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| Manuscript Name | Papers of Shelton Lea |
| Manuscript Number | MSS 111 |
| Last Updated | June 2021 |
| Extent | 8 boxes + 1 AV box |
| Location | Special Collections, UNSW Canberra |
| Abstract | Drafts of poems, notebooks, correspondence, and audiovisual material relating to Shelton Lea |
Collection Subject Type
Literary
Scope and Content
This collection relates to poet Shelton Lea and includes poetry drafts, notebooks, diaries, posters, flyers, newspaper clippings, photographs, slides, audio cassettes, correspondence, and event invitations. It contains copies of Chrysalis (1970) and drafts of The Paradise Poems (1973)
Date Range of Content
1970-1991
Biographical Note
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelton_Lea
Shelton Lea was born in Fitzroy in 1946 and was adopted into the famous Darrell Lea family in Toorak. Running away from home at the age of 12, Shelton lived on the streets and spent time in reform schools until the age of 16 when he was imprisoned in Pentridge. After publishing his first poems in 1962, Lea became a key figure on the live poetry circuit in Melbourne, also publishing the work of several other poets through Eaglemont Press and dealing in rare literary and fine art books. The recipient of two Australia Council grants and Arts Victoria funding to read his works throughout rural Victoria, Lea read in pubs and at festivals, schools, and prisons. He saw nine collections of his poetry published prior to his death in 2005
References:
Austlit : Shelton Lea https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A20341 retrieved 21 July 2020
State Library of Victoria catalogue record http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/permalink/f/1cl35st/SLV_VOYAGER1640827 retrieved 21 July 2020
Administrative Information
Access and Copying Conditions
Access: Open Access
This collection contains a variety of copyright material. Copyright is held by the creator of each item. Specific conditions for this collection are listed below. If no conditions are stipulated then the standard terms of the Copyright Act apply for published and unpublished items. Digitised material from manuscript collections is provided to clients by UNSW Canberra in good faith for private study and research only, and may not be published or re-purposed without the express and written permission of the individual legal holder of that copyright. Refer also to the UNSW copyright, disclaimer and takedown policy.
Copying: Copying of material for private study and research is approved
Preferred Citation
Papers of Shelton Lea, Special Collections, UNSW Canberra, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra, MSS 111, Box [Number], Folder [Number]
Provenance
Check with Curator
Related Material
Further papers of Shelton Lea are held by the State Library of Victoria at YMS 13526
Subject Keywords
Subjects
Shelton Lea, 1946-2005 — Archives
Australian poetry — 20th century
Personal Names
Shelton Lea, 1946-2005
Occupations
Poets
Container List
Box 1
Folder 1
Photographs of Shelton Lea, undated
Folder 2
Ballad of the Latrobe-Valley-O
Beyond Rehabilitation
Split Lips
Folder 3
Poetry drafts
Folder 4
Nebuchadnezzar
News articles
Poetry drafts
Notebook
Folder 5
Social Security file
Folder 6
Notebook
Folder 7
Notebook
Folder 8
Notebook
Folder 9
The Paradise Poems - includes galley
Box 2
Folder 10
Chockablock with Dawn
Dressing My Girl in a Tu-Tu and other poetry
Folder 11
Palantine Madonna
Poetry
Folder 12
The Paradise Poems
Folder 13
Working notes
Ballad of the Latrobe-Valley-O
Folder 14
Poetry
Working notes
Drafts
Folder 15
Poetry
Working notes
Drafts
Notebook
Folder 16
Poetry from A Peach Melba Hat. 1/2
Folder 17
Poetry from A Peach Melba Hat. 2/2
Box 3
Folder 18
Corners in Cans
Folder 19
Corners in Cans
Folder 20
Corners in Cans
Folder 21
Corners in Cans
‘Matson’s Death’. 1/2
Folder 22
Corners in Cans
‘Matson’s Death’. 2/2
Box 4
Folder 23
Correspondence
Folder 24
1988 diary
Folder 25
Poetry
Studies
Various works
Interview - Michael Sharkey
Folder 26
Posters and flyers
Folder 27
1984 diary
Folder 28
Correspondence
Various works
Folder 29
Notebooks
Box 5
Folder 30
News items (and photocopies)
Various papers
Correspondence
Folder 31
Various papers
Correspondence
Folder 32
Various papers
Correspondence
Folder 33
Papers from concertina folder 1
Folder 34
Papers from concertina folder 2
Folder 35
Papers from concertina folder 3
Folder 36
Papers from concertina folder 4
Box 6
Folder 37
Copies of First Covers of Nos. 1 - 10 of Angry Penguins Broadsheets
(Presented to Shelton Lea as a birthday present in 1987 - from Barrett Reid)
Folder 38
Correspondence 1988 - 1990
Folder 39
Correspondence 1990 - 1991
Folder 40
Three copies of Chrysalis - a limited edition of one hundred signed and numbered copies containing two original drawings and two written poems. First and only edition 1970. Joel Elengerg - plates and Shelton Lea - poetry
Folder 41
Programmes for poetry readings
Correspondence in relation to poetry readings
Clippings and articles in relation to Shelton Lea, Poets and poetry
Folder 42
Newspaper clippings
Folder 43
Newspaper clippings
Folder 44
Newspaper clippings
Programmes for poetry readings
Copies of: ‘Caloundra Capers : Drawings and Sea Songs’, ed. Christine Webb; The Maggie Poem by Shelton Lea; Beyond Rehabilitation poems by Shelton Lea; Split Lips by Shelton Lea
‘Brando Meets Kookaburra’ poems by Shelton Lea and Karl Gallagher
‘Spare Angles’, poems
Box 7
Folder 45
Copies of - Romantic Hero (Obsolete), poems by Shelton Lea; The Tale of a Mean Man by Shelton Lea; Words on Walls - a Survey of Contemporary Visual Poetry by Barrett Reid - exhibition programme, 7 March 1989 to 23 April 1989; ‘Advantage Receiver’, poems by Shelton Lea; ‘Street Poems’ by Shelton Lea; ‘The Image’, four poems by Richard Tipping; ‘Night Poem’ by Shelton Lea
Folder 46
Copies of: ‘Parachute Poems’; ‘A Flash of Life’, compiled by Shelton Lea and Robert Harris
Correspondence 1977 - 1989
Folder 47
1972 – 1983: Applications for grants, poetry drafts, correspondence, references, programmes for poetry readings
Folder 48
Letters of referral / introductions and references for Shelton Lea from teachers at institutions where he has worked (including Warragul Technical School) plus friends, 1983 - 1984
Folder 49
Poetry drafts
Folder 50
Correspondence from Alfred Gourley (17 June 1991) and Paul S. Haigh (late 1990), together with articles by and about Haigh, prison
Folder 51
Correspondence from Paul S. Haigh (late 1990), together with articles by and about Haigh, prison
Box 8
Folder 52
Correspondence
Letters dated for period, 9 July 1988 – 8 January 1990, and with undated greetings cards
Folder 53
Notebooks
5 notebooks with drafts of poems, jottings, prose sections, and notepaper inserts throughout
Folder 54
Literary drafts
Handwritten and typed notes, jottings, ideas for poems, annotated and undated
Folder 55
Miscellaneous
Invitations to festivals, readings, book launches
Two newspaper articles: Brett Quine, ‘Grand dreams man goes free’ [undated, uncited newspaper]; and Graeme Johnstone, ‘Freezing without the cane’, Herald Sun, 13 November 1991
Audiovisual material
Box 9
54 slides and 16 cassette tapes, and 1 undated photograph of Shelton Lea