Marjorie Pizer aggregated collection of papers

fonds

1941-2000

9661523

0.51 metres of textual material (3 boxes)

Marjorie Pizer, poet and psychotherapist, collaborated with Drusilla Modjeska in publishing The Poems of Lesbia Harford in 1985. She and her husband, Muir Holburn (1920-1960), had begun research into the life and work of Harford decades earlier. Pizer's researches had drawn upon those of the writer Nettie Palmer who in 1941 had edited a volume of Harford's poetry in an attempt to attract wider recognition for her subject. Palmer had the support of Harford's mother who entrusted Palmer chiefly with three of her daughter's notebooks of original poems. Pizer inherited Harford's papers from Palmer. In 1964 a selection of Harford's poems that Pizer had sent to Angus & Robertson was rejected for publication.

Lesbia Venner Harford, nee Keogh (1891-1927) was born into a middle-class Melbourne family. She never practised law after graduating from Melbourne University in 1916. Harford took up, instead, blue-collar work, largely in the textile and clothing industries. Radicalised by her working environments she became active in left-wing activities of the labour movement and joined the Industrial Workers of the World. She was married briefly to fellow Wobbly and artist, Patrick John O'Flaghartie Fingal Harford. Lesbia's circle of friends included Guido Baracchi and Norman Jeffery, founding members of the Communist Party of Australia.

Reference:
The papers were arranged by Marjorie Pizer and the above descriptions were based on listings prepared by her.

Collection 1:
Margaret Pizer papers, 1941-2000

Collection 2:
Marjorie Pizer further papers, mainly concerning her book, The Poems of Lesbia Harford (1985), 1984-2004