Final diary of Miles Franklin to be donated to SLNSW

The final diary of author Miles Franklin will be donated to the State Library of NSW, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The small, red pocket diary records the final year of the life of Stella Maria Miles Franklin and includes her last written words, four days before her death on 19 September 1954. The diary was believed lost until distant relative Margaret Francis spotted it three years ago in an old suitcase, which had been passed down through Franklin’s extended family.

Mitchell Librarian Richard Neville said in a statement that he is honoured to accept the diary into the library’s collection. ‘Miles’ missing diary will at last be reunited with her collection of diaries, private letters, literary papers, photo albums and personal belongings which she generously bequeathed to the library,’ said Neville, who has also been a judge for the Miles Franklin Literary Award for the past eight years.

Franklin’s distant relative Kim Goldsmith will officially hand over the diary to the State Library of NSW at a ceremony at Macquarie Regional Library in Dubbo, NSW, on 8 March.

The diary adds a 47th volume to the 46 diaries by Franklin that are already held by the library and have been digitised and transcribed by the library. 

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