Guide to the Papers of Patricia Clare

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MS 9459

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Patricia Clare
Title
Papers of Patricia Clare
Date Range
1907-2000
Collection Number
MS 9459
Extent
1.2 metres (5 boxes, 1 folio box)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Content

The papers were assembled by Patricia Clare and fall into two categories. The earliest material is associated with Bland Holt and comprises two letters from him to Violet Canty, the sister of Clare's father, a New Year message and two Christmas messages, dating from 1907 to 1922. There is also a photo of Violet Canty as Maida in 'The breaking of the drought' produced by Bland Holt. This group of documents includes a photograph of Claire Canty, Clare's mother who was a great niece of Sir Henry Parkes. There is a copy of the 'Memorandum of Agreement' between The Olympia (Entertainments) Co. and Claire Parkes to sing in Max Reinhardt's production 'The Miracle' in London in December 1911.

The second category comprises the papers of Clare and includes correspondence, press cuttings, literary works and photographs. There are two photos of Dame Mary Gilmore and a copy of her anthology Marri'd and other verses [s.d.] inscribed by Gilmore to Patricia Canty. 'The Occasional book of Patricia Clare' contains poetry, newspaper cuttings and memorabilia of Clare's husband, Harry Scholer (1914-1986).

The collection includes several articles and short stories published by Clare, the scripts for a number of Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio broadcasts, and a copy of her book The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef (1971) with a typescript Index prepared by Clare, and reviews of her book. There is also a group of documents relating to Patrick White. They include two letters written by White in 1975 and 1986, and White's list of books by Edmund Wilson that he owned. There is an inscribed copy of White's book Patrick White speaks and a copy of the script of The Aunt's story, by Patrick White, dramatised for radio by Clare.

The collection also includes correspondence with publishers. Finally, there are many letters written by Clare to various animal rights groups, embassies, Parliamentary Committees and Government Ministers and Premiers on such themes as the battery cage system, the use of animals to test commercial products, trade in fur products, the transportation of live animals and whaling.

Among the correspondents are E.G. Whitlam, R.J. Hawke, Premiers J. Fahey and N.F. Greiner, Patricia Nosher of The New Yorker and Suzanne Martell of Harper's magazine.

Conditions Governing Access

Restricted materials: correspondence with The New Yorker (1961-98) regarding short stories and poems submitted for publication, including the short story 'On Logan's Hill. This correspondence is restricted until Clare's death (file 24).

Clare's typescript diary and notes covering the period February 1996 to December 1997. These documents are restricted for thirty years after Clare's death (file 25).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Patricia Clare, National Library of Australia, MS 9459, [series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The papers were purchased by the Library from Patricia Clare in June 2000.

Biographical Note

Clare, who lives in Sydney, is the author of short stories, original plays, features and dramatisations for radio. She has worked as a professional journalist. In 1971 her book The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef was published in England and the U.S. The book had a critical success, although the title imposed on it was not generally liked (one critic called it 'deadly'). Clare's preferred title had been 'Scenes in the life of the Great Barrier Reef', expressive of the fact that the book dealt with more than 'the struggle' against the crown of thorns and would-be exploiters. It was also an account of the sea creatures, land creatures, Aborigines, big-game fishermen and other characters of the area: and it presented scenes in the author's journey through the islands and along the adjacent coast as she searched out incidents and people to illuminate Reef life. Clare was married to civil engineer, Harry Albert Scholer: they divorced but maintained a close friendship. Source: Letter from P. Clare to G. Powell, 31 August 2000.

Item Descriptions

Series [unnumbered]. Family documents

Two letters from Bland Holt to Violet Canty (1907-08). 'Good luck 1913' card (unsigned). Christmas 1918 poem by Florence and Bland Holt. Christmas 1922 card from Florence and Bland Holt. Photograph of Violet Canty (File 1) - Box 1

Photo of Claire Parkes (later Canty). Copy of the 'Memorandum of Agreement' between The Olympia (Entertainments) Co. and Claire Parkes (1911). Photo of Violet Canty (File 2) - Box 1

Series [unnumbered]. Papers of Patricia Clare

Two letters written by Patrick White (1975 and 1986). Patrick White's list of his 'Edmund Wilson shelf' (File 3) - Box 1

Patrick White speaks (Sydney: Primavera Press, c1989) inscribed by the author (File 4) - Box 1

Script of 'The Aunt's story' by Patrick White dramatised for ABC Radio in five episodes by Clare (1989) (File 5) - Box 1

'The occasional book of Patricia Clare' with Index (File 6) - Box 1

Marri'd and other verses by Mary Gilmore (Melbourne: G. Robertson, n.d.) inscribed by Mary Gilmore to Patricia Canty (File 7) - Box 1

Two photos of Mary Gilmore. Three photos of Coen (File 8) - Folio 1

Stories and articles by Pat Scholer (Clare) published in People magazine, 1960-67 (File 9) - Box 2

Correspondence re the play 'Parakeet Park' (1972). Script of 'Parakeet Park' (File 10) - Box 2

Article entitled 'In search of Uncle Henry' published by the Reader's digest (Jan. 1975) (File 11) - Box 2

Two photos of Clare (1971 and 1993). Correspondence with Harper's magazine re reviews published in 1974 Correspondence with E.G. Whitlam (1973). Reviews of The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef and the author's Index to the book (File 12) - Box 2

The struggle for the Great Barrier Reef (London: Collins, 1971) and typescript copy of the author's Index (File 13) - Box 2

Script of ABC Radio drama 'The immortality machine' (1986) (File 14) - Box 3

Annotated draft and script of ABC Radio drama 'Black snow'. Letter from Clare to the ABC (1987) (File 15) - Box 3

Script of ABC Radio dramas 'Exchanges' and 'Luncheon at Antoine's' (to accompany 'Exchanges') (File 16) - Box 3

Script of ABC Radio drama 'Last images of Diegelman' (File 17) - Box 3

Script of ABC Radio feature 'Sir Richard Burton and his wife' (File 18) - Box 3

Script of ABC Radio feature 'The enigma of Richard Strauss' (File 19) - Box 3

Typescript of story 'Arturus Transit' broadcast by ABC Radio (story sent originally to The New Yorker: its reply restricted) (File 20) - Box 4

Correspondence and press cuttings re animal welfare issues, 1982-88 (File 21) - Box 4

Correspondence and press cuttings re animal welfare issues, 1990-94 (File 22) - Box 4

Correspondence and press cuttings re animal welfare issues, 1995-2000 (File 23) - Box 4

Short story 'On Logan's Hill' printed by The New Yorker. Letter from The New Yorker enclosing manuscript of 'On Logan's Hill' (1961). Correspondence with The New Yorker re Clare's article on the the Sydney Opera House (1965-67). Letter from The New Yorker re short story 'Arturus Transit' (1997). Correspondence with The New Yorker re two poems by Clare and copies of the poems (1998) (File 24) - Box 5

Typescript diary and notes (1996-97) (File 25) - Box 5


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