MS 309
Papers of the Tait Family



Scope and Content

  • Papers
  • 1908-66
  • 1.12m (8 boxes)
  • Available for reference

This collection comprises photocopies of original material in the possession of Lady Tait. Further material belonging to Lady Tait was photocopied and has been included in the Library's J.C. Williamson Collection (MS 5783), as it relates to the early years of operation of J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd.

The papers consist predominantly of correspondence between the Tait brothers, John, Nevin, Ted and Frank relating to their activites as theatrical entrepreneurs and, in particular, their work as directors of J.C. Williamson Ltd. There is also some personal correspondence of Sir Frank and Lady Tait. Scattered throughout the correspondence are typed extracts from letters that presumably were prepared by Lady Tait when writing her book on the Tait brothers, A Family of Brothers (Heinemann, 1971). Lady Tait's manuscript of the book is also included. In addition, there are some financial documents relating to the Tait Family and newspaper clipping about J.C. Williamson theatre productions and the Tait family. Other miscellaneous items relate to J.C. Williamson productions and include two cue cards and a table cloth embroidered with signatures from the production of The Runaway Girl.

Biographical Note

The Tait brothers, Charles (b.1868), John (b.1871), James Nevin (b. 1876), Edward (b.1878)and Frank (b.1883), were born in Castlemaine, Victoria, the sons of John T. Tait, a Scot who migrated to Australia in the 1860s. As directors of J.C. Williamson Ltd, they dominated and influenced the Australian theatrical and entertainment world for many years.

1884        Charles employed by Allan's Music Warehouse.                  
1900        Ted commenced work for J.C. Williamson, then managed by       
            George Tallis.                                                
1902        John and Nevin formed J. & N. Tait, to be later joined by     
            the youngest brother Frank.  The firm promoted concerts with  
            artists whom Charles met through his job at the music shop.   
1905        J. & N. Tait made the film "The Kelly Gang" and, along with   
            Millard Johnson and William Gibson, formed Amalgamated        
            Pictures Ltd.  Their success caused some dissension between   
            Ted and J.C. Williamson's Board.                              
1915        After failing to secure an associate directorship, Ted        
            resigned from J.C.W. and joined his brothers.                 
1919        Nevin travelled to London to direct the new London office.    
1920        Financial difficulties prompted a merger of J. & N. Tait,     
            Electric Theatres and J.C. Williamson Film Company.           
1928        Tallis persuaded the Board that they should establish an      
            office in London.                                             
1930        Nevin became sole managing director of London office.         
Late 1920s  The Firm started to have financial difficulties.              
1931        Sir George Tallis retired as Chairman.                        
1933        Charles Tait died.                                            
1937        Tallis and Allen sold their 200000 shares to Sir John         
            McKenzie who became chairman of J.C. Williamson.  McKenzie    
            owned a chain of stores in New Zealand.                       
            Ernest C. Rolls was appointed to the board and made managing  
            director and principal producer as a stipulation of the sale  
            of shares by Tallis and Allen to John McKenzie.               
1938        Australian and New Zealand Theatres was formed to run the     
            theatre side of the business.  Frank Tait was appointed to    
            the Board.                                                    
            J.C. Williamson Ltd was made solely a property and            
            investment company.                                           
            John, Ted and Frank Tait continued as managing directors of   
            J.C. Williamson Ltd while Nevin Tait continued as the London  
            representative of both companies.  Frank had suggested that   
            he, Ted and John should manage Australia and New Zealand      
            Theatres until it was established, but his suggestion was     
            rejected.                                                     
1939        Viola Wilson approached by Nevin Tait  to sing as principal   
            soprano in the Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Australia and   
            New Zealand for 1940.                                         
            Rolls travelled overseas to choose shows and artists.         
            Australian and New Zealand Theatres suffered considerable     
            losses.                                                       
1941        Frank married Viola Wilson.                                   
1943        Australian and New Zealand Theatres Limited was re-registered  
            as J.C Williamson Theatres Limited and became a subsidiary    
            of J.C. Williamson Limited.                                   
            It was decided that John, Ted and Frank should continue       
            controlling J.C. Williamson Theatres Ltd, with one of them    
            to be appointed annually as chairman.  Nevin was to remain    
            managing director in London.                                  
1947        Ted's health deteriorated and he became ill after a trip      
            overseas to buy new productions.  He died on 12 July 1947,    
            aged 69.                                                      
            After Ted's death the Tait brothers thought it necessay to    
            look for younger men to take on the greater burdens of the    
            business.  The problem of succession was to continue for      
            some time, without resolution.                                
1948        EDMAS was formed (Education in Music and Dramatic Arts        
            Society) to assist in promotion of ballet and opera.  J.C.    
            Williamson placed all their resources at the diposal of the   
            Society.  Nevin was responsible for forming the opera         
            company and spent six months in Italy in search of talent.    
            Nevin engaged 25 artists for the J.C. Williamson Italian      
            Grand Opera season.                                           
            Nevin returned to Australia for the first time in 20 years.   
c. 1950     Sir John Mc Kenzie formed an investment company Rangatira     
            Pty Ltd as a staff provident fund of 48000 shares.  Half of   
            the shares of J.C. Williamson Ltd were owned by Tarag Pty     
            Ltd, which was owned by Rangatira Pty Ltd.                    
1949        John Tait went overseas to buy new shows.                     
1952        John was still active writing to the New Zealand Directors    
            about the threat of television.                               
            Nevin undertook to assemble another Italian Grand Opera       
            company.                                                      
            The Firm lost heavily on the production of 'Coppelia' and     
            Frank became concerned that the Borovansky Australian Ballet  
            Company could not survive unless subsidised.  He met and      
            discussed with Dr Coombs, then Chairman of the Elizabethan    
            Theatre Trust, the possiblity of establishing a ballet        
            foundation trust.                                             
1955        Nevin returned to London after the Italian opera season       
            finished.                                                     
1955        John Tait died on 23 September after a short illness.         
1958        John McCallum accepted a position as assistant managing       
            director to Frank.                                            
1961        The Australian Ballet Foundation was formed and Frank was     
            appointed chairman.                                           
            Nevin died on 7 March.                                        
1965        Frank died on 23 August.                                      

For further information please see:

Tait, Lady (Viola) A Family of Brothers: the Taits and J. C. Williamson a theatre history Melbourne, Heinemann, 1971.


Box List

Correspondence

Box 1

Folders

1          Business and general correspondence,  1908,    
           1911-17                                        
2          Business and general correspondence, 1920,     
           1924,  1926,  1927-29                          
3          Business and general correspondence,  1931-33  
4          Business and general correspondence,  1934-36  
5          Business and general correspondence,  1937-39  
6          Correspondence and press clippings regarding   
           Ernest Charles Rolls,  1920,  1926,  1931-38   
7          Business and general correspondence,  1940-41  
8          Business and general correspondence,  1942     
9          Business and general correspondence,  1943     

Box 2

Folders

10-12  Business and general correspondence,  1944     
13     Business and correspondence regarding Service  
       Contract  February to August,  1944            
14     Business and general correspondence,  1945,    
       1949                                           
15     Business and general correspondence,  1951-54  
16     Business and general correspondence,  1955     
17     Business and general correspondence,  1956-58  

Box 3

18    Personal letters of J. Nevin Tait,  1945-50         
19    Personal letters to J. Nevin Tait,  1946-50         

Box 4 -

20    Letters to Rangatira Pty Ltd (Wellington),  1949-50    
21    Letters from Director's, Melbourne to Directors,       
      Rangatira, Wellington,  1954                           

Box 5

22    Letters to Rangatira Directors, New Zealand,        
      1951-53                                             

Business Documents

Box 6

Folders

23    Weekly summary J& N Tait's Attractions,  1918       
24-29 Performance contracts,  1910-54                     

Sir Frank Tait Family Papers

Box 7

Folder

30    Balance sheet and profit and loss account for year  
      ended 30th June 1954, J.C.Williamson Limited        
31    Income and Balance Sheets, Frank S. Tait,  Iris O.  
      Tait,  Peggy E. Tait,  Joan I. Tait                 
32    List of Shares and debentures, F. S Tait and        
      family,  1950's                                     
33    Deed between Lady Tait and Sir Frank Tait, G. E     
      Barker, C.G Hooper (Trustees) re: Sally Wilson      
      Tait dated 30th June 1967,   Balance Sheet          
      Kurrajong Assets Pty Ltd 1967 and Profit and Loss   
      Account Fransom Investments Proprietary Limited,    
      1966                                                
34    Inventory and Probate Valuation of furnishings of   
      Sir Frank Tait,  1967                               

Box 8

Folders

35    Personal correspondence of Sir Frank Tait, 1960-63,  
      1965                                                 
36    Correspondence with Yehundi Menuhin and family and   
      newspaper clippings, 1935-69                         
37    Personal correspondence of Lady Tait, 1963-70,       
      1989, 1990                                           
38    Correspondence of Lady Tait regarding the Royal      
      Academy of Dancing 1957-63.  Includes                
      correspondence with Dame Margot Fonteyn.             
39    Correspondence relating to death of Sir Frank Tait.  
40    Draft manuscript of A Family of Brothers             

Miscellaneous

41    Press clippings re Theatre productions and Tait     
      family                                              
42    Cue cards for production of 'You're in Love',       
      tablecloth with embroidered signatures relating to  
      the production 'The Runaway Girl'