Letter by Alec H. Chisholm to Mrs R.H. Croll 1950.06.05

THE AUSTRALIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
Angus & Robertson Ltd
5th June, 1950

Dear Mrs Croll:

I was, and am still very sorry to have missed you when you were in Sydney, and sorry too that you had an unsuccesssful climb on our Golden stairs -- though possibly that climb will assist to strengthen you in your attack (many years hence) on the real Golden stairs!

Thanks very much for the information about Den. The fact appears to be that the earlier parts of the book on the Bloke were written at Toolangi and the later parts at Sunnyside. There is no doubt whatever that Den owed a big debt to the Roberts family (as he did also to Bob) and the extraordinary thing, as you say, is that he never really acknowledged it.

I have not seen or heard anything of Biddy of late -- and don't particularly want to. Presumably she will benefit through a selected edition of Den's work which I am preparing and introducing and which will be published by A. & R. late this year.

With kind regards to Robin and yourself.

Yours faithfully,
Alec H. Chisholm

Notes:
Mrs Croll is the wife of R.H. Croll, who is referred to as "Bob" in this letter.
The Roberts family is that of John Garibaldi Roberts to whom Dennis dedicated The Songs of the Sentimental Bloke. Beyond this Dennis held the Roberts family in very high affection and Chisholm's note here that Dennis did not acknowledge his "big debt" to them is really a matter of personal opinion. His point re "Bob" (R.H. Croll) may have greater validity.
The "selected edition of Den's work" referred to is Selected Verse of C.J. Dennis published in 1950 edited and introduced by Alec H. Chisholm.

R.H. Croll Collection MS8964 FB19 - State Library of Victoria