Guide to the Papers of Joseph Clark
MS 2708
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Joseph Clark
- Title
- Papers of Joseph Clark
- Date Range
- 1930-1988
- Collection Number
- MS 2708
- Extent
- 1.65 metres (11 boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The majority of the papers comprise correspondence, circulars, speeches and clippings concerning elections and the ALP. There are pocket diaries from 1930-88 that include appointments and traveling details. There are also a number of miscellaneous pamphlets and books. There is a box of J.A. Clark's papers (father) comprising correspondence, papers from the 1916 conscription campaign and referendum and ledgers and financial papers from his tailoring business.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1542258).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred Citation
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Joseph Clark, National Library of Australia, MS 2708, [series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
In 1969 Joseph J. Clark donated the main part of the collection to the Parliamentary Library. These papers were transferred to the National Library in 1969. Paul J. Clark, his son, made a further instalment in 1993.
Arrangement
The papers were received in a highly disordered state. Joseph J. Clark's files were retained although some titles were changed to give a clearer indication of the content. Within the files, papers were arranged chronologically. The files were then arranged in chronological order.
Biographical Note
Joseph James Clark was born on 29 July 1897, at Coonamble N.S.W. and died on 9 December 1992. He was married with four children. His father was Joseph A. Clark MLA, a tailor at Dubbo and a politician. J.J Clark was also a master tailor first at Coonamble and later at Dover Heights, Sydney. His education was completed at Holy Cross College at Ryde, Sydney. Alderman for 9 years on Coonamble Council, Mayor of Coonamble three times, president of the local ALP branch and president of the Castlereagh Electorate council before being elected Member for Darling gained him wide political experience. J.J. Clark was first elected to Federal Parliament for the seat of Darling in western New South Wales on 15 September 1934. He retired on 29 September 1969, serving 35 years and 1 month, the seventh longest serving member of the House of Representatives.
He was first associated with the N.S.W. State Labor Group under the leadership of J.A. Beasley. From 1942 to 1943 he was the Deputy Chairman of the Australian Meat Industry Commission and Member of the Federal Meat Advisory Committee from 1943 to 1946. In 1946 he was the Leader of a delegation to the Iron and Steel Committee. He was Chairman of Committees and Deputy Speaker from 1946 to 1949.
He was awarded CBE in 1970.
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Election material, 1930-68
The material relates to State and Federal elections from 1930 to 1966. There are newspaper clippings, pamphlets, speeches, election results, circulars and correspondence. The correspondence includes information on policy, results of elections and congratulations. Correspondents include Arthur Blakeley, J. Graves, H.J.D. Morton, F. Hinde, V. Turner, A.C. Crowhurst, W.M. Levy, P.J. Clarey, F.E. Chamberlain, J.A. Mulvihill, E.G. Wright, Jim Keeffe, W.H. Hartley, Jim Cairns, J.T. Kane, Frank Higgins, E. Wetherall, Gough Whitlam, F. Meere and A.A. Calwell. There are copies of campaign letters from Clark informing members of his electorate of coming elections and policy.
'My selection ballot 1934', Correspondence and clippings, 1930-36 (File 1) - Folio-Box 1
ALP financial policy 1930-31, Selection ballot July 1934 and Federal election September 1934
Federal election 15th September 1934, 1934-36 (File 2-3) - Folio-Box 1
Newspaper clippings and lists of vote numbers for Division of Darling
Election propaganda, 1934-68 (File 4-5) - Folio-Box 1
Newspaper clippings, pamphlets, correspondence 1948-49, Federal election 1934, Darling selection ballot 1952, Federal election 1954, Senate selection ballot 1955 and speeches 1958-68
Australian cuttings, 1960-69; Pamphlets and newspaper clippings, March 1960-September 1969 (File 6) - Folio-Box 1
Pre-selection and election material (1934-37, 1952), 1937-39
Miscellaneous clippings 1937-39, Darling selection ballot 1946, List of newspaper references, Cobar selection ballot clippings 1952 and 1962 and Senate election 1967 broadcast typescript
Elections, 1942-65 (File 7) - Folio-Box 1
Speeches, pamphlets, circulars and newspaper clippings for federal elections from 1942 to 1965
Policy statements, 1950-61 (File 8-9) - Folio-Box 2
Newspaper clippings, policy speeches, ALP Federal conferences 1959-61, speeches 1961 and Bill to amend Civil Aviation Agreement Act 1961
Series 2. Australian Labor Party, 1931-68
The papers relate to the ALP organisation and policies from 1938 to 1967. There are also papers concerning the Federal Meat Advisory Committee of whom J.J. Clark was a member from 1943 to 1946. The series contains speeches, speaker's notes, newspaper clippings, press releases, pamphlets, reports, circulars and correspondence. Correspondents include P.A. McBride, H.S. Paterson, Telford Murray, R.W. Mitchell, John J. Dedman, J. Fitzgerald, H.V. Evatt, A.C. Fisken, J.A. Tonkin, J.L. Shute, Paul Hasluck, A.R. Downer, M.W. Donnell, R.B. Curtis, Kevin Ray, Harold Holt, Alan W. Campbell and A.A. Calwell.
ALP matters 1938-68 (File 2) - Folio-Box 3
Pamphlets, correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings and press releases
Woollen Distribution Committee (File 5) - Folio-Box 4
National security (general) regulations, control of woven woollen materials order, includes correspondence, April-May 1942
Speeches and statements, 1941-68 (File 7) - Folio-Box 4
Map of the Brisbane Line, newspaper clippings on speeches and addresses
Early ALP material, 1954-69 (File 9-10) - Folio-Box 4
ALP Constitution, circulars, correspondence, pamphlets
Speeches etc, 1961-65 (File 11-15) - Folio-Box 5
Newspaper and Hansard clippings, correspondence, press releases, ALP Federal conference 1961, Ministerial statements on the economy, speeches, Tariff revision 1962, broadcast script, ALP Rural conference reports
Series 3. Pocket diaries, 1934-88 - Folio-Box 7
J.J. Clark's pocket diaries date from 1934 to 1988, with those for 1933-35, 1937-39, 1954-55, 1957-60, 1962 and 1969 missing. The diaries show Clark's travels and meetings. There are also notes of conferences and meetings that he attended.
Series 4. Pamphlets - Folio-Box 8
The pamphlets date from 1929 to 1967. There are two books of newspaper clippings, one from 1930 and the other from 1934. The pamphlets include the vote numbers for the Senate elections in 1934, 1937 and 1966, ALP constitution 1934, report of dairy marketing overseas, financial information and policy speeches by J. Curtin, A.W. Fadden, R.G. Menzies, A.A. Calwell and E.G. Whitlam.
Series 5. Books
House of Representatives, A short description of business and procedures, 1964 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
W.M. Marshall Freeman and J. Carson Abbott, The ABC of Parliamentary procedure, 1906, House of Representatives, Standing Orders, 1907 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
J.S. Weatherston, Commonwealth Hansard, its establishment and development, 1940 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
Sir Thomas Erskine May, A treatise on the law, priviledges, proceedings and usage of Parliament, 1917 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
Frank Lock, The Nationalisation of credit, the only cure for industrial unrest, 1919 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
A.W. Stargardt, Things worth fighting for, speeches by Joseph Benedict Chifley, 1952 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
H.V. Evatt, Australian Labour Leader, the story of W.A. Holman and the Labour Movement, 1940 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
Edited by G.E. Hadow, Essays on Addison by Macaulay and Thackeray with twelve essays by Addison, 1916 (File) - Folio-Box 9-10
Series 6. Papers of J.A. Clark
The series comprises papers of Joseph J. Clark's father, Joseph A. Clark. J.A. Clark was a tailor in Dubbo and Member for Castlereagh in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly. The correspondence concerns the 1916 Conscription campaign and referendum. The correspondents are W.J. Kerwin, J.M. Power, P.C. Evans, Arthur A. Hammond and G.G. Nicholoson. The ledger and financial papers document his tailoring business.