George Farwell annotated manuscript of his autobiography Rejoice in Freedom, correspondence, ephemera and photographs, 21 April 1936-14 January 1977

MLMSS 10165

fonds

21 April 1936-14 January 1977

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Ephemera

9613545

0.27 metres of textual material, includes photographs

George Farwell (1911-1976) was a journalist, travel writer, editor and author of short fiction, memoir and drama. He was born in England and spent eighteen months in Tahiti as a young man, which initiated his love of travel and adventure. In 1935 he arrived in Sydney, taking casual jobs as a deck hand and labourer, along with acting and writing adventure stories. He soon became a freelance writer, travelling for long periods to the Australian outback, South-East Asia, the Pacific Islands, America and Europe, writing books and articles with each trip. He published 22 books including Land of Mirage, Mask of Asia, biographies of Charles Sturt and E. D. S. Ogilvie, and his autobiography Rejoice in Freedom which was published in 1976. Farwell also wrote for magazines, newspapers, radio and ABC documentary features. He edited Australian New Writing (1943-46), Australasian Books News and Library Journal (1946-48), and other journals and magazines.

In 1938, Farwell married Grace Patricia Minty, a secretary, and they went on to have two children before separating in 1953 and divorcing in 1958. The same year he married journalist Noni Grace Irene (née Rowland) and remained together until Farwell died from an aneurysm on 6 August 1976 at his home in Kingswood, Adelaide.

References:
Library correspondence file
Australian Dictionary of Biography, http://adb.anu.edu.au (accessed 9 November 2018)

Donor is the son of George Farwell

1. Bound manuscript of George Farwell's autobiography Rejoice for Freedom, with comments and edits by the author and editor, ca. 1976; also includes an insert of some design pages with accompanying letter from Veronica James to the editor, Shirley Young, regarding the return of the manuscript to George Farwell's widow Noni, 14 January 1977
2. George Farwell's eulogy, by Maurice Isaacs, August 1976
3. Typed letter from George Farwell to his son Miles, 30 January 1973
4. Typed letter from George Farwell to his son Miles, ca. 1958-1973
5. A photocopied playbill from Phoenix Theatre for the J. B. Priestly comedy, The Roundabout, listing George Farwell in the role of Comrade Staggles, 17 February 1941
6. Three black & white photographs of George Farwell, his first wife Patricia (née Minty) and Clem Kennedy performing the play Peacocks in Paradise, written by George Farwell, ca. 1940
7. George Farwell's Certificate of Discharge: for a seaman discharged before a superintendent or a consular officer, rank or rating of deck hand, 21 April 1936

Copyright restrictions may apply: This collection has multiple rights owners
Out of copyright: Applies to photographs created before 1955
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Photographs are inscribed with name of performers and play on verso