Collection UQFL656 - Jennifer Poulter Papers

Identity area

Reference code

UQFL656

Title

Jennifer Poulter Papers

Date(s)

  • 1995-2019 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

1 box.

Context area

Name of creator

(1949-)

Biographical history

Jennifer Poulter writes as J.R. Poulter and J.R. McRae. Under the first name she writes children's books, stories and verse and does some illustrative work. Under the second name she is a literary poet, artist and photographer. Jennifer also worked as a Senior Education Officer with the Queensland Studies Authority and Senior Librarian at the State Library of Queensland.

Name of creator

(1938-2019)

Biographical history

Les Murray, sometimes referred to as the 'Bush Bard', was born in Nabiac, New South Wales, on 17 October 1938. An only child, he grew up on his grandparents' farm in Bunyah, a rural district to which he would later return to permanently settle with his own family in 1985. Murray decided to become a poet at 18. Educated at Taree High School, he matriculated to the University of Sydney in 1957. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and received an Honorary Doctorate of Letters in 2001. Murray's first publication in 1965, a collection of poems of which he was co-author, launched his career. He went on to publish over thirty volumes of poetry and two verse novels, and edited several collections of poetry and prose. Murray received numerous literary awards and prizes, including The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry in 1984 and 1993, the T.S. Eliot Prize in 1996 and the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry in 1998. Murray died aged 80 in 2019 in Taree.

Name of creator

(1965-)

Biographical history

Freelance Swedish illustrator and graphic artist living in Sigtuna near Stockholm. His ink and watercolour illustrations have appeared in children's books and computer games.

Name of creator

Biographical history

Australian freelance artist living in Tokyo, Japan. Taught English in Osaka for 15 years. Also worked as a caricature and silhouette artist at Tokyo Disney Sea for almost five years.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Jennifer Poulter.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers relating to Jennifer Poulter's poetry and prose, mostly children's literature, including her personal papers, notes, illustrations; also includes correspondence with Les Murray, and correspondence and collaborations with other children's writers, illustrators and educators.

Box 1
Folder 1
Drafts, manuscripts and publications: published and unpublished poetry and prose typescripts mostly written for children under the name J.R. Poulter; includes three copies of a typescript manuscript titled 'Write to celebrate', intended to be a book of writing advice, which contains an appendix of printout articles by Poulter and other authors (Tami Traylor, Pat Schmatz, Rollin Thomas, Maeve Binchy, Danielle Hamilton, Carmel Bird), published in WQ Magazine, the Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrators (SCBWI) Bulletin and Notebook Magazine, as well as printout illustrations by Terry Walsh, Ronald Chironna, Kathleen Cameron and Christian Bocquee used as writing prompts; includes one copy of a typescript manuscript of a children's short story called 'O'Mullins' with accompanying black and white printout illustrations by Jason Ferguson; includes what appears to be the proof copy, in full colour, of publication Moi, Elle and la Le: poodle triplets go glam!; includes two typescript manuscripts, both collections of children's poetry bound by plastic spiral binders, titled 'Your mother's worst nightmare and other dysfunctional realities' and 'Art-i-farts!', with accompanying black and white printout illustrations by Mattias Adolfsson.

Folder 2
Correspondence with Les Murray: postcards and letters, handwritten and typed, between Poulter and Les Murray from 2002 to 2013, in which Murray offers edits and advice for Poulter's drafted poems 'Death at sea'; 'More street people'; 'Changelings'; 'Limb, bough, branch, twig'; 'Night limbs'; and 'Late beach stroll'.

Folder 3
General correspondence: photocopied, typed and handwritten letters and cards sent to Poulter between 1995 and 2019; letters are from Lyn Hurry, Meredith Stephens and Pam McGann; also includes copies of illustrated cards and a handwritten note from illustrator Maria Bogade.

Folder 4
Personal papers: Poulter's literary and professional curriculum vitae, a photocopy of an article by Poulter published in Campus Review, Readers' Favorite Illustration Award 2018 certificate and a programme for the Lockyer Arts Festival 2012 for which Poulter was a guest.

Item 1
Notebook: pen and pencil notes and illustrations (some watercolour and coloured pencil), mostly related to publication Mending Lucille; some children's drawings throughout.

Item 2
'Blood and other essentials' manuscript: typescript titled 'Blood and other essentials man and woman - poetry and teacher notes for classroom, voice and performance', written under the name J.R. McRae; 253 pages held together by a plastic spiral binder; a collection of poetry accompanied by black and white digital illustrations, as well as instructions and notes for teachers.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Arranged into 4 files, according to the function of the documents, and 2 items by processing archivist. Original order retained within files.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Unrestricted access

Conditions governing reproduction

In copyright. 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

Finding aids

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Alma MMS ID

991014540374803131

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Rules and/or conventions used

Status

Level of detail

Partial

Dates of creation revision deletion

Revised, Kymberley Bax, 28-Mar-2024. Created, JH, 25-Nov-2021.

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area

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Physical storage

  • Box: UQFL656 Box 1