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Susan Magarey and Kerrie Round
Source materials and draft of Roma the First: a Biography of Dame Roma Mitchell

MSS 0125

Biographical Note

Susan Magarey AM, FASSA, PhD, has degrees in English Literature and History from Adelaide University and the Australian National University. She was Director of the Research Centre for Women's Studies at Adelaide University where she is now Adjunct-Professor in History. She is the author of two monographs: the prize-winning biography of Catherine Helen Spence, Unbridling the Tongues of Women (1986) and Passions of the First-Wave Feminists (2001), and, with Kerrie Round, co-author of Roma the First: a Biography of Dame Roma Mitchell (Adelaide: Wakefield Press, 2007). She has published more than sixty articles and book chapters and edited eight collections of articles - including Women in a Restructuring Australia: Work & Welfare (1995) with Anne Edwards, and Debutante Nation: Feminism Contests the 1890s (1993) with Sue Rowley and Susan Sheridan - and was for twenty years the Founding Editor of the tri-annual journal, Australian Feminist Studies. She is the founder of the Magarey Medal for Biography and a member of the Board of the History Trust of South Australia. She is writing a history of the Women's Liberation Movement in Australia.

Kerrie Round received a BA (Hons) and a PhD in History from the University of Adelaide. She has lectured in Australian History and heritage at the University of Adelaide and Vanderbilt University, USA, and taught in the graduate diploma and masters program in applied historical studies in the Dept of History, University of Adelaide. She has written and edited books and articles on the history of South Australia and was managing editor of The Wakefield Companion to South Australian History. She now works as an editor and consultant historian.

These papers were donated by Susan Magarey and Kerrie Round in March 2009.

Contents Listing

Series 1. Draft typescript. 6 cm

Draft computer printout of Roma the First with annotations by Michael Bollan and extended footnotes [n.d.] 6 cm

Series 2: Interview recordings

Recordings of interviews with friends and colleagues of Roma Mitchell conducted by Kerrie Round and Susan Magarey 2002-2003. Eleven Sony minidiscs (numbered by the State Library of SA for their Oral History series). Also included are 11 copies on audio cassette of these interviews and one additional interview on audio cassette which is not included in Sony minidisc format (14 tapes). Also Sony minidisc recorder and instructions.

  • Peter Bailey 28/11/2002 (Kerrie Round)
  • Mary Bleechmore 16/12/2003 (Kerrie Round)
  • Pam Cleland 22/5/2003 (Kerrie Round and Susan Magarey)
  • Aline Fenwick 29/11/2002 (Kerrie Round)
  • Jean Gilmore 27/5/2003 (Kerrie Round)
  • Cedric Isaachsen 28/10/2002 (Kerrie Round)
  • Sam Jacobs 2/12/2003 (Kerrie Round)
  • Elliott Johnston, 20/8/2003 (Kerrie Round)
  • Len King 29/4/2003 (Kerrie Round)
  • Mike Rann 7/5/2003 (Kerrie Round)

    Other recorded interviews:
  • Peter Bailey 28/11/2002 (Kerrie Round)
  • Mitchell, R. Justice "There is nothing new about women's lib at Adelaide" 1974 (1 audio cassette)
  • Tribute to Dame Roma Mitchell. 5AN 891 6/3/2000. With Philip Satchell (1 audio cassette)
  • "Taken on oath". Parts 2, 3, 5, 7 & 9 (5 audio cassettes)
  • Norman: Genders 23/9/1998. (1 audio cassette)
  • Videocassette "Interview with Dame Roma Mitchell" (1 videocassette)
  • Interview with Mr Peter Ward 19/4/2004 (1 minidisc, 1 CD)
  • Interview with Dr Harry Medlin 21/4/2004 (1 minidisc, 1 CD)
  • Interview with Peter Bassett (1 minidisc, 1 CD)

    Television programs:
  • Australian Biography "Dame Roma Mitchell: Lawyer and Governor" (1 DVD)
  • ABC Nationwide segment "Dame Roma Mitchell" (1 videocassette)
  • Roma Mitchell - 7:30 Report 19/10/1990 (1 videocassette)
  • Dame Roma Mitchell: Installation as Governor of S.A. 1991 (1 videocassette)
  • Requiem Mass for Dame Roma Mitchell, 10/3/2000 + news items - Channels 10, 9 & 2 (1 videocassette)
  • Australian Biography II - Roma Mitchell (1 videocassette)


Series 3: Transcripts. 4 cm
Transcripts of interviews conducted by Kerrie Round 2002-2004

  • Peter Bailey 28/11/2002
  • Mary Bleechmore 16/12/2003
  • Pam Cleland 22/5/2003 (Kerry Round and Susan Magarey)
  • Aline Fenwick 29/11/2002
  • Cedric Isaachsen 28/10/2002
  • Elliott Johnston, 20/8/2003
  • Len King 29/4/2003
  • Beryl Linn 15/10/2002 (not recorded)
  • Mike Rann 7/5/2003
  • Pam Villeneuve-Smith 13/8/2002 (not recorded)
  • Peter Ward 19/4/2004

Includes working notes and some related correspondence

Series 4: Other source materials.  2 cm

  • Transcripts of interview of Mrs Lorna Williams and Mrs Adrienne McMahon by Susan Magarey for the Bray Chapter of the Alumni Association of Adelaide University 17/8/2001, with associated correspondence and copies of letters from Roma Mitchell to ‘Ruth and Hugo’ and others; and notes on the Greek Social Security fraud from the diaries of Sir Walter Crocker
  • Transcript of interview of Sister Judith Redden of St Aloysius College by Anne Bartlett 10/3/1999 for a proposed biography of Roma Mitchell
  • Photocopy of "A political biography of Peter Duncan (Attorney-General of South Aust.)" by Robert Holmes, 1977, written as a Politics II research project. Lacks page 1.
  • "The romance story in Roma the First ... " by Susan Magarey 4/2/2009 (1 page). RESTRICTED until January 31, 2019 without written authorisation from Susan Magarey.
  • Transcript of Kerrie Round's interview with Peter Ward - 19/4/2004
  • Australian Biography II: 1993 Series: transcript of a filmed interview with Dame Roma Mitchell (1 spiral bound book)

Series 5: Background research materials. 116 cm

5.1. Miscellaneous background notes. 29 cm

  • Notes taken from the Mortlock Library archives, including notes from Dame Roma Mitchell's scrapbooks
  • Background notes by Kerrie Round, miscellaneous photocopies of book chapters, parliamentary papers, newspaper clippings, and correspondence
  • Letter from Dame Roma Mitchell to the Secretary of the Law Society of SA Inc. on the appointment of County Court Judges (25/6/1964)
  • Photocopies of 6 separate interviews with Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Book excerpts, newspaper clippings, notes, correspondence and 1 unidentified photograph relating to women in professions / politics
  • Excerpt from Department of Defence: Standing orders, Australian Imperial Force, and War financial regulations (revised to 31st December, 1917, and issued by the Military Board of Administration) M.O. 1918/50
  • War Pensions Handbook: issued by the Victorian Branch, Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia: November 1936
  • Photocopy of Theatre Royal Magazine programme (Anna Pavlova)
  • Notes relating to DBE (1982) and CBE (1971)
  • Correspondence from Margaret Walters to Susan Magarey requesting that she referee an article for the journal "Labour History" (article enclosed
  • Collection of photographs, images, clippings, photocopies and ephemera: (chiefly photographs and photocopied images)
  • Dame Roma chronology
  • Latin verse about Dame Roma Mitchell by Harry Fisher, president of the English Bar
  • Obituaries for Judge C.W. Villeneuve-Smith QC
  • Newspaper clipping about C.W. Villeneuve Smiths' appointment as Queens Counsel
  • Photographs of Dame Roma Mitchell (2 photos)
  • Invitation to Pamela Cleland exhibition at the Greenhill Galleries - opened by Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Letters from Dame Roma Mitchell to Pamela Cleland (3 letters)
  • Photograph of Dame Roma Mitchell from the Advertiser (1 photo)
  • Photocopied image of Dame Roma Mitchell at the opening of a sculpture in her honour
  • Personal photographs of Dame Roma Mitchell (3 small photos)
  • Photographs of Dame Roma Mitchell at Government House, 1996 (2 large black and white photos)
  • Photograph of (law courts?)
  • Photograph of Dame Roma Mitchell being presented with flowers
  • Various newspaper clippings, book excerpts, miscellaneous notes and other correspondence
  • Photocopies of various photographs, and permission to publish forms
  • Bibliography

5.2. Dame Roma Mitchell - specific aspects of her life, death and legacy, and associations with friends and colleagues. 18 cm

  •  Dame Roma Mitchell chronolog
  • Events - Pre-1920
  • Ruth Flinders Mitchell
  • Other relatives (includes 1 booklet: a history of the Grosvenor Hotel Ltd 1918-1995)
  • Personal opinions of Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Miscellaneous speeches by Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Personal life
  • Lovers: Brazel; Kelly
  • Jean Whyte, Kitty Whyte and David Hector Monro
  • John Bray
  • Don Dunstan
  • Childhood to 1930 - includes notes, correspondence, copies of birth, death and marriage certificates, clippings, articles, chapters, genealogy
  • Ruth, Hugh and Walter Crocker - includes archival notes from the State Library of South Australia relating to Ruth, Hugh and Walter Crocker; interview with Sir Walter Crocker and Dame Roma Mitchell; excerpts from Sir Walter Crocker's diaries
  • Samuel James Mitchell and the Mitchell family
  • Dame Roma Mitchell's contemporaries - clippings, articles, obituaries and other notes
  • Travel - notes and correspondence relating to Dame Roma's travels
  • Carrickalinga - notes and clippings relating to Dame Roma Mitchell and Carrickalinga
  • Adelaide society - newspaper clippings, book excerpts
  • Notes and transcripts from Dame Roma Mitchell's notebooks
  • Death of Dame Roma Mitchell - newspaper clippings, obituaries, eulogy, oration, funeral mass schedule/outline, transcript and booklet, memorial notices, articles and correspondence
  • Funeral Mass booklet for the State funeral of Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Statue of Dame Roma Mitchell - includes copy of the speech given by Sir William Deane on the occasion of the unveiling of the Dame Roma Mitchell Statue (2/7/1999); newspaper clippings; invitation to the reception at Government House
  • Named for Dame Roma Mitchell - materials relating to anything named in honour of Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Enduring influence of Dame Roma Mitchell - clippings, notes and book excerpts

5.3 - Background research - book chapters/excerpts/articles. 9 cm

  • Photograph of Dame Roma Mitchell being presented with flowers
    Various newspaper clippings, book excerpts, miscellaneous notes and other correspondence
    Photocopies of various photographs, and permission to publish forms
    Bibliography
  • Australian Biography II: 1993 Series: transcript of a filmed interview with Dame Roma Mitchell (1 spiral bound book)
  • George Farwell - notes, book chapters and list of publications by George Farwell
  • The Ern Malley affair - excerpts and notes about "The Ern Malley affair" by Michael Heyward
  • Margaret Fitzherbert - excerpt from "Liberal women: federation - 1949"
  • John Miles: Lost Angry Penguins - Scanned copy of "Lost Angry Penguins: D.B. Kerr and P.G. Pfeiffer - a path to the wind" by John Miles
  • Susan Mitchell - Chapter from "Splitting the world open: tall poppies and me". Also miscellaneous newspaper articles, notes and clippings about Dame Roma Mitchell
  • Dutton & Harris "Australia's censorship crisis" - notes and photocopies
  • A Glorious Life - notes, correspondence, clippings and 1 photograph (Professor Marjoribanks) relating to "Dame Roma: glimpses of a glorious life" - a collection of essays on the life and work of Roma Mitchell, edited by Susan Magarey
  • Article from On Dit "The Commonwealth Public Service" : 29/6/1934
  • Blewett & Jaensch "Playford to Dunstan: the politics of transition" - excerpts

5.4. Associations with specific organisations. 9 cm

  • Heritage Committee; Council for the Order of Australia; Board of the Adelaide Festival; Friends of the Art Gallery of South Australia; Churchill Trust - includes notes, newspaper clippings and correspondence
  • St. Aloysius College; the Mercy Old Scholar's Association; the Girl Guides - notes, newspaper clippings, articles, correspondence, invitations and menus
  • Masons - excerpts from "A history of craft masonry in South Australia 1884-1934" and "Freemasonry in Australia and New Zealand: a definitive statement prepared for the Grand Lodges of Australia and New Zealand"
  • Queen Adelaide Club & Lyceum Club
  • Law Society of South Australia
  • Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
  • Meals on Wheels - newspaper clippings
  • The University of Adelaide - includes clippings, notes, correspondence, memorabilia relating to Dame Roma Mitchell and Chancellors of the University of Adelaide; materials relating to Dame Roma Mitchell's bequests to the University of Adelaide and other institutions; materials relating to Dame Roma Mitchell as Doctor of the University

5.5. Public / professional life and work. 18 cm

  • Dame Roma Mitchell and Aboriginal rights
  • Dame Roma Mitchell and divorce law
  • Advisory Board on the Ageing / Aged People - 1996 - includes a speech for the Council on the Ageing: Annual General Meeting : 26/11/1996
  • Court of Appeal, Kiribati - notes and clippings relating to the Kiribati High Court
  • Review of services for behaviourally disordered people (1984-1985)
  • Social Security Royal Commission (1984)
  • Court appearances - newspaper clippings
  • Appointment as Governor (research for Chapter 8)
  • Child Protection Council - notes and excerpts relating to the Child Protection Council and excerpts from the South Australian Government Task Force on Child Sexual Abuse - October 1986, and the Department for Community Welfare 1988-1989 Annual Report
  • The Salisbury affair, 1978 - materials relating to the Salisbury Commission
  • Constitutional Convention 6/2/1988. Includes transcript of proceedings, and newspaper clippings
  • The Parole Board - materials relating to Dame Roma's term as chair of the Parole Board of South Australia. Includes newspaper clippings, book extracts, notes and copies of the Report of the Parole Board of South Australia from 1975-1982
  • The Karmel Committee - correspondence, notes and a newspaper (The report of the Committee of Enquiry into Education in South Australia 1969-1970)
  • The Norwood Byelection - notes and clippings on Dame Roma Mitchell's involvement (research for Chapter 5)
  • Conferences and other travel
  • Notes and clippings relating to awards of DBE and CBE
  • The Law Society: Reminiscences of a 1930s law student and practitioner: Dame Roma Mitchell, AC, DBE, CVO, QC (9 p.) (speech by Dame Roma Mitchell)

5.6. Catholic Church and religion. 6 cm

  • Catholic / Protestant divide - photocopies of book chapters
  • The Catholic network - photocopies of book chapters
  • The Catholic Guild for Social Studies / Catholic Action - notes, articles, book chapters
  • Catholics / St. Aloysius College - newspaper clipping, notes and correspondence (mainly letters of congratulations on appointment as QC, Governor and other honours
  • Religion - notes, correspondence, clippings, book chapters
  • Churches and Social issues in South Australia 1919-1939

5.7. The Legal Profession. 9 cm

  • Primers to the law - includes two articles from the Australian Law Journal Vol. 74: "The Attorney-General, politics and the judiciary" / L.J. King and "On the appointment of judges" / J.W. Shaw; notes on citing cases, punctuation etc; photocopy of Loughlin, Graham "South Australian Queen's Counsel: 1865-1972" Honours thesis, University of Adelaide: 1974; "The family" (chapter from "The Macquarie easy guide to Australian law" by Jan Bowen); excerpts from "Law in Australia: the question and answer book" by Gerard B. Carter
  • Dame Roma Mitchell as Queen's Counsel - notes and clippings
  • Appeals Court - excerpts from State Reports (S.A.)
  • Appeals cases - Solicitor and Queen's Counsel - excerpts from State Reports (S.A.)
  • Criminal Law and Penal Methods Reform Commission
  • Legal Assistance Scheme 1933-1972 - spiral-bound booklet: Law Society of South Australia; Legal Assistance Scheme 1933-1972 - an oral history. Includes interview with the Hon Dr Zelling and Mrs Zelling at South Brighton on 8th July, 1997; and interview with Dame Roma Mitchell on 22nd September 1997
  • Law Society materials
  • The legal profession in the 20th century - notes, articles, book chapters

5.8. Research and drafts for specific chapters. 18 cm

  • Chapter 1 - Childhood to 1930
  • Chapter 2 - University 1931-1934. Notes, clippings, articles, book chapters, correspondence
  • Draft copy of Chapter 2
  • Chapter 2 (not used). Notes, clippings, articles, book chapters
  • Chapter 3 Solicitor 1935-1950 (used) - Research materials, including correspondence, clippings, notes, articles, chapters and transcripts
  • Chapters 3-5 (Professional fees)
  • Chapters 3,4 & 5 - drafts and notes
  • Chapter 6 - miscellaneous notes
  • Chapter 7 (1984-1991) - miscellaneous notes, and copy of a speech by Dame Roma Mitchell at a conservation conference
  • Dame Roma: 1996 onwards - notes, correspondence, clippings

5.9 Framed photographs

  • Framed black and white photograph of Dame Roma Mitchell in traditional court dress 26 x 30 cm (removed from frame)
  • Framed pen and wash sketch of corner of Waymouth and King William St, Adelaide city scene by Richard Maurovic 39 x 43 cm. In Map Cabinet.

Series 6: Publication

  • Book launch: invitation to launch at the Barr Smith Library 7/12/2007; Magarey's notes for speech; newspaper clippings and congratulatory cards and letters; 22 photographs. Also Remarks of the Hon. Marilyn Warrem AC Chief Justice of Victoria at launch at Readings, Carlton, Victoria, 1/5/2009
  • Book reviews and correspondence

Vikki Langton
July 2014, rev 2020 Cheryl Hoskin

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Barr Smith Library
South Australia 5005
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Contact

Phone: +61 8 8313 5224
special.collections@adelaide.edu.au