ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection

HMSS 0048 Fellowship of Australian Writers, ACT Branch Records

**Scope and Data Notes**
Call Number	HMSS 0048
Collection	Fellowship of Australian Writers, ACT Branch Records
Date Range	1948 - 1998
Quantity	3.39m (16 Manuscript boxes, 1 oversized package)
Access Conditions	Open
Copying Conditions	not stated
Related Collections	HMSS 0063 Anne Edgeworth Collection

The Fellowship of Australian Writers (FAW) was one of the first national bodies to be established in Australia. Founded in NSW by Dame Mary Gilmore in 1928, there are fellowships in every state and territory, as well as regional groups in major centres through out Australia.

The FAW, ACT Branch held its inaugural meeting on 29 May 1950, providing opportunities for writers of all disciplines and levels of experience, to share their writing with others in the ACT region. Members of the Canberra Branch of the Society of Women Writer members also joined the Fellowship of the Australian Writers after the demise of their society in 1987.

The FAW ACT newsletter was issued for the first time in August 1988, later to be titled FAWord (1992). The newsletter was published monthly and provided information on lectures, literary competitions, publication outlets, readings and seminars, as well as other topics of interest.

The first of a series of anthologies published by FAW ACT was Australia Writes: an anthology (1953), followed by Australian Signpost: an anthology (1956), S pan: an adventure in Asian and Australian writing (1958) and Australian Voices: poetry and prose of the 1970s (1975) originating as contributions to Australia ’75 (Anthology of Short forms of writing).

On 10 June 1998, a notice was issued to all FAW ACT members and associated bodies announcing that FAW ACT would cease operation as an incorporated body. Members voted to approach the ACT Writers Centre to become a sub-group. Now a literary group of the ACT Writers Centre, FAW ACT continues to meet on a monthly basis at the National Library of Australia.

The collection is presented largely as received from FAW ACT. It contains correspondence, financial records, reports, manuscripts, reviews of anthologies, membership details, circulars and other papers emanating from the activities of the FAW ACT and the production of the anthologies.

**Box List**
Box Number	Description	Quantity	Date Range
1	Correspondence	8 folders	1950-1967
2	Correspondence	10 folders	1948-1975
2	Membership records	1 folder	1950-1970
3	Financial records	1 folder	1961-1971
3	Financial records	1 folder	1967-1970
3	Financial records	1 file	1974-1983
3	Financial records	1 folder	1987-1989
3	Financial records	1 folder	1989-1990
3	Financial records	1 folder	1990-1991
3	Financial records	1 folder	1991-1992
3	Financial records	1 folder	1992-1993
3	Financial records	1 folder	1993-1996
4	Records associated with the publication Australia Writes including reviews, plans, correspondence, contributors biographical notes; contributions;	5 folders	1952-1956
4	Membership correspondence	1 folder	1964-1989
4	Australia Writes correspondence with contributors and biographical notes	3 folders	1952-1954
5	Australia Writes manuscripts of various works by a variety of authors. Also included are published works by some authors that appeared in The Bulletin and biographical details. Authors listed as follows: Dal Stivens, Neilma Sidney (Folder 1) H. Drake-Brockman, Brian Elliot, Dr W. E. H. Stanner, Maurice Tindall, Ruth Allmal (Folder 2) Alan M?, Kylie Tennant, John K. Ewers, Roderick M. Daw, Alan Marshall, (Folder 3) A F Prior, R. S. Portius, P. J. Cunningham, Leon Gellert, David Campbell, J. R. Rowland, Llywelyn Lucas, Geoff Bingham, Joan Hayes, (Folder 4) Brain James, John Rowland, P. A. Tillyard, Ray Harris, Ray Matthew, Hugh McCrae, R. D. Murphy, David Martin, Ethel Anderson, T. Englis Moore, Douglas Stewart, Roland Robinson, Llywelyn Lucas, Rosemary Dobson (Folder 5)	5 folders	1951-1952
5	Manuscript of Australia Writes: An Anthology by various contributors in seven volumes. Poetry I: The Quality of Always Poetry II: Desert, Flowers, Stones and Trees, and Poetry III: The Hand Upon the Body Poetry IV: Trice Up - Lay Out - Loose Away Poetry V: Blane Street Poetry VI: Bayonet in Glass Poetry VII: In Eight Directions	1 folder	circa 1952-1953
5	Papers on Australia Writes and SPAN including correspondence, contributions and selections	1 folder	1953-1958
5	Australia Writes working papers including correspondence, layout drafts, contributor lists,	1 folder	1954-1956
5	Span : an adventure in Asian and Australian writing (SPAN ) correspondence	1 folder	1952-1957
6	Working papers on Australia Signpost including correspondence, biographical notes, payments to contributors and layout drafts	1 folder	1955-1956
6	Asia-Australian Writing including correspondence from contributors, manuscripts, presentation on Australian poetry given at Pakistan-Australia Association conference by Loma Rudduck	1 folder	1956-1958
6	Correspondence on anthologies: Australia Writes, Australian Signpost, Asia-Australia book, SPAN	1 folder	1953-1958
6	Contributions to Asia-Australia book including comments and ratings including some articles	2 folders	1953-1957
6	Contributions to Asia-Australia book - Australian Short Stories - including comments and ratings including some articles	1 folder	1950-1957
6	Australia '75 - correspondence including contributor biographical notes	2 folders	1974
6	Australia '75 - manuscripts by Dennis Ferguson	1 folder	1974
7	Australia '75 - correspondence with contributors	2 folders	1974-1975
7	Notebooks - Australia '75 contributor contact details and titles of contributions	2 notebooks	1974
7	Australian Voices (formerly Australia '75) - drafts	1 folder	1974
7	Short Stories Talk Finalists - newspaper clippings and articles	1 file	1979-1980
7	The Society of Women Writers writing workshops and presentation papers including: Childrens Book Council talks Short story workshop notes Adjudicators' comments to Canberra Society of Women Writers competitions Talk presented by Rosemary Dobson at the Society of Womens writers first Biennial conference,	1 folder	1976 -1978; 1980
7	Poetry and short story guide 1986 : Up-to-date listing of outlets for established and aspiring writers, ACT Arts Council of Australia, 1986. - annotated 03/03/1987	1 book	1986-1987
7	Thornton, Jean & Australian Writers' Professional Service 1990,Writers' & photographers' marketing guide : Australia, New Zealand, England, 1990 ed, Australian Writers' Professional Service, Melbourne	1 book	1990
8	Photographs: Left to right: Marian Eldridge - Author and member of FAW; Margaret Fead - Past executive and member of FAW (07/11/1999) Good King Wencelas looked out...100 word contest December 1995 General Meeting. Judges left to right: Lauris Suiter, Anne Edgeworth, Annette O'Grady, Phillipa Burgess, Barbara Edwards Good King Wencelas looked out...100 word contest December 1995 General meeting. Left to right: Margaret Fead and an unidentified woman Good King Wencelas looked out...100 word contest December 1995 General Meeting. Left to Right: Barbara Edwards and an unidentified woman speaking Good King Wencelas looked out...100 word contest December 1995 General Meeting. Judges in a huddle from left to right: Barbara Edwards, Phillipa Burgess, Annette Grady, Anne Edgeworth, Lauris Suiter Pauline Brooks and Geoff Moore at the Poetry Picnic, Sunday 30/04/1995, Sculpture Garden, National Gallery of Australia Left to right: Geoff Moore - Committee member; Anne Edgeworth - Canberra Stereo Public Radio (CSPR) and Member of FAW (07/11/1994). Photographer: Juno Gemes Left to right: Anne Edgeworth - Canberra Stereo Public Radio (CSPR) and Member of FAW; Phil Mackenzie - Publisher Polonius Poets and member of FAW (0711/1994). Photographer: Juno Gemes Frank MacMahon - Poet and member of FAW (07/11/1994). Photographer: Juno Gemes Maureen Burdett - President of FAW (07/11/1994). Photographer: Juno Gemes Ron Miller form the University of Canberra at meeting held in the home of Sally Clarke (0711/1994) Hillary Trotter - Editor of FAW at meeting held in the home of Sally Clarke. (07/11/1994) Pauline Brooks - Secretary FAW at meeting held in the home of Sally Clarke. (07/11/1994) Left to right: Maureen Burdett - President of FAW (07/11/1994); Manik Datar - Committee member FAW. (07/11/1994) Frank MacMahon reading at Cafe Neruda, Wednesday 02/11/1994. Geoff Moore reading at the Poetry Picnic in the Sculpture Garden, National Gallery of Australia (23/10/1994) Poetry Picnic. Left to Right: June Foster, Juliet Feabes (WA), Burdett Family - Maureen, William, Joshua, John (23/10/1994) FAW Stand at the Hall Markets December 1992. Peta Huta and John Kelly (standing)	1 folder	1992; 1994-1995; 1999
8	FAW ACT Expenditure notebooks	1 book	10/05/1967-26/04/1974;
8	Australian Voices - 1 set of cards filed by Authors	1 box	1974
8	Audio cassette tape titled 'Shadow of the Glen - Synge', 2XX. Side A only	1 tape	21/08/1988
8	Audio cassette tape. Case title 'Riders to the Sea - Synge' Side A: 2XX Sound Print 'Riders to the Sea - Synge' - Complete Side B: 2XX Sound Print	1 tape	14/08/1988
8	Writing by Paul Haugh - Puck Fair, A vision, Irish Coffee Shop	1 file	circa 1982
8	Letters to Steve [?] (FAW) from Stephen Dearnley (William Collins, Australia Ltd., Sydney) regarding manuscripts Something More Durable by Sydney C. Robson and Hill of Grass by Ru Pullen. Manuscripts included	1 folder	16 September 1970 24 September 1970
8	Letter to Rosemary Dobson (FAW) from Anthony Bradley ( The Power Institute of Fine Arts, University of Sydney)in response to a letter regarding writing on art by Australians. Includes an article by Donald Brook and two off-prints by Terry Smith	1 folder	20 March 1974
8	Australian Anthology contributions and correspondence. Including contributions declined.	1 folder	1972 -1975
8	Notebook - FAW ACT publication contributor contact list	1 folder	1957
8	Drafts and final of 'Australian writers and their addresses ; an alphabetical checklist prepared by the Fellowship of Australian Writers', No.1, 1963	1 folder	1963
8	External meetings papers and newsletters	1 folder	1970-1971; 1977; 1987; 1993
9	Annual reports including FAW ACT Constitution	1 folder	1952-1960
9	Annual reports	1 folder	1960-1964
9	Annual reports	1 folder	1964-1970
9	Administration including FAW ACT constitution, meeting arrangements and members list	1 folder	1964-1966
9	Meeting arrangements including room bookings and possible speakers	1 folder	1986-1994
9	FAW ACT news items, workshops and seminars	1 folder	1985-1991
9	Workshop papers. Topics include music, crime fiction,article writing, grammar limericks, short story writing, play writing and romance	1 folder	1988-1994
9	Correspondence	1 folder	1992-1995
9	Items for distribution to members and presentations	1 file	1965-1973
10	General Meeting and Committee Meeting minutes	13 files and 3 folders	1954–1994
11	Membership application forms, membership lists and correspondence	4 folders and 4 files	1988–1998
11	Membership letters regarding membership and changes of address	1 file	1972–1992
12	Membership papers including survey forms and change of address papers	1 folder	1994-1995
12	Financial records including Auditor's Reports and financial statements	1 folder	1990-1995
12	Back to Basics short story writing	1 file	1993
12	General papers collected by Vice President Sally Clarke	1 file	1994-1995
12	FAW ACT Federal Council papers	1 file	1988-1990
12	Writers Centre papers, including correspondence and submissions including the Inquiry into the possible use of the $19 million casino premium, Sharing the vision: a preferred future for cultural development, Select committee on cultural activities	1 file	1990-1993
12	ACT Writers Centre papers	1 file	1990-1994
12	National Book Council papers	1 file	1993-1994
12	Various papers, including correspondence, newspaper clippings, and ephemera	1 file	1991-1994
12	FAW ACT Literary Competition 1994 Entries Register	1 booklet	1971-1997
12	ARTS Training ACT 1995/1996 Profile	1 booklet	1995-1996
13	Correspondence	9 files	1974-1978; 1985-1995
13	Members list and correspondence	1 file	1997
13	FAW ACT Constitution	1 file	1974-1996
14	Meeting minutes, including committees, annual general meetings and Federal Council papers; minutes book	6 folders, 1 book	1973 -1997
14	General Meeting papers		1996
14	Meeting attendance lists	1 notebook	19/04/1994-15/06/1998
14	Constitutions, registrations of corporate association and annual general meeting papers	1 folder	1978-1993
14	Logos, letterheads, forms	1 folder including 4 x 31/4" floppy disks	1995-1996
14	Accountancy papers including receipts	1 folder including 1 x 31/4 " floppy disk	1994-1998
15	Copyright	1 folder	1993-1995
15	Articles published and literary reviews	2 folder	1990-1998
15	Literary competition correspondence	1 folder	1996
15	Poetry competition correspondence	1 folder	1996
15	FAW ACT correspondence	2 folder	1994-1995
15	Correspondence	2 folder	1995-1996
16	Writer's competition	1 folder	1994
16	Literary competition	1 folder	1994-1996
16	Poetry competition	1 folder	1994-1995
16	R.F. Brissenden Literary Competition	1 folder	1996
16	FAW ACT insurance and corporate policies	1 folder	1989 - 1998
16	FAW ACT agreement with ANU Press regarding Australian Voices	1 file	1974-1978
16	Australia '75 : Anthology of Short Writings, edited by Rosemary Dobson for FAW ACT	1 file	1974-1975
16	Papers regarding Anne Edgeworth, Canberra Citizen of the Year	1 file	1994
16	Grant applications	1 file	1974-1995
16	Writers who are published (newspaper clippings)	1 folder	1971-1981
17	Marked up proof of Australia '75	1 wrapped proof	July 1974