Elizabeth Mary Steer - papers, 1926-1987, concerning Herbert Beecroft, including the correspondence of the Reverend Gordon Powell, 1986-1987, together with the papers of Herbert Beecroft, ca. 1881-1950

MLMSS 6373

fonds

ca. 1881-1987

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Photographs, Drawings, Posters

152434

3 boxes and 1 outsize item - 1.03 Meters
Textual Records
Textual Records - (typescript)
Clippings
Textual Records - (printed)
Photographs - carte-de-visite, b&w and silver gelatin photoprints, col. photoprints and photonegatives
Drawings - pen & ink, pencil
Posters

Herbert Beecroft (1864-1951), painter, and his wife Dulcie Julia (1865-1944) came to Australia from England in 1905. They settled in Wollahra, N.S.W., where he became an elder in the Presbyterian Church of Saint Columba. Between 1905 and 1920 he painted portraits of Aborigines at La Perouse, N.S.W.. From 1927 he painted a series of portraits of Jesus Christ, prints of which attracted worldwide sales. Elizabeth Mary Steer was a co-executor of Herbert Beecroft's estate and tireless promoter of his religious paintings. In 1986 she assigned copyright in his paintings to the Reverend Gordon Powell.

I. ELIZABETH MARY STEER

195--1987; Correspondence mainly with the Reverend Gordon Powell and Randwick Historical Society (N.S.W.), including enclosure: Little black fingers by Florence Rutter. London: Ledwith & Banfield, 1951?; together with the correspondence of the Reverend Gordon Powell, 1986-1987 (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1961-1981; Correspondence mainly with British and Foreign Bible Society, Frost & Reed, National Christian Education Council (Redhill, Surrey) and Venture Prints (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1951-1979; Notebook (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1945-1987; Newscuttings (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1950-1966; Miscellaneous papers, including notes (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1926-1986; Printed material, including postcards and reprints featuring Herbert Beecroft's paintings of Jesus Christ, and a copy of The picture in the porch of the Pitt Street Congregational Church, Sydney, painted by Herbert Beecroft, after Axel Ender, described by Rev. T. E. Ruth (1926) (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1961; Printed book, being The homelovers book of fine prints: colour facsimiles and mezzotint engravings for home decoration. 29th ed. Bristol: Frost & Reed, 1961 (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1966; Col. photoprints and photonegatives of Elizabeth Mary Steer and Beecroft's paintings of Jesus Christ (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/1)
1939-1986; Photoprints and reprints of Beecroft's paintings of Jesus Christ, with photocopied articles (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/2X)

II. HERBERT BEECROFT

1895-1950; Papers, including letters received from, among others, Rev. Charles Beecroft and Arthur Newbery, notes and poster advertising his sketching lecture at Tilehurst, England, on 5 Dec. 1895 (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/3)
ca. 1881-1937; Photoprints mainly of Herbert Beecroft and Dulcie Julia Beecroft, and drawings including pencil self-portrait, Dec. 1914 (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/3)
1898-1948, 1987; Notebook, with MS. annotations by the Reverend Gordon Powell, 1987 (Call No.: MLMSS 6373/3)
1882-1946; Printed books, with some inscriptions and annotations, including The Christ face in art by James Burns. London: Duckworth & Co., 1910; The homelovers book: etchings, engravings and colour prints for home decoration. 25th ed. Bristol: Frost & Reed, 1946; The face of Christ: earliest likenesses from the Catacombs by C. C. Dodson. London: The Centenary Press, 1933; The larger Christ by George D. Herron. Edinburgh: Oliphant Anderson & Ferrier, 1893; and The disciples by Harriet Eleanor Hamilton King. 11th ed. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, 1889
(Call No.: MLMSS 6373/4)