The Australian Women's Register

Part 1 of the archives is comprised of all background material, letters to and from and about Darcy, interview transcripts and notes, correspondence, pictorial material and memorabilia. Part 2 consists of the manuscripts of Ruth Park and Rafe Champion’s book ‘Home Before Dark / Ruth Park & Rafe Champion’ her account of D’Arcy Niland’s lifelong fascination with his namesake, his original research and interviews together with her annotations of Niland’s material and her personal thoughts on the process. BOX 1 Fritz Hollands’ scrapbooks 1 & 2 (photographic prints and negatives), 1908-1922 Bosker Bill Squire’s scrapbook (includes photographs), 1906-1912 (note by Ruth Park indicating that this scrapbook does not relate to the Les D’Arcy story. Provenance of the scrapbook is unknown) BOX 2 Maurice O’Sullivan’s scrapbook of American news cuttings, 1916-1917 Bill Delaney scrapbook (with note from Ruth Niland, 1995) George Pilgrim scrapbook (lent for 2 days) – Transcript by Darcy & Ruth Niland Australasian boxing and wrestling scrapbook (historical interest only) BOX 3 Nat Bannister’s newcuttings (79) Paddy Cunningham news cuttings Angus Brammall’s news cuttings (The Priest and the boxer) Les Darcy news cuttings (copies) Printed publications: The Les Darcy American Venture / Bob Power; Jack Read’s Complete Australian Boxing annual, 1934-1935; Read’s Boxing Records; Life Story of Les Darcy 3rd ed. / F.J. Ferry (3 copies); Darcy Stories / F.J. Ferry (2 copies); Uppercuts / Fritz Holland; Solar Plexus Printed publications given to Darcy Niland by ex-boxers Bob Whitelaw, Jim Sharman: Boxing and How to Train, The Text Book of Boxing, Boxing: a Complete Record of Australasian Contests, T.S Andrews World’s Sporting Annual 1933, Everlast Boxing Record, 1928, Northern Boxing Association Tournament and Rules, Sporting Life Boxing Records, 1910 BOX 4 Boyle family memorabilia – Negatives of photographs taken from a photo album, autograph book and loose pictures (original items returned to family); Negatives of Les Darcy from an unknown photo album Tom Moran’s account of the Life of Les Darcy (original carbon) D’Arcy Niland original interviews (80), some with typed transcriptions in preparation for the book he proposed to write on Les Darcy. Includes phone interview with Mick Tobin and a ‘Note to Researcher ‘about the content by Ruth Niland, 1960-1962, 1997 D’Arcy Niland additional interviews. Some transcribed material extracted by Ruth Niland, 1961 BOX 5 Home Before Dark, portion of 1st Draft Home Before Dark, Final draft and discards (typescript) Home Before Dark, Edited manuscript Home Before Dark, Original manuscript Early drafts, notes BOX 6 Les Darcy newspaper articles Conscription and class H. D. McIntosh, Premier Will Holman and Ada Holman Father Joe Coady (includes 1 photograph) Mick Hawkins E.T (Tim) O’Sullivan BOX 7 Notes, clippings, interview reports, photographs on important boxers and others mentioned in the Les Darcy story: Bobby Whitelaw, Griffo, Harold Hardwick, Billy Hannan, Fritz Holland (includes 2 photographs), Jack (Young) Hanley, George Balzer, Chiddy Hayes, Governor Balzer, Jimmy Sharman (includes 3 photographs), Eddie McGoorty, Robert Fitzsimmons (with film transcript) BOX 8 Jeff Smith v Stadiums Ltd Wonderful Pearce family Minor characters, Lilly Molloy, Ada Holman, Dr Hollywood, Frank O’Rourke, Doc Kearns, Bat Masterson Winnie Hannan (O’Sullivan) Frosty (Frank) Darcy Nat Fleischer visits Maitland Maitland notes – Ruth and D’Arcy Niland Dave Smith memorabilia BOX 9 Snowy Baker (includes 6 examples of syndicated U.S sports newsletter Universal Training (Cadets) James Vance Marshall Les Darcy departure from Australia Miscellaneous file of articles, programmes, photographs (2) on boxers and boxing Emerald Street House (includes letter re: origin of plan, original and reply from Ruth Niland) Edgar Arentz Jack Dunleavy Billy McNab/Regio Delaney BOX 10 Irreplaceable Material File, No. 6 Original Les Darcy letters, postcards, notes (some copies). Includes letters to Mick Tobin, Father J.J. Coady, 1914, 1917-1961, 1968, 1994 Cables (4) sent by Mrs Darcy to Mick Hawkins at Memphis (given to Darcy Niland by Harry Hawkins; Mick Hawkins souvenir American postcards; Original (5) postcards from Les Darcy to Mick Tobin; Postcard from Les Darcy to J O’Sullivan of the Lord Dudley; Letters (3) from Father J.J. Coady to to Mick Tobin; Letter from Tom Moran to Darcy Niland; Typed copy of a letter from Les Darcy to Father J.J. Coady from the National Archives Canberra; Copies (8) of Les Darcy letters held by the Australian Gallery of Sport, Melbourne; Letter from Les Darcy to Father J.J. Coady, 1914; Copy of letter from Father Coady to P.J. Hassell with transcript from Hassell of the last meeting; Newspaper cutting of a letter from E.T. O’Sullivan to sportswriter W. Corbett; Newspaper cutting of last letter sent by Les Darcy to Mick Stapleton; Copy of Les Darcy letter to Will Lawless (Solar Plexus) Direct personal material of Les Darcy (interviews with Elli O’Brien, Mrs G.W. Johnson, Frank O’Rourke, Mr & Mrs Cheal, neighbours and friends of Darcy), 1961, 1994 General notes on the Les Darcy collection (methods of cataloguing, early struggles to get the collection into order) and Biography; Part catalogue; Fragments of early interviews with transcriptions from tape by Ruth Niland, 1960s, 1988-1994 Birth and marriage certificates Elwin Darcy (copy) Death certificates, Edward and Margaret Darcy (copy) Marriage certificate (1st) of Edward Darcy to Sarah Healey (copy) Sydney Conspiracy with notes from Ruth Niland Later chapters of the Biography (fragments) Important newscuttings Darcy family genealogy BOX 11 The Collection, The Biography, File No. 7 Letters to D’Arcy Niland from old boxers and holders of Darcyana, together with replies, 1953-1979, 1995 Correspondence with Kay Ronai (Editor) of Penguin Books Australia, concerning ‘Home Before Dark’, 1994-1995 Correspondence mainly with Penguin Books concerning Home Before Dark, 1993-1994 Correspondence after publication of Home Before Dark, 1995 Chronologies Collection research notes by Ruth Niland, 1994 Darcy Niland visits Maitland Ruth Niland notes on scrapbooks (Bill Delany, Anonymous A, Puglistic celebrities, Australian Boxing and wrestling, Fritz Holland’s scrapbooks 1 & 2 Notes by D’Arcy Niland on proposed book The Times BOX 12 America/Research for the National Times article, File No. 8 Les Darcy in America, original typescript for two part article written for the National Times Pamphlets about U.S towns (Memphis) visited by Les Darcy in 1917 Les Darcy in America, newscuttings, notes Letters to Ruth Niland received after publication of Les Darcy in America Les Darcy in America, File No. 9 American notes on Les Darcy used by Ruth Niland during the writing of Les Darcy in America, 1917-1995 Les Darcy’s illness and death, 1917-1991 BOX 13 Photographs: Approximately 200 photographs many unpublished and unknown Les Darcy with other people (not American) Photographs of men Les Darcy fought (some unfamiliar pictures of major apponents Two original glass whole plate negatives (6 1/2 x 8 1/2 in.). 1. Note written by D’Arcy Niland ‘1st McGoorty fight 1915 (Photographic copy of plate glass negative in Harry Cameron and Pilgrim’s collections) 2. Les Darcy with family and friends at the home of J.P. Fletcher, c. 1916 (Cameron Studios). A photographic copy of this is included in the folder of photographs of boxers, referees and writers important to the Les Darcy story. Prior to Les Darcy leaving for America, he and a group of his friends gathered at the home of JP Fletcher. This photograph was taken to commemorate the occasion. It features, in the top corner, Les Darcy’s brothers Cecil and Frank and, next to Les, Father Cody. Here are the names of the gentlemen present: Back row, C. Darcy, F. Darcy, F. O’Brien, C. Erwin, L. McGlinn, P. Mayo; 3rd row, G. Clarke, L. Drew, W. Gilligan, G. Bowcock, unknown, M. Tobin, …Donnelly, G. Fletcher, F. Mayo; 2nd row, I. McLeod, W. McLaughlin, Les Darcy, Father Coady, …Stapleton, …Stapleton; front row, G.McDonald, H. Fletcher, H. Cameron. Photographs numbered Pic. 1-35 (includes pg. numbers) included in the book ‘Home Before Dark’ Penguin illustrations (note by Ruth Niland, These were 2nd choices, 51 sent to George Dale) Photographs of boxers, referees and writers important to the Les Darcy story Boxers well known before, during and after Les Darcy’s professional life Unidentified photographs and negatives (some later identified) BOX 14 Photographs: Sam Langford photographs Les Darcy in America Original reproductions from old photographs Les Darcy – Funeral/Memorial/Death cerifiticate Major characters in Home Before Dark (important portraits: Fred Gilmore, Tom Andrews, Mick Hawkins, Father J.J. Coady, Dave Smith, Fritz Holland, Margaret Darcy, Lily Pearce, Hugh McIntosh, Frosty Darcy, Winnie, Harold Hardwick, Jim Sharman, Miss Scobie (early teacher) Rushcutters Bay Stadium photographic material Important photographs (includes inscribed photo of Jack Dempsey) General photographs BOX 15 Photographs: Les Darcy photographs, mainly portraits (includes 2 photo badges) BOX 16 File No. 10 Police Gazette (10 copies), 24 March 1917-13 April 1918 Features articles about Les Darcy, O’Sullivan, Rex Rickard and Governor Whitman and other characters in the story of Darcy’s few months in the U.S. Annotated with reference of the Les Darcy story by Ruth Niland. Includes interesting references to the U.S. view of WW1 before the nations involvement and during its brief service; References to important figures in U.S. sports and political world; to Australian boxers in the States at the time as well as other Australian athletes such as Fanny Durack the swimmer. BOX 17 Large scrapbook about old sports figures in Australia and overseas BOX 18 Large scrapbook about old sports figures in Australia and overseas