MS 9227
Papers of Marian Eldridge (1936-1997)



Scope and Content Note

  • Papers
  • 1954-96
  • 4.06 m (29 boxes)
  • Restricted until access is determined.

The Library purchased Marian Eldridge’s papers in May 1997 from her husband Ken Eldridge.

Eldridge was a short story writer and novelist. The collection comprises personal correspondence, financial papers, correspondence concerning the writing and publication of her various works, handwritten drafts, typescripts, copy-edit and page proofs, notes and research material, and book reviews.

The personal and literary correspondence documents her relationships with other writers, friends, and members of the Eldridge and Stockfeld families. The principal literary correspondents include Geoffrey Dutton, Judith Wright, Vance Palmer, Gwen Harwood, Ian R. Mathews, John Barnes, Myra Roper, Edith Conley, Fairlie Apperly, Irene Summy, Anne Elder, and Joan Mas. The personal correspondents include Eldridge’s mother, the writer Gwen Stockfeld, her brother David Stockfeld, her children David, James, Elizabeth, and Catherine Eldridge, various Eldridge and Stockfeld relatives, and friends from Australia and overseas.

Eldridge kept her papers in good order and the Library has retained this arrangement.

The Library holds the papers of Gwen Stockfeld (MS 9228). The Library also holds the papers of several of the members of the Seven Writers (of which Eldridge was one), including Margaret Barbalet (MS 5396), Sara Dowse (MS 7365), Marion Halligan (MS 8460), and Dorothy Johnston (MS 8194).


Biographical Note

Marian Eldridge (Marian Favel Clair Stockfeld) was born on 1 February 1936 in Melbourne, grew up near Lancefield, and later lived in Melbourne, Traralgon and Canberra. Her parents, Brian and Gwen Stockfeld, ran a small property ‘The Gap’, near Lancefield, from 1935 to 1972. Eldridge’s early education was by correspondence at home followed by a year at St Michael’s, Melbourne, and then Kyneton High School. She then attended Melbourne University, and attained a Bachelor of Arts in 1957. She was married to Ken Eldridge, and had four children. She travelled extensively in Australia and overseas.

Eldridge published three short story collections, Walking the Dog (1984), The Woman at the Window (1989), and The Wild Sweet Flowers - The Alvie Skerritt Stories (1994), and a novel, Springfield (1992), all published by the University of Queensland Press. She also edited the anthology Amongst the Leaves: prose and poetry from students’ workshops at Darwin High School (1989), with stories written by students from when she was writer-in-residence at Darwin High School in 1989. Eldridge contributed her short story ‘Capital Gains’ to Canberra Tales (1988), an anthology of stories set in and about Canberra and compiled by the Seven Writers. This group of Canberra writers also included Margaret Barbalet, Sara Dowse, Suzanne Edgar, Marion Halligan, Dorothy Horsfield, and Dorothy Johnston.

Eldridge’s short stories were featured in a number of newspapers, journals, and more than 20 short story collections, including Muse, Meanjin, Southerly, The Bulletin, The Canberra Times, Best Short Stories 1986 (1986), Moments of Desire (1989), and Personal Best 2: stories and statements by Australian Writers (1991).

In 1996 Eldridge wrote 12 poems which were published in the Senate Hansard of 19 June 1997.

Eldridge won numerous writing competitions and awards, including 1st prize in the Robin Hood Committee Annual Literature Competition, 1972; equal 4th place in the 14th State of Victoria Short Story Award, 1977-78; 1st prize in The Canberra Times/Commonwealth Bank National Short Story Award, 1981; and 3rd place in the Marcus Clarke Award, Syme Community Newspapers Short Story Competition, 1983. In 1992 she received two awards, the ACT Arts Bureau Literary Fellowship and an Australia Council Literary Board Grant, Category B. In 1994 she won the International Year of the Family Award in the NSW State Literary Awards.

Throughout her career Eldridge worked as a teacher in English and History at Traralgon High School, as a relief teacher in Canberra secondary schools, a tutor in literature courses for the Centre of Continuing Education at the Australian National University, a book reviewer for The Canberra Times and Australian Book Review, and in 1986 as the first literature coordinator for the ACT Arts Council.

Eldridge died in Canberra on 14 February 1997.


Series List

1 Personal Correspondence, 1955-96
2 Letters of Gwen Stockfeld, 1958-95
3 Papers of David Eldridge, 1960-96
4 Papers of Elizabeth Eldridge, 1963-96
5 Letters of David Stockfeld and family, 1954-96
6 Family Letters, 1963-96
7 Walking the Dog (1984)
8 Canberra Tales (1988)
9 The Woman at the Window (1989)
10 Springfield (1992)
11 The Wild Sweet Flowers – The Alvie Skerritt Stories (1994)
12 Other writings, 1954-89
13 Financial papers, 1954-89

Series Description

Series 1 Personal and literary correspondence, 1955-96

Eldridge was a prolific correspondent with a wide network of friends, colleagues, and family. The bulk of the series comprises personal correspondence with various family members and friends. The personal correspondents include Doris Brennan, Carol Young, Susan M. Curry, Suzanne Edgar, Joan Dugdale, Carline Ashworth, Margaret Clark, Mary Chandler, Jeanette Llewelyn, Gojko Raseta, Jean Galbraith, David and Anne Danbury, Charles Hawkins, Ken and Liz Bullock, and Jeanne and Bernie Barrett.

The literary correspondence documents Eldridge’s relationships with other writers, and includes comments on the writing and publication of her various works, congratulatory letters, and personal news. The series includes single letters from or correspondence with Judith Wright, Vance Palmer, Gwen Harwood, Ian R. Mathews, John Barnes, Myra Roper, Edith Conley, Fairlie Apperly, Irene Summy, Anne Elder, and Joan Mas.

Folder
1-2 Literary correspondence, 1955-96
3 Letters of Doris Brennan, 1964-92
4-5 Letters of Carol Young, 1962-95
6-10 Letters from friends, 1957-95
11 Letters from friends at Wolfson College, 1981-96
12 Letters from friends in the United Kingdom and France, 1974-95
13-14 Letters from friends in the United States of America, 1971-95
15 Letters from friends in Germany and South Africa, 1971-93

Series 2 Letters of Gwen Stockfeld, 1958-95

Eldridge and her mother Gwen Stockfeld corresponded frequently for over thirty years. This long sequence of letters contains mainly personal and family news, as well as discussion regarding Stockfeld’s memoirs Cream Puffs and Cow Pats.

Folder
1-2 1958-75
3 1976
4 1977
5 1978
6 1979
7 1980
8 1981
9 1982
10 1983
11 1984
12 1985
13 1986
14 1987
15 1988
16 1989
17 1990
18 1991-92
19 1993-95

Series 3

Papers of David Eldridge, 1960-96

The series comprises letters from Eldridge’s eldest son David Eldridge to his parents and family, as well as newspaper cuttings, school reports and notebooks, and various personal records relating to David Eldridge. The letters discuss family news and travels overseas.

Folder
1 Letters of David Eldridge, 1976-96
2 Newspaper cuttings, 1971-82
3-4 Miscellaneous papers, 1960-1982

Series 4 Papers of Elizabeth Eldridge, 1963-96

The series includes letters from Eldridge’s eldest daughter Elizabeth Eldridge to her parents and family, as well as newspaper cuttings, birth and school records, and notebooks. There is also a cassette recording of Elizabeth Eldridge and Roger McDonald in a duet.

Folder/Piece
1-4 Letters of Elizabeth Eldridge, 1970-96
5 Newspaper clippings, 1968-84
6 Miscellaneous papers, 1963-80
7 Cassette tape, Hitachi C-90, Side A ‘Living with clarity, a talk by Christopher Titmuss’, Side B ‘Duet, Roger McDonald and Elizabeth Eldridge, 7 April 1980’

Series 5 Letters of David Stockfeld and family, 1954-96

The series comprises letters to Eldridge from her brother David Stockfeld and his family, including Margaret Murray, Sue Stockfeld, and his children Rebecca, Simon, Sally, and Martin Stockfeld. The letters discuss family news, Stockfeld’s business ‘Billabong Seed Supplies’, farm management, and travels overseas.

Folder
1-2 Letters of David Stockfeld and family, 1954-79
3-4 Letters of David Stockfeld and family, 1979-96
5 Letters of Margaret Murray and Rebecca and Simon Stockfeld, 1979-95
6 Correspondence between Ken and Marian Eldridge and David and Sue Stockfeld regarding ‘Billabong Seed Supplies’
7 Notebook kept by Ken and Marian Eldridge recording transactions with ‘Billabong Seed Supplies’

Series 6 Family Letters, 1963-96

The series comprises letters from various relatives of Ken and Marian Eldridge, including Eldridge’s cousins Iris Stockfeld and Dick and Judy Dauncey, Ken Eldridge’s sisters Kathleen Trethewey and Jenny Harapeet, and his cousin Nada Hunter.

Folder
1-2 Letters of Kathleen and Gerry Trethewey, 1972-95
3-4 Letters of Jenny Harapeet and family, 1966-96
5 Letters of Nada Hunter and family, 1963-93
6-7 Letters of Iris Stockfeld, 1967-95
8-9 Letters of Dick and Judy Dauncey and family, 1974-95
10 Letters of family, various, 1975-93

Series 7 Walking the Dog (1984)

Walking the Dog was Eldridge’s first anthology of short stories. The work comprises stories written by her from 1964 to 1982, many previously published in numerous journals and publications such as Luna, Westerly, Muse, The Canberra Times, and The Bulletin. The folder for each short story includes handwritten drafts, typescripts (often dated), notes and research material, and correspondence regarding submission of the story to various journals and newspapers. The series contains correspondence with the University of Queensland Press (publisher) and Penguin (distributor) regarding compilation and publication of the anthology. The series also includes reviews, a copy of the published book, and a photocopy of Eldridge’s notebook recording details of submission of each short story to various publications.

Folder
1 ‘Aubade’, 1973-82
2 ‘Maternity’, 1964-65
3 ‘Paterson’s Flats’, 1965-68
4 ‘Candlebark’, 1970-77
5 ‘Fragment’, 1970-71
6 ‘The Sea’, 1961-74
7 ‘A Family Story’, 1972-74
8 ‘Together’, 1974-79
9 ‘Adult Education’, 1977-83
10 ‘Nuclear’, 1977-81
11 ‘Chanson d’Automne’, 1977-82
12 ‘Cream Sponge on Sunday’, 1977-89
13 ‘Nature’, 1975-81
14 ‘Flight’, 1981
15 ‘Interior’, 1981-86
16 ‘The Ringbarker’s Daughter’, 1981
17 ‘Antique’, 1982
18 ‘Wayside’, 1982
19 ‘Selling Out’, 1982-83
20 ‘Solitare’, 1982
21 ‘Walking the Dog’, 1979-83
22-23 Correspondence regarding publication of the anthology, 1978-91
24 Letters from friends and family regarding the book, 1984-86
25 Reviews, 1984-88
26 Photocopy of notebook recording short story submissions
27 Copy of the book

Series 8 Canberra Tales (1988)

Canberra Tales is an anthology of stories set in and about Canberra, compiled by the Seven Writers group to which Eldridge belonged. Her contribution ‘Capital Gains’ was later included in The Wild Sweet Flowers. The series comprises correspondence with the Seven Writers, the Australian Bicentennial Authority and Penguin, as well as notes and reviews.

Folder
1 Correspondence and related papers, including notes from the Seven Writers workshops, 1985-93
2 Reviews, 1988-93

Series 9 The Woman at the Window (1989)

The Woman at the Window, Eldridge’s second anthology, comprises stories written by her from 1981 to 1988. A number of these were previously published in numerous journals and publications such as Southerly, Moments of Desire (1989), Muse, Luna, Kunapipi, and The Australian Literary Magazine.

The folder for each short story includes handwritten drafts, typescripts (often dated), notes and research material, and correspondence regarding submission of the story to various publications. The series contains correspondence regarding compilation and publication of the anthology, primarily with the University of Queensland Press and Penguin. The series also includes reviews, a copy of the published book, and a photocopy of Eldridge’s notebook recording details of submission of each short story to various publications.

Folder
1 ‘Primavera’, 1983-91
2 ‘Outside the Silver Dory’, 1982-84
3 ‘Pietà’, 1984-90
4 ‘A Sea Story’, 1983-88
5 ‘At the Signora’s’, 1984-86
6 ‘Harvest’, 1984-85
7 ‘A Sense of Place’, 1980-86
8 ‘Pieces of Furniture’, 1985-86
9 ‘Students’, 1984-86
10 ‘Tourist’, 1985-88
11 ‘Storm’, 1987
12 ‘A Love Story’, 1985-89
13 ‘What’s the Time, Mr Wolf?’, 1985-87
14 ‘The Woman at the Window’, 1987-90
15 ‘Settle Down Country’, 1987-89
16-17 ‘Capital Gains’, 1987-88
18-19 Page proofs
20-22 Correspondence regarding publication of the anthology,1985-93
23 Reviews, 1986-90
24 Photocopy of notebook recording short story submissions
25 Copy of the book

Series 10 Springfield (1992)

The series comprises drafts, notes and research material, and copy-edit and page proofs relating to Eldridge’s only novel, Springfield. Many of the drafts are heavily annotated with comments from the Seven Writers, editors, and family members including David Stockfeld, Sue Stockfeld, and Elizabeth Eldridge. The series also includes music composed by Elizabeth Eldridge for use in the novel.

Folder
1-2 Drafts, notes and research material, including letters from the Seven Writers and family members suggesting revisions, 1971-91
3 Heroin notes and research material, 1972-90
4-5 Vietnam notes and research material, 1982-92
6 Draft ‘Penultimate Draft’
Draft ‘Workshopped by the Seven, early 1990’
7-8 Draft ‘Typed up 6.8.90’
9-10 Draft ‘Springfield 1’
11 Draft ‘Spr 1 revised’
12 Draft ‘Spr 2, 10/90’
13 Draft ‘Spr 2, p. 157ff many gaps, some Spr 3’
14 Draft ‘Spr 2, 2nd half’
15 Draft ‘Spr 2, pp. 155-262, 24.12.90’
16-18 Draft ‘Printout 2, 24.12.90’
19-21 Draft ‘2/91, workshopped by 7W and read by Sue and DS’
22-24 Draft ‘Final draft 30.5.91’
25-27 Draft ‘Printout 31.5.91’
28-30 Draft ‘Sent to UQP’
31-32 Page proofs
33-36 Copy-edit and page proofs
37 ‘Songs for Springfield’, 8 sheets of music composed by Elizabeth Eldridge
38 Copy of the book

Series 11

Series 11 The Wild Sweet Flowers – Alvie Skerritt Stories (1994)

The series comprises handwritten drafts, typescripts, copy-edit and page proofs, correspondence, and notes and research material relating to the publication of The Wild Sweet Flowers. A number of these stories were previously published in Walking the Dog, Canberra Tales, and The Woman at the Window, as well as in various journals and other publications. The series also includes a photocopy of Eldridge’s notebook recording details of submission of each story to various journals, and a copy of the published book.

Folder
1 ‘Something New’, ‘Aubade’, ‘Nuclear’, ‘Walking the Dog’, ‘Primavera’, ‘Harvest’, and ‘Storm’, 1984-90
2-5 ‘The Wild Sweet Flowers’, 1984-90
6-7 ‘Miss Lafferty Plays Scrabble’, 1988-93
8-9 ‘Nightshift’, 1993
10 ‘A Good Tidy Up’ and ‘A Love Story’, 1989
11-12 ‘Acid Rain’, 1992-92
13 ‘Mona Lisa’, 1992-93
14 ‘The Wild Eye of the Moon’, 1982-93
15 ‘Voice-over’, 1992-93
16 ‘Kiss a Thief’, 1984-92
17-18 ‘Something Old’, 1992-93
19 Early notes and research material for the collection, 1977-93
20-22 Copy-edit proofs
23-26 Page proofs
27 Photocopy of Eldridge’s notebook recording short story submissions
28 Copy of the book

Series 12 Other writings, 1954-89
The series comprises drafts of various writings, including short stories (mostly unpublished) and a one-act play. The series also includes essays from history, philosophy and English units completed by Eldridge at Melbourne University.
Folder
1 ‘Annette’, ‘James’, ‘The Game’, and ‘Youth’, 1955-62
2 ‘Frankie and Johnnie’ (one-act play), 1960-89
3 ‘Love Thy Neighbour’, ‘Carnival’, and ‘Boy on a Swing’, 1964-73
4-5 Essays, 1954-57

Series 13

Financial papers, 1954-89

This series of financial papers includes correspondence, receipts, bank statements and tax returns for Ken and Marian Eldridge.
Folder/Piece
1 Tax returns, 1954-88
2-4 Bank statements, 1964-89
5-6 Miscellaneous financial correspondence and receipts, 1980-84

Box List

Box Series Folder/Piece

1

1

1-6

2

7-12

3

13-15

2

1-3

4

4-11

5

12-19

6

3

1-4

4

1-2

7

3-6

7

5

1-2

8

3-7

6

1-2

9

3-8

10

9-10

7

1-5

11

6-12

12

13-19

13

20-27

14

8

1-2

9

1-6

15

7-14

16

15-20

17

21-25

10

1-2

18

3-8

19

9-14

20

15-21

21

22-27

22

28-34

23

35-38

11

1-3

24

4-10

25

11-16

26

17-22

27

23-28

28

12

1-5

13

1

29

2-6