sarah (1882-1904) telling of his engagement and marriage to
Caroline Mallett and of the deaths of his father (1897) and his mother (1903),
and his letters to his uncle Charles, 1882-3. The letters to his wife and
family cover the years 1903-34 and include letters to his mother, his brother
Edmund and sister-in-law Laura, his son and daughters, his son-in-law, and his
grandchildren. Several of the letters were written on board the Nimrod
en route to the Antarctica.
There are letters from the University of Queensland on geological
matters, and letters from the University of Sydney, mainly to Anne
Godfrey-Smith (Anne Edgeworth) concerning Sir Edgeworth's papers. There is
correspondence on the gift of his Antarctic and Arctic books to the Antarctic
Division, Department of Science, Tasmania.
Also in the series are photographs, details of his State funeral, a
photocopy of Professor David's British Antarctic Expedition notes, newspaper
cuttings, articles and reprints, and two sketchbooks of his mother Margaret
Thomson. The titles of the reprints are listed in the Appendix. The photographs
include a staff and student reception for Professor David in the Great Hall of
Sydney University on his return from the Antarctic, his State funeral, and
family members.
Folder
1-2 Thomson and David family letters, 1823-96
3 Letters to Caroline, 1906-11, 1919
4 Letters to family members, 1903-16
5 Letters to family members, 1917
6 Letters to family members, 1918-34
7 Copy of letter from Granite Harbour (to be opened by his wife or
children)
Copy of letter to E. H. Shackleton, 1 Nov 1908
Copy of letter to the Commander of the Nimrod,1 Nov 1908
Copy of letter to his brother Edmund, en route to the Antarctic, 1908
Copy of letter to Laura from a hospital in France, 1916
8 Letters to Dr F. W. Whitehouse, Sir Douglas Mawson and others,
mainly on the Talgai skull, 1924-28
9 Letters to David on geological matters including Talgai skull, 1921-34
10 Letters from family members, including Ethel and son Bill, 1880-1928;
appointment as Professor, 1891 ; will of W. O. David
11 Letters to family members on the death of Edgeworth David
12 Order of service for funeral, tributes, articles, Extracts from the
records of Parliament : resolutions and speeches relating to the
death 1934...
13 Letters mainly to Anne Godfrey-Smith, 1967-88, concerning David's
Antarctic books and personal archives
14 Honours, Saint Michael & Saint George, letters re medals
15 David and Ussher family trees; David family tree compiled by
Rev W. David in 1894; biographical information
16 Photographs
17 Articles by Professor David Branigan, Dr W. R. Browne, and Sir
Raymond Priestley
18-19 Newspaper cuttings, 1920s-1992
20 Photocopy of David's notes of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1907-1909
21-22 Reprints from journals (see Appendix)
23 Miscellaneous - publications, invitations, manuscript of poem by
Bill David.
Folio
1-2 Sketchbooks of his mother Margaret Thomson, 1853 and undated Album
of newspaper cuttings, mostly Antarctic Expedition, 1891-1924
SERIES 2. Caroline Martha David, 1856-1951
In this series are Caroline David's 'unscientific' diary kept at
Funafuti and later published by John Murray, London 1899, as well as a letter
to a friend Mrs Scott, concerning the diary.
There is considerable material on the Samurai sword, its history, press
cuttings, photographs and correspondence. The sword was presented to Professor
David in 1912 by Lieutenant Nobu Shirase, leader of the first Japanese
Antarctic expedition. Shirase's ship was forced into Sydney Harbour when
supplies ran low, and the hostile Australian authorities impounded the vessel
and treated the crew as spies. They were eventually rescued by David and as a
token of goodwill and gratitude he was presented with the sword that had been
presented to Shirase by the Emperor of Japan. The 350 year old sword, worth a
reported five figure sum, is on display at the the Australian Museum as part of
the Antarctic, geological and scientific display.
Included in the series is a letter to her future husband, found in his
locked box of treasures, on faith, the Church, and their love; a 29 page
typescript of a biography of Caroline by Joyce Collins (1981); and the
manuscript of 'Parental responsibility in education', a paper read before a
womens' club, 1902.
In letters, Caroline (Cara) is often addressed as 'Mootie', a corruption
of the German word for 'mother'.
Folder
24 Funafuti diary, 1897
25 Letter to Mrs Scott, 1898
Letters to family, 1898, 1915-18, 1926-51
26 Letters from Bill, 1917-45 and partner Sunny Wolf, 1928; photograph
of Caroline and Mary at Chillon Castle, near Nyon, 1926; photographs
of Bill's grave, Nyon Cemetry
27 Letters to Caroline, 1908-45
28 Testimonial from the Women's National Movement, 10 June 1916, as
leader of the successful movement for 6'o'clock closing
29 Letters about Caroline David, 1986
30 Biographies
31 Extracts from reviews of Funafuti; annotated circular of Democratic
Party, 1944
32-36 Material on Samurai sword
32 Correspondence, 1911, 1979
33 Correspondence, 1980-85
34 History of the sword
35 Press cuttings, 1979
36 Photographs
SERIES 3. Margaret Edgeworth McIntyre, 1886-1948
Margaret McIntyre's letters to her husband, her parents, and other
members of her family cover the years 1906-48. There are articles and newspaper
clippings about her and many of the broadcasts and addresses she gave. Some of
the topics she spoke about were the community school, the community centre and
adult education, and the effect of the new education on the Girl Guide
movement.
The material on her death includes biographical information compiled by
Anne Edgeworth, family letters, condolences, the Memorial Service address, and
newspaper clippings.
Folder
37 Letters to husband Keverall, 1906-9, 1934
38 Letters to her father, 1908, 1915, 1931; letters to family members,
1908-17
39 Letters to her mother, 1915-16
40 Letters to her family, 1936-48
41 Letters from family and friends, 1906-18
42 Letters from Bill, 1915-18
43-44 Letters from Dorothy Crerar, 1915-17, 1918
45 Letters of condolence, obituaries, newspapers cuttings on her death
46-47 Broadcasts and addresses, including 'The community School', 'The
community centre and adult education', 'Effect of the new education
on guiding'
48 Articles, newspaper clippings about Margaret McIntyre, undated,
1948, 1950
SERIES 4. Mary Edgeworth David, 1888-1987
There are more letters in this series than in the others as Molly David
was a prolific letter writer later in life, particularly to her niece Annabel
(Anne Edgeworth). There are letters to Kath Moss who owned a property and took
over Molly's sheep and goats when she could no longer look after them. There
are many letters from an admiring public for her second publication Passages
of time.
There are handwritten drafts of 'Letters to Meg: an old-eye view',
reminiscences in the form of illustrated letters to her sister Margaret. The
theatrical notebook in the collection was kept at 53 Burdett Street, Hornsby,
where Molly David produced one-act plays.
The miscellaneous folders include an undated address book, drafts of
letters, jottings, notes, accounts and receipts, 1936-51, postcards, the
constitution and rules of the Edgeworth David Society, an article 'Locating
coal seams in the Hunter Valley with Edgeworth David" and a pencil sketchbook.
Folder
49-64 Personal Correspondence, 1904-84
49 Letters to her brother and sister, 1904-37
50 Letters to her mother, 1911-37
51-52 Letters to Archie and Anne McIntyre, 1948-72; 1973-84
53-55 Letters to Annabel (Anne Edgeworth), 1974-79; 1980; 1981-2
56-57 Letters from family, 1918-79; 1980-84
58 Letters concerning the biography of her father, 1937-39
59 Letters from A. K. McIntyre, 1976-85
60-61 Letters from public about Passages of Time, 1975-76; 1977-85
62 Letters from Kath Moss, 1978-85
63 Letters from Densey Clyne & others on farm matters, 1955-84
64 Letters of sympathy to Anne Edgeworth on death of her aunt, 1987
65-70 Business Correspondence, 1937-86
65 Edward Arnold (Publishers) concerning biography Professor David
1937-49
66 University of Queensland concerning Passages of Time,1972-86
67 Sydney University, Council of the City of Greater Cessnock, Library
Council of NSW, 1972-84
68 Pump Press (Gerald & Gwenda Fischer), 1977-84
69 Letters of appreciation for interviews etc
70 Redress Press, 1983-4. Correspondence with Anne Edgeworth on behalf
of her aunt regarding publication of 'Letters to Meg'; publishing and
option agreements
71 Birth certificate, power of attorney, cremation papers, property,
1950-85, land valuations
72 Professor David (original typescript with annotations)
73-81 Passages of Time/Triptych
Early typescripts with handwritten sections
Original typescript with annotations
Later typescript with editoral annotations
82-89 'Letters to Meg: an old eye view'
2 illustrated typescripts
Handwritten draft
Mixed handwritten and typed segments
Typescript without illustrations
90 Theatrical notebook; photographs of plays at Burdett Street; 'The
eldest son'- a fairy story for Anne Edgeworth on her birthday, 1929;
information on writing TV plays
91 Newspapers articles and reviews of Passages of time, 1975-80
92-93 Miscellaneous
SERIES 1. SIR TANNATT WILLIAM EDGEWORTH DAVID, 1858-1934
APPENDIX
Reprints of publications of Professor Edgeworth David
Glacial action in the neighbourhood of Cardiff, 1881
Glacial action in Australasia (pre 1900?)
University Science Teaching, 1902
The aims and ideals of Australasian science (Inaugural address,
Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science), 1904
Geological notes on Kosciusko, with special reference to evidences of
glacial action, 1908
Evidence of recent submergence of coast at Narrabeen, 1908
Presidential address (delivered to the Royal Society of New South
Wales, 1911)
Presidential address (delivered to the Australasian Association
for the Advancement of Science, 1913)
Geology of the Commonwealth
David Memorial Lectures
Some founders of Australian geology, 1933
Tannatt William Edgeworth David 1858-1934, 1936
Addition December 1998
In this addition are letters from William Keverall McIntyre to Margaret
Edgeworth David, before and after their marriage in 1909, and to members of the
David family; a letter from Keverall to his son Archie written in France in
1916, and three letters from Archie, a medical student at the time, to his
father in the 1930s; 2 letters from Margaret McIntyre and one from Tannatt
Edgeworth David to his grandson, Archie, in 1932.
Papers concerning Keverall McIntyre include a brief biography to
accompany letters from him during 1915-16, copies of his Military Cross
citation and a Despatch he was mentioned in, a copy of a reference from the
Captain of the Royal Army Medical Corps in which he served, and a list of
papers relating to Dr W. K. McIntyre and family deposited with the Community
History Department of the Victoria Museum in Launceston.
There are also several photographs of the David family including one of
Professor T. W. Edgeworth David, a photograph of Margaret David before her
marriage and a photograph of her grave in Tamworth cemetery, taken in 1994.
Folder
- Letters from Keverall McIntyre (W.K.M) to Margaret David,
1906-09
- Letters from W.K.M to Margaret and his
parents-in-law, Cara and Tannatt Edgeworth David (TWED), 1915-16
- Letter from W.K.M to his son Archie, 1916, a letter from TWED to his
grandson Archie, 1932, and letters from Archie, a medical student, to his
father, 1934-36
- Letters from Margaret McIntyre to Colin Jones after the death of her
father, 1934, and to Hugh Ramsay on her OBE, 1948
Letters concerning
Margaret McIntyres grave, 1989, 1994
- Papers concerning William Keverall McIntyre
- Photographs and miscellaneous items
Addition February 1999
The photographs in this addition date from the late 1800s to the 1930s.
There is an album of photographs of the David family and clan, South Wales,
including Edgeworth Davids grandparents, Evan and Ann, parents, William
and Margaret, aunt, Sarah, sister, Ethel, and other family members. There are
also photographs of the Rev. William David and the choir of St. Fagans
Anglican Church, Llandaff, Wales; a David family group taken at St Fagans
Rectory, 1897; portraits and photographs of Rev. William David and family, and
a photograph of his grave at St Fagans Church, Llandaff, South Wales.
Edgeworth Davids father died in 1897.
Included in the Tannatt Edgeworth David photographs are portraits taken
after his return from the Antarctic, 1909, prints of original photographs from
the Shackleton Antarctic Expedition, 1907-9, an official National Museum
photograph of the David Samurai sword display, photographs of the David family,
including Edgeworth Davids wife, Caroline, and daughters, Margaret and
Molly, photographs of friends and colleagues, and the funeral of Edgeworth
David (1934).
Included with this addition is Volume 1 of The Faerie Queene.
Edgeworth David took the volume to the Magnetic Pole with him.
Addition November 1999
Correspondence between John Edward (Ned) Touche (formerly Touch),
Tannatt William Edgeworth David and Caroline (Cara) Martha David during the
years 1989 to 1943. There are also letters from Margaret (Madge) Edgeworth
McIntyre (nee David), from Mary (Molly) Edgeworth David and from William David
to Edward Touche. Two letters from George Touche to Edward Touche are about an
accident to David and his recovery. There are also newspaper clippings about
David, a reprint of one of his papers, handwritten copies of a Sydney
morning herald article Formation of coral reefs and of a poem,
and 3 sketches of coral reefs by David
The letters cover family news such as childrens activities,
health, congratulations on the birth of children and professional activities
and arrangements for visits and there are letters of thanks for visits and
gifts. Letters are written from diverse places, such as the mail train from
Brisbane to Sydney; Ashfield in Sydney; the Geological Society in London after
an accident; when travelling overland from Durban to Cape Town; the Raglan
Barracks, Devonport; and on the S.S. Moldavia nearing Cocos-Keeling Island.
The papers were donated by the Touche Family, through Dr Murray L.
David Touche, grandson of J. E. Touch, and the donation arranged by Dr David
Branagan.
The papers are restricted until 2004, or until the death of Anne
Edgeworth, whichever is soonest.
Box Series Folder
1 1 1-8
2 1 9-16
3 1 17-23
4 2 24-36
5 3 37-48
6 4 49-59
7 4 60-70
8 4 71-77
9 4 78-85
10 4 86-93
11 Add. 94-99
12 Add. Photographs
13 Add. 1-4
Folio
1 1
Compiled December 1995, Amended February 2000 |