Guide to the Papers of Edward John Ward
MS 2396
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Edward John Ward
- Title
- Papers of Edward John Ward
- Date Range
- 1914-1963
- Collection Number
- MS 2396
- Extent
- 7.62 metres (55 archives boxes + 1 medium folio box)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection includes correspondence, diary, cuttings, programmes and invitations. There are also papers relating to his early life (before 1931), his position as Minister for Transport and External Territories (1943-1949), the Australian Labor Party, Brisbane Line Royal Commission, New Guinea Timber Royal Commission, as well as tributes received by Mrs Ward after her husband's death in 1963.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2282055).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Edward John Ward, National Library of Australia, MS 2396, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated to the Library by his widow, Edith Ward, in 1970.
Arrangement
The collection has been arranged into 16 series. All of the correspondence has been indexed.
Biographical Note
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1899 | Edward John Ward was born on 21 March in Sydney, one of the five children of Mary Anne Meagher and Edward James Ward. |
| 1915-1931 | He joined the Surry Hills Branch of the Australian Labor Party, and in 1930 was elected an Alderman of the Sydney City Council where he served until 1934 when he resigned to devote his time fully to his Parliamentary duties. |
| 1924 | On 27 September 1924 Ward married Edith Bishop and there were two children Dorothy (Mrs James Lawrie) and Edward. |
| 1931 | Elected Member of the House of Representatives for East Sydney at a by-election on 7 March. At the general election later that year he was defeated, but was re-elected in 1932 after the death of the sitting member. |
| 1932-1941 | He joined the Surry Hills Branch of the Australian Labor Party, and in 1930 was elected an Alderman of the Sydney City Council where he served until 1934 when he resigned to devote his time fully to his Parliamentary duties. |
| 1932-1941 | A member of the Non-Communist Labor Party (Lang-Labor), led in the Federal Parliament by J.A. Beasley, until March 1941, when it was united with the Australian Labor Party. |
| 1941-1943 | Minister for Labour and National Service in the Government of John Curtin. |
| 1943 | Brisbane Line Royal Commission. |
| 1943-1949 | Minister for Transport and External Territories in the Government of John Curtin (1943-1945) and J.B. Chifley (1945-1949) |
| 1947 | Travelled to Europe and U.S.A. on Parliamentary duties. |
| 1949 | New Guinea Timber Leases Royal Commission. |
| 1949 | Ward took his seat as a Member of the Opposition in the Liberal-Country Party Government of R.G. Menzies and A.W. Fadden after the General Election of December 1949. |
| 1956-1959 | Served on the Constitution Review Committee. |
| 1958-1963 | During this period Ward unsuccessfully sought leadership (1959) and deputy-leadership (1960) of the Parliamentary Labor Party. |
| 1963 | Ward died suddenly in Sydney on 31 July 1963 and was accorded a State Funeral. |
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1899 | Edward John Ward was born on 21 March in Sydney, one of the five children of Mary Anne Meagher and Edward James Ward. |
| 1915-1931 | He joined the Surry Hills Branch of the Australian Labor Party, and in 1930 was elected an Alderman of the Sydney City Council where he served until 1934 when he resigned to devote his time fully to his Parliamentary duties. |
| 1924 | On 27 September 1924 Ward married Edith Bishop and there were two children Dorothy (Mrs James Lawrie) and Edward. |
| 1931 | Elected Member of the House of Representatives for East Sydney at a by-election on 7 March. At the general election later that year he was defeated, but was re-elected in 1932 after the death of the sitting member. |
| 1932-1941 | He joined the Surry Hills Branch of the Australian Labor Party, and in 1930 was elected an Alderman of the Sydney City Council where he served until 1934 when he resigned to devote his time fully to his Parliamentary duties. |
| 1932-1941 | A member of the Non-Communist Labor Party (Lang-Labor), led in the Federal Parliament by J.A. Beasley, until March 1941, when it was united with the Australian Labor Party. |
| 1941-1943 | Minister for Labour and National Service in the Government of John Curtin. |
| 1943 | Brisbane Line Royal Commission. |
| 1943-1949 | Minister for Transport and External Territories in the Government of John Curtin (1943-1945) and J.B. Chifley (1945-1949) |
| 1947 | Travelled to Europe and U.S.A. on Parliamentary duties. |
| 1949 | New Guinea Timber Leases Royal Commission. |
| 1949 | Ward took his seat as a Member of the Opposition in the Liberal-Country Party Government of R.G. Menzies and A.W. Fadden after the General Election of December 1949. |
| 1956-1959 | Served on the Constitution Review Committee. |
| 1958-1963 | During this period Ward unsuccessfully sought leadership (1959) and deputy-leadership (1960) of the Parliamentary Labor Party. |
| 1963 | Ward died suddenly in Sydney on 31 July 1963 and was accorded a State Funeral. |
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence, 1927-1963
This series contains personal and business letters during the period 1927-1963. Correspondents include Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop Panico, Rev. James Payne, J.B. Chifley, John Beasley, Abram Landa, John V. Barry and Samuel Caller. Comprises Items 1-299.
Series 3. Press Cuttings, 1936-1963
A miscellaneous collection of cuttings on a wide variety of subjects over the period 1936-1963. Cuttings also appear throughout the collection in the series to which they relate.
Series 4. Printed Material, 1930-1934
Included in this series are presentation copies of Australian, Canadian and American company reports, 1930 and 1931 issues of the Rank and Filer, Commonwealth Parliamentary Papers, and miscellaneous pamphlets. Other printed items have been placed in the relevant subject series. Comprises Items 1-471.
Series 5. Programmes and Invitations, 1947
Invitations to official functions, including an audience at Buckingham Palace with King George VI in 1947, together with correspondence concerning many of the invitations. Programmes for dinners, including one for General MacArthur in Melbourne. Contained here are Ward's passport, ration book and identity card. Comprises Items 1-42.
Series 6. Early Life, 1914-1930
The series contains a copy (1925) of Ward's birth certificate, and references, from a teacher (1914), employers, a priest and William McKell. There is also a record of his employment with Resch's Brewery 1917-1920, Hoskins Iron and Steel 1921 and 1923 and the N.S.W. Railways and Tramways 1924-1930. Comprises Items 1-16.
Series 7. M.H.R. For East Sydney, 1931-1963
This series is the largest in the collection and contains correspondence from constituents and others, material on the nationalization of banking (1479-1764); the Communist Royal Dissolution Bill (3192-3218); the Royal Commission on Espinage (Petrov) (1765-2289); Parliamentary Salaries, Richardson Report (3858-3994); a libel case Ward v John Fairfax 1962 (3369-3433); social services, repatriation, hosing, and Ward's personal notes on a wide variety of personalities and topics. Comprises Items 1-8804.
Series 8. Questions In Parliament
These questions are among those asked by Ward on the Notice Papers of the House of Representatives. Comprises Items 1-542.
Series 9. Constitution Review Committee, 1956-1959
This Joint Committee of Parliament was set up in 1956 to 'review such aspects of the working of the Constitution as the Committee considers it can most profitably consider, and to make recommendations for such amendments as they think necessary'. It was disbanded at the end of the 22nd Parliament and reconstituted in 1957 and reported to Parliament on 1 October 1958, with a further report 25 November 1959. Reports, background material for the working of the committee including the constitution of the U.S.A., pamphlets, reports and press cuttings are found in this series. Comprises Items 1-1534.
Series 10. Labor and National Service, 1941-1943
Ward was appointed to this portfolio by John Curtin, and this series contains official and semi-official material on manpower and industrial maters; his dealing with Wallance Wurth, Director-General of Manpower; press cuttings and printed material. Comprises Items 1-1653.
Series 11. Transport, 1943-1949
This series contains correspondence between Ward, John Curtin, J.B. Chifley, Sir Harold Clapp and the State Premiers, much of it on the subject of standardization of railways; many Commonwealth and State reports on transport including civil aviation, the Clapp Report of 1945 on Standardization of Australia's Railway Gauges, and the Royal Commission of 1947 in Western Australia on W.A. Government Railways, and numerous press cuttings. Comprises Items 1-1936.
Series 12. External Territories, 1943-1949
Ward served both John Curtin and J.B. Chifley in this portfolio and included here are official and semi-official and semi-official correspondence with J.R. Halligan, Secretary of the Department, a report of Ward's visit to Papua New Guinea and Northern Australia in 1944, notes of the meeting to discuss the legislative provisions to be made for an administrative union of the Territory of Papua with the trust territory of New Guinea 1948, cocoa production, development of hydro-electric power, extracts from the Pacific Islands Monthly. During the hearings of the Royal Commission on Timber Leases in Papua New Guinea, Ward was relieved of this portfolio but was re-appointed in May 1949 after its findings were published. Comprises Items 1-1145.
Series 13. Brisbane Line Royal Commission, 1943
Correspondence between Ward, Curtin and Fadden, a report of Mr Justice Lowe's findings, press cuttings, radio broadcasts, and Hansard extracts in 1955, together with Ward's written notes. Comprises Items 1-139.
Series 14. New Guinea Timber Leases Royal Commission, 1949
Contained in this series are letters, personal notes, transcript of evidence of the Garden, Farrell and Paper cases in 1948; correspondence relating to Simon Isaac K.C. and the N.S.W. Bar Association; Ward's speech to the House of Representatives 7 July 1949 after the findings of the Royal Commission had been published, and many press cuttings. Comprises Items 1-2160.
Series 15. Australian Labour Party, 1927-1963
Ward joined the A.L.P. in 1915 and from the earliest time took an active part in affairs. This series contains material from 1927 to 1963 and includes correspondence with A.L.P. officials, copies of letters between Menzies and Curtin on the subject of a National Government in 1941 (110-114), Curtin's Militia Plan 1942 (127-184), proceedings of Commonwealth Conference, 1927 1936, 1940 and 1955. There is also material on the writ issued by J.T. Kane in 1956 (763-867), the ballots for leadership in 1959 and deputy leadership in 1960 (868-930), folders of material on Evatt, Calwell and Whitlam, pamphlets, and many press cuttings. Comprises Item 1-1322.