John Millett aggregated collection of papers

fonds

1943-2002

Textual Records, Photographs, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Nonmusical Sound Recordings

9661185

9 metres of textual material (53 boxes and 1 outsize item)
22 slides
14 photographs
2 sound cassettes

John Millett (1921-2019) is an Australian poet, reviewer and poetry editor, was born in Niangala, New South Wales. During World War II he served in England as a wireless air gunner with the RAAF in No. 10 Squadron. After the war he studied law at Sydney University graduating with LLB. From 1962 he was involved with Poetry Australia, becoming editor from 1987 to 1992. He has published more than 14 books of poetry and won a number of awards including the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, the Scottish International Poetry Competition twice, the Max Harris Literary Award for poetry, and was short listed four times for the NSW Premier’s Awards. In 1999 he was received an Order of Australia for services to Literature. Millett passed away in Labrador, Queensland on 19 May 2019.

Millett has one many awards including; the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, the Scottish International Poetry Competition twice, the Max Harris Literary Award for poetry, and being short listed four times for the NSW Premier’s Awards. He was also honored in 1999 with an Order of Australia for services to Literature.

He has contributed poetry to numerous Australian and international periodicals and has published several collections; 'Calendar Adam' (1971), 'The Silences' (1973), 'Love Tree of the Coomera' (1975), 'West of the Cunderang' (1977), 'Tail Arse Charlie' in Poetry Australia (1982) and as a chapbook in the USA in 1983, 'Come Down Cunderang' (1985) and 'The Nine Lives of Big Meg O'Shannessy' (1990).

He has also written a play with Grace Perry, 'Last Bride at Longsleep' (1981), and an eight-part verse novella, 'Blue Dynamite' (1987), also published as a chapbook in the USA in 1987 and adapted for stage in 1988. Another publication, 'Voyeur from Australia', was published in the USA in 1988. 'Tail Arse Charlie', was broadcast on radio in a dramatised version in 1981-1982, is a powerful anti-war sequence, bolstered by photographs and records from the Australian War Memorial. Partly based on his memories of the air war, it is also evocative of the experience of all the 'old-young men' involved in the Battle of Britain.

COLLECTION 1
John Millett - further papers, 1946-1978

COLLECTION 2
John Millett - further papers, 1972-1981

COLLECTION 3
John Millett further papers, 1952-1983, including records of Poetry Australia

COLLECTION 4
John Millett further papers, 1980-1985, including some records of Poetry Australia

COLLECTION 5
Last bride at Longsleep, ca. 1981, by John Millett and Dr. Grace Perry

COLLECTION 6
John Millett personal and literary papers, together with records of Poetry Australia, ca. 1975-1998

COLLECTION 7
John Millett further papers, 1969-2002

COLLECTION 8
John Millett further papers