P. L. Travers papers, ca. 1899-1988

MLMSS 5341

fonds

ca. 1899-1988

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Clippings, Photographs, Objects, Drawings

413055

Microfilm : Letters, 1925-1935, received from George William Russell, pseud. 'A.E.').
Microfilm : Papers relating to George William Russell).
Microfilm : General correspondence received, 1945-1988, including letters from T.S. Eliot and Vanessa Redgrave).
Microfilm : 'Mary Poppins' film scripts and related material, 1959-1966).
Microfilm : CY 4940, frames 1 - 255 (MLMSS 5341/14, Items 1 - 6: Poems, 1927 - 1928, 1966 - 1967 and Plays, 1967-1968)
Microfilm : CY 4941, frames 1 - 232 (MLMSS 5341/22, Items 16-18; 21-26: Lectures, talks and interviews, 1950s-1984)
Microfilm : CY 4942, frames 1 - 411 (MLMSS 5341/23, Items 1-16: Film scripts and scenarios, 1957, 1972)
Microfilm : CY 4943, frames 1 - 232 (MLMSS 5341/26, Items 1 - 5: Miscellaneous, 1933, 1968, 1980)
Microfilm : CY 4982, frames 1-144 (MLMSS 5341/2, Items 1-4) : 'Early childhood letters', ca. 1899-1905, nd; 'Personal notes', ca. 1942-ca.1969, nd; Miscellaneous, 1924)

4.5 metres of textual material (28 boxes) - manuscript, typescript, and printed

P L Travers was born Helen Lyndon Goff in Maryborough, Queensland, on 9 August 1899. While still in her teens her poems and articles began to appear in Australian newspapers and magazines and she later wrote for both the Bulletin and Triad. She toured New South Wales with the Alan Wilkie Shakespearean Touring Company before leaving for England in 1924.

In Ireland in 1925 Travers met the poet George Russell (AE) who, as editor of The Irish Statesman, had accepted some of her poems for publication. Through Russell, Travers met W B Yeats and other Irish poets who fostered her interest in and knowledge of world mythology.

The 1934 publication of 'Mary Poppins' was Travers' first literary success. A sequel, 'Mary Poppins Comes Back', followed in 1935. The tetralogy was completed with the publication of 'Mary Poppins Opens the Door' (1944) and 'Mary Poppins in the Park' (1952). 'Mary Poppins and the House Next Door' was published in 1989. A Disney film of the Mary Poppins stories was released in 1964.


P L Travers received the OBE in 1977. She died in 1996.

Guide compiled in the Mitchell Library, 49 pages (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/1)

SERIES 1
Personal papers, ca. 1899-ca.1988

A. 'Early childhood letters', ca. 1899-1905, nd; 'Personal notes', ca. 1942-ca.1969, nd; Miscellaneous, 1924 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/2: ISSUE microfilm at CY 4982)
B. Material relating to AE (George William Russell), 1925-1982 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/3: ISSUE microfilms at CY 4678-4679)
C. Correspondence, 1945, 1950-1972, 1981-1982, 1988. Includes letters from T S Eliot, 1952; Ted Hughes, nd; Walter de la Mare, 1952; Vanessa Redgrave, 1966. Arranged chronologically (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/3: ISSUE microfilm at CY 4680)

SERIES 2
Literary papers, 1927-1987

A. Mary Poppins, 1934-1982 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
B. Mary Poppins in the Park, 1952, 196? (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
C. Mary Poppins from A to Z, 1961-1968 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
D. A Mary Poppins Story for Colouring, 1968 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
E. Mary Poppins in the Kitchen, 1973-1977 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
F. Mary Poppins in Cherry Tree Lane, 1980-1981 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
G. Mary Poppins and the House Next Door, 1986-1987 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
H. Mary Poppins in New York, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/4-7)
I. Material concerning illustrations for Mary Poppins books, ca. 1933-1966, 1980-1982. Includes correspondence with illustrator Mary Shepard, 1943-1962 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/8)
J. 'Mary Poppins' film scripts and related material, 1959-1966. Includes correspondence with Walt Disney, 1959-1966; letter received from Julie Andrews, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/9: ISSUE microfilm at CY 3626, frames 1-1000)
K. Moscow Excursion, 1934 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/10)
L. Aunt Sass, 1941; Ah Wong, 1943; John Delaney, 1944 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/10)
M. The Fox at the Manger, 1962-1969 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/10)
N. Friend Monkey, 1968-1978 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/11-12)
O. About the Sleeping Beauty, ca. 1962-1972, and miscellaneous short stories (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/13)
P. Poems, 1927-1928, 1966-1967, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/14)
Q. Plays, 1967-1968, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/14)
R. Articles and essays, ca. 1925-1982, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/15-19)
S. Lectures, talks and interviews, 1950s-1984, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/20-22)
T. Reviews, 1947-1949, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/23)
U. Film scripts and scenarios, 1957, 1972, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/23)

SERIES 3
Articles, theses and adaptations based on the work of P L Travers, 1939, 1966, 1972-1988. Includes thesis by Steffan Bergsten, 1978 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/24)

SERIES 4
Newscuttings, ca. 1961-ca.1977 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/25)

SERIES 5
Miscellaneous, 1933, 1968, 1980, nd. Includes recollections of Ellie Morehead, 1933 (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/26-27)

SERIES 6
Printed material, 1924-1987, nd (Call No.: MLMSS 5341/28)

SERIES 7
Pictorial material, 1890s-1980. Comprises: family and personal photographs collected by P L Travers; caricature of W B Yeats and AE ( George William Russell); photographs and sketches of AE; Sean Crampton's rough sketches for a statue of Mary Poppins in Central Park, NY, 1966; The Nene Award from the Children of Hawaii, 1965; transparencies, including stills, from the film 'Mary Poppins'.

SERIES 8
P. L. Travers lectures and talks recorded during her visit to Radcliffe College, USA, in 1965-1966, and to New York in 1964 (Call No.: MLOH 62)

Copyright restrictions may apply

Guide to the papers available online at: archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_findingaid/2018/ptravers.PDF

Several of the film scripts are the property of Walt Disney Productions, Burbank California (28 March 1961, 10 April 1961)

A guide to the papers is available in the Mitchell Library Reading Room and online at http://archival-classic.sl.nsw.gov.au/_findingaid/2018/ptravers.PDF

National treasures from Australia's great libraries - Council of Australian State Libraries (1 December, 2005 - 31 December, 2006). Applies to: MLMSS 5341/9
Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection - State Library of New South Wales. Applies to: MLMSS 5341 (selection): July 2009-March 2010