Percival Serle was one of Australia’s most noted bibliographers.
Early years
Percival Serle was born on 18 July 1871 to English-born parents Walter and Kate. His father was a secretary manager at James McEwan and Co. in Melbourne. After attending Collingwood State School and Scotch College he became a bookkeeper at a life assurance firm.
He read widely, enjoyed debating, and wrote for a local newspaper. After a family trip to Europe in his teens, he also became interested in art. (He later took 6 months leave to visit the galleries of Europe.)
His interest in art blossomed further when he married Melbourne artist Dora Hake in 1910. He also joined the council of the Victorian Artists’ Society – a position he held for 40 years.
Career
In 1910, Serle joined the administrative staff at the University of Melbourne. The daily interactions with academics inspired him to write and to study.
After 10 years of saving, he resigned to devote himself to his writing. He published poetry, worked on several anthologies and founded a literary club. The club met for over 20 years and he became friends with almost all the notable writers of the day.
He volunteered at the National Gallery of Victoria and catalogued several collections. Suffering a loss of income during the Depression of the 1930s, he took on small tasks for the Gallery and other institutions. He also ran a second hand book shop at the old Eastern Market.
Contribution
Serle's greatest achievement was the Dictionary of Australian Biography (2 vols 1949). This mammoth project allowed him to use his talent for biography and research to the full. It remained a regarded research tool for over 40 years (and continues to this day).
He was an unassuming and self-composed scholar who led a modest life. But his wide circle of literary peers valued him for his prodigious knowledge and output.
Death
He died at home on 16 December 1951, leaving his wife Dora and 2 sons. One of his sons, Geoff, became a noted historian.
Bibliography
Adapted from material supplied by historian Dr Jan Penney, GMCT Trust member 2010-2020.
Serle G (1988) Serle, Percival (1871-1951), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University [website]
Serle G (1988) Percival Serle, 1871-1951: biographer, bibliographer, anthologist and art curator: a memoir, Officina Brindabella
Wilde H, Hooton, J and Andrews B (1994) The Oxford Companion to Australian Literature, Oxford University Press
