Guide to the Papers of Anthony Hill
MS 9824
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: ©2004.
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Hill, Anthony
- Title
- Papers of Anthony Hill
- Date Range
- c1900-2012
- Collection Number
- MS 9824
- Extent
- 8.9 metres (52 MS boxes + 2 Map Folios)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Special Collections (Manuscripts)
Introduction
Scope and Content
The bulk of the papers relate to Hill's published works, forming a comprehensive record of his literary career. There is research material, notebooks, manuscript and typescript drafts, galley and page proofs, correspondence and letters from readers. Major correspondents are Rosemary Creswell (Hill's agent), Max Harris and the numerous publishers with whom Hill dealt. There is a small group of drafts of unpublished short stories, plays and poems and cutting books containing copies of newspaper and journal articles by and about Hill, including reviews of his books.MS Acc12.120 comprises typescript manuscripts, proofs, drafts, outlines, story files, research notes, diaries, ephemera, posters and correspondence relating to Anthony Hill's publications, primarily "Animal Heroes", "Captain Cook's Apprentice" and "The Story of Billy Young".
Access
The collection is available for reference.
Copying and Publishing
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Anthony Hill, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file number]'.
Provenance
The papers were purchased by the Library from Anthony Hill in 2004 and 2012.
Arrangement
Hill placed the papers in order prior to handing them over to the Library, and this arrangement has been maintained.
Biographical Note
Anthony Hill is a Canberra-based author. He was born in Melbourne in 1942 and worked as a journalist with the Melbourne Herald before joining the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Canberra in 1972. From 1977 to 1983 Hill owned an antique shop near Yass and from 1989 to 1999 worked as a speech writer for Governors-General Bill Hayden and Sir William Deane. He has published works in several genres including fiction for children and adults, biography, reference, newspaper and journal articles and librettos for musicals.
Hill's published works include:
Books
The Bunburyists, Melbourne, Penguin Books, 1985
Antique furniture in Australia, Melbourne, Viking, 1985
Birdsong, Melbourne, Oxford University Press, 1988
The burnt stick, Melbourne, Viking, 1994
Spindrift, Melbourne, Puffin Books, 1996
The grandfather clock, Melbourne, Lothian Books, 1996
Growing up and other stories, Canberra, Ginninderra Press, 1999
Soldier boy: the true story of Jim Martin the youngest Anzac, Melbourne, Penguin, 2001
Forbidden, Melbourne, Puffin Books, 2002
Young digger, Melbourne, Penguin Books, 2002
The shadow dog, Sydney, Viking, 2003
Musicals
Nganbra a Canberra canticle, music Judith Clingan, 1988
Spirit of place, music Charlie Chan, 1995
The grandfather clock, music Judith Clingan, c2002
Awards Hill has received include:
Young digger
Short listed for the New South Wales Premier's History Prize, Young People's History Prize, 2003
Soldier boy: the true story of Jim Martin the youngest Anzac
Winner of New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Ethel Turner Prize, 2002
Honour Book, Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award, Eve Pownall Award, 2002
Highly commended, ACT Book of the Year Award, 2002
Short listed for Kids Own Australian Literature Award (KOALA), 2003
Short listed for Reading, Enjoying Australian Literature - Older Readers, 2003
Spindrift
Notable Book, Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards, 1996
The burnt stick
Honour Book, Children's Book Council Book of the Year Award, 1995
Australian Christian Book of the Year Awards, Children's Christian Book of the Year, 1995
Short listed for Australian Multicultural Children's Book of the Year Award, Book of the Year, 1995
Short listed for Human Rights Award, 1995
Forbidden
Notable Book, Children's Book Council Book of the Year Awards, 2003
Item Descriptions
Class 1. Original consignment
Series 1. General correspondence and papers, 1985-2001
This series comprises correspondence relating mainly to Hill's publications and to his participation in literary events and school tours. There is correspondence concerning negotiations with Hill's agent, letters to and from publishers, royalty statements, book awards, editorial comments on books, changes to book covers and books, articles, book reviews, invitations and itineraries for Book Council of Australia and school book tours. There is material relating to Hill's participation in the Canberra Word Festival and the Sydney Writers' Festival and to his company, Passwords Pty. Ltd. This series also includes letters from schools requesting visits and handwritten and illustrated responses from schoolchildren to Hill's books.
Major correspondents include Hill's agent, Rosemary Creswell, publishers Penguin Australia and Lothian, Hill's daughter Jane and Max Harris.
Series 2. The Bunburyists, 1983-1995
Contained in this series are papers relating to Hill's book of anecdotes about country life entitled The Bunburyists, which was illustrated by Peggy Earl and published by Penguin, Melbourne in 1985. There is the original manuscript draft, edited typescript and correspondence, mostly with the publishers and Rosemary Creswell.
Series 3. Antique furniture in Australia, 1983-2002
Hill's reference book, Antique furniture in Australia, was published by Viking, Melbourne in 1985. Second and third editions of the book were published by Penguin, Melbourne in 1993 and 1997. Contained in this series is the original manuscript draft and later edited drafts together with correspondence, mostly with publishers.
Series 4. Birdsong, 1985-1998
This series comprises drafts and correspondence relating to Hill's novel Birdsong, which was published by Oxford University Press, Melbourne in 1988. A notebook relating to Birdsong is contained in series 16.
Series 5. Nganbra: a Canberra canticle, 1987-1995
In 1988 Hill self-published his libretto for a choral work entitled Nganbra: a Canberra canticle. Judith Clingan composed the music and it was first performed at the Canberra Theatre in 1988. Concerned with the Aboriginal past, it was Hill's first work for theatre. Contained in this series is correspondence regarding performances of the work, typescripts and published copies of the libretto, programs and reviews of the first performance. A notebook relating to Nganbra is contained in series 16.
Series 6. Spirit of place, 1993-1995
Spirit of place, Hill's second work for theatre, was written to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the consecration of St John's Church, Canberra in 1845. A dramatic sound and light presentation using the church and the churchyard, the work was performed as part of the 1995 Canberra Festival. Hill wrote the libretto and the music was composed by Charlie Chan. This series comprises correspondence regarding the staging of the production, a manuscript draft, typescripts of the libretto, script, performance notes and publicity material.
Series 7. The burnt stick, 1990-2003
This series comprises correspondence and manuscript and typescript drafts of The burnt stick, a children's book illustrated by Mark Sofilas. It was published by Viking, Melbourne in 1994. The bulk of the correspondence is with publishers both in Australia and overseas, but there are also a number of letters from children about the book. There are copies of the American edition, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1994 and the Japanese edition, published by Kin-No-Hoshi Sha in 2003. There is also a copy of Our country, a publication containing student work by Yirara College students, Alice Springs, which is based on extracts from The burnt stick. A notebook relating to The burnt stick is contained in series 16.
Series 8. The grandfather clock, 1987-2002
Hill's novel, The grandfather clock, was published by Lothian Books, Melbourne in 1996. Based on a grandfather clock owned by Hill, the book was illustrated by Mark Wilson, with the cover illustration by Peter Gouldthorpe. This series contains the early manuscript draft, subsequent drafts, photographs of clocks and edited galley proofs.
Hill and Judith Clingan wrote the libretto and Clingan the music for a musical drama of the same name, based on the book. Included in this series are copies of the libretto and correspondence and publicity material relating to a performance of the work by Voicebox Youth Opera in Canberra in 2002.
Series 9. Spindrift, 1993-2001
Spindrift, a children's book illustrated by Mark Sofilas, was published by Puffin, Melbourne in 1996. Contained in this series are manuscript and typescript drafts of the book, correspondence with publishers, letters from children, reviews, royalty statements and a copy of Magpies, which contains an article about the book. A notebook relating to Spindrift is contained in series 16.
Series 10. Growing up and other stories, 1989-1996
Contained in this series are drafts and correspondence relating to Hill's collection of short stories entitled Growing up and other stories, which was illustrated by Melissa Strauss. Initially, Penguin Books edited but ultimately did not publish the book because Hill did not agree to a request to include an over-arching introductory chapter to unite the stories. It was subsequently offered to other publishers and eventually published by Ginninderra Press, Canberra in 1999. There is a copy of Time to tell, published in 1985, which includes Hill's short story 'Growing up'. A notebook relating to Growing up and other stories is contained in series 16.
Series 11. Soldier boy: the true story of Jim Martin the youngest Anzac, c1900s-2003
Soldier boy was Hill's first biography and his first book to be composed directly onto the computer. It was published by Penguin Books, Melbourne in 2001. The book evolved from an idea for a Vietnam novel entitled 'Twenty-one', later changed to 'War games', which was never finished. Parts of 'War games' were used for Soldier boy, which recounts the story of James Martin who, although only fourteen, put his age up to eighteen and enlisted for the First World War. He died of enteric fever ten weeks short of his 15th birthday. Contained in this series is correspondence with publishers, reviews and several drafts which plot the evolution of the novel. There is a large amount of research material, which comprises official war records, notebooks, interviews with descendants of Martin, correspondence and photographs.
Hills research for the book resulted in the handing over to the Australian War Memorial of Martin's medals, which had been presumed lost. They had been in the possession of his great-nephew, Stephen Chapin, who had received them from Martin's sister Alice.
Research material: original records and photographs of James Martin and his family (File 1) - Box 11 (MS 9824)
Research notes relating to Martin, including some correspondence, 1996-2000 (File 6_7) - Box 12 (MS 9824)
Typescript of first draft of Soldier boy with corrections and additions, 1999-2000 (File 14) - Box 13 (MS 9824)
Series 12. Young Digger, c1914-2002
Hill's second biography recounts the story of Henri Tovell, a young French boy orphaned during the First World War. The boy attached himself to several British Army units before being adopted as a mascot by No. 4 Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps, whose members nicknamed him 'Young Digger'. Air mechanic Tim Tovell and his brother Ted took a shine to the young boy, eventually smuggling him out of France and into Australia where he grew up with the Tovell family at Jandowae on the Darling Downs in Queensland. In 1928, Henri was tragically killed in a car accident at the age of 18. Entitled Young Digger, the book was published by Penguin Books, Melbourne in 2002.
This series contains a large amount of research material which includes records of service for four soldiers: Timothy and Edward Tovell, Norman Johnson and Hector Wilson. There are also war service and other official records, notebooks, copies of articles and book chapters, copies of letters written by Henri (1925-1926) together with letters relating to his death, transcriptions of interviews with Timothy Tovell's daughters Nancy Elliot and Edith Lock and photographs of a visit to Tovell's family home at Jandawae. There are a number of photocopies of photographs, most taken from the Australian War Memorial Photographs Database. There are three different drafts of the book - the first of 86,000 words, the second of 60,000 words and the third where the structure was changed from linear form (beginning in Germany) to a circular form (beginning at Fremantle and shifting from present to past and back again, following a suggestion from the editor). Included is a four-CD audio recording of the book, read by Roger Cardwell and published by ABC Enterprises, Sydney in 2003.
Series 13. Forbidden, 1999-2003
Forbidden is a children's book set in the 20th century on a Scottish Island. Illustrated by Mark Sofilas, it was published by Puffin Books, Melbourne in 2002. The bulk of this series comprises various drafts of the book. There is correspondence and papers relating to research and editing and publication of the book. Included is a two-CD audio recording of the book, read by Dennis Olsen and published by ABC Enterprises, Sydney in 2003 and a copy of Notable Australian Children's Books 2003, which makes reference to the book.
Typescripts, 1999-2000 (File 1) - Box 23 (MS 9824)
Typescript of second draft, 1999-2000
Typescript of revised second draft, 2000
Typescripts (File 2) - Box 24 (MS 9824)
Typescript of third draft
Typescript of third draft, with editor's queries
Series 14. The shadow dog, 1998-2003
The shadow dog was originally conceived as a children's book in 1999 entitled 'Songs for Sebastian', written about a stray dog by the same name which Hill acquired. The book went through various stages of revision, none of which were taken up by publishers. Hill eventually offered it to publishers as a book for adults and it was published by Viking, Sydney in 2003, with illustrations by Andrew McLean.
This series comprises a notebook containing early ideas for the book, edited drafts, photographs, photocopies of illustrations for the book and correspondence, mainly with publishers.
Series 15. Other writings
Contained in this series is a small group of manuscripts and typescripts of unpublished works by Hill, together with copies of Reading time and Where I belong: writing and art by children of the Murray-Darling Basin, both of which contain contributions by Hill.
Manuscript notebook and edited typescript of a play entitled 'Four seasons', 1978 (File 1) - Box 26 (MS 9824)
Manuscript notebook and edited typescript of a play entitled 'Mount Eagle', 1978 (File 2) - Box 26 (MS 9824)
Manuscripts and typescripts of unfinished and abandoned short stories, mid 1980s (File 3) - Box 27 (MS 9824)
Manuscripts and typescripts, c1987-1988 (File 4) - Box 27 (MS 9824)
Manuscripts and typescripts of a group of poems entitled 'Circus', c1987
Manuscripts and typescripts of a play entitled 'Marco Polo', 1988
Manuscript notebook of a play entitled 'Rats', nd
Manuscripts and typescripts of a group of poems entitled 'Images: photographs from an exhibition'. Includes copies of photographs. Notes relating to the poems are held in series 16., c1988 (File 5) - Box 27 (MS 9824)
Series 16. Notebooks, c1983-c1995
This series comprises 13 notebooks, each of which contain research notes, passages of draft text for his books, drafts of poems, story ideas and miscellaneous jottings.
1984 - includes notes and ideas for an abandoned novel entitled 'Aspects of love' (File 2) - Box 28 (MS 9824)
c1988 - includes notes relating to Hill's opera entitled 'Herod' and a book of poems entitled 'Images: photographs from an exhibition' (File 8) - Box 28 (MS 9824)
Series 17. Cutting books, 1975-1999
In this series are cutting books containing newspaper and journal articles written by and about Hill, reviews of Hill's publications and performances of his musical works. In volume 2 there is ephemera relating to a farewell luncheon given to Hill by the Governor-General Sir William Deane and two letters written to Hill by Major General Michael Jeffery whilst he was Governor of Western Australia.
Class MS Acc12.120. Consignment received 2012, 1997-2012
4.55 metres,The consignment comprises typescript manuscripts, proofs, drafts, outlines, story files, research notes, diaries, ephemera, posters and correspondence relating to Anthony Hill's publications, primarily "Animal Heroes", "Captain Cook's Apprentice" and "The Story of Billy Young".
Series. Animal Heroes
Story files, 2002-2004 (File A) - Box 1 (MS Acc12.0120)
Dawn Dog, Judy, Courage, Stan, Vietnam dogs, Tiger, Snappa, Dolphins, Boris, Trick
Story files, 2002-2004 (File B) - Box 2 (MS Acc12.0120)
Sandy, Bantam, Pigeons, Gunner Redlead. MS drafts 1 & 2. Edited MS
Series. Captain Cook's Apprentice
(Winner of NSW Premier's Young People's History Prize.)
Captain Cook's Apprentice, 2007 (File A) - Box 10 (MS Acc12.0120)
Admiral Isaac (orig title) first and second drafts, working drafts
Captain Cook's Apprentice ms, 2008 (File B) - Box 11 (MS Acc12.0120)
Edited ms (track changes); second proofs
Series. The Story of Billy Young
Billy pix; Correspondence 1 (Sept 06-Mar 11);Billy the Kid (orig title) first draft 2009-10, 2006-2010 (File A) - Box 15 (MS Acc12.0120)
Chapter research and story outline, 2009-2010 (File B) - Box 16 (MS Acc12.0120)
Papers 1-8 (Ch 2 missing, to come)
Chapter research and story outline, 2007-2010 (File D) - Box 18 (MS Acc12.0120)
Papers 14-15; Orig BDM certiciates; research material O'Toole, Bulwara Road, family etc; transcript of interviews Hill-Young 2007-11, by subject matter
Series. Notebooks, Pocket diaries
Various, 2001-2011 (File) - Box 21 (MS Acc12.0120)
Pocket diaries and notebooks used for Young Digger (2001), Animal Heroes, Harriet, River Boy, Captain Cook's Apprentice (also known as Isaac Manley), Lucy's Cat & The Rainbbow Birds, Old Derby (unpublished picture book); exercise books with story ideas and roughs for Top Dogs (unublished, later became The Shadow Dog)
Container List
Series | File/Item | Box |
---|---|---|
1 | 1-5 | 1 |
1 | 6-7 | 2 |
2 | 1-2 | 2 |
2 | 3 | 3 |
3 | 1-4 | 3 |
3 | 5-6 | 4 |
4 | 1-3 | 4 |
4 | 4 | 5 |
5 | 1-2 | 5 |
6 | 1-3 | 5 |
7 | 1-8 | 6 |
8 | 1-4 | 7 |
8 | 5-9 | 8 |
8 | 10-11 | 9 |
9 | 1-3 | 9 |
9 | 4 | 10 |
10 | 1-4 | 10 |
10 | 5-6 | 11 |
11 | 1-3 | 11 |
11 | 4-12 | 12 |
11 | 13-16 | 13 |
11 | 17-20 | 14 |
11 | 21-24 | 15 |
11 | 25-27 | 16 |
12 | 1 | 16 |
12 | 2-5 | 17 |
12 | 6-14 | 18 |
12 | 15-19 | 19 |
12 | 20-24 | 20 |
12 | 25-29 | 21 |
12 | 30-33 | 22 |
12 | 34-37 | 23 |
13 | 1 | 23 |
13 | 2-5 | 24 |
13 | 6-8 | 25 |
14 | 1-2 | 25 |
14 | 3-5 | 26 |
15 | 1-2 | 26 |
15 | 3-7 | 27 |
15 | 8 | 28 |
16 | 1-13 | 28 |
17 | 1-2 | 29 |