MS 9148
Papers of Sir Thomas White (1888-1957)
- Papers
- MS 9148
- 1912-1992
- 5.32 m. (37 boxes) + 3 folio boxes
- Available for reference
The papers were donated to the Library by White's daughters in two
consignments in January 1997 and March 1998, and together constitute an
impressive record of Whites varied and distinguished career as a
pilot, politician, diplomat and writer.
Dating mostly from the 1920s onwards, they include diaries, photographs,
reports, writings, broadcasts, speeches, cutting books, official
correspondence and letters exchanged with family and friends, as well as a
large number of more ephemeral items such as brochures, invitations and
programs.
Whites periods of service as a RAAF pilot and Australian High
Commissioner in London, including the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II,
are particularly well documented. Papers recording Whites membership
of Cabinet as Minister for Trade and Customs (and his resignation from the
Lyons Ministry in 1938), and Minister for Air and Civil Aviation are also
strongly represented. In addition, White maintained an active association
with a number of social service and special interest organisations, such
as the Royal Flying Doctor Service, Royal Life Saving Society and
Australian Aero Club. His longstanding concern with immigration is
reflected in files relating to the Royal Empire Society and Fairbridge
Farm Schools, whilst other folders document the Empire Air Training
Scheme, his membership of the RAAF Escaping Society and interest in early
aviation. An important element of the collection is also the many
photographs which are dispersed through the series, particularly the
Australia House period in the 1950s.
The majority of papers were received in the Library in boxes arranged
according to rough annual groupings, and some attempt had been made by
family members to renew old files and add extra information where useful.
Whilst the internal composition of files has been retained, folders have
been further sorted by Manuscript staff into series to reflect the
successive aspects of Whites career. The original file titles have
been used where appropriate; in a large number of instances, however,
where titles did not accurately reflect contents, new folder descriptions
have been created.
In addition to the papers contained in MS 9148, a poem written in honour
of White upon relinquishing his position of Australian High Commissioner
in London is housed at MS 3074. A London cable from White to Billy Hughes,
and a 1951 letter from Chilean Defence Minister Ernesto Merino-Segura to
White, are filed at MS 1557 and MS 4936 respectively.
A chair formerly belonging to Sir Henry Parkes, and presented to the
Australian Government by the Lord Mayor of London Sir Leslie Boyce whilst
White was High Commissioner, is displayed in the Manuscript Reading Room.
Films taken by White while Minister for Trade and Customs during a trade
delegation to England in 1938, as Commanding Officer of the RAAF Initial
Training School in 1940, and when High Commissioner, have been deposited
with the National Film and Sound Archive.
|
1888 |
Born 26 April, North Melbourne, the son of Charles J. White
|
|
c. 1895-1905 |
Educated at Moreland Street School and privately |
|
1914 |
Founder, Australian Aero Club |
|
1915-19 |
Served in World War I, Australian Flying Corps, with Australias
first overseas flying unit. Captured by the Turks near Baghdad 1915
and escaped via Russia, 1918. |
|
1919 |
Awarded Distinguished Flying Cross |
|
1920 |
Married Vera Deakin, 22 March, youngest daughter of Alfred Deakin
|
|
1920-32 |
Managing Director, C.J. White and Sons, lock manufacturers,
Melbourne |
|
1925 |
President, Melbourne Legacy Club |
|
1925-27 |
President, Victorian Secretary and Federal Chairman of the
Australian Aero Club |
|
1926-31 |
Commander (Lieutenant-Colonel), 6th Battalion, Royal Melbourne
Regiment |
|
1928 |
Published Guests of the unspeakable: the odyssey of an
Australian airman, being a record of captivity and escape in Turkey
|
|
1929-51 |
Member of the House of Representatives for Balaclava, Victoria
|
|
1933-38 |
Minister for Trade and Customs in Lyons Government (resigned 8
November 1938) |
|
1934 |
Undertook study tour of Queensland primary industries |
|
1934-51 |
President, Royal Life Saving Society Victorian Branch and Chairman,
Australian Federal Council |
|
1936 |
Visited New Guinea to advise on civil aviation and secure bounties
for tropical industries |
|
1937 |
Led official economic mission to New Zealand |
|
1938 |
One of three Ministerial Delegates to visit the United Kingdom for
the re-writing of the Ottawa Agreement; represented Australia at Evian
Refugee Conference |
|
1938 |
Following resignation from Lyons Ministry, founded the Protect
Australia League |
|
1940 |
Commanding Officer, RAAF, No. 1 Initial Training School, Somers,
Victoria (Flight Lieutenant) |
|
1941-43 |
Commanding Officer, RAF Stations, Bournemouth and Brighton, England
(Wing-Commander, 1941; Group Captain, 1943) |
|
1943 |
Published poem Sky saga: a story of Empire airmen |
|
1944 |
Retired from airforce on medical grounds |
|
1949-51 |
Minister for Air and Civil Aviation in Menzies Government |
|
1951-56 |
Australian High Commissioner in London |
|
1952 |
Knighted |
|
1957 |
Died Melbourne, 13 November |
White also served on the Board of Governors, College of Aeronautics;
Member of the Governing Body, Imperial College of Science and Technology;
Board of Governors, Imperial Institute; and was founder and President of
the Australian Musical Society.
|
1. |
Diaries, 1919-57 |
|
2. |
Personal correspondence and papers, 1920-66 |
|
3. |
General correspondence and papers, 1914-92 |
|
4. |
Australian Flying Corps, 1919-40 |
|
5. |
Commander, 6th Battalion (Royal Melbourne Regiment), 1912-31
|
|
6. |
Member of the House of Representatives for Balaclava, 1924-53
|
|
7. |
Minister for Trade and Customs, 1924-51 |
|
8. |
RAAF and RAF service, 1919-56 |
|
9. |
Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, c. 1941-57 |
|
10. |
Australian High Commissioner in London, 1931-58 |
|
11. |
Writings, 1928-56 |
|
12. |
Australian Aero Club and civil aviation, 1920-88 |
|
13. |
Melbourne Legacy Club, 1924-57 |
|
14. |
Royal Flying Doctor Service, 1927-83 |
|
15. |
Royal Life Saving Society, 1932-58 |
|
16. |
British Empire Service League, 1953-57 |
|
17. |
Royal Empire Society, 1938-58 |
|
18. |
Press cuttings, 1919-57 |
|
19. |
Photographs, 1916-56 |
|
20. |
Publications, 1920s-57 |
Series 1 Diaries and address books, 1919-57
For most periods of his working life White kept a sequence of pocket
diaries in which he recorded appointments, phone numbers and addresses of
contacts, and notes of a miscellaneous nature. From time to time he
maintained more detailed diaries, usually associated with a significant
event or trip. Examples found in this series include records made of some
episodes of 1945 (including an official visit to Western Australia and
Vera Whites illness) and Whites visit to Malta as Australian
High Commissioner to Britain in 1954.
A diary kept by White during his official visit to New Zealand in 1937
is filed in Series 7; extracts from his 1942 war diary are located in
Series 8.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Diaries: 1919 (2 diaries), 1925, 1926-27, 1928 (2 diaries), 1929
|
|
2 |
Diaries: 1930 (2 diaries), 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937,
1938, 1939 |
|
3 |
Diaries: 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946 (2 diaries), 1948 (2
diaries), 1949 |
|
4 |
Diaries: 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954 (Malta), 1957; Address books: 1919,
c. 1940s-1950s (United Kingdom) |
|
5 |
Engagements: 1936; Diaries: 1945, undated diary extract written in
England, c. 1940 |
Series 2 Personal correspondence and papers, 1920-66
White was devoted to his wife Vera, to whom he wrote regular and often
lengthy letters whilst away in Canberra attending Parliament, undertaking
ministerial duties or on official overseas visits. His letters cover a
range of personal, family and work-related matters, and often contain
detailed impressions of his experiences as a parliamentarian and
government minister.
In addition to these family letters, a long sequence of condolence
letters received by Lady White after Sir Thomas death in 1957 is
filed at the end of this series. Correspondents include Sir John Latham
and Harold Holt.
Other letters from Sir Thomas to Lady White can be found in Series 3;
cables and correspondence from White to his family whilst overseas during
World War II are are located in Series 8.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Letters of Thomas White to Vera White, 1920-39, together with
photographic negatives of scenes from World Wars I and II, including
some of Thomas White |
|
2 |
Letters of Thomas White to Vera White, 1924-46 |
|
3-4 |
Correspondence exchanged between Thomas, Lilian and Vera White,
1926-66 |
|
5 |
Letters of Thomas White to Vera White, 1938, 1943, 1945-50 |
|
6-7 |
Letters of bereavement received on the death of Sir Thomas White,
1957 |
|
8-9 |
Letters of bereavement received on the death of Sir Thomas White,
1957, including order of funeral service |
|
10-12 |
Letters of bereavement received on the death of Sir Thomas White,
1957, including letters from Sir John Latham and Harold Holt |
Series 3 General correspondence and papers, 1914-92
White did not maintain a separate filing system for his various
correspondents; instead letters sent and received were often dispersed
singly or in groups amongst an assortment of other papers. Consequently,
files in this series are largely general in nature, with correspondence
interfiled amongst other miscellaneous items such as reports, cuttings,
speech notes, broadcasts and invitations and pamphlets.
Among the politicians, airforce colleagues, and British associates whose
letters can be found here are Prime Ministers Joseph Lyons and Sir Robert
Menzies, fellow parliamentarians H.V. Evatt, Frank Brennan, William
Hutchinson and George McLeay, the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Leslie Boyce,
and balletomane Arnold Haskell. A fragment of an undated letter from
Pattie Deakin (Whites mother-in-law) is filed in Folder 7.
Amongst the varied subjects represented are papers relating to the
Expeditionary Air Force, immigration, trade, civil aviation, Empire Air
Training Scheme, Whites resignation from the Lyons Ministry,
electoral papers, Caulfield RSL and the Bread and Cheese Club.
The series also includes a few papers added since Sir Thomas
death, such as a 1965 letter to Lady White and a 1992 letter to their
daughter, Judith Harley.
|
Folders |
|
|
1-2 |
Correspondence, 1930-51, chiefly with British parliamentary and
airforce contacts including letters from the Earl of Winterton
regarding Expeditionary Air Force, Lady Madeline Lees, Whites
niece Marjorie, Mary Somerville, B. Dutton Briant, Arnold Haskell,
refugees V. Rosik and F. Secky, Lord Llewellin, Will Strickland,
Sidney Parker, Lord Lyle, Horace Chinery, Alex Gordon, Celia Macdonald
of the Isles, Leslie Boyce, Steve Bartlett, L.S. Amery and others. The
folders also contain papers pertaining to the Empire Industries
Association, contents of food parcels for England, free trade and
Armenian relief appeal leaflets. |
|
3 |
Papers, 1914-88, including clippings and correspondence, notes on
rights of prisoners of war, letter concerning Whites resignation
from the Lyons ministry, The Times review of Australia
(published March 1952 but not distributed due to death of King George
VI), printed map of Australian Army operations (1940-45), election
card for Constance Duncan, Independent candidate for Balaclava
|
|
4 |
Papers, 1919-67, including reply to remarks by Frank Brennan on AIF
recruitment, returned soldiers preference question, broadcast for
Develop Australia League on protection and patriotism, joint
Opposition policy (1949), list of proposed titles for Guests of
the unspeakable, clipping concerning Whites resignation from
Cabinet, material relating to Royal Empire Society appeal, Evatts
leadership, Senate functions, British immigration, Empire Air Training
Scheme, British-Australian trade, the British Empire League
andAustralian Industries Protection League |
|
5 |
Papers, 1920-56, including photographs of Anzac Day ceremonies (c.
1921-24), letter to Vera White (1932), war poems, copy of letter to
Prime Minister Lyons on Cabinet restructure (1938), notes on
Maribyrnong preselection, brochures about aspects of the Commonwealth,
clippings on the retirement of White as High Commissioner, article on
history of Australia House |
|
6 |
Papers, 1924-52, including speech notes following declaration of
election poll (1929), draft letter to Senator Pearce on policy matters
(1929), draft speech to Develop Australia League on protection and
patriotism, circular outlining races of Southern Rhodesia, bomber
aircraft, Boomerang Club, extract of letter to William Hutchinson
concerning Empire Air Training Scheme, together with other
correspondence from British airforce contacts |
|
7 |
Papers, 1925-56, 1965, 1992 including correspondence with Alex
Bagot, speech notes at opening of Australian Artists Association
exhibition, letter to Judith Harley (1992), fragment of undated letter
from Pattie Deakin, letter to Vera White (1965), photographs, notes on
British Empire, newspaper reports of 6th Battalion (Royal Melbourne
Regiment) |
|
8 |
Papers, 1929-57, including correspondence and papers regarding Bread
and Cheese Club, Hansard extracts on returned soldiers,
supervision of compulsory training, book censorship and 1930-31
estimates, Report of Informal Conference of Empire Parliamentary
Association (1934), newspaper report on Lyons Cabinet restructure |
|
9 |
Papers, 1929-52, including miscellaneous correspondence, notebook
containing draft writings, history of Australian Aero Club, clippings
on book censorship, speech notes for address to war rally (1941),
account of Rabaul volcanic eruption (1937), election material for seat
of Balaclava, letters and clippings relating to RAAF training in
Britain, photographs of visits to pineapple and cotton plantations at
Kingaroy and Biloela, Queensland, statement on reasons for retirement
from public life (1941), Dutch aviation brochures |
|
10 |
Papers, 1931-56, including speech notes, letter to Evatt concerning
Empire Air Scheme, short note from R.G. Menzies, miscellaneous
invitations, visit to Royal Air Force Station, Dishforth,
correspondence as High Commissioner, letter to Senator George McLeay
regarding motor vehicle manufacture, air race papers, Australian
Flying Corps Association circular, information regarding establishment
of Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation and Australian aircraft
manufacture, Caulfield RSL constitution, de Havilland and Sabre
aircraft brochures, Protect Australia League, returned soldiers
preference question |
|
11 |
Papers, 1937-78, including speech on Empire Parliamentary
Association, Caulfield RSL, The story of the Air Beef Project in
North West Australia, address by Sir Archdale Parkhill on
Australian aircraft manufacture, Royal Flying Doctor Service,
Victorian Section bulletin (July 1978), article about TAA and
Flying Doctor Service, various issues of Empire Industries
Association and British Empire League monthly bulletin,
correspondence concerning visit to No. 30 Squadron, Yorkshire, United
Empire (July-August 1943), The British Australian & New
Zealander (1942) |
|
12 |
Papers concerning establishment of Caulfield RSL and other airforce
matters, 1943-50 |
|
13 |
Papers, 1927-49, including speech notes, brochures, establishment of
Caulfield RSL, copy of Whites maiden speech in House of
Representatives, Australian motor vehicle manufacture, clipping
documenting Whites appointment to England as RAAF Commander |
|
14 |
Speeches and research notes on Australian literature, 1951-52;
transcript of 3UZ biographical interview, 1956; broadcast transcripts,
1942-48 |
|
15 |
Papers, 1954-58, including correspondence and cuttings concerning
church matters, Balaclava election leaflet and other papers |
|
16 |
Papers, c. 1941-57, including conclusions of Australian Defence
Research Policy Committee, immigration, notebook kept whilst stationed
at RAF Station, Reading, Berkshire, Cowra Air Pageant program, RAAF
training by aero clubs, personal correspondence |
|
17 |
Cuttings and papers, 1919-64, including aviation, Nationalist
Council of Victoria pamphlet, RAAF, Australian Naval Surveying
Service, policy by H.S.W. Lawson (1927), international trade, Sidelights
on the Soviet (no. 16, 1946), Hansard speeches by White
|
Series 4 Australian Flying Corps, 1919-40
During World War I White served with the Australian Flying Corps where
he quickly earned a reputation for his skilled piloting. In 1914, he was
one of four officers chosen to undertake initial training at Point Cook,
and was appointed to Half Flight (the first Australian Flying Corps unit)
on overseas duty. In 1915 while employed on a bombing raid of Turkish
communication posts with British Army observer Captain Francis
Yeats-Brown, they were captured by the Turks outside Baghdad. After a
three years as a prisoner of war White escaped in 1918 as a stowaway on a
Russian-bound ship to Odessa, rejoining British forces at Salonika. In
later life he recorded details of his escape in the often reprinted Guests
of the unspeakable and gave many lectures to interested groups on his
wartime experiences.
Other papers relating to Whites service with the Australian Flying
Corps are filed in Series 3; draft manuscripts and reviews of Guests
of the unspeakable can be found in Series 11. Correspondence with
Yeats-Brown, who survived the war to write the best-selling autobiography
Bengal lancer, is located in Series 7.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Speech notes and cutting detailing experiences in Turkey and Iraq,
1919-40 |
Series 5 Commander, 6th Battalion (Royal Melbourne Regiment),
1912-31
White took up his commission as Commander of the 6th Battalion (Royal
Melbourne Regiment) in 1926. Filed in this series are correspondence,
reports and other papers recording aspects of his command, before his
transfer to the Unattached List in 1932.
Additional papers relating to the Royal Melbourne Regiment are filed in
Series 3.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Correspondence, reports and other papers, 1912-31, together with 6th
Battalion enamel lapel badge |
Series 6 Member for Balaclava and other political papers, 1924-53
Whites entry into Federal politics began with an unsuccessful
candidature for the safe Labor seat of Maribyrnong in November 1925. In
August 1929 he won a by-election for the bayside seat of Balaclava which
he held, first as a Nationalist then as a Liberal, until 1951. He returned
to Australia whilst on active service during World War II to recontest the
1943 election.
The folders contain a range of material documenting Whites
political activities and interests, and include copies of letters
exchanged between Robert Menzies and Earle Page in 1939, Whites 1946
suspension from Parliament, This Week in Canberra radio
transcripts, a letter from William Hutchinson concerning the 1943
leadership ballot, and a comprehensive run of Whites parliamentary
speeches from 1932 to 1951.
Additional papers documenting Whites activities as Member for
Balaclava are filed in Series 3 and 7.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Papers, 1924-36, including correspondence and cuttings documenting
Whites early political career and candidature for the seat of
Maribyrnong, notes on annual meeting of Melbourne Branch of the ?
Reform League, together with items relating to aviation, communism,
international finance, banking, the Commonwealth Arbitration Court,
industrial relations and Labor Party policies |
|
2-4 |
Papers, 1924-51, including tariffs, military enlistment, speech
notes, defence, expeditionary forces, parliamentary suspension, copies
of letters exchanged between Robert Menzies and Earle Page (1939),
miscellaneous cables and correspondence, transcript of first broadcast
by White (1924), letters concerning Whites resignation from the
Lyons Ministry, coal strikes, returned soldiers preference question,
extract from typescript Labour [sic] in government and
other non-parliamentary matters |
|
5 |
Papers, 1929-51, including cuttings, correspondence and printed
material principally pertaining to elections for seats of Balaclava
and Maribyrnong |
|
6 |
Papers, 1939-49, including Hansard speeches, correspondence
with Arthur C. Morgan, articles on trade and Ottawa Agreement,
clippings, Brighton Air Force Association, letter to Sir Leslie Boyce,
items relating to Whites 1946 suspension from Parliament |
|
7-8 |
Broadcast transcripts (including The Week in Canberra
3XY series), speech notes and other papers, 1943-49, including 1949
election material, letter from William Hutchinson concerning 1943
leadership ballot, abolition of Air Board, World War II campaign
medals |
|
9 |
Broadcast speeches (recorded mainly during election campaigns) and
notes regarding Labors socialisation objective, 1943-53
|
|
10 |
Hansard speeches, 1932-46 |
|
11 |
Hansard speeches, 1947-51 |
Series 7 Minister for Trade and Customs, 1924-51
White served as Minister for Trade and Customs in the Lyons Government
between 1933 and 1938. During this period he dealt with a number of
dominant politicial issues such as tariff reduction (which was subject to
long and embittered debates in Parliament), and vigorously defended the
book censorship regulations of the Customs Act.
Also included in this series are papers documenting the many official
visits which White undertook as Minister, including a 1934 study tour of
Queensland primary industries, 1936 trip to New Guinea to advise on civil
aviation and secure bounties for tropical industries, and 1937 trade
mission to New Zealand. Other papers record Whites visit to London
as one of three Ministerial Delegates to participate in the 1938 Imperial
Conference (to discuss trade matters arising out of the Ottawa Agreement),
and subsequent attendance at the International Refugee Conference in
Evian, France (convened for the purpose of facilitating the departure of
oppressed minorities, especially Jews, from Germany and Austria).
On 8 November 1938 White resigned from the Ministry over disagreements
on defence policy and the structure of the reconstituted Lyons Cabinet. A
copy of his letter of resignation and Lyons reply are located in
Folder 27, whilst a number of other files contain correspondence and
cuttings in response to the episode. Copies of the constitution,
objectives and other papers of the Protect Australia League, which White
founded after his resignation, can be found in Folders 33 and 54, together
with a small amount of material located in Series 3.
A photograph of members of the Australian and New Zealand trade
delegations to the Imperial Conference is filed in Series 8; other papers
relating to Whites resignation can be found in Series 3, 6 and 8.
|
Folders/Volumes |
|
1 |
Australian film industry, 1935-38, papers and correspondence
|
|
2 |
Speeches and other papers, 1936; list of speeches delivered,
1924-38, annotated on inside cover of folder |
|
3 |
Book censorship, 1934-37, including clippings, papers, petition from
booksellers, together with papers relating to the Empire Air Mail
Scheme, England-Australia Flying Boat proposal |
|
4 |
Deputation to Minister for Trade and Customs on censorship of books,
1935, together with Cabinet papers and letter to Sydney Morning Herald
on censorship question, 1936 |
|
5-6 |
Book censorship, 1929-40 |
|
7-8 |
Book censorship, 1933-38 |
|
9 |
Papers by Ian Grabowsky, 1936: Transport in New Guinea and
Papua, Possibilities of developing inland Australia |
|
10 |
Bound copy of Customs tariff, 1933-36 and Excise tariff,
1921-36 |
|
11 |
Index to Whites speeches, House of Representatives, 1933;
speech made at Wesley Church on international economics, 1933 |
|
12 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1930-36, including letter from George Pearce
about migration, notes on national service, tariff policy |
|
13 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1932-46, including correspondence with Francis
Yeats-Brown (author of the Bengal lancer), tariffs, speech on
Australian economic conditions (1933) |
|
14 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1932-33, including tariffs, Anzac Day, Ottawa
Agreement, parliamentary allowances, repatriation |
|
15 |
Parliamentary and other published speeches, 1930-36 |
|
16 |
Reports of the Royal Commission on Mineral Oils and Petrol and
Other Products of Mineral Oils, 1935; Australia-NZ Trade
Agreement, 1932-33; Report and recommendation on adjustment of
protective duties to compensate for the effects of exchange and
primage, 1933 |
|
17 |
Speech on Australia-NZ Trade Agreement, 1933; index to parliamentary
speeches by White, 1933; bound presentation copy of parliamentary
speeches congratulating White on completion of stages of the Customs
Tariff, 1933 (signed by Lyons, Latham, Casey and others) |
|
18 |
Empire Parliamentary Association Conference on the Ottawa Agreement,
1934; speeches and invitations, 1934 |
|
19 |
Papers and correspondence, 1934, including letters from Joseph
Lyons, summary listing of names and length of appointment of previous
trade ministers, telegram appointing White Minister for Trade and
Customs |
|
20 |
Cuttings and associated papers, 1932-34, including items from The
Age, Smiths weekly, and articles relating to the grapefruit
saga |
|
21 |
Visit to Queensland to study primary industries, 1934 |
|
22 |
Press cuttings, 1934 |
|
23 |
Anzac Day 1937 speech notes; The Australian statesman, 1
February 1932; clippings concerning proposed expeditionary force, 1939 |
|
24-25 |
Trade delegation, 1938 |
|
26 |
Research notes and papers for article on New Guinea, 1935-36
|
|
27 |
Miscellaneous papers and correspondence, 1935-42, including list of
ministerial engagements (1938), letter of resignation from Lyons
Ministry and reply |
|
28 |
Papers, 1935-37, including speech notes, correspondence and papers
relating to rival candidature of J.G. Atkinson for seat of Balaclava
|
|
29 |
Papers, 1937, including draft trade diversion policy, photograph of
White family published in Table talk, 14 October 1937
|
|
30 |
Photographs and diary recording trade visit to New Zealand, 1937-38;
personal press cuttings, speech notes, 1937 |
|
31 |
Papers and correspondence, 1937, including Empire Airmail Scheme,
resolutions of meeting of Commonwealth and State Ministers regarding
youth employment and training, Australia-New Zealand trade, statement
by Prime Minister Lyons on Imperial Conference and associated papers,
speech to the Australian Womens National League on domestic and
international trade, circular on the economic record of the Lyons
Government |
|
32 |
Papers, 1935-38, including transcripts of speeches, broadcast on
tariffs, reports on New Guinea, including Australian involvement; The
Sun broadsheet (1 November 1938) announcing Whites
resignation from Lyons Ministry |
|
33 |
Correspondence and papers, 1937-44, 1951, including application by
Enterprise of New Guinea for petroleum exploration permit,
correspondence between Protector of Aborigines and Torres Strait
Pearlshellers Association concerning use of Papuan labour in the
pearlshelling industry, correspondence with Michael Terry of the Royal
Geographical Society and H.B. Borwick, clippings, speech notes,
constitution and objectives of the Protect Australia League, letters
received on resignation from Lyons Ministry, publication Islands
apart-united with references to White |
|
34-35 |
Correspondence and papers relating to New Guinea and Thursday
Island, 1935-36 |
|
36 |
Papers concerning allegations made by Alfred Frood, 1932-49,
including letter from Richard Casey |
|
37 |
Clippings and papers, 1934-35, including itineraries for Cabinet
visit to Western Australia |
|
38 |
Papers and correspondence, 1937, including speeches and other items
regarding Federal election, Ottawa Agreement, comical sketch of Prime
Minister Lyons at Imperial Conference, establishment of Palestine,
notes on US-Australia trade, Australian foreign policy, foreword for
The Australasian manufacturer, prohibition on export of scrap
steel |
|
39 |
Papers and correspondence, 1937, including motor vehicle
manufacture, clippings, air travel for parliamentarians, tariffs,
Australia First Movement, photographs taken during visit to
Queensland, embargo on scrap metals, Australian trade with United
States and Japan |
|
40 |
Album documenting official visit to New Zealand, 1937, including
itineraries, clippings and photographs |
|
41 |
Diary of official visit to Europe and Germany, 1938 |
|
42-43 |
Letters received and replies sent on Whites resignation from
Cabinet, 1938 |
|
44-45 |
Cuttings, statements and correspondence relating to Cabinet
resignation, 1938 |
|
46 |
Invitations and programs, 1938; press clippings on new Lyons
Ministry, 1938 |
|
47-48 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1935-50, including correspondence, speech
notes, RAAF matters, Meet Your Writers Organisation, opium
seizure, tariff policy, letter from Whites secretary, D.
Guthrie, Silver Jubilee of King George V, account of visit of Federal
Cabinet to Western Australia, press releases, Australia-New Zealand
trade, sugar industry, wine and grape industry |
|
49 |
Overseas trade delegation, 1938 |
|
50-51 |
Clippings and correspondence, 1938-1941, including Yampi iron ore,
defence policy, Whites resignation from Lyons Ministry,
notes on trade negotiations with New Zealand, Japan, United States,
wine industry, motor vehicle manufacture |
|
52-53 |
Clippings and papers, 1930-38, principally relating to trade and
customs matters, speech notes for address given at rally for friends
and supporters after Whites resignation from Lyons
Ministry, motor vehicle manufacture, wine industry, koala exports,
newsprint bounty, trade negotiations with Great Britain and New
Zealand, returned soldiers preference scheme |
|
54-56 |
Clippings and papers, 1938-40, including speech notes,
correspondence, defence policy, Protect Australia League, trade
negotiations with Japan, United States, trade delegation to Imperial
Conference, Fairbridge Farm Schools |
Series 8 RAAF and RAF service, 1919-56
During World War II White served in both the RAAF and RAF, commanding
RAF stations at Bournemouth and Brighton, England and rising to the rank
of Group Captain. Papers in this series begin by recording his command
from April 1940 of the No. 1 Initial Training School at Somers, Victoria
(established as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme). A 1942 war diary
provides some account of his flights on overseas RAAF missions between
September 1941 and August 1943, after which time he was appointed head of
Allied, Australian and New Zealand airforces at the RAF Station, Brighton,
England. There he supervised the training of overseas air crews, attended
RAF Intelligence Schools, ran reconnaissance flights and (over age and
against orders) flew as second pilot in command with the Lancaster Bomber
Squadron in missions over the Ruhr. Draft recollections of the German
bombing operations are located in Folders 13 and 27. He retired from
service on medical grounds in December 1944.
Whilst overseas White retained his Federal seat and an active interest
in political affairs, returning to Australia to recontest elections. This
series also contains some of the cables and correspondence through which
he maintained contact with political colleagues in Australia, including
comments made from his posting on the Militia Bill. Also of interest is a
sequence of Whites correspondence with his secretary, Anne Howell,
and a folder of papers documenting his membership of the RAF Escaping
Society (formed in 1945 of Royal and Allied Air Force crew who
successfully escaped from or evaded enemy capture).
A further group of files contain research notes and other historical
papers which appear to have been brought together for a proposed
autobiography that White had begun researching before his death.
Other papers relating to Whites RAAF and RAF service are filed in
Series 3, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
RAAF Brighton, 1941-43, notebook, correspondence and papers
|
|
2 |
RAAF personal file for Thomas White, 1942-43 |
|
3 |
Cables from White on service during World War II to family,
politicians and friends, 1942-43; correspondence with Anne Howell,
1941-43 |
|
4 |
War report of the Chief of the Air Staff, Royal Australian Air
Force, 3rd September 1939 to 31st December 1945, to the Minister for
Air |
|
5 |
RAF and RAAF general file, 1939-53, including World War II
photographs (and picture of members of the Australian and New Zealand
trade delegations, 1938), personal correspondence, liaison with
Australian contacts, clippings, annotated typescript manuscript of
Sky saga, officer roll, RAAF Personnel Reception Centre,
Bournemouth, comments on the Militia Bill |
|
6 |
RAAF, 1919-56, miscellaneous letters and papers, including
transcript of defence policy broadcast by Prime Minister Lyons (1938),
personal correspondence, letter regarding resignation of White from
Lyons Ministry |
|
7 |
RAAF, 1939-53, current and secret file, including
correspondence, notes, embarkation orders, promotion of officers,
clippings |
|
8 |
RAAF Brighton letters and other airforce correspondence, 1941-43,
including correspondence with K. and E. Barnardiston, Ross-on-Wye |
|
9 |
RAAF Bournemouth and Brighton correspondence, 1941-42, together with
notes on Japanese air force |
|
10 |
Correspondence and notes, 1941-47, chiefly relating to RAAF and
other airforce matters, together with some personal correspondence |
|
11 |
RAF Escaping Society, 1950-57, correspondence, notes and member list
|
|
12 |
RAAF reports and correspondence, 1941-44, together with letter to
Vera White dated 1930 |
|
13 |
Clippings and papers relating to RAAF and RAF activities in Britain,
1942-54, including draft manuscripts and typed account of air raid
over the Ruhr |
|
14 |
RAAF papers, c. 1940s, including extracts from 1942 war diary, draft
manuscripts on history of RAAF and Empire Air Training Scheme |
|
15 |
Bound typescript unit history of Australian Section, No. 3 Personnel
Reception Centre, RAF Station, Bournemouth; The Battle of Britain,
August-October 1940 : an Air Ministry account of the great days from
8th August- 31st October 1940 |
|
16 |
Air force press cuttings, 1940-50 |
|
17-18 |
RAAF and other airforce papers, 1940-47, including items relating to
No. 1 Squadron Training School, personnel matters, certificate of
introduction signed by Prime Minister Arthur Fadden, personal
correspondence including letters from political colleagues in
Australia, cable to family from RAF Station, Brighton, clippings |
|
19-20 |
RAAF and airforce papers, 1938-47, including clippings,
correspondence, personnel matters, letters from parliamentary
colleagues, speech notes, Royal Empire Society, handwritten flight
report of anti-submarine crossover patrol (1942) |
|
21 |
Papers and notes, 1941-57, including photograph of RAAF Staff
School, Mount Martha senior staff, personal correspondence, training,
speech notes on RAAF in Britain, miscellaneous correspondence, quotes
by Alfred Deakin on Labor caucus |
|
22-23 |
RAAF news items and papers, 1931-46, including other letters from
air crews, typescript manuscript of RAAF history, photograph of air
force funeral, German war leaflet, cuttings, statement by Frank Forde
(Minister for the Army) on Australian prisoners of war, letter from W.
Hutchinson concerning the Militia Bill |
|
24-25 |
Draft typescript of Whites history The Royal Australian
Air Force |
|
26 |
Notes and papers, 1920-44, including material used for World
War II chapter, clippings, No. 1 Initial Training School,
Somers, RAAF Staff School, Mt Martha, personnel matters, demotion of
pilots on return to Australia, recommendations for Distinguished
Service Order and promotions |
|
27 |
Papers, 1940-47, including research notes, clippings, drafts for With
an RAAF Squadron on a bomber raid to the Ruhr and other
articles, official and personal correspondence |
|
28 |
Research notes and papers for article The Australian Airforce
for the Australian junior encyclopaedia, 1951, including Whites
RAF identity card, notes for prime ministerial policy speech on RAAF,
broadcast transcripts, 1939-47 |
|
29 |
Air photos from World War I and II to accompany article on aviation
|
Series 9 Minister for Air and Civil Aviation, c. 1941-57
In December 1949, as a member of the Menzies Liberal Government, White
became Minister for Air and Civil Aviation. He served in the position
until May 1951, resigning from Parliament in June to take up appointment
as Australian High Commissioner in London.
Included in papers in this series are items relating to Whites
participation in the 1950 International Civil Aviation Organisation
Conference in Montreal, the national service debate, civil aviation
training and Australian air links with New Zealand, Japan and Korea.
Further papers documenting Whites period as Air Minister and his
lifelong interest in civil aviation matters are located in Series 12.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Rotation policy to Higher Command Posts file, 1950-51, together with
clipping on National Service Bill, 1950 |
|
2 |
Ministers confidential file, 1950-54, including Canadian
defence organisation, national service, government assistance to civil
aviation training, procurement of Sabre aircraft |
|
3 |
Transcripts of radio talks, 1949 |
|
4 |
Press cuttings, November-December 1950, 1951, together with
broadcast on empire relations, photograph of drawing room at the White
family home Kurua, timetable of tour of NSW, list of
engagements, June-October 1951? |
|
5 |
Press cuttings, August-September 1950, together with extracts from
circulars and articles, letter from William McMahon concerning Air
Efficiency Award |
|
6 |
Press cuttings, 1950-51, air and civil aviation |
|
7 |
Cuttings, photographs, list of engagements and other papers,
1950-52, including New Zealand aviation links with Australia, charter
service to Japan, notes and correspondence on Korea, 1950, 1955 |
|
8 |
Papers, c. 1941-57, chiefly relating to civil and international
aviation, together with copy of Daily telegraph obituary for
White, RAAF Station, Williamstown, Torquay background : the Havana
Charter, GATT and the ITO (1950), correspondence with J.J. Brophy
concerning the Miller industrial relations case,
International Civil Aviation Organisation Conference, Montreal (1950),
clippings, appointment of Chairman of Australian National Airlines
Commission |
|
9-10 |
Photographs, 1949-51 |
Series 10 Australian High Commissioner in London, 1931-58
White served as Australian High Commissioner to London from 1951 to
1956. Included in this series is a comprehensive sequence of
correspondence exchanged with Prime Minister Robert Menzies during the
term of the appointment, together with letters from a range of contacts
such as Douglas Bader, Hubert Opperman and Sir Dallas Brooks. Also
included are folders documenting Whites official visits to Egypt,
Greece and Turkey to attend war dedication ceremonies, and a 1952 visit to
Berlin.
Other items of interest include a record of interviews with departmental
heads John Crawford and Alan Watt, and External Affairs Minister Richard
Casey on policy matters, together with a large amount of material
concerning British migration. Additional papers document the 1953
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and London Post-Coronation Ministers
Conference, and the 1954 Royal Tour of Australia. The series also includes
a number of miscellaneous issues of the newsletters of the
Australian-British Cobbers Club and the Australian Musical
Association (White was founder and president of the latter).
Series 1, 3, 18 and 19 also contain material documenting Whites
role as High Commissioner.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
General papers, 1951-57, including brochure and postcards of Isle of
Wight, correspondence with Duchess of Devonshire concerning conferral
of Honorary Doctor of Laws, Exeter University, menu card for Lord
Mayor of Londons Easter Banquet |
|
2 |
Australia House papers, 1951-57, including correspondence, speech
notes, letter to Whites successor as High Commissioner, Sir Eric
Harrison, upon relinquishing his post, press releases, invitations,
administrative matters such as duties of the High Commissioner |
|
3 |
Personal correspondence, 1952-56 |
|
4 |
Australia House papers, 1942-57, including correspondence, RCAF
conference notes, menu card for farewell dinner for White on his
appointment as High Commissioner, immigration report and speeches |
|
5-6 |
Correspondence with Prime Minister Menzies and associated papers,
1943-57 |
|
7 |
Meeting of Commonwealth Prime Ministers, London, June 1953, minutes
and associated papers |
|
8 |
Souvenir programs for world premieres of The dam busters(1955)
and The magic box (1951) |
|
9-10 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1951-56, including migration pamphlet, speech
on Colombo Plan, correspondence, speeches, invitations, notes of
interviews with John Crawford (Commerce Department Secretary), Alan
Watt (External Affairs Secretary) and Richard Casey (Minister for
External Affairs), war reminiscences, Australian-British relations,
White Australia Policy, petroleum industry |
|
11 |
Miscellaneous papers, 1951-57, including correspondence on departure
from England, war article for Sunday mail, letter to Menzies
on Australian film showing, immigration policy, speech notes,
Post-Coronation Ministers Conference |
|
12 |
Correspondence and papers, 1951-57, including notes on Australian,
United States and European defences, The rule of reciprocity
(1954), speech notes, Australian record of war service in Korea,
invitations, clippings, letters from Lord Baillieu, Douglas Bader,
Charles Beere, Hubert Opperman, Sir Dallas Brooks and others |
|
13-14 |
Invitations, programs, correspondence and speech notes, 1951-56,
including presentation made by Lord Mayor of London to the Australian
Government of a chair used by Sir Henry Parkes |
|
15 |
Oxford University, 1951-55, speeches and correspondence |
|
16 |
Correspondence and papers, 1951-56, including letter from Jo
Gullett, liaison with Australian diplomats and Anne Howell (Whites
former secretary) |
|
17 |
Correspondence and papers, 1952-58, together with speech notes and
press releases concerning British immigration |
|
18-20 |
Programs, 1951-56 |
|
21 |
Programs and invitations, 1951-55, together with Australias
million visitors : the story of the Australian stand at the London Ideal
Home Exhibition (1955) |
|
22 |
Invitations, menu cards, photographs, speech notes, 1951-55,
together with blank copy of card sent by Vera White and family after
Sir Thomas death, 1957 |
|
23 |
Papers, 1951-56, including photographs, programs, speech notes,
press releases, cuttings, correspondence, reminiscences of trip to
Spain, speech given at farewell dinner given by friends on appointment
as Australian High Commissioner in London |
|
24 |
Orders for the processions to and from Westminster Abbey for
Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 1953 |
|
25 |
Bound presentation copy of Australian Musical Association prospectus
and concert bulletins, 1953-56 |
|
26-27 |
Official visit to Greece, 1952, including photographs |
|
28 |
Malta League, 1944-54, including speech notes and photographs; visit
to Greece and Turkey, 1952 |
|
29 |
Unveiling of El Alamein Memorial, Egypt; Royal Tour of Commonwealth,
1952-56 |
|
30-31 |
Confidential file, 1951-56, including list of
engagements (1951-54), GATT review, correspondence with Frank Menzies
and others |
|
32 |
Programs, 1951-55, including Coronation Issue of Australia,
v. 8, no. 6, 1953 |
|
33 |
Speeches, 1951-54 |
|
34 |
Visit to Greece and Turkey, 1952, including typescript record of
visit |
|
35 |
German-Australian relations, 1952, including visit by White to
Berlin |
|
36-38 |
Immigration, 1930-58, cuttings and papers |
|
39 |
Papers, 1952-57, including brochures on Australia and the
Commonwealth, newsletters of Australian-British Cobbers Club,
schedule of visit to South Africa and Rhodesia (1953), photographs
taken on return of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh from
Australian tour (1954) and inspection of RAF Station, Horsham, special
Australian supplement to Foreign Office newspaper Englische
rundschau (1953), programs and articles |
|
40 |
Fairbridge Farm Schools and British immigration, 1933-57 |
|
41 |
Papers, 1951-57, including newsletter of the Australian-British
Cobbers Club, cables and letters concerning Whites
appointment as High Commissioner from Prime Minister Menzies |
|
42 |
Clippings, correspondence and speech notes, 1956-57, many
incorporating messages of appreciation of Whites achievements as
High Commissioner |
|
43-45 |
Programs and invitations, 1931-57 |
Series 11 Writings, 1928-56
In addition to his various official appointments, White was also known
as a writer, and published a number of literary pieces, including wartime
reminiscences, verse plays, newspaper articles and other commissioned
works.
Details of his capture by the Turks in Mesopotamia, subsequent
experiences as a prisoner of war and eventual escape via Russia were
recorded in the best selling Guests of the unspeakable : the odyssey
of an Australian airman, first published in 1928 and reprinted on a
number of occasions. A partial handwritten draft of this account is filed
here, together with a number of press reviews of the work.
Between 1929 and 1938 White acted as Australian correspondent for the
Morning Post (London), for which he was engaged to provide general
news stories from all parts of Australia and any political items of
interest to British readers. His journalistic output is documented in a
series of files containing letters and cables, together with a number of
despatches tracing the history of the Scullin Ministry and financial
troubles of 1931.
In 1943 Sky saga : a story of Empire airmen, Whites
popular tribute in verse to Allied pilots, was first published and
broadcast on ABC and BBC radio. The poem was reprinted in two further
editions, and prompted many favourable reviews and letters, some of which
are located in this series.
Also filed here are folders containing draft papers for a brief history
of the Australian Air Force in both wars (commissioned by the Australian
junior encyclopaedia in 1945), typescript reminiscences of his 1936
trip to New Guinea, and notes and papers collated for his proposed
autobiography.
Further papers relating to Guests of the unspeakable, Sky
saga and Australian junior encyclopaedia article can be found
in Series 3, 8 and 11 respectively.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Original handwritten manuscript of Guests of the unspeakable,
Chapters 1-5, c. 1928 |
|
2 |
Press reviews of Guests of the unspeakable, 1928 |
|
3 |
Whites cables and articles as Australian correspondent for the
Morning Post (London), 1931, including coverage of financial
difficulties of Scullin Government |
|
4 |
Letters and cables to the Morning Post (London),1929-31,
including liaison with Foreign Editor Alistair Shannon |
|
5 |
Letters, cables and articles from White as correspondent for the
Morning Post (London),1932 |
|
6 |
Articles and cables for the Morning Post (London),
1933-34 |
|
7 |
Cables and articles for the Morning Post (London),
1935-36 |
|
8 |
Articles for the Morning Post (London), 1937; list
of speeches to branches of the Australian Womens National
League, 1933-37, inscribed on inside cover of file |
|
9 |
Morning Post (London), cuttings and papers, 1931-37
|
|
10 |
Typescript account of flying and voyaging in New Guinea, 1937
|
|
11 |
Typescript manuscripts of Flying and voyaging in New Guinea,
Notes on a trip to North Queensland and New Guinea, 1936;
Guinea gold!, c. 1935 |
|
12 |
Speech and typescript reminiscences of New Guinea, c. 1936 |
|
13 |
Handwritten draft manuscript of Sky saga, c. 1943; War
pictures by British artists, No. 3 RAF |
|
14-15 |
Typescript manuscripts of Sky saga, c. 1943 |
|
16 |
Reviews and letters concerning Sky saga and other poetry
matters, 1935-57 |
|
17 |
Draft manuscript of article for the Australian junior
encyclopaedia, c. 1945 |
|
18 |
Notes and research papers, c. 1931-56, for proposed autobiography
|
Series 12 Australian Aero Club and civil aviation, 1920-88
White maintained a lifelong interest in aviation, founding the
Australian Aero Club in 1914, and serving as its Victorian Section
President and Federal Chairman between 1925 and 1927. In addition to
materials documenting Club activities, this series includes a sequence of
papers concerning the establishment of an air service from the mainland to
Tasmania in 1926, but subsequently abandoned due to want of a government
subsidy. Also of interest is a copy of a proposal by Charles Ulm for the
Trans-Pacific flight which ended in his death in 1934, materials relating
to the 1931 loss of the Southern Cloud, a souvenir dinner
program in honour of Bert Hinklers solo 1928 England-Australia
flight, as well as items relating to early air races and gliding history.
Further papers relating to Australian Aero Club activities are contained
in Series 3.
|
Folders |
|
|
1-2 |
Civil aviation, 1924-58, including clippings, invitations, reports,
Australia Aero Club and 1st Annual Air Convention papers, proposal for
Trans-Pacific Flight by Charles Ulm, typescript manuscript on advances
in civil aviation in the interwar period |
|
3 |
Civil aviation, 1920-52, including some papers as Minister for Trade
and Customs and Minister for Aviation, together with two letters
addressed to Judith Harley (Whites daughter) concerning his
papers, 1980-81 |
|
4 |
Air services to Tasmania, 1926, correspondence, cuttings and notes,
including draft letter to Premier Joseph Lyons and Socialist
psalm |
|
5 |
Air services to Tasmania, 1926-30, correspondence, clippings,
reports and other papers |
|
6 |
Air services to Tasmania and other aviation matters, 1926-38,
including
souvenir program of Australian Aero Club dinner in honour of
England-Australia solo flight by Bert Hinkler |
|
7 |
Civil aviation, 1926-51, reports, parliamentary bills,
correspondence and clippings book on New Zealand and Pacific flight
and air races |
|
8 |
Civil and international aviation, 1926-56, including correspondence,
clippings, notes on activities of Australian Aero Club, together with
photographs of flying boat and English Electric Building Scheme
estates |
|
9 |
Correspondence, clippings and report concerning loss of the Southern
Cloud, 1931-32 |
|
10 |
Gliding, 1932-49, including Gliding and Soaring Club of Victoria,
photograph of biplane; Aircraft (March 1941) containing
history of RAAF with clippings inserted (1947, 1971), Contact
(July 1953) |
|
11 |
Civil aviation, 1944-47, correspondence and notes, including
nationalisation of airways, letter from Reginald Ansett to Prime
Minister John Curtin |
|
12 |
Aviation publications, 1951-57, including Financial Times survey
of British air transport, Farnborough Air Show programs, Empire
outlook (February 1957) |
Series 13 Melbourne Legacy Club, 1924-57
The Melbourne Legacy Club was established in 1923, the first of many
Legacy groups to be formed in the Commonwealth. White was active in
foundation of the Club, serving as its third President from 1925-26, and
returning periodically as a guest speaker at its meetings.
|
Folders |
|
|
1-2 |
Correspondence, bulletins, minutes and other papers, 1924-57
|
Series 14 Royal Flying Doctor Service, 1927-83
An early champion of the potential use of aviation, White was a member
of the Australian Inland Mission Aerial Medical Service Committee which
first convened in August 1927. He was present at the Committees
inaugural meeting (minutes of which are filed in Folder 1), and was also
active in the foundation of the Victorian Section in 1934, serving as its
President until 1951. Papers of interest here include two letters from the
Reverend John Flynn, minutes of meetings, grant applications, and
photographs documenting different aspects of the early days of the Flying
Doctor Service.
Further items recording the history of the Service can be found in
Series 3.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Papers, 1927-83, including minutes of first meeting of the Aerial
Medical Service Committee, liaison with Australian Inland Mission,
letter from John Flynn, reports, minutes, cuttings, brochures, address
given at Flynn Memorial, Moliagul |
|
2 |
Papers, 1927-56, including photograph and account of unveiling
ceremony for Tennant Creek cairn, Aerial Medical Service and Flying
Doctor Service minutes, views of Defence Department on Aerial Medical
Service, papers regarding federal subsidy to Flying Doctor Service,
correspondence, cuttings, brochures |
|
3-4 |
Papers, 1927-57, including correspondence, minutes, grant
application, reports, letter signed by Flynn, typescript poem Flynn
of the Inland, cuttings, photographs, map of outpost radio
communication stations |
|
5 |
Proceedings and decisions of Conference of Commonwealth and
State Ministers on Constitutional Matters, 1934, including
references to Flying Doctor Service |
Series 15 Royal Life Saving Society, 1932-58
White was elected Victorian Branch President of the Royal Life Saving
Society in 1934, and concurrently served as Chairman of the Australian
Federal Council to 1951.
Amongst other papers this series includes letters, speech notes,
reports, programs and cuttings detailing aspects of the Societys
calendar, as well as liaison with other branches of the Society in
Australia and England. In 1942 White was honoured with a Vice-Presidency
of the Central Organisation in London in recognition of his valuable
service, recorded on a special certificate filed in Folder 1.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Correspondence, cuttings, programs, speech notes, conference
minutes, annual reports and other papers, 1932-57 |
|
2 |
Correspondence, programs, photographs, reports and other papers,
1936-58 |
Series 16 British Empire Service League, 1953-57
The British Empire Service League was established in England in the
interwar period as the peak body of all dominion and colonial returned
service organisations. Whilst stationed in London as Australian High
Commissioner, White was elected to the Leagues Council in 1951, and
served as Chairman from April 1953 to May 1956.
This series contains a short run of correspondence and reports relating
to Whites administration, together with resolutions of the Leagues
12th and 13th Biennial Conferences, held in 1953 and 1955.
Other papers concerning League activities are filed in Series 3.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Minutes, conference programs, bulletins, reports and correspondence,
1953-57 |
Series 17 Royal Empire Society, 1938-58
Chiefly comprising papers relating to the Victorian Branch of the
Society (of which White was appointed President in September 1956), this
series also incorporates documentation relating to the New South Wales and
London arms of the organisation.
Founded to promote preservation of permanent ties between Britain and
other parts of the Empire, the papers gathered by White reflect the
primary concern of Australian branches to encourage and assist British
immigration.
Other items relating to the Societys endeavours can be found in
Series 3, 8 and 20.
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Papers, 1938-58, including various issues of Royal Empire
Society (Victorian Branch) news, cuttings, speech notes, Empire
and Commonwealth (December 1956, February 1957), Empire
outlook (November 1956), Report of Convention of Australian
Branches (1956) |
Series 18 Press cuttings, 1919-57
In addition to the cuttings files and albums preserved in this series, a
large number of loose clippings which White collected on an array of
subject interests can be found filed throughout his papers.
|
Folders/Volumes |
|
|
1 |
Press cuttings from British papers, 1919; The Sun, 23 August
1926 |
|
2 |
Press cuttings, 1936-37 |
|
3 |
Press cuttings, 1938 |
|
4 |
Press cuttings, 1943-49 |
|
5 |
Press cuttings as High Commissioner, 1951-52 |
|
6 |
Press cuttings on death of Sir Thomas White, 1957 |
|
7 |
Scrapbook, c. 1919, containing clippings on the Bolsheviks and
general political topics, as well as drafts of some of Whites
verse plays |
|
8 |
Clippings book, 1933-36, together with some inserted speech notes
|
|
9 |
Clippings book, 1937-38, Minister for Trade and Customs |
|
10 |
Clippings book (Australian papers), August 1951-April 1952 |
|
11 |
Clippings book (Australian papers), 1952-56 |
|
12 |
Clippings book (British papers), 1955-56 |
Series 19 Photographs, 1916-56
The series mostly contains mounted photographs and albums, including
some wartime aviation pictures, a few group photos taken at official
dinners early in Whites parliamentary career, and a larger number of
images depicting aspects of Whites period as High Commissioner in
the 1950s.
In addition to the pictures filed here, numerous individual photographs
are located amongst papers scattered throughout the various series.
|
Folders/Volumes |
|
1 |
World War I and II airforce and aviation photos, 1918-c. 1942,
including picture of White |
|
2 |
Framed pencil drawing of White (1916) and passport photo; framed
photograph of Henry and koalas (1934) |
|
3 |
Four photographs, c. 1920s-1950s, including official dinners and
function in honour of aviator Ross Smith in Queens Hall, Parliament
House, Melbourne, hosted by Billy Hughes |
|
4 |
Political photographs, c. 1929-48 |
|
5 |
Presentation album of photographs of WWII scenes in Brighton,
England (1943) |
|
6-8 |
Photographs, 1951-56, as Australian High Commissioner, London
|
|
9 |
Photographs of meeting with Admiral Arthur W. Radford, US Navy,
Commander in Chief, Pacific and US Pacific Fleet, Hawaii, 1950 |
|
10 |
Photograph album, 1952-56, as Australian High Commissioner, London
|
Series 20 Publications
|
Folders |
|
|
1 |
Publications, 1927-57, including The case for protection :
Australian speakers notes, Australian Aerial Medical
Services (Victorian Section) memorandum and articles of association,
souvenir program of Australias 150th anniversary celebrations,
various issues of Royal Empire Society (Victorian Branch) news,
together with letter to Legatee, Lionel Harvey, 1942 |
|
2 |
Publications, 1920s-1940, including Knitting for the Army,
single issues of The Bulletin and Table talk |
|
Series |
Folders |
Box |
|
Series |
Folders |
Box |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
1-5 |
1 |
|
10 |
1-5 |
21 |
|
2 |
1-7 |
2 |
|
10 |
6-12 |
22 |
|
2 |
8-12 |
3 |
|
10 |
13-19 |
23 |
|
3 |
1-2 |
3 |
|
10 |
20-26 |
24 |
|
3 |
3-9 |
4 |
|
10 |
27-33 |
25 |
|
3 |
10-16 |
5 |
|
10 |
34-40 |
26 |
|
3 |
17 |
6 |
|
10 |
41-45 |
27 |
|
4 |
1 |
6 |
|
11 |
1-2 |
27 |
|
5 |
1 |
6 |
|
11 |
3-10 |
28 |
|
6 |
1-3 |
6 |
|
12 |
1-5 |
30 |
|
6 |
4-10 |
7 |
|
12 |
6-12 |
31 |
|
6 |
11 |
8 |
|
13 |
1-2 |
32 |
|
7 |
1-6 |
8 |
|
14 |
1-4 |
32 |
|
7 |
7-13 |
9 |
|
14 |
5 |
33 |
|
7 |
14-20 |
10 |
|
15 |
1-2 |
33 |
|
7 |
21-28 |
11 |
|
16 |
1 |
33 |
|
7 |
29-35 |
12 |
|
17 |
1 |
33 |
|
7 |
36-39 |
13 |
|
18 |
1 |
33 |
|
7 |
40 |
37 |
|
18 |
2-4 |
34 |
|
7 |
41-43 |
13 |
|
18 |
5-6 |
35 |
|
7 |
44-50 |
14 |
|
18 |
7 |
Folio 1 |
|
7 |
51-56 |
15 |
|
18 |
8-9 |
37 |
|
8 |
1-2 |
15 |
|
18 |
10-11 |
Folio 2 |
|
8 |
3-9 |
16 |
|
18 |
12 |
Folio 1 |
|
8 |
10-17 |
17 |
|
19 |
1-3 |
35 |
|
8 |
18-24 |
18 |
|
19 |
4-9 |
36 |
|
8 |
25-29 |
19 |
|
19 |
10 |
Folio 2 |
|
9 |
1-2 |
19 |
|
20 |
1 |
36 |
|
9 |
3-8 |
20 |
|
20 |
2 |
Folio 1 |
|
9 |
9-10 |
21 |
|
|
|
|
Guide prepared January 1998
|