Merewether family original and collected music with associated papers, 1905-1974

MLMSS 8482/Box 1X

fonds

1905-1974

Manuscript Notated Music, Notated Music, Textual Records, Ephemera, Clippings

971105

0.47 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)

Elsie Hope Docker (nee Wallace) was the eldest daughter of Robert Barclay Wallace and Eliza Allen Bowden of Newcastle. Elsie was very gifted, and composed and sang her own songs. In 1902, she married Thomas Lawrence Docker of Armidale. They had a son and daughter, Hope. Elsie died in 1921.

Hope Merewether (nee Docker) married Edward Robert Merewether. Their sons were John and Richard. Hope died in 1990 at the age of 87.

Richard Merewether (1925-1985) was educated at Shore and the Sydney Conservatorium. He was a member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra as a horn player. In 1950, at the age of 24, he went to England. He started designing horns for his own use and had them made in Germany. In 1959, he became associated with Paxman, a British manufacturer of horns. In 1971-72, partial blindness and repeated surgery brought his playing career to an end. He then devoted himself to Paxman and their products, developing a range of over 50 models. Merewether wrote the book 'The horn, the horn...', published in 1978.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection

1. Manuscript and printed music by Elsie Hope Docker, including the Armidale School Song (1911), Polo Song, Coonanbara, To a baby, Vivien's song, and The call of love (published 1912).

2. Manuscript music by Hope Merewether, together with a letter from Frank Hutchens (undated) and also Peter Dawson (1931).

3. Manuscript music by Richard Merewether, including an overture for a school play with covering letter to Malcolm Sargent, an opera composed in 1940 to a libretto by school friend Barry Marshall. Letter from Barry Marshall, 10 pages (1940).

4. Manuscript music collected (mainly transcribed), including 3 original songs by Martin Long.

5. Printed music collected, including several songs by Agnes Mary Lang, friend of Elsie Hope Docker (3 inscribed by the composer), published 1905-1920. Also music by Michael Head, (inscribed by the composer 1951), Franz Holford (inscribed by the composer 1958), and H.S. Moss (inscribed by the composer).

6. Printed material collected, 1928-1974, including 6 concert programs and the book 'Baby Ballads' (1927) by Edyth Bavin (no.16 of limited edition).

Copyright status:: In copyright
Copyright holder:: 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
Rights and Restrictions Information:: No publication without prior written approval of copyright holder
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder