S May Benson lived at Brenda Station, Goodoga, NSW, with her parents and her siblings. It is not certain how or when she obtained one of Howitt’s circulars, but the correspondence between them indicates that she was answering one of his circulars on kinship.
Their correspondence occurred through 1906 and 1907, after Howitt had published his 1904 book Native Tribes of South East Australia. Benson had terrible hand writing – there are letters that Howitt himself has transcribed, writing the words he was guessing at either above Benson’s elongated scrawl on the page, or on a separate page entirely. This did not stop a correspondence where Benson sought to gather any necessary information for Howitt and Howitt in turn offered support for Benson’s interest in Folklore. Howitt sent Benson an unnamed book on folklore and encouraged her to publish. Whilst living in the Goodoga region until at least 1915, it would appear that Benson (married name McConachie) did not publish under her own or her married name. Benson died in 1965.
S May Benson
Found in Transcriptions
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May Benson to Howitt 1 September 1906Registration Number XM33Author —Physical Description Letter and notes, handwritten in ink. Three sheets includes a two page letter, and one smaller page of notes (in a different hand) adhered to first page of letter. Fair condition with some creasing of corners of letter; folds & tears of top left corner of notes. -
Benson to Howitt 20 October 1907Pages 2Registration Number XM38Author —Physical Description Letter, single sheet, handwritten with four sheets of handwritten notes. Five sheets, seven pages. In some instances A.W. Howitt's transcriptions of certain words are present directly below the word. Good condition. -
Benson to Howitt 10/06/1906
Also found in
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Draft Howitt to BensonRegistration Number hw0167Author —Physical Description — -
Howitt to Miss Benson 14/08/1899Registration Number hw0402Author —Physical Description — -
Howitt to Miss Benson 11/1907Registration Number hw0403Author —Physical Description — -
May Benson to Howitt 26 September 1906Registration Number XM34Author —Physical Description Letter, handwritten. One sheet, two pages. Good condition. -
Letter from Benson 18 July 1907Registration Number XM36Author —Physical Description Letter, handwritten, ink. Seven sheets, eight pages. In some instances A.W. Howitt's transcriptions of certain words is entered directly below the word. Good condition. -
Benson to Howitt 25 August 1907Registration Number XM37Author —Physical Description Letter, handwritten, ink. Seven sheets, seven pages. In some instances A.W. Howitt's transcriptions of certain words is present directly below the word. Good condition. -
Benson to Howitt 25 October 1907Registration Number XM39Author —Physical Description — -
Howitt to Benson 10 July 1906Registration Number XM40Author —Physical Description Draft letter, handwritten, Two quarto sheets. Condition: good. -
Howitt to Benson 12 July 1906Registration Number XM41Author —Physical Description Letter including notes, handwritten. Eleven sheets with hand drawn map enclosed. All in good condition. -
Benson 1 December 1907Registration Number XM42Author —Physical Description Notes and tables, handwritten and hand drawn. Eight sheets, nine pages. Good condition. -
Benson to Howitt n.d.Registration Number XM43Author —Physical Description Notes, possibly incomplete letter, handwritten in ink, undated. Three sheets with annotations on first page in ink and in pencil, and circled number '5'. Seven numbered paragraphs on descent and relationship terms. Fragile: yellowing, lightweight paper; pin-holes top left; small tears from edges; some light foxing. -
Letter from May Benson 5 June 1907Registration Number XM661Author Howitt, Mr Alfred WilliamPhysical Description Notes, handwritten in ink. Four sheets, four pages. Three foolscap sheets, and part of an envelope date stamped 'Brewarrina 14 Jul 07', and 'Melbourne 19 Aug 07. Pencilled number '7' (circled) on both notes and envelope. Notes are a transliteration and include relationship diagrams, and annotations in margins of sheets (numbered 1-12). Condition: pin-holes top left corner; light yellowing along edges of paper. -
Handwritten notesRegistration Number XM705Author Howitt, Mr Alfred WilliamPhysical Description Draft article, handwritten in ink, undated. Possibly incomplete as a no covering page with title or date present. Seven quarto sheets, seven pages. Numbered 2 to 8. Condition: good.