A quick round up of some of the collections Linda, Nicole, and Alison have recently catalogued. Most of these were small collections that had been awaiting cataloguing for a while. The Gay Rights Coalition records have already been used in teaching this year. Follow the links through to Kā Kohika, and click on  browse the collection to get the full list of the contents. If you want to know more about any of these, let me know. Big thanks to the MDLs!

FD 1212 National Gay Rights Coalition of New Zealand records

This archive consists predominantly of photocopied articles from Canterbury newspapers, about the Homosexual Law Reform Bill, and articles on the disease A.I.D.S. (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) from 1985 and 1986. There is one copy of the Pink Triangle magazine from 1980 and a few articles about gay people in education from 1979-80. There is also a copy of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The National Gay Rights Coalition of New Zealand was formerly established in July 1977.  It was short-lived and disbanded in 1983.  In September 1985 The New Zealand AIDS Foundation was formed (New Zealand). The Foundation grew out of the AIDS Support Network, after receiving a Government grant in April 1985.

FD1616.0022 Glass plates in the Cecil Wood papers

Six glass plate photographs of Bishopscourt and St Barnabas church, part of our sizeable collection of material by the architect Cecil Wood (1878-1947). Bishopscourt replaced the earlier Anglican Bishops’ residence which had been destroyed by fire in 1924. The Anglican Bishop Campbell West-Watson occupied this house from 1927. St Barnabas’ Church in Fendalton was consecrated by Bishop Campbell West-Watson in 1926.

FD586.0004 Photographs in the Muriel Bradshaw papers

Muriel Bradshaw was born in Wellington in 1899. She graduated with a MA with Honours in English and French and became a teacher in Auckland. Later she studied for a Diploma in Journalism from Auckland University College graduating in 1931. She travelled overseas with her mother and brother on a number of occasions and contributed articles and letters to various publications. Muriel married UC Professor of Music John Christopher Bradshaw in 1946, however their life together was short when he died in 1950. Muriel was a strong supporter of the arts and mixed in university circles of the 1940s and 1950s. She died in 1992.

This series contains predominantly family photographs from early 1900s to 1960s, covering Muriel’s early years in Blenheim (when her father was principal of Marlborough College); her time at Canterbury College and her involvement with the Student Christian Movement; photos of Dr. John Bradshaw and his music connections, wedding photos and photos from overseas travel.

FD860 John Schroder papers

This collection contains 18 manuscript letters – mostly from Robert Bridges to various correspondents. A few letters are to Schroder regarding the establishment of a branch of the Society for Pure English in New Zealand. There is also a large framed sketch of C.H.O. Daniel and an autographed framed photo of Robert Bridges in old age.

Born in Hokitika, Schroder was an essayist, poet, educator, broadcaster and former editor of the Christchurch Press literary pages. Appointed assistant director-general of the then New Zealand Broadcasting Service in 1949. He wrote light verse for The Press and NZ Listener and some collections were published. He was awarded an honorary DLitt by the University of Canterbury in 1975.

Other photographic collections recently added include:

Within FD 2210.0001.0002,  a collection of Carte de visite, mostly of early graduates connected to Dr. John Innes.

FD 1788.0001.0001  Canterbury College Biolog. Lab. 1920 – Photo album / compiled by Alison Burns.  A photograph album compiled by Alice Burns c1920 that contains photographs of the Canterbury College Department of Biology, including photographs of women students, including Elizabeth Herriott, the first woman appointed to the permanent teaching staff at Canterbury College.

Erin