The collections
Patrick White and David Marr
David Marr
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In 1977 the Library suggested to Patrick White that he might consider placing his personal papers and manuscripts in its custody. His reply was courteous but unequivocal: I cant let you have my papers because I dont keep any. My MSS are destroyed as soon as the books are printed. I put very little into notebooks, dont keep my friends letters as I urge them not to keep in mine, and anything unfinished when I die is to be burnt. White never wavered from this view. After his death his executor had the painful task of burning those papers he had left. Curiously, one manuscript survived. He had given away one of the handwritten drafts of Memoirs of Many in One and in 1991 it was acquired jointly by the National Library and the State Library of New South Wales. Fortunately, many of Whites friends ignored his injunction and kept all his letters. He was a prolific and lively correspondent and some of the collections that have found their way into the Library are substantial. The Dutton Papers contain about 200 of White's letters and the collections of Kylie Tennant, Peggy Garland, Ronald Waters, Cynthia Nolan, Jean Scott Rogers, Alice Halmagyi and Pepe Mamblas all contain dozens more. In 1994 David Marr concluded that the National Library had assembled the finest collection of White letters in the world. The Patrick White holdings have now been enriched by the purchase of David Marrs own papers, a large collection currently filling 24 cartons. For about nine years Marr devoted most of his time to the life of White, producing Patrick White: A Life in 1991 and Patrick White: Letters in 1994. The papers he amassed in this time were filed methodically and will be an outstanding resource for future White scholars. |
The Marr Papers include his drafts of the two books and also correspondence, copies of letters, notes of interviews, cuttings, photocopies of articles and reviews, research notes and photographs. There are files on different phases of Whites life, as well as on each of his books. The notes of interviews, including talks with White himself, are of particular importance. Above all, there are copies of over 3000 of Whites letters, of which Marr had published about 600. As the originals are scattered around the world, to have copies of such a huge quantity in one place will be a great boon to researchers.
From 1985 onwards David Marr corresponded with hundreds of Whites relatives, friends, acquaintances and enemies, as well as theatre directors, publishers, literary agents and archivists. He kept copies of his own letters and faxes, as well as the incoming letters, totalling about 4000 items. This correspondence is both a splendid source on the life of White and an extraordinary record of Marrs research, writing and editing. In seeking permission to reproduce letters, Marr often encountered obstacles and this correspondence documents the collapse of friendships and the fraught relations that White had with so many people. Others only knew him slightly, or not at all, but were encouraged by Marr to set down their views and responses to Whites writings. Many of Whites contemporaries who wrote to Marr have since died and their letters contain their final verdict on the character of the man and the quality of his writing.
As well as the White material, David Marr has transferred a smaller group of papers relating to his earlier biography of Sir Garfield Barwick and his book on the David CombeValery Ivanov spying case of 1983.
The access conditions have yet to be finalised, but ultimately the Marr Papers will be a major source for literary, cultural and political historians.
Please address any comments and enquiries to The Editor, Gateways: lkirwan@nla.gov.au