Back to M Index

To Finding Aid Index

Musgrave, Susan

Susan Musgrave fonds. -- 1925-2007; predominant 1970-2007. -- 37.46 m of textual records, graphic material, sound recording and moving images.

Susan Musgrave was born on March 12, 1951 in Santa Cruz, California. She has lived in Hawaii, Ireland, England and Columbia and presently resides in Sidney, British Columbia. She has published novels, children's books, collections of essays and poetry. Her published works include Entrance of the Celebrant (1972), Selected Strawberries and Other Poems (1977), The Charcoal Burners (1980), The Dancing Chicken (1987), Great Musgrave (1989) Forcing the Narcissus (1994), The Situation in Which We Are Both Amateurs (1997), Things That Keep and Do Not Change (1999) and Cargo of Orchids (2000).

The fonds consists of seven accruals. The first accrual consists of Boxes 1-31 and is arranged into 6 series: personal correspondence, business correspondence, correspondence relating to poetry readings, interview and fan mail, unpublished works and published works. This accrual measures 4.03 m. The second accrual (04-1988) consists of Boxes 32 - 66 and is arranged into 10 series: manuscripts, poetry worksheets, articles, personal correspondence, business and literary correspondence, readings, workshops and festivals, published work in journals, writer-in-residence and grants, awards and applications. The accrual measures 6.5 m. The third accrual (35-1991) extends to 3.0 m and consists of boxes 67-74 and is arranged into 6 series: manuscripts; correspondence; teaching and writer-in residence; awards, competitions and readings; financial and legal and personal. The fourth accrual (44-1997), which extends to 6.93 m, consists of boxes 75 - 95 and is arranged into 6 series: manuscripts; correspondence; electronic correspondence; teaching, student work, readings and juries; business, financial and personal and published materials and videotapes. The fifth accrual (21-2001), which extends to 9.0 m, consists of boxes 96-143 and is arranged into the following 7 series: manuscripts; correspondence; the Writers' Union of Canada; Writers' In Electronic Residence programme; Mentorship programme and Editorial; Readings, grants, awards, juries, reviews and projects; and personal and miscellaneous. The sixth accrual (32-2004) has not been arranged, described or measured. The seventh accrual (71-2008) measures 8 m and has been arranged into six series: teaching; correspondence; writing and royalties; readings, conferences, appointment books; photographs, artwork, moving images.

Title based on contents of the fonds.
The first accrual was acquired in 1975 from the firm of Philobiblion and was added to a purchase from William Hoffer in March 1982; the second accrual was acquired from William Hoffer in 1988; the third accrual was acquired from Susan Musgrave in 1992; the fourth accrual was acquired from Susan Musgrave in 1997; the fifth accrual was acquired from Susan Musgrave in 2000; the sixth accrual was acquired from Susan Musgrave in 2004; the seventh accrual was acquired from Susan Musgrave in 2007.
Access is as follows: there are no restrictions on the first accrual and fifith accruals; second accrual - diaries (1973-1984) are embargoed until the death of Susan Musgrave; third accrual - 1985 diary embargoed until the death of Susan Musgrave; fourth accrual - correspondence with Paul Nelson embargoed for the lives of Susan Musgrave and Paul Nelson; sixth accrual will not be open until it is processed.
Finding aid is available in hard copy and electronically.
Further accruals are expected.

Contact: archives@mcmaster.ca
Last Reviewed: January 20, 2010
URL: