Herb and Mollie Godbehear - letters received from Hal Porter, 1963-1981

MLMSS 5876/Box 1X

fonds

1963-1981

71228

0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)
Textual Records - (manuscript)

Hal Porter (1911-1984) was born in Melbourne. He grew up in Bairnsdale in Gippsland where his family moved when he was six. During his life he had numerous occupations including teacher, librarian, actor, cook and hospital orderly. He became a full time writer in 1961. He was versatile and prolific, producing three novels, four plays, three collections of poetry, seven collections of short stories and three volumes of autobiography of which the first volume, The watcher on the cast-iron balcony, is the work by which he is best known. He also wrote a book on Japan and a history of Bairnsdale as well as many magazine articles. He won most of the major literary awards in Australia and in 1982 was made A.M.
Porter had taught at school with Herb Godbehear and they remained close friends.

This collection comprises 57 letters and cards written by Porter to his friends Herb and Mollie Godbehear of Ballarat. Most of the letters were written from "Glen Avon", Garvoc near Warnambool where Porter lived for many years with his sister and her husband. They cover his most prolific writing period and the subject matter ranges from personal and lifestyle issues to serious literary commentary.

Chronological

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