Guide to the Papers of Sir Keith Yorston
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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.
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.
Series 3. Invitations, 1958-83
Invitations and associated papers received by Sir Keith and Lady Yorston.
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.
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.
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: Minutes, memo, Articles of Association, administrative booklet, report and notes, 1968-80 (File 4) - Box 13
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: 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
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: 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
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.
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.
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.
Series 10. Accountancy papers, 1927-79
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.
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.
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: 'The layman and the Presbyterian Church', St Margaret's Presbyterian Church, Blaxland, 1968 (File 8) - Box 27
New England Presbyterian Ladies' College, 1965-70: Correspondence, leaflets, newsletters, 1965-69 (File 18) - Box 28
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
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.