Constance Robertson further papers, 1902-1964, and associated family papers, 1904-1986

MLMSS 8060

fonds

1902-1986

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Drawings, Photographs, Clippings

447048

0.30 metres of textual material and graphic material (2 boxes)

Constance Robertson (1895-1964), journalist, worked with her father A. G. Stephens on the Bookfellow, 1911-1916. In 1917 she began work on the Sun and became 'social editress' of it and the Sunday Sun. She edited Woman's Budget, 1930-1936, and then was women's editor of the Sydney Morning Herald until her retirement in 1962. She married journalist William Kinnear Robertson in 1928; her only child, Margot, was born in 1931.

References:
Compiled from the collection
AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource http://www.austlit.edu.au/ (accessed June 2, 2011)

BOX 1
‘Letters’, 1920-1966, being mainly letters received. Correspondents include Billy (William Kinnear Robertson), 1923-1928; The Sun (Syd.), 1929-1934; Donald George Stephens, 1942-1944, and photographs of him in the AIF during World War II; Vera Gladys Dwyer, 1943; Mary Edwell-Burke (Mary Edwards), 1956; Cynthia Nolan, 1956; Olive Pink, 1957; K. D. Gott (Hon. Sec. Australia-China Society (Victorian Branch), 1958; Hugh McCrae, 1925, 1934, 1953 (letters loaned to Robert FitzGerald and returned as enclosures to his letter to Margot Ludowici, 20 Aug. 1966); and including newscuttings of notices and reportage of Constance’s wedding, 1928; issue of John Fairfax Ltd Staff News, vol. 5 no. 5, Apr. 1962, featuring Robertson’s retirement; bookmark (etching) of Constance Robertson, 1931, designed by Ella Dwyer; and manuscript biographical note by Ada Cambridge [?]

Correspondence, 1913-1960, being mainly letters received from Mary Gilmore, 1913-1922, 1945-1954; Dorothea Mackellar, 1926 poems by Roderic Quinn, 1917; Ethel Curlewis, 1923; Christopher Brennan, 1922; Zora Cross, 1922-1928; Miles Franklin, 192-, 1928, 1934; Dora Moore (Dora Wilcox), 1931?; Nettie Palmer, 1934; Ernestine Hill, 1945; and Margot Ludowici, 1960; and letter from Constance to her daughter, Margot Robertson, 8 Dec. 1947

‘Mary Gilmore letters’, being letters received from Mary Gilmore, 1925-1961

‘Correspondence / Shaw Nielsen / Copyright’, 1927-1986, being correspondence of Constance Robertson and Margot Ludowici regarding the reproduction of and copyright in the poems of John Shaw Neilson owned by A. G. Stephens and the papers of A. G. Stephens, with, among others, Lothian Publishing Company, Angus & Robertson, Harry Chaplin, and the Mitchell Library

Autograph book of Constance Robertson, 1904, 1918-1923, with entries, including artistic and literary contributions, signed by, among others, Lola Gornall, J. F. Archibald, Harley Matthews, Henry E. Boote, Adela P. Walsh, David Mckee Wright, Mary E. Lloyd, Annie Besant, Dettmer Palmer, Roderic Quinn, Alys Hungerford, Julia Seton, Adelina A. Levey, Ernestine Hemmings, Sir Ross Smith, Sir Keith Smith; David Low, Mary Marlowe, Norman Carter (signed pastel portrait of Constance Robertson), DGS [Donald George Stephens ?] (pen and ink drawing), Bertram Stevens, Sydney Ancher (watercolour sketch) and Donald J. Finley

‘Her Sunny Book / Constance Stephens’,1928-1955, being an album of artistic and literary contributions, originally presented to Robertson from her newspaper colleagues on the occasion of her marriage, including drawings and photographs of her, from, among others, Arthur Mailey, Hugh R. Denison, D. W. McCay, Howard Ashton, Henry Pryce, Thomas Dunbabin, Boyce Bowden, Donald Bain, Claude G. Corbett, David Barker, Harry Wollaston, ‘Redgum’ (Jack Lockley), A. M. Fordyce Wheeler, Dorothy Wall, Frank Hurley, J. C. Bancks, Tom Heeney (boxer), Denzil Batchelor, Harry Eyre Jr and Dettmer Palmer; with colour transparency of portrait of Robertson, no date

Commonwealth of Australia joint passport of W. K. Robertson and Constance Robertson, 1928

BOX 2
Scrapbook mainly of newscuttings on writers and literary topics from The Bulletin and The Bookfellow, 1914-1919, annotated by A. G. Stephens

Copy of In Memoriam / Sumner Locke (1921) with enclosures mainly by Sumner Locke Elliott, 192- ? in envelope inscribed ‘For Sumner Locke Elliott’

Printed material, 1902-1943, including publications by or received by Constance Robertson and A. G. Stephens, some being presentation copies:
Earth Spiritual : verses (1918) by Lala Fisher, being inscribed and signed copy from the author to A. G. Stephens, 26 Aug. 1918

Commemorative Ode to the Opening of the Commonwealth Parliament by the Duke of York May 9th, 1927 by A. G. Stephens, being issue no. 4 of edition of 150 numbered copies, an inscribed copy from the author to his daughter, Constance Stephens, 22 April 1927

Oblation [1902] by A. G. Stephens and Norman Lindsay, being no. 498 of edition of 650 copies

On the Ruins of Babylon with Teiresias (1964) by Marcanthony Montes de Oca of Mexico City; recast into English by Rolf Hennequel, being no. 56 of a limited edition of 100 copies, with enclosed note from Hennequel on The Wattle Grove Press letterhead, 14 Feb. 1963

The Leafy Bliss (1921) by Robert Crawford (Bookfellowship series, no. 1), being issue no. 5 of an edition of 10 copies, an inscribed and signed uncut copy from the author to A. G. Stephens, 10 Oct. 1921, with additional manuscript verse ‘Lost Love’ by the author

Interviews (1921) by A. G. Stephens (Bookfellowship series, no. 2), being three copies including author’s copy

Issues Aussie: The Australian Soldiers’ Magazine, 1918; Bookfellow, vol. VIII no. 1, 27 Oct. 1924; Ink, no. 1, 1932, edited by Constance Robertson; Woman’s Budget, 14 Sept. 1932, and Woman, incorporating The Woman’s Budget, 14 Feb. 1935

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Research & study copies allowed: Applies only to material in which the author has been deceased for more than 50 years