File File 1 - Blessed city: the letters of Gwen Harwood to Thomas Riddell January to September 1943 (1990)

Identity area

Reference code

UQFL332-Series D-File 1

Title

Blessed city: the letters of Gwen Harwood to Thomas Riddell January to September 1943 (1990)

Date(s)

  • 1982-1991 (Creation)
  • 1960-1962 (Creation)

Level of description

File

Extent and medium

12 folders

Context area

Name of creator

(1931-2022)

Biographical history

Alison Hoddinott was a Senior Lecturer at the School of English, Communication and Theatre at the University of New England, Armidale. She was born and raised in Tasmania and studied under Gwen Harwood's husband, F. W. Harwood, in the English Department of the University of Tasmania, Hobart. After graduation in 1952 Hoddinott became F. W. Harwood's research assistant and shortly after met, and formed a life-long friendship with, Gwen Harwood. From 1954-1957, Hoddinott completed her PhD at Oxford University, England and in 1960 moved to Armidale after her husband, W. G. Hoddinott, was offered a permanent lectureship at the University of New England. Between 1990 and 2015, Hoddinott edited and co-edited two books of Harwood's poetry, two books of Harwoood's letters, and wrote one critical study of Harwood's work. She passed away on the 28 November 2022.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Contains typescript drafts, research notes, reviews, contracts and correspondence relating to Blessed city: The Letters of Gwen Harwood to Thomas Riddell January to September 1943 (herein referred to as Blessed city). This collection of Gwen Harwood's letters was edited by Hoddinott and published by Angus & Robertson in 1990. It was the The Age Book of the Year for 1990.

Box 3
Folder 3-4: Annotated typescript draft of Blessed city. Approximately 320 pages. Draft undated.

Folder 5: Three drafts of the introduction to Blessed city. Two are typescript drafts and the third is a photocopy of a handwritten draft. One of the typescript drafts is dated 1987.

Folder 6: Five draft outlines of Blessed city (laying out the order of the letters). Two are typescript drafts and three are handwritten. Undated.

Box 4
Folder 1: Typescript draft of Blessed city, excluding the introduction. Printed on 320 pages of continuous paper. Includes 12 loose leaves containing photocopies of letters with drawings.

Folder 2: Handwritten transcriptions of approximately 30 letters from Gwen Harwood to Thomas (Tony) Riddell dating from 1943-1959. Transcriptions undated.

Folder 3: Materials relating to Blessed city, maintained in the folder created and labelled by Hoddinott. This folder contains handwritten notes and fourteen letters. Three of the letters are from Gwen Harwood and are dated 1982-1986. There is a "Sappho card" from Gwen and F .W. (Bill) Harwood to Alison and W. G. (Bill) Hoddinott. It is undated but likely from the 1960s. There are three undated letters from Bill Harwood to Alison and Bill Hoddinott (as well as three unaddressed notes). Also included are four original letters from Thomas (Tony) Riddell to Gwen Harwood dated 1960-1962.

Folder 4: Correspondence relating to the publication of Blessed city, maintained in the folder created and labelled by Hoddinott. Nine incoming and outgoing letters between Hoddinott, Gwen Harwood and Thomas (Tony) Riddell. Dated 1986-1987.

Folder 5: Correspondence relating to the publication of Blessed city, maintained in the folder created and labelled by Hoddinott. Approximately 35 incoming and outgoing letters between Hoddinott and Angus & Robertson, University of Queensland Press and others. Dated 1985-1991.

Folder 6: Copy of the contract between Hoddinott, Gwen Harwood, Thomas (Tony) Riddell and Angus & Robertson for Blessed city. Includes letter from Angus & Robertson. Letter and contract dated April 1989.

Folder 7: Reviews of Blessed city. Dated 1990-1991.

Parcel 1
Folder 6: Materials relating to The Age Book of the Year for 1990 award ceremony and newspaper cuttings relating to Hoddinott winning the award.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright varies. Can be reproduced for personal research and study. For other uses see About copyright . Please attribute the Fryer Library.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

Language and script notes

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

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Existence and location of originals

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Notes area

Note

Box 3 Folders 3-6, Box 4 Folders 1-7, Parcel 1 Folder 6

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Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Created, KM, 8-Apr-2025.

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Physical storage

  • Box: UQFL332 Box 3
  • Box: UQFL332 Box 4
  • Parcel: UQFL332 Parcel 1