William Gordon annotated scrapbook on Dorothy Gordon Jenner

MLMSS 11969/Box 1X

fonds

1883-1889, 1931-1933

Textual Records, Clippings, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Ephemera

9675725

0.35 metres of textual material (1 outsize box) - manuscript, typescript

Provenance unknown. Vendor notes that previous owner had the volume for some time, that it had probably come from a house clearance and that there were no other volumes located with it.

This collection contains one cloth bound volume with a paper label on the front inscribed in ink, 'Dorothy Gordon Jenner, Volume 2, Scrap Book’.

The volume consists of a personal scrapbook that offers an insight into Dorothy Jenner’s life, interests and opinions whilst working in London as a society columnist during the years 1931-1933. The beginning of the volume has an alphabetical index listing names of people, places or subjects. The bulk of the volume consists mainly of news cuttings, correspondence, ephemera and photographs. Most pages contain annotations. Many of the news cuttings are of articles written by Dorothy Jenner under the pen name 'Andrea' documenting gossip, fashion, theatre and night life. The enclosed letters are from international celebrities and prominent members of British society including activists, actors, artists and journalists of the time. Correspondents include Mary Hinton, Joan Richmond, Admiral Sir Guy Gaunt, William Austin, Linton Wells, Maurice Lambert, Nancy Cunard, Vera Hamilton. Ephemera includes booklets, programs from events, invitations, postcards, orders of service for weddings, etc. The scrapbook also contains original photographs, including old family photographs dated 1883-1889.

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

The front page is inscribed, 'It must be distinctly understood all of my opinions expressed on people, events and other cuttings are all purely personal. I may be wrong. Most of them are however founded on fact and personal knowledge. W. A. Gordon.' Further inscribed, 'Anzac Day, April 25, 1932, Sydney. Commenced 2nd volume of a labor of love. Completed Dec:31:33:, Dorothy H. F. Gordon Jenner, from her loving Dad.'

The inscription at the end of the volume reads, 'My labor of love ended in this 2nd volume on Dec:31:33 ... I can only hope, darling, that in perusing it you will obtain the same pleasure and pride out of it as I did when filling it with your articles and cuttings. Many many Happy New Years. Your loving Dad.'

Annotations throughout the volume are in first-person and appear to be written by Dorothy Jenner from her point of view. However, the vendor raised the question that they may have been written by her father, William Alexander Gordon, as indicated by the inscriptions at the beginning and end of album. The handwriting from his inscriptions is described as being almost identical to that of the annotations and does not appear to resemble Dorothy Jenner's hand in other collections held by the Library.