Mackerras family correspondence and papers, ca. 1819-1984

MLMSS 8390

fonds

ca. 1819-1984

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera

395465

0.18 metres of textual material (1 box)

Author Catherine Mackerras (1899-1977) was born Catherine Brearcliffe Maclaurin, daughter of Dr Charles MacLaurin (1872-1925), a Sydney surgeon and author of books on medical history. Her grandfather was Henry Normand MacLaurin (1835-1914), physician, company director and university administrator who married Dr Charles Nathan’s daughter Eliza Ann in 1871.

In 1924, Catherine married Alan Patrick Mackerras in 1924. She had seven children; Charles musical director of the English National Opera, Alastair headmaster of Sydney Grammar School and author of books on education, Neil lawyer and champion of Aboriginal rights and author of a book on landlords and tenants, Joan musician now Mrs Graham Edison Hall, Elizabeth first Australian ballet dancer to dance with Swiss State Theatre Company, Colin professor of Modern Asian Studies and Malcolm political analyst.

Catherine was the author of the Hebrew Methodist, a biography of her great-great grandfather Isaac Nathan, the first professional musician in Sydney, and of an unfinished work on her grandfather, Sir Norman MacLaurin, a former Chancellor of the University of Sydney and a member of the NSW Upper House.

References:
Compiled from the collection
Australian Dictionary of Biography, http://adb.anu.edu.au, viewed 5 April 2012

Printed books ‘Elvington’ and ‘Langreath: A Tale’, volumes 1-2, by Mrs Eliza Nathan, ca. 1819-1822 signed Alfred Nathan

Sir Henry Normand Maclaurin notebook containing notes of gynaecologist Dr Simpson’s lectures in Edingburgh, ca. 1856-1862

Marriage certificate of Catherine Brearcliffe Maclaurin, 1924, including copies of birth and marriage certificates, ca. 1924, 1958

Copy of register of birth of Charles MacLaurin, 1892

Letters from Catherine Mackerras to her husband Alan P Mackerras, son Alastair and family while abroad overseas, 1949-1973, includes letters of Alistair Mackerras from his mother 1949-1954

Postcards from Catherine Mackerras to Alan Mackerras, ca. 1967-1968

Letters from Alan M Mackerras to his son Alastair, daughter Joan Mackerras (Mrs G.E. Hall), wife Catherine and family, 1954-1972

Letter from Dr Ian Mackerras, elder brother of Alan P Mackerras, to Alastair and Sue, 1971, thanking them for attending his wife Josephine’s funeral memorial service

Letters from Muriel K. Doherty to Catherine Mackerras, 1975

Letter from Nancy Phelan, first cousin of Alan Mackerras, to Alistair Mackerras, enclosing a draft obituary for Catherine Mackerras, 1977

Newcuttings of obituary on Catherine Mackerras published in the Sydney Morning Herald, and death notice in the Times, 8 February 1977

Letter from Nancy Phelan to Joan Mackerras (Mrs G.E. Hall), 1984

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2011-2012