Sulman family papers and pictorial material, ca. 1870-1957

MLMSS 9218
PXA 1952/Boxes 1-3
PXE 1605/Boxes 1-5
ON 567

fonds

ca. 1870-1957

Textual Records, Architectural and Technical Drawings, Graphic Materials, Design Drawings, Photographs, Drawings, Clippings, Ephemera

874418

0.45 metres of textual material (3 boxes)
2 albums of lithographs
11 photograph albums
3 boxes of loose photographs
2 sketch books & 1 folder of sketches
5 albums of negatives (film)

Sir John Sulman, architect and town planner, was born in England in 1849, third son of John Sulman and his wife Martha. He was educated at Greenwich Proprietary School and in 1863 passed the Oxford junior examination. After traveling through England and Europe Sulman began practising as an architect in London. In 1875 he married to Sarah Clark Redgate (d.1888), by whom he had three children, Arthur, Florence and Edith. In 1884 he sold his practice, which had produced over seventy churches and other buildings, and left with his family for Australia, reaching Sydney in 1885. From 1889 to 1908 Sulman practiced with Joseph Porter Power. His commissions included The Armidale School, Sydney University Women's College, Sydney Stock Exchange, the Thomas Walker Convalescent Hospital at Concord and a number of suburban churches. In 1893 he married Annie Elizabeth Masefield by whom he had four children, Geoffrey, Joan, Thomas and Jack. In 1907 the Daily Telegraph published his series of articles on the need for a town plan for Sydney and on eleven occasions he gave evidence before the royal commission for the improvement of the city of Sydney and its suburbs. In 1908 he retired from active practice but continued his interest in town-planning. He died in 1934.

Reference:
Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 12, 1990.

PAPERS
MLMSS 9218/BOX 1
Sir John Sulman - ‘Summary of the Subjects Created of the Class of Construction and Practice of the Architectural Association During the Session,1869-1870’. Contains essays re specifications, excavation and bricklaying, various trades, construction details and ventilation etc. with 38 original drawings.

Sir John Sulman - Legal papers re the estate of John Sulman senior, 1917-1930 and the estate of Edith Sulman, 1930-1931.

Sir John Sulman - Two albums of newscuttings compiled by John and Arthur Sulman, ca. 1880s-1919.

MLMSS 9218/BOX 2
Annie Sulman - Diaries re travels through Switzerland, Germany, Rome and London, 1882, 1891-1893

Annie Sulman - Letters from her grandson Leslie, 1937-1940

Arthur Sulman – Letters from his father, Sir John Sulman, 1892-1910.

Arthur Sulman – Letters from his mother, Annie, Lady Sulman, undated.

Arthur Sulman – Letters from his grandparents, John and Martha Sulman, 1890-1904.

Arthur Sulman – Letters from relatives and friends in the UK, 1894-1924, undated

Arthur Sulman – Letters from his sister Edith, 1893-1906.

Arthur Sulman – Letters from his sister Florence, 1894-1910, undated.

MLMSS 9218/BOX 3
Arthur Sulman – Letters received, 1887-1968. Correspondents include J. Basil St Vincent-Welch.

Arthur and Ann Sulman – Letters from their son Leslie, 1935-1941.

Arthur and Ann Sulman – Letters from their son Leslie on active service in Malaya, 1941.

Arthur and Ann Sulman – Letters received re the disappearance and loss of their son Leslie, 1941-1945.

Florence Sulman - Letters received, 1929-1957.

Sulman family - Memorabilia mainly belonging to Florence and Arthur Sulman, 1874-1950. Includes The Society of Arts and Crafts brochures; letterheads; business cards; list of addresses in America and England; list of jewellery apportioned by Sir John Sulman to his daughters; a private account book which also includes a list of books read; and newscuttings.


PICTORIAL MATERIAL
PXE 1605/BOX 1
Sir John Sulman - Sketchbook containing pencil drawings of building details seen while on tours in Europe, 1882-1897.

Sir John Sulman - Sketchbook containing annotated drawings in pen & ink and pencil mainly of English churches and houses, 1883.

Sir John Sulman - Album titled ‘Lithographs of Executed Designs for Congregational and other Churches by John Sulman Architect’.

Sir John Sulman - Album of lithographs of churches in England. Includes a design for a cathedral in Ballarat.

PXE 1605/BOX 2
Sir John Sulman - Folder containing small pen & ink sketches of classical orders; pencil drawing of Goulburn Cathedral, plan and elevation dated 15 Feb 86; pencil drawing of a Wesleyan Church Goulburn and possibly a Town Hall, dated 15 Feb. 86; pen & ink drawing of Congregational Church, George Street, Croydon; watercolour sketches of small boat ‘at Greenwich Ap. 24. 95’, coastal scenes and farm equipment; lithographs mainly of English churches. Also includes typed letter seeking commissions in Australia, 1886 and newscuttings



PXE 1605/BOX 3
Sulman family - Album of photographs of scenes of bush life in Australia, ca. 1910.

Sulman family - Album of photographs of the Sulman family home, 129 Hainault Rd, Leytonstone, 1930s.

Sulman family - Three albums of photographs re Leslie Sulman and Australian military life in the 1940s.

Sulman family - Album of photographs mainly of military training and bush life in Australia, 1940s-50s.

Sulman family - Two albums of photographs of India, England and bush life in Australia.

PXE 1605/BOX 4
Sulman family - Two albums of photographs and postcards of Europe compiled by Annie Sulman (nee Masefield).

PXE 1605/BOX 5
Sulman family - Collection of photographs of family members including studio portraits of Sir John Sulman.

PXA 1952/BOX 1
Sulman family - Album of family photographs including Geoffrey Sulman, Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps who was killed in 1917, 1890-1917.

PXA 1952/BOX 2
Sulman family - Collection of photographs family life involving, motor cars, motorcycles, country and overseas trips and homes.

PXA 1952/BOX 3
Sulman family - Collection of photographs of family members

ON 567
Sulman family - Five albums of film negatives of European and Australian scenes.

Access via appointment - Applies to ON 567

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners - (refers to manuscripts)
Copyright status:: In copyright - life of creator plus 70 yeas (refers to drawings)
Copyright restrictions may apply: photographs created before 1955 are out of copyright; photographs created after 1955 are in copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright owner

Updated as part of the Unprocessed Manuscripts eRecords Project 2013-2014

Many photographs are identified on reverse.