AustLit

The Venerable Archdeacon Edward Leo Hayes, 1889-1967, was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1918. His first parish was Ipswich and he worked in a succession of country parishes in southern Queensland - Kilcoy, Taroom, Laidley, Chinchilla- to become Parish Priest of Crow's Nest (1930-1951) and finally Oakey (1951-1967).Father Hayes was an inveterate collector. He purchased many items, often paying for them in instalments. A great many books were gifts from the multitude of friends he gathered in his work as a priest..

The collection contains literary manuscripts, radio scripts, lectures, notes, letters and other personal documents. Writers represented include Dame Mary Gilmore, who was a personal friend of Father Hayes, the author Paul Grano, John Howlett-Ross (1857-1954), a prominent voice-production lecturer and author of several books on Australian Literature, Chris Brennan, James McAuley, Sir Henry Parkes, John Le Gay Brereton and Steele Rudd. A particularly strong section of the collection is the A.G. Stephens material. This includes many of Stephens's working notes from the period after he ceased to be editor of the Bulletin's "Red Page". It also includes manuscripts from many young contributors to the Bulletin and Stephens's own publishing ventures, with his own annotations and emendations, providing evidence of his influence in a vital period in the development of Australian literature.