The Papers of Desmond Digby Relating to Patrick White
In Patrick White’s autobiography, Flaws in the Glass (Viking Press, 1981), White describes at some length a typical phone conversation with a close friend, ‘D.’: ‘are you a ray of sunshine today? … couldn’t expect me to scintillate—not as things are … No-ooh’ (p. 240). David Marr describes these conversations as a ‘good old yell and shout’ before breakfast (The Monthly, April 2008, p. 35).
White’s friend was Desmond Digby, a New Zealand artist and designer who settled in Sydney in 1959. White and Desmond Digby met in 1961, and Digby subsequently designed the sets for a number of White’s plays and dust jackets for three of his books.
Digby’s papers (MS 10056) were acquired by the National Library’s Manuscript Branch in 2005. The collection consists of 12 boxes of correspondence, notes, news cuttings and theatre programs. Most of the correspondence comprises letters and postcards from White to Digby. In addition there are papers relating to the Patrick White Literary Award, set up using the money White received for his Nobel Prize for Literature in 1973, for Australian writers who have been creative over an extended period but who have not received adequate recognition. Digby’s partner, James Allison (referred to in the papers as ‘JBA’), was a member of the small committee which selected the award recipient each year, along with White and Geoffrey Blainey.
The largest component of the collection consists of press cuttings. While many of the cuttings are about Patrick White or are of reviews of his books and plays, they also cover a whole range of subjects of interest to the two men, including social news, the arts and politics. Some of the cuttings have been annotated or have notes attached, recording phone conversations with White about them. The majority of these date from the 1970s and early 1980s, before Digby’s and Allison’s move away from Sydney. The notes also venture into general gossip and White’s travels and encounters with arts and political figures. The notes paint a lively picture of White, adding contextual information to the rich collections of Patrick White papers held in the Manuscript Collection at the National Library. Digby’s own personality colours his jottings, but the focus is on White’s attitudes and temperament.
Glimpses and Insights
Glimpses of White’s personal life are captured by comments on his activities and reactions to news cuttings. For instance, one short note states: ‘Been up to Wentworth Falls to see Nurse who kept saying “Paddy White was very good at his lessons!”’ Confirming a much-quoted statement by White is ‘Destroys manuscripts as soon as printed version arrives! In a neighbour’s dustbin!!!’. Of his health: ‘Didn’t look well at Peking Restaurant, awful grey colour’.
Reviews of White’s works often provoked a ‘Furious!!!’ response about the reviewers themselves. His notoriously tumultuous relationships with friends and colleagues are characterised by a note relating to reviewer Maria Prerauer who ‘sent him Christmas card/letter—in remembrance of Happy Times in the past!! He wrote back—mainly castigating her about her frightful column … and that is why he can’t see her anymore—she replies—that he deserts all his own friends, old as well. But they forgive him, because he is what he is!’
White is equally outraged when he perceives that other writers receive recognition denied to him: when The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith was filmed in 1977 he was ‘Furious!’ because there was ‘No Prowler backing’ (i.e. for his own The Night the Prowler). However, there are other more benign notes relating to his plays, such as his interest in New Zealand actress Pat Evison who he thought would make an ‘Ideal Miss Docker’ and to whom he sent a script; and the report that ‘Cheery soul going v. well and Thompson’s work v. good. Adults playing children—a superb solution—as well as two actors playing old ladies.’ Comments on White’s progress with various works and his state of mind at the time are also illuminating.
In 1973 when White was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, Digby noted that White wouldn’t ‘send a written message to Sweden. Doesn’t know what to write!’ and that he was pleased ‘that Sid N [Nolan was] accepting PRIZE [on White’s behalf]. Everyone will LOVE him.’ Of a photo of himself in a Figaro article, White commented that he ‘looked like a PARATROOPER rather than a Nobel Laureate’.
Friends, Contacts and Relationships
Theatre, music and art personalities with whom White came into contact included Sidney Nolan, the Clifton Pughs, Brett Whiteley, Peter Sculthorpe, David Williamson, Louis Nowra, Xavier Herbert, Jim Sharman, Harry M. Miller, Dame Joan Sutherland and Kate Fitzpatrick. Digby’s notes chart the level of favour in which each was held by White and record his ‘viperous’ sense of humour. Professional jealousy often rears its head in relation to other writers, particularly playwrights.
The drafting and publication of Flaws in the Glass were major events for a number of people close to White, especially for his partner, Manoly Lascaris. Digby notes that at the opera, ‘Pleasant interval chats hide Big Drama—Manoly finished FLAWS furious about things P. said about his father—AND COMING OUT! Manoly took JBA off and talked to him! & PW took me off to tell me his [side of the story]’. Digby himself was concerned that White’s ‘attacks’ on John Kerr were close to libel, and upset by his portrayal of Joan Sutherland as uncultured. Copies of a letter sent by Digby to Sutherland after the publication of the autobiography and filed with the reviews of Flaws express regret for not getting in touch sooner, saying he felt ‘very awkward … mainly because of P. White’s Flawed version of you & others.’
Digby and Allison moved away from Sydney in the early 1980s, incurring more of White’s wrath as they sold their unit in Kirribilli to Sir John Kerr. Digby noted that he was ‘Pleased to be FREE of telephone calls and upsets—up here. Last one in Sydney at Motel was HORRENDOUS … Only thinks of himself as do all of us I suppose.’ However the overall impression from Digby’s aides-mèmoire is one of great affection for White, despite the explosions he directed at Digby. White’s own version in Flaws reinforces their mutual regard.
The papers of Desmond Digby are available for research in the Manuscript Reading Room. Details of the collection can be found in the guide to the papers at http://nla.gov.au/nla.ms-ms10056.
Donna Vaughan
Reference Officer, Manuscripts Branch



