Hedley Ralph Marston and Shirley Hope Allen

Papers (principally) relating to H.R. Marston 1932-72

Access to Manuscript Collections

MSS 0080

Hedley Marston (born at Bordertown on 26 August 1900) initially studied chemistry at the University of Adelaide but transferred to biochemistry under the influence of Professor T. Brailsford Roberston.  He was a demonstrator in Biochemistry and closely associated with Robertson in the department from 1919, and joined the Division of Animal Nutrition under Robertson soon after it was established in 1927.  He was acting Chief of the Division on a number of occasions under Robertson and his successor (Sir) Charles Martin and in 1945 was appointed Chief of the re-formed and expanded Division of Biochemistry and General Nutrition, developing it into a major center for research on the physiology, biochemistry and nutrition of ruminants.  His own major research was in the fields of ruminant energy metabolism and thermodynamics of food utilization.

Marston was elected Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (1938) and the Royal Society of London (1949) and was one of the founders and a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (and its initial Treasurer).  He was admitted to the degree of D.Sc honoris causa by the Australian University in 1957 and the same degree at the University of Adelaide in 1959.  He died on 25 August 1965 after some years of ill-health.

Shirley Allen was a science student at the University of Adelaide and joined the staff of C.S.I.R.O. shortly before her graduation (B.Sc. 1943).  She worked closely with Marston (who was her first cousin as well as a colleague) and after his early death concentrated on preparing his experimental data on the effects of Vitamin B12 and cobalt deficiency for publication.

These papers were presented to the University by Miss Allen in December 2002.  At the same time she made a gift to the University of nine works of art and a collection of books on science and art, most of which had been acquired by Hedley Marston and bequeathed to her.  The art works (five paintings by Arthur Murch (1902-89), two by Frances Dodd, one by Robert Campbell, and an etching by Elioth Grüner) are now part of the University Works of Art collection, and some of the books have been added to the Library's collections, while others were given to the library of the Art Gallery (a list is available). Additional extensive papers of Marston are held by the Basser Library of the Australian Academy of Science - online listing at http://www.science.org.au/academy/basser/lists/ms048.txt
 

Papers of Hedley Marston

Correspondence
see also Marston's letters to Allen, Series 15

1.  Correspondence with (mainly letters from) his wife Kathleen Nellie (Nella).
1958, 1960.  1 cm.

2.  Letters to Marston from A.C.D. (David) Rivett. 1932-33, 1941-57.  3 cm
[photocopies.  Includes group of letters June-August 1944 re naming of the Division, and typescript schedule of correspondence between ACDR and Marston 1941-58]

3.  Correspondence with W.S. Robinson, John Lee Pratt and others re assistance for and subsequent financial position of the recently established Australian Academy of Science. 1954-55.  2 cm.
[file includes negatives of plans of the Academy building, Marston's toast to 'Our Guests' at the meeting of the Academy building funding appeal (undated) and a  long letter from Marston to W.S. Robinson re Charles Rasp and notes on Archibald Watson at Göttingen]
see also Miscellaneous correspondence, 1955 letters.

4.  Official correspondence re overseas visits. 1948, 1950, 1953 and 1964. 2 cm.
[includes official letter of introduction from Prime Minister Chifley, with signature and seal]

5.  Letters to F.W.C. (Sir Frederick) White, C.S.I.R.O. Chairman.  1960 and 1963.

6.  Miscellaneous (non-official) correspondence.  1948-64. 1 cm.
[includes letter from Mark Oliphant 1949, personal letters to and from John Lee Pratt and W.S. Robinson 1955, and  report of the Radcliffe Infirmary on their investigations and treatment of Marston 1964]

7.  Christmas cards received c1951-60 (most 1958-59).  4 cm.
 

Papers, talks, broadcasts etc.

8.  Biographical notes, honours and lists of papers and addresses. 1958-65. 2 cm.
[File includes programmes of conferring of D.Sc by A.N.U 1957 and University of Adelaide 1959 (with Marston's address on that occasion and newspaper articles), citation as Mueller Medallist 1958, obituary notice 1965]

9.  Papers and notes re the Nutrition Laboratory/Division of Biochemistry and General Nutrition and its research. 1944 - 1965.  3 cm.

10.  Unpublished papers 1931 - 63.  5 cm.
[Including (in addition to papers on his research) more general talks to the Medical Sciences Club 1931 and 1944, memoir of T.B. Robertson 1932, radio broadcast c1945 on 'The immediate and future prospects of wool', notes prepared on return from England 1949 [on institutions visited], and a paper on The Royal Society and its Presidents 1963]

11.  'Comments on a paper by H.R. Marston discussing the take-up of radioiodine into the thyroids of grazing animals subsequent to atomic weapons tests' by L.J. Dwyer, J.H. Martin and E.W. Titterton, and Marston's 'Radioactive iodine in the thyroids of grazing animals…', with related correspondence, newspaper articles and sample 'radioactive catch' in a cigarette tin. 1958-59. 3 cm.

12.  Memoir and bibliography of David Rivett, with a list of (potential?) subscribers to the Rivett Memorial Appeal and photographs taken at Appeal launch? [guests include Sir Howard Florey and Professor Kerr Grant] and Marston's remarks at the first David Rivett Memorial lecture and reprint of Sir Howard Florey's lecture on that occasion]. 1961-63. 2 cm.

13. Memoirs [prepared posthumously from Marston's notes] of W.S. Robinson and Essengton Lewis. 1966.  1 cm.
[Essington Lewis file includes newspaper articles re William Dargie's portrait, 1953]

14.  Photographs of Hedley Marston.  1937 - c1961.  4 cm.
[mostly publicity and passport shots, but one with Howard Florey; also photograph and negatives of Sir Charles Martin and negatives of painting of Marston by Max Meldrum and of drawing and cast plaster head of Marston by Arthur Murch]
 

Papers of Shirley Allen

15.  Letters from Hedley Marston. 1939, 1946-64. 4 cm.

16.  Correspondence with A.C.D. (Sir David) Rivett. 1944-58. 1 cm.
[Includes copies of Rivett's paper 'An hour of stock-taking' given at conference of the Australian Association of Scientific Workers, Adelaide 13 May 1944.  Later correspondence is principally re Marston's progress in hospital]

17.  Correspondence with J.A.Bonnin (Director, IMVS) 1955, 1966-70.  2 cm.
[Information on blood samples for vitamin B12 deficiency work and anaemia cobalt deficiency]

18.  Correspondence with (Sir) Mark and Rose Oliphant. 1965-72.  4 cm.
[principally re memoir of Marston and deposit of his papers, the writing up of Martson's data and Marston's memoir of David Rivett]

19.  Correspondence with E. Lester Smith re publication of Marston's experimental data. 1967-70.  2 cm.
[From 1968 Allen's official responsibility was to prepare mss from the experimental data left by Marston.  Smith provided assistance, especially in the field of vitamin B12 deficiency]

20.  Correspondence with Glaxo [firm] 1967, 1971-72.  1 cm.
[Purity and supply of Hydroxocobalamin, and arrangements for delivery of a painting to E. Lester Smith as thanks for assistance in preparation of Marston's work]

21.  Miscellaneous correspondence. 1957 - 1994 and undated.  13 items.
[Includes two letters from Christine Rivett 1957-58, exchange with Sir Keith Hancock re the Leonardo Club 1968, letters from Bill Guy of the Advertiser 1977, letter from Ria Murch 1970 re selection of a painting [for gift to E. Lester Smith? - see Series 20] and drafts of letters by Allen 1992 and 1994]

22.  Catalogue of an exhibition of work by Arthur Murch at the Toorak Art Gallery, September 1968 (photocopy).