Swords Club scrapbooks and memorabilia, 1913-2014, compiled by Joan Beck and Janet Hopner Haswell

MLMSS 10141/Boxes 1X-5X

fonds

1913-2014

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Ephemera, Objects

9609157

2.35 metres of textual material (5 outsize boxes)

The Swords Club is the oldest, continuously operating fencing club in Australia, founded in Sydney in 1913 by Frank Stuart. Joan Beck (1918-2014) was the club's second head coach. Joan Beck developed a passion for sport from a young age and was instrumental in the development of fencing in Australia in the mid-20th century. Beck trained state and national teams and prepared participants for every Empire and Commonwealth Games from 1952 to 1972. Her pupils also represented Australia in seven consecutive Olympics Games from 1952.
References: Library correspondence file

Joan Beck compiled the scrapbooks and Janet Hasell, Beck’s student and friend, became the caretaker of them.

Large format scrapbooks in spiral bound folders, compiled and captioned by Joan Beck and Janet Haswell. The scrapbooks include typescript articles, manuscript notes, photocopied and printed journal articles from The Swords Club's 'Cloak & Dagger' and 'On Guard', newspaper clippings, printed ephemera, affixed realia and photographs relating to Joan Beck, The Swords Club, and fencing in Australia.

BOX 1X
The Swords Club scrapbook 1913 to 1963

BOX 2X
The Swords Club scrapbook 1964 to 1987

BOX 3X
The Swords Club scrapbook 1988 to 1997
The Swords Club scrapbook 1998 to 2013

BOX 4X
Scrapbook entitled, 'A Condensed History of the Swords Club, 1913-2014', compiled by Janet Hopner Haswell, 2015. The format of this scrapbook resembles an unpublished book that traces the Club's history chronologically. It contains extensive researched biographies of Swords Club members, original photographs captioned by Haswell, newspaper cuttings and obituaries, journal articles, a manuscript autobiography by Joan Beck, material related to Australian Fencing teams at Empire, Commonwealth and Olympic Games, excerpts from 'Cloak & Dagger' journal of the Swords Club. The content appears to be derived from The Swords Club scrapbooks, 1913 to 2013, compiled by Joan Beck. It concludes with The Sydney Morning Herald obituary of Joan Beck, Thursday, March 6, 2014.

BOX 5X
Scrapbook entitled, 'The Swords Club in New Zealand', containing typescript account by Joan Beck, travel ephemera and photographs related to The Swords Club trips to New Zealand in May 1961, and May 1965.
Scrapbook entitled, 'Gala Programmes', containing printed ephemera and photographs related to Swords Club Gala Nights, ca. 1954-ca. 1964.

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
Out of copyright: Applies to photographs created before 1955
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales