David Henry Drummond - Letters from Dame Mary Gilmore, 1934-1958

MLMSS 5881

fonds

1934 - 1958

71480

1 folder - 0.02 Meters
Textual Records
Textual Records - (typescript)

David Henry Drummond (1890-1965) was born on 11 February 1890 at Lewisham, Sydney. He was educated at public schools and at Scots College 1901-1902. He married Pearl Hilda Victoria Goode on 11 March 1913. He was the member of the Legislative Assembly for Northern Tablelands 1920-1927, and for Armidale 1927-1949, serving as Minister for Education 1927-1930 and 1932-1941. He resigned his parliamentary seat in 1949 and won the Federal seat of New England, which he held until his retirement in 1963. Drummond's wife was killed in a car accident in 1958, and he married Amy Laing on 21 December 1959. He died at Armidale on 13 June 1965.

Eleven letters from Dame Mary Gilmore to David Drummond, many written during World War Two. The letters provide a background for Gilmore's publication Old Days: Old Ways, discuss her Battle Cry (written during the war and set to music by Dr. Bainton), and her appointment D.B.E. in 1937. They also include details concerning the publication of Wooden Hookers by C.B. Maxwell, and information about Henry Lawson's family background. Two of the letters relate directly to letters from David Drummond to Mary Gilmore, held in ML MSS 123.