Guide to the Papers of Sir Keith Yorston

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MS 9064

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Keith Yorston
Title
Papers of Sir Keith Yorston
Date Range
1895-1983
Collection Number
MS 9064
Extent
4.34 metres (31 boxes, 7 folio packages)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises correspondence, certificates, invitations; addresses and writings by Yorston; minutes, conference papers, programs, publications, scrapbooks, reports, subject files, diaries, photographs and other papers relating primarily to Yorston's career as a chartered accountant, and his involvement in the Australian-American Association and the Presbyterian Church.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2964930).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Sir Keith Yorston, National Library of Australia, MS 9064, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Provenance

The papers were donated to the Library by Lady Yorston in 1983.

Arrangement

The overall order of the collection has been created by Library staff, although the material in series 2, 3, 11, 14 and 15 were in discrete groupings when they were received by the Library.

Biographical Note

Robert Keith Yorston was born in St. Kilda, Melbourne, in 1902 and died in Sydney in 1983. He was educated at Caulfield Public School and the University of Melbourne, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce. He married Gwendolen Ridley on 19 December 1934 and had two children, Helen and Robert.

Yorston established and was Principal of the Australian Accountancy College, Sydney in 1932-66 and was author of numerous text books on accountancy, law, and company and secretarial practice.

He was Federal President of the Australian-American Association in 1960, 1962-64, 1966-67 and 1972 and President of the New South Wales Branch of the Association in 1957-63 and 1965-74. He founded the Canberra and Hobart Branches of the Association in 1962 and 1963 and the Junior Association in Sydney in 1958. He became the National Patron of the Association and of American Field Service scholarships in 1976.

Yorston was a member of many professional accountancy associations including the Australian Institute of Management, the Australian Accountants Student Association and life member of the Australian Society of Accountants. He was President of the Australian Society of Accountants (NSW), in 1959 and delivered the Annual Research Lectures for the Society in Sydney (1951), W.A. (1952), Tasmania (1953), and Melbourne (1959). He was also Chairman of Steadfast Insurance Co. Ltd; Chairman of the Presbyterian Church Property Trust (NSW), 1964-71; a member of the board of the Scottish Hospital (Sydney), 1964-79, a Council Member of the Australian Opera Auditions, 1970-73 and a member of the Advisory Boards of the Presbyterian Foundation and the Opera Foundation Australia.

He represented Australia at the International Congress of Accountants in Amsterdam (7th, 1957) and New York (8th, 1962), and at the 11th International Congress of the Institute of Management in Paris in 1957.

Yorston was created a Commander of the British Empire in 1963 and knighted in 1969.

See also Who's who in Australia (1983).

Item Descriptions

Series 1. Correspondence, 1944-83

Correspondence received by Yorston and some carbon copies of letters sent. The letters relate to Yorston's involvement in the Australian-American Association and the Presbyterian Church, overseas visits, lectures delivered by Yorston, his publications, congratulations on appointments, letters of appreciation and other matters. There is a large amount of correspondence congratulating Yorston on his knighthood in 1969.

Correspondents include American Australian Association (New York), Sir Robert Askin, Floyd G. Blair, J.J. Cahill, Norman Coleman, R.J. Cotton, Sir Charles Court, Robert J. Dixon, Sir Alexander Fitzgerald, Cardinal Gilroy, P.M. Hamilton, Randal Heymanson, Admiral Herbert G. Hopwood, General Laurence Kuter, Sir John Latham, Lt. Col. Joseph W. Lynch, Rev. Fred McKay, William McMahon, R.G. Menzies, Richard M. Nixon, E.S. Owens, William J. Sebald, Lord Slim, Lt. Col. S.P.M. Sutton, John L. Swigert, Frank A. Waring, General I.D. White, and Guthrie Wilson.

Other correspondence is contained in series 4, 6, 10, 12 and 13.

1944-49 (File 1) - Box 1

1950-59 (File 2-4) - Box 1

1960-69 (File 5) - Box 1

Knighthood congratulations, 1969. Also includes a ledger containing an index of letters, cables and phone calls received and a form letter of reply (File 6-12) - Box 1, 2

1970-78 (File 13) - Box 2

1978-83 and undated (File 14) - Box 2

Series 2. Certificates, 1923-83

Certificates issued to Yorston including Imperial Award Certificates for the Order of the British Empire, 1960 and Commander of the British Empire (1963); University of Melbourne certificates for the Diploma of Commerce, 1928 and Bachelor of Commerce, 1945; and certificates for membership from professional associations including the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants, Federal Institute of Accountants, Institute of Incorporated Accountants of NSW, Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia, Australian Society of Accountants, Australian Institute of Management, Royal Economic Society, Chartered Institute of Secretaries, Institute of Incorporated Secretaries, New Zealand Institute of Secretaries and Institute of Factor and Cost Accountants.

Certificates (File 1) - Box 2

Certificates (folio packages) (File 2-6)

Series 3. Invitations, 1958-83

Invitations and associated papers received by Sir Keith and Lady Yorston.

1950s (File 1-3) - Box 3

1960s (File 4-15) - Box 3, 4, 5

1970s (File 16-20) - Box 5

1970s and 1980s (File 21) - Box 5

Series 4. Articles and addresses, 1938-75

This series comprises manuscript, typescript and published versions of articles and addresses by Yorston, mainly on accounting subjects. The files contain drafts and notes for speeches as well as articles, correspondence and other research material used in their preparation. The addresses include the Edgar Sabine Memorial Lecture delivered by Yorston at Adelaide University in 1959, his lectures as guest lecturer at the 1960 Jubilee Convention of the New Zealand Society of Accountants and the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants Annual Research Lectures.

See series 6 for addresses delivered at Australian-American Association functions and series 13 for addresses relating to Church activities.

Articles and lecture, 1938-48 (File 1) - Box 6

Matter to be used for Adelaide lectures (Commonwealth Institute of Accountants, 1952), 1938-52 (File 2) - Box 6

Articles and addresses, 1944-60 (File 3-4) - Box 6, 7

Meetings, luncheons etc, 1949-57 (File 5) - Box 7

Notes for talks (New Zealand and Scotland), 1949-60 (File 6) - Box 7

Speeches and articles, 1950-57 (File 7) - Box 7

'The increasing responsibilities on company administration', 1951 (File 8) - Box 7

Commonwealth Institute of Accountants Research Lectures, 1951-53 (File 9) - Box 7

Articles and addresses, 1951-54 (File 10) - Box 7

Articles and addresses, 1951-63 (File 11-12) - Box 8

Rotary talk, 1952-58 (File 13) - Box 8

Tasmania lecture, 'Control in the corporation', 1953-54 (File 14) - Box 8

New Zealand lectures, 1954-59 (File 15) - Box 8

Perth lecture, 1955 (File 16) - Box 8

Australian Institute of Management lectures, Sydney, 1955 (File 17) - Box 8

Addresses, 1958 (File 18) - Box 8

Talk at Administrative Staff College, Vic, 1958 (File 19) - Box 9

New Zealand Jubilee paper, 1959-60 (includes Edgar Sabine lecture) (File 20) - Box 9

'Reporting financial information to employees', 1959 (File 21) - Box 9

Australian Accountants Students Society Third Biennial Seminar, 1964 (File 22-24) - Box 9

Australian Accountants Students Society Fourth Annual Seminar, 1965 (File 25) - Box 9

Paper for congress in India, Nov. 1965 (File 26) - Box 10

Matter for speeches, 1970-75. Includes addresses to the Australian-American Association and relating to the Church (File 27-30) - Box 10

'The role of the accountant in a changing world" (Prahran College of Technology), 1971 (File 31) - Box 10

Series 5. Textbooks, 1932-83

Yorston wrote over 20 textbooks on accounting, commercial and legal subjects, many of which have been revised and reprinted many times.

Books - general, and ideas for new books, 1932-35 (File 1) - Box 10

Proofs of The Australian company director, 1932 published by the Law Book Company of Australasia, Sydney (File 2) - Box 10

Proofs of Advanced accounting (ninth edition, Law Book Company), 1982 (File 3-10) - Box 11, 12

Proofs of Secretarial practice (seventh edition, Law Book Company), 1983 (File 11-13) - Box 12

Book reviews, advertisements and book lists concerning Yorston's publications, 1950-73 (File 14) - Box 12

Series 6. Australian-American Association, 1942-83

The Australian-American Association was established by Sir Ernest White in 1936 with the aim 'to maintain and develop friendship, mutual understanding and co-operation between the peoples of Australia as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and the United States of America for their advancement and strength in the interests of freedom and world peace' (Australian-American Association news, NSW annual edition, Oct. 1973).

Activities of the Association include the annual Coral Sea Week and Coral Sea Sunday in commemoration of the Allied victory in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942; sponsorship of the American Field Service (AFS) international scholarships; study of American civilisation by the American Studies Committee; creating an informed opinion on matters affecting Australia and America through its Australian-American Forum; and ensuring American visitors gain a better knowledge of Australia.

Yorston was active in the Association from 1937 until his death. In the NSW Branch he held the positions of Honorary Treasurer, first Chairman of the Council and President (1957-63, 1965-74) and federally served as President (1960, 1962-64, 1966-67, 1972) and Council member. He founded the Canberra and Hobart Branches of the Association in 1962 and 1963 and the Junior Association in Sydney in 1958. He became the National Patron of the Association and of American Field Service scholarships in 1976.

See also series 4 folders 19-22 for further addresses relating to the Association.

This series also comprises General Files containing correspondence, Articles of Association, Federal Constitution, submissions, minutes of Council meetings, lists of office bearers, Federal conference papers and other papers.

Correspondence, 1957-80. Correspondents include Sir John Latham, Sir Howard Beale, Sir Percy Spender, and Admiral Felix B. Stump (File 1) - Box 12

General files: Tables of precedence, 1953-75; Scrapbook and enclosures, 1957-58 (File 2) - Box 12

General files: Pymble Men's League, 1958-62; Annual General Meeting, 1959-67 (File 3) - Box 12

General files: Minutes, memo, Articles of Association, administrative booklet, report and notes, 1968-80 (File 4) - Box 13

General files: American Field Service (AFS), 1976-81 (File 5) - Box 13

General files: Federal Constitution, 1979 (File 6) - Box 13

General files: Australian-American Association, 1979-83 (File 7-8) - Box 13

Addresses: Coral Sea, 1961-63 (File 9) - Box 13

Addresses: Anniversary Dinner speeches, 1961-73 (File 10) - Box 13

Addresses: Notes for speeches, 1962-66 (File 11) - Box 13

Addresses: Roman Catholic Church, 1963; Quotes and jokes for speeches, 1964-68 (File 12) - Box 14

Addresses: Richard Nixon luncheon, 10 Sept. 1965; Welcome to Ambassador, 1965-69 (File 13) - Box 14

Addresses: Notes for speeches, 1965-69 (File 14-15) - Box 14

Addresses: Opening of ball at Moree, Oct. 1966; Speech at Inverell re affiliation between Inverell and Tulare, California, Oct. 1966; 30th Anniversary dinner, July 1966 (File 16) - Box 14

Addresses: Speeches, 1966-68 (File 17) - Box 14

Addresses: 32 Anniversary Dinner, July 1968; Coral Sea, 1967 (File 18) - Box 14

Addresses: Dr Kingman Brewster luncheon, 8 Aug. 1968; Thanksgiving Day talk, 1969; Notes on odd speeches, n.d.; U.S. talk, n.d. (File 19) - Box 14

Addresses: Cards and notes for various speeches at public functions including Coral Sea Commemorations and Association meetings, c1962-71; Federal Conferences (File 20-24) - Box 15

Addresses: 1978 (Hobart, Tas.) (File 25) - Box 15

Addresses: 1979 (Perth, W.A.) (File 26) - Box 15

Addresses: 1980 (Adelaide, S.A.) (File 27) - Box 15

Addresses: 1982 (Sydney, N.S.W.) (File 28) - Box 16

Coral Sea Week: Itineraries, 1955-72 (File 29-33) - Box 16

Coral Sea Week: Programs, invitations, menus, 1956-67 (File 34) - Box 16

Coral Sea Week: Photographs, 1942-54; publications, 1960-61; typescripts, 1966-67 and other papers (File 35-36) - Box 17

Coral Sea Week: History of the Australian-American Association; 'Notes on the history of the Association...'; and 'A history of the Australian-American Association' by David S. Kent (Honours thesis, University of Sydney, 1980) (File 37) - Box 17

Coral Sea Week: Newspaper cuttings, 1958-66 (File 38) - Box 17

Coral Sea Week: Annual reports of the Federal Association, 1961-64; the NSW Branch, 1957-58, 1970; the Junior Association, 1960-61 and the AFS, 1979 (File 39) - Box 17

Coral Sea Week: Drawing of the Association Centre, Lower Fort Street, Sydney and cartoons by Tony Rafty (File 40)

Coral Sea Week: Miscellaneous papers, 1954-69 including pamphlets relating to Australia's National Memorial to the United States of America, Canberra, and the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne (File 41-42) - Box 17

Series 7. Australian Society of Accountants, 1954-83

Yorston was a member of the Society and its antecedent bodies since 1922. From 1955-63 he was a NSW Divisional Councillor and served on numerous divisional and general council committees. Yorston was elected NSW Vice-President in 1957 and in 1959 became the State President.

Adelaide Convention, 1954-55 (File 1) - Box 17

Accounting Convention, 1958 (File 2) - Box 18

Trip to Northern Rovers District Group, 1958; Annual reports, 1960-61 (File 3) - Box 18

Programs, cuttings and pamphlets, 1971-83 (File 4) - Box 18

Issues of The Australian Accountant, 1962-63 containing references to Yorston (File 5) - Box 18

Series 8. Australian Institute of Management, 1963-83

During his membership of the Institute, Yorston was active in the Annual Report Award, which he co-founded, and served on the adjudicating committee. He was elected an honorary fellow of the AIM in 1976.

1963 General Management Conference (File 1) - Box 18

Annual Report Award, 1971-83 (File 2-5) - Box 18, 19

40th Anniversary dinner guest list and program and 1956 annual report (File 6) - Box 19

Series 9. International Congress of Accountants, 1957-62

Files containing correspondence, articles, typescripts, issues of Congress news, programs, notes, receipts, reports, a map and other papers.

Seventh International Congress of Accountants, Amsterdam, 1957 (File 1) - Box 19

Eighth International Congress of Accountants, New York, 1962 (File 2-3) - Box 19

Series 10. Accountancy papers, 1927-79

History of accounting profession, 1938-51 (File 1-2) - Box 20

Annual reports - employees, 1949-59 (File 3-4) - Box 20

International Conference on Accounting Education, University of Illinois, 1962 (File 5) - Box 20

Scrapbook, 1927-54 containing articles from accounting journals, including some by and referring to Yorston (File 6) - Box 21

Scrapbook, 1928-46 containing cuttings, articles and printed matter (File 7) - Box 21

General files, 1938-62 containing articles, typescripts, cuttings and correspondence (File 8-12) - Box 22

Miscellaneous papers, 1929-79 including a draft of 'How to collect those accounts', publications, typescripts, leaflets and cuttings (File 13-15) - Box 22, 23

Series 11. Company law papers, 1895-1956

Yorston wrote textbooks and lectured on company law and was a member of the Australian Accounting Associations divisional committee on company law in 1960-62. These papers were kept together by Yorston and have been arranged in roughly alphabetical order.

Great Britain. Company Law Amendment Committee reports - W. Greene, Lord Wrenbury and Lord Davey, 1895-1926 (File 1) - Box 23

New Company Act, 1928-45. Contains papers mainly relating to the British Companies Act and legislation in Queensland and South Australia (File 2-3) - Box 23

Great Britain. New Company Act, 1929-54 (File 4-6) - Box 23, 24

Company law, 1936-37 (File 7) - Box 24

Companies - Justice Cohen report, 1943-44 (File 8) - Box 24

Progress of Joint Stock Companies in India, 1955; Australian Society of Accountants Company Law Revision Committee Draft recommendations for amendment of the accounts provisions of the Companies Acts of the Australian states, 1956 (File 9) - Box 24

Series 12. Other associations, 1952-83

Opera Foundation - Australia, 1975-82 (File 1-2) - Box 25

Directors' reports, minutes, correspondence, memos, Memorandum and Articles of Association and balance sheet s and accounts.

Australian Opera Auditions in Co-operation with the Metropolitan Opera, New York, 1970-79 (File 3) - Box 25

Correspondence, financial statements, Executive Meeting minutes and agenda and other papers.

Scottish Hospital, 1982-83 (File 4) - Box 25

Includes constitution, financial statements, Executive Meeting minutes and agendas.

Sydney Adventist Hospital, 1970-76 (File 5) - Box 25

Correspondence and other records relating to the Rebuilding Fund Appeal.

American National Club, 1952-81 (File 6) - Box 25

Annual reports and statements of accounts, lists of members, membership application, prospectus, by laws and other papers.

Girl Guides Association (NSW), 1969 (File 7) - Box 26

Correspondence and other papers relating to the $100,000 "Golden Jubilee" appeal.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Association (NSW), 1976-83 (File 8) - Box 26

Reports, members lists, meeting papers and correspondence.

Series 13. Presbyterian Church, 1944-80

Yorston had a long and varied association with the Presbyterian Church. He joined St Peter's Church, North Sydney in 1927 and was ordained an elder in 1928. He was also a Session Clerk at St Peter's, 1929-53 and an elder at St Luke's, Roseville. He was a member of the Corporate Trustees in 1957-77 and Chairman in 1964-75. He also served as Convenor of the Finance Committee, member of the Stewardship Committee, Chairman of the Presbyterian Foundation and as a representative to the Inaugural Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia in 1977.

See also series 4, folder 19-22 for further addresses relating to Church activities.

Addresses: St Andrew's Day dinner, Lismore Church, 1964 (File 1) - Box 26

Addresses: 'The layman and the Church', Turramurra Presbyterian Church, 1964 (File 2) - Box 26

Addresses: Woodstock Presbyterian Girls' School, Albury, 1965 (File 3) - Box 26

Addresses: Orange Presbyterian Ladies' College, 15 Sept. 1965 (File 4) - Box 26

Addresses: Prayers and notes for speeches, 1965-68 (File 5-7) - Box 26, 27

Addresses: 'The layman and the Presbyterian Church', St Margaret's Presbyterian Church, Blaxland, 1968 (File 8) - Box 27

Addresses: Notes for speech at Scots - Bathurst, 2 Dec. 1969 (File 9) - Box 27

Addresses: St George's Church Centenary, 1977 (File 10) - Box 27

Addresses: 'Stewardship in individual life', Eastwood Church, n.d (File 11) - Box 27

Corporate Trustees: Trustees report to Assembly, 1965-69 (File 12-16) - Box 27, 28

Corporate Trustees: Stewardship letters, 1965 (File 17) - Box 28

New England Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1965-70: Correspondence, leaflets, newsletters, 1965-69 (File 18) - Box 28

Presbyterian Foundation: Notes for talk to Methodists re Presbyterian Foundation, Sydney, 19 July 1967 (File 19) - Box 28

Presbyterian Foundation: Presbyterian Foundation, 1976-80 (File 20) - Box 28

Presbyterian Foundation: Presbyterian Foundation, 1981-82 (File 21) - Box 28

General: Turramurra, 1962-63 (File 22) - Box 28

General: Chatswood Men's League, 1963 (File 23) - Box 29

General: Uniting Church, 1976-78 (File 24) - Box 29

General: Uniting Church finance, 1977-79 (File 25-26) - Box 29

General: Printed matter and pamphlets, 1944-78 and papers relating to the Presbyterian University Women's Colleges Foundation, 1980 (File 27-28) - Box 29

Series 14. Photographs, 1955-77

Australian-American Association functions, 1958-70. Persons photographed include Sir Keith and Lady Yorston, Sir Robert Menzies, Lord Slim, Admiral and Mrs Dufek, J.J. and Mrs Cahill, Sir Ernest White, Ambassador Sebald, John McEwen, Sir Percy Spender, Sir Henry Bolte, General I.D. White, J.F. McGrath, J.K. McAlpine, Davis Hughes, Frank A. Waring, H.C. Steiner, Floyd Blair, H.N. Truscott, C.R. Kelly, Gordon Spears, and William Roddy (File 1-4) - Box 29, 30

Photographs of the Seventh and Eighth International Congress of Accountants, 1957 and 1962 and the last meeting of the Presbyterian Church (NSW) Property Trust, 20 June 1977 (File 4) - Box 30

Series 15. Newspaper cuttings, 1958-79

Cuttings mainly relating to social events, Australian-American relations, Yorston's involvement in Church affairs and professional and personal achievements.

Newspaper cuttings (File 1-5) - Box 30

Series 16. Miscellaneous papers, 1939-83

Biographical papers including curriculum vitae, tributes and obituaries of Yorston by E.S. Owens and Rev. Fred McKay, 1977-83; Engagement calendar, 1958 (File 1) - Box 30

Executive diary, 1972 (File 2) - Box 31

Papers relating to stamp auctions and sales, 1961-81 (File 3-6) - Box 31

Other papers, 1939-81 (File 7-9) - Box 31


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