Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1923-1992 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent and medium
14 boxes, 1 parcel
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Martin Nelson Haley was born on 7 July 1905 in New Farm, Brisbane. His parents, Nelson Nathan Haley and Mary Josephine (née Kiely), moved Martin and his two younger siblings to Nambour in 1907. Educated at the local primary school, he subsequently entered St Joseph’s College, Nudgee, in 1918 on a state scholarship. Initially working in banking, he turned to education in 1925 and began his long career as a schoolteacher, teaching at various institutions in Queensland until his retirement in 1970. In 1933, he began contributing to The Catholic leader and other religious publications. He came to be regarded as one of Queensland’s most distinguished poets, though he never gained widespread mainstream recognition. Haley was also a prolific writer of historical articles. He was involved with the Catholic Poetry Society of Queensland (founded by Paul Grano), the Catholic Readers’ and Writers’ society, and the Catholic Writers’ Movement. He published numerous books of verse and translations, and served as editor of Vista in his later years. Survived by his wife and three daughters, Haley died on 18 October 1980 in Paddington, Brisbane.
Repository
Archival history
Collection previously titled as: Papers, 1927-1976
Collection alternatively titled as: Martin Haley Collection.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Correspondence from friends and fellow writers, editors and critics; mainly concerned with literary interests and personal news. The earliest letter is dated 29 Sep 1923 and the latest 6 Jan 1980. The bulk of the letters were written in the 1950's and 1960's. In all there are over 1700 items. Periodicals to which reference is made include: The Advocate; The Catholic Leader; The Catholic Weekly; Contact; Crosscurrents; Expression; Makar; Meanjin Papers; Poetry Australia; Poetry Magazine; 20th Century; Vista. Associations: Catholic Writers' and Readers' Association; Catholic Poetry Society; Poetry Society of Australia.
Included in the correspondents are: Thea Astley; Vincent Buckley; Emily Bulcock; Edna Carroll; C.B. Christesen; Delia Craig Antoine Denat; James Devaney (163) Margaret Diesendorf; Tom Dimes; Rosemary Dobson, R.D. Fitzgerald (48); Maureen Freer, John Gartner; Dame Mary Gilmore; Paul Grano; A.D. Hope (42); R.G. Howarth (47); Rex Ingamells (13); Kevin Kelly; Pat Lawler (55); David Little; David Locher; Llewelyn Lucas (22); Frederick Macartney (51); James McAuley (32); Ian Mudie; Walter Murdoch; Frank Murphy (243); J. Jarvis Nye; Grace Perry; Margaret (June) Saunders (20); Henry Schoenheimer; Thomas Shapcott; Walter Stone; Imogen Whyse (29). This list does not include correspondents with only one or two letters, or purely personal correspondence.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access, except access to items 1079-1088: Letters (10) from Andre Marling is Restricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright applies.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Material from this collection has been cited in:
McLaren, J. D. (1996). Writing in hope and fear : literature as politics in postwar Australia. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Sheridan, Susan (2011). Nine lives: postwar women writers making their mark. St Lucia, Qld: UQP.
Notes area
Note
Warning: some material in this collection contains content that may offend.
Alternative identifier(s)
Alma MMS ID
Millennium Local System Number
OCLC Number
Libraries Australia ID
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Haley, Martin (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Revised
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Revised, AM, 25-Jul-2022.
Revised, AM, 01-Jun-2020.
Migrated from LMS: April 2019, P.A.