Celebrating a remarkable donation of children's books

Donated by Dr Tony Fitchett and Bron Medlicott-Fitchett, the Olga & Marcus Fitchett Collection comprises more than 2600 children’s and young adult books, divided into three distinct categories: Victorian and Edwardian novels and serials; classic international children’s fiction; and New Zealand authors.

Sarah Gallagher, Director Library Services says, “Dunedin Public Libraries is grateful for Dr Fitchett’s generous donation of an incredible collection of children’s books which complements and extends our existing collections of books for children, and books about children's literature.

“While the majority of the collection is British, there is also an exciting collection of literature by New Zealand authors or relating to New Zealand including many first editions.

“Viewing the books once they were unboxed was an absolute delight. It was lovely to meet several special editions of AA Milne, Ursula Le Guin alongside our own authors like Margaret Mahy, Dorothy Butler, Joy Cowley, Kate De Goldi and Maurice Gee.

Dr Fitchett will discuss the collection at a Dunedin Public Libraries Heritage Foundation event in the Dunningham Suite, Dunedin City Library, on Thursday 29 October.

The collection is named in honour of Olga Moana Fitchett, Tony Fitchett’s aunt and godmother, and Marcus Anthony Reginald Fitchett. Tony and Bron’s eldest son, Marcus died aged 26, along with his partner Rachael Gloag in a motor vehicle accident in Canada in 1996.

A GP and GP obstetrician in Dunedin, and Senior Lecturer in the Medical School (in the departments of General Practice and O&G) and joint-founder of Mornington Health Centre, Dr Fitchett was bequeathed his aunty’s extensive collection in 1952, when he was seven.

The second child in a family of five boys, all of whom enjoyed reading, Dr Fitchett recalls being read to regularly when he was young.

“We had quite a number of old and new children’s books around the house. My aunt Stella reckoned that I escaped a lot of family jobs because I was often in a corner reading, and therefore not noticed when something needed to be done.”

Dr Fitchett was born in Dunedin, but his family moved to Nelson before he turned 2. Returning in 1963 with a view to getting into the Dunedin School of Medicine, it was then that he discovered the University Book Shop, his father having opened an account there in his name, albeit for the purchase of textbooks only.

Over the years Dr Fitchett has spent many hours scanning the shelves of booksellers in Dunedin, Oamaru, Wellington, Auckland, Nelson, Hamilton, London and elsewhere.

“I still think the best way to look for books is by browsing in bookshops: new bookshops certainly, but secondhand bookshops are often even more enjoyable,” he says.

“I still get (emailed now) the occasional Mad Hatter Books list, covering second-hand, collectible and out-of-print children’s books, dating from the Victorian era to the present day.”

Dr Fitchett says it’s only appropriate that Dunedin Public Libraries should have a permanent heritage collection of children’s books.

“In 1936 the DPL established the first specifically designated Children’s Librarian position in New Zealand, in preparation for the return of Dorothy Neal (later Dorothy Neal White, and much later Dorothy Ballantyne, whom I knew from being a fellow member of the St Paul’s Cathedral congregation) from her Carnegie Travelling Fellowship to study children’s librarianship in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Image: Sarah Gallagher, Director Library Services, and Julian Smith, Reed Rare Books and Special Collections Librarian, peruse just a handful of the thousands of children's books donated by the Fitchett family.

The collection:

The collection comprises periodicals for children from mainly the late 19^th to the early 20^th centuries, as well as books for children and young adults.

Periodical highlights include large runs of Boys Own Annual, The Captain: A Magazine for Boys and Old Boys, Chums, Girls Own Annual and Young England.

The fiction includes children’s books from the late 19^th century, including a significant collection of books for boys by G.A. Henty. A further focus is on British publishers from the second half of the 20^th century. These books include early editions of all 30 novels for children by Monica Edwards, 38 novels for children by KM Peyton; and 88 books by William Mayne. A sequence of books by recent New Zealand publishers are also included.

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