Guide to the Papers of Norman Makin

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MS 7325

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Norman Makin
Title
Papers of Norman Makin
Date Range
1901-1982
Collection Number
MS 7325
Extent
1.65 metres (11 boxes + 7 folios)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1089472).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Norman Makin, National Library of Australia, MS 7325, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers of Norman Makin were donated to the Library by the Makin family in 1987.

In 1972, Makin presented the Library with his memoirs, brief biographies of ex-members of the early federal parliaments, and detailed biographies of all the speakers of the Commonwealth parliament. These are held in a small collection (15 cm) at MS 4663.

Correspondence of Makin can be found in the papers of Thomas Joseph Pettifer (MS 8568).

Makin's oral history recording is held in the Library's oral history collection at ORAL TRC 271/1&2. The first part is a monologue recorded by Makin himself, the second is an interview recorded by Suzanne Walker in 1974.

The Library holds a biographical file on Norman Makin, accessible in the Newspapers and Microforms Reading Room.

The Library also holds a number of Makin's published works. Please refer to the Library's online catalogue.

Arrangement

In 1972, Makin presented the Library with his memoirs, brief biographies of ex-members of the early federal parliaments, and detailed biographies of all the speakers of the Commonwealth parliament. These are held in a small collection (15 cm) at MS 4663.

MS 7325 consists of a further consignment of material that was received from the Makin family in 1987. The papers were arranged and boxed in 1987 and listing was completed in February 2008.

Where appropriate, original file titles have been retained. However, the titles of some of the files do not match their contents, as their containers appear to have been reused for new material without the owner altering the original title. Manuscripts staff have assigned appropriate File titles where the original may be misleading.

Biographical Note

Norman John Oswald Makin (31 March 1889-20 July 1982), was a Cabinet minister, Member and Speaker of the House of Representatives, and a diplomat. In his private life, he was a lay preacher in the Methodist and later Uniting Church.

Makin was born in Petersham, NSW, the son of an itinerant worker. He received a primary education in Broken Hill, then moved with his family to Adelaide, where he became a metal-worker. He was active in the Australian Society of Engineers and the Australian Labor Party from an early age. From 1918-1919 he was president of the South Australian branch of the Labor Party.

Makin was elected to the Adelaide seat of Hindmarsh in 1919, a seat he held until 1946. He spent ten years in Opposition before the election of the Scullin government. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1919-1931, in which role he declined to wear the traditional wig and gown.

During the 1930s, Makin was Secretary of the Labor Caucus. When Labor returned to government under John Curtin in 1941, he became Minister for the Navy and Minister for Munitions. In 1945 he also became Minister for Aircraft Production.

Prime Minister Chifley appointed Makin as the first Australian ambassador to the United States of America in 1946, a post he held until 1951. Prime Minister Menzies retained him in the post after the change of government in 1949. In 1946 he served as the first president of the United Nations Security Council.

At the 1954 election Makin captured the marginal Liberal seat of Sturt for Labor, and in 1955 he shifted to the new seat of Bonython. He retired at the 1963 election but remained active in Labor affairs for many years. He died in Adelaide in 1982 at the age of 93. He was the last surviving member of John Curtin's Cabinet.

Makin was awarded honorary Doctorates of Laws by the Universities of Sydney, Syracuse and Ohio. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1980.

Item Descriptions

Series. Federal Labor Party minutes and ephemera

Letters, 1963 (File 1) - Box 1

Electoral ephemera and political speeches 1920s and 1930s; United Nations speech for Australian delegation 194-? (File 2) - Box 1

Federal Labor Party minutes and ephemera, 1960s and 1970s (File 3) - Box 1

Copy of minutes from minute book of Federal Labor Party (i), 7 May 1901-11 July 1906 (File 4) - Box 1

Copy of minutes from minute book of Federal Labor Party (ii), 7 May 1901-11 July 1906 (File 5) - Box 1

Copy of minutes from minute book of Federal Labor Party (iii), 7 May 1901-11 July 1906 (File 6) - Box 1

Series. Minister for Navy and Munitions ; Minister for Aircraft Production ; Workers' Educational Association

Personal papers, 1937-1972 (File 7) - Box 2

Munitions papers, 1941-1944 (File 8) - Box 2

Munitions reports, 1941-1946 (File 9) - Box 2

Miscellaneous correspondence and articles, 1946-1972 (File 10) - Box 2

Workers Educational Association – course materials on government in Australia, n.d (File 11) - Box 2

Important and historical documents, 1962-1976 (File 12) - Box 2

Series. Diaries and appointment books

UNO Conference, London – January, 1946 - Hon. N.J.O. Makin - Diary (File 13) - Box 3

Added views on public men – including typescript of Makin autobiography, n.d (File 14) - Box 3

Diary - 1942 (Invicta Australian Diary No. 49 - 1942 on cover) (Item 15) - Box 3

Diary - 1945 (Invicta Australian Diary No. 49 - 1945 on cover) (Item 16) - Box 3

Diary - 1946 (Collins Australian Diary 1946 on cover) (Item 17) - Box 3

Notebook (n.d. - possibly 1950?) (‘Record' printed on spine) (Item 18) - Box 3

Diary/calendar 1981-1982 (in Collins Notebook) (Item 19) - Box 3

Series. Ambassador to the USA

Important papers for Foreign Affairs or National Library, 1945-1948 (File 20) - Box 4

Ambassador to the USA - personal papers, 1946-1963 (File 21) - Box 4

Ambassador's papers (i), 1957-1958 (File 22) - Box 4

News clippings, ephemera, correspondence mostly regarding UN Security Council, 1945-1977 (File 23) - Box 4

Ambassador's papers - Chapter 4 (ii), 195-? (File 24) - Box 4

1. Personal papers ; 2. Munition Dept. – record, 1941-1946 (File 25) - Box 4

Speeches delivered in USA (i), 1947-1950 (File 26) - Box 4

Speeches delivered in USA (ii), 1947-1951 (File 27) - Box 4

Cables - Rotary Club - Los Angeles, 1949 (File 28) - Box 5

Cables, 1946-1948 (File 29) - Box 5

Cables on chancery Washington, 1946 (File 30) - Box 5

UNO Conference London, January 1946 – diary ; misc. ephemera, 1940s (File 31) - Box 5

Speeches delivered in USA (i), 1947-1951 (File 32) - Box 5

Speeches delivered in USA (ii), 1947-1950 (File 33) - Box 5

Speeches delivered in USA (iii), 1946-1949 (File 34) - Box 5

Speeches delivered in USA (iv), 1947-1950 (File 35) - Box 5

1947 diary (Item 36) - Box 6

UNO press clippings, 1945-1966 (File 37) - Box 6

Newspaper clippings, 1946-1975 (File 38) - Box 6

United Nations Association of Australia - South Australian Division, 1956 (File 39) - Box 6

Letters to the Ambassador for attention, 1946-1951 (File 40) - Box 6

Hon. NJO Makin - personal - diary, 1946 (File 41) - Box 6

Series. Church sermons

Church sermons (i), 1947-1975 (File 42) - Box 7

Church sermons (ii), 1967-1976 (File 43) - Box 7

Church sermons (iii), 1966-1971 (File 44) - Box 7

Church sermons (iv), 1969-1976 (File 45) - Box 7

Church sermons (v), 1957-1977 (File 46) - Box 7

Church sermons (vi), 1951-1979 (File 47) - Box 7

Church sermons (vii), 1952-1971 (File 48) - Box 7

Church sermons (viii), 1969-1976 (File 49) - Box 8

Church sermons (ix), 1966-1979 (File 50) - Box 8

Church sermons (x), 1966-1973 (File 51) - Box 8

Church engagements in USA, 1946-1977 (File 52) - Box 8

Church life, 1947-1977 (File 53) - Box 8

Divine service at Maylands Church - Easter Sunday, 1982 (Item 54) - Box 8

Sermon - Easter Sunday, 1982 (Item 55) - Box 8

The Full Light - a sermon preached at Foundry Methodist Church, Washington DC on Laymen's Day, February 24, 1951 (Item 56) - Box 8

Ring binder containing sermons, ca., 1952 (Item 57) - Box 8

Ring binder containing sermons, 1950s? (Item 58) - Box 8

Bundle of orders of service and sermons, 1950s-1970s (Item 59) - Box 8

Ring binder containing various sermons, 1950s-1970s (Item 60) - Box 8

Series. Memoirs

The crucial years of war 1939-1945, n.d (File 61) - Box 9

Memoirs (i), ca. 1967 (File 62) - Box 9

Memoirs (ii), ca. 1967 (File 63) - Box 9

Memoirs (iii) – mostly news clippings, 1943-1973 (File 64) - Box 9

Memoirs (iv), ca. 1967 (File 65) - Box 9

Memoirs (v), ca. 1967 (File 66) - Box 9

Memoirs - address to the Second United Nations Institute, New York, 1949 (File 67) - Box 9

Memoirs – transcript of National Library of Australia oral history interview, 1974 (File 68) - Box 9

Memoirs – personal, ca. 1967 (File 69) - Box 9

Series. Ephemera

Plaque presented to Mrs Norman Makin by BHP directors, 1943 (Item 70) - Box 10

Certificate of membership to Independent Order of Rechabites, 1901 (Item 71) - Box 10

Certificate of appreciation on 20 years as federal member of parliament presented by ALP, 1939 (Item 72) - Box 10

Forty-seventh annual dinner, Explorers Club, Hotel Roosevelt, Jan. 13 1951 [b (Item 73) - Box 10

Glass slides of Makin election campaign posters (Item 74) - Box 10

Empire Parliamentary Conference : visit to the United Kingdom : coronation 1937 [illustrated monograph] (Item 75) - Box 10

Memoirs - World War 2 (i), ca. 1967 (File 76) - Box 10

Memoirs - World War 2 (ii), ca. 1967 (File 77) - Box 10

Ephemera (i) – including material from opening of Parliament House, Canberra, 1927 (File 78) - Box 10

Ephemera (ii) (File 79) - Box 10

Ephemera (iii) – including material from coronation of George VI, 1937 (File 80) - Box 10

Series. Photographs

Photographs (i), b, 1940s and 1950s (File 81) - Box 11

Photographs (ii), 1943-1950; Copy of address to American Rose Society, 3 October 1950 (File 82) - Box 11

Photographs (iii), 1929-1946 (File 83) - Box 11

Photographs (iv), ca. 1923-1950 (File 84) - Box 11

Photographs (v), 1930s and 1940s ; news clippings ; diary of engagements 1950 (File 85) - Box 11

Photographs (vi), 1946-1947 (File 86) - Box 11

Photographs (vii), 1929-1950 (File 87) - Box 11

Photographs (viii), 1935-1949 (File 88) - Box 11

Makin MHR [caricature] (Item 89) - Box 11

15th Annual Conference - United Labor Party [b, Sept. 6th 1916 (Item 90) - Box 11

Framed photographic print - ”Presented by the Council of the Municipality of North Sydney to the Hon. N.J.O. Makin, M.P., Minister for the navy, on the occasion of the unveiling of the bow of the original HMAS Sydney on 9th November, 1941, at Bradfield Park, Milsons Point, North Sydney” (Item) - Folio-Box 1

Photographic prints, 1930s and 1940s (Item) - Folio-Box 2

Series. Miscelleanous

Academic dress - 2 academic hoods and mortar board (Item) - Folio-Box 3

Press cutting albums, 1947-1948 and 1950 (Item) - Folio-Box 4

Press cutting album, 1949-1950 (Item) - Folio-Box 5

Academic gown (Item) - Folio-Box 6

Scrap books of press cuttings, 1946-1947 and 1947-1949 (Item) - Folio-Box 7


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