Guide to the Papers of J. A. McCallum
MS 9872
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- John Archibald McCallum
- Title
- Papers of J. A. McCallum
- Date Range
- 1920-1974
- Collection Number
- MS 9872
- Extent
- 3.5 metres (25 boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- NLA
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The collection comprises correspondence, drafts, articles, transcripts, newspaper clippings, diaries, and published materials.
The bulk of the papers relate to McCallum's terms as Senator for NSW, 1950-1962, and include papers relating to his time as chairman of two committees on the Australian Capital Territory.
Most of the correspondence relates to his parliamentary duties and involves dealings with his constituents and other interested parties. There is also correspondence with Liberal Party officers and parliamentary colleagues including Sir William Spooner, Sir John Carrick, Dame Annabelle Rankin and Sir Robert Menzies.
There is very little material of relevance to McCallum's time in the Labor Party, except for typescript pages for a biography of Edward Theodore.
From the late 1930s, McCallum made frequent radio broadcasts, speaking mainly on politics, history and foreign affairs. McCallum was also a very prolific writer of letters to the press, predominately the Sydney Morning Herald. Within the collection are his numerous newspaper cuttings and some transcripts and notes towards his radio broadcasts.
McCallum kept a number of journals and notebooks, within which is evidence of his writings on history and law, both as a student and a lecturer, as well as some short autobiographical writings. There are also subject files and his writings on Australian federation.
There is very little material concerning McCallum's military service, except for some brief writings in his journals. McCallum, however, as a result of his wartime service in France became a devoted Francophile. He studied French for a number of years, corresponded with a number of person in France, and kept himself informed of French political affairs.
Within McCallum's papers there is material relating to his Masonic activities and his relations with Protestant clergy, particularly Presbyterian, of which church he was a congregant. There is some personal correspondence from family members including his son Professor Douglas McCallum, daughter Barbara Curthoys and grand-daughter Professor Ann Curthoys.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1513929).
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 J. A. McCallum, National Library of Australia, MS 9872, [ series and/or file number]'.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The papers were donated by Jacqueline McCallum, John McCallum's daughter, on 18 December 1996.
Related Materials
Further material relating to McCallum is held by the National Archives of Australia.
Arrangement
McCallum's original file naming and order has been maintained where possible. Some files were renamed and re-ordered by his daughter Jacqueline McCallum. Both the original alphabeticised correspondence and date ordered invitations have been re-constructed .
Biographical Note
John Archibald McCallum was born in Mittagong on 31 July 1892. He was educated at Sydney High School and Sydney Teachers College and gained a BA in history from the University of Sydney in 1921.
During World War I, McCallum served in the 55th Battalion AIF and was wounded at Polygon Wood, Belgium in 1917.
McCallum worked as a teacher at various high schools in Sydney and Grafton between 1910 and 1937. He became an Examiner for the NSW Education Department in 1937 and in 1947 a Lecturer in history at Balmain Teachers College.
During the 1920s and early 1930s McCallum was a member of the Australian Labor Party and twice stood unsuccessfully for seats in Sydney. He was a foundation member of the Liberal Party of Australia, for which he stood for election in 1946, again unsuccessfully. He successfully stood for a New South Wales Senate seat in 1949. He was re-elected in 1951 and again in 1955. He lost the Party's preselection in 1961 and retired from Parliament in 1962.
During McCallum's parliamentary career he was a member of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, 1952-1955 and 1957-1962, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on development of Canberra, 1954-1955 and Chairman of the Joint Committee on the ACT, 1957-1962. He also served on the Parliamentary and National Library Committees and on the Council of the Australian National University.
McCallum was married in 1921 to Eda Lockwood, with whom he had four children, and in 1940 to Edith (Eda) Fay. Both marriages ended in divorce.
McCallum died in Sydney on 30 December 1973.
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Diaries and notebooks, 1920-1970s
McCallum kept a number of notebooks and exercise books which he used as diaries and for research and lecture notes.
Within the books many of the entries are made on different subjects, at different dates and using alternate ends.
Notebook, 1920-1949? (File 4) - Box 1
McCallum's study notes on law, as well as shorter entries on European treaties, Chinese immigration to Australia, the Second World War, and a listing of votes won in the election of 1943
Notebook, 1920-1931? (File 5) - Box 1
Title given on first page 'Ancient history tutorial course, note book no.1'; Notes made for history lectures
Notebook, 1926-1931? (File 6) - Box 1
Notes made on economics and Commonwealth governments for lectures. Also includes MCallum's reminiscences of the WW1 armistice 1918 (17 pages)
Notebook, 1925-1949? (File 7) - Box 1
Cover title 'India', contains historical writings on India and passages in French. There are a few literary works including: A poem 'Julia and Dryasdust' dated 1925; A poem 'Birthday verse for E.F' dated 17 August, 1926 (E.F. is Ena Fay, whom McCallum married in 1940); A poem 'Fromelles' recalling McCallum's military experiences during WW1
Notebook, 1926 (File 8) - Box 1
Title given on inside cover 'Lectures, current history, 1926, Grafton'
Contains notes made for history lectures
Small notebook, 1945 (File 10) - Box 2
Has name of Lilian Protheroe (McCallum's aunt) on cover. Notes made concerning a rrangements and finances following Protheroe's death
Exercise book, 1947 (File 11) - Box 2
Book 1, notes made by McCallum at the Inter Asian Conference, New Delhi, India
Exercise book, 1947 (File 12) - Box 2
Book 2, notes made by McCallum at the Inter Asian Conference, New Delhi, India
Bound exercise book 1947-1949 (File 13) - Box 2
Cover title 'History of Federal Movement'; Notes on the history of Britain and on Australian Federation.
Large notebook 1940s-1970s? (File 14) - Box 2
Cover title 'The recollections of John Archibald MacCallum (sic) : Old men remember', comprising 14 pages of autobiography by McCallum. The text outlines McCallum's earliest years up to his schooldays in Mittagong. Also contains notes on the history of India and Australia. Note that McCallum was very sensitive about the spelling of his name and so it can assumed that he did not write the cover title.
Notebook, 1950-1995 (File 16) - Box 2
Journal entries for 21 and 22 February 1950 when McCallum was in Canberra for his swearing in ceremony (2 pages). Journal entries for 14-19 June 1957 when McCallum was touring Tasmania (8 pages). Also includes a poem satirising Labor politicians (2 pages) and a note written January 1995 by Jacqueline McCallum (daughter) concerning McCallum's papers
Exercise book, 1952 (File 17) - Box 2
Journal entries made during a visit to Britain, June-September 1952
Two typescript copies of journal entries made during a visit to Britain, June-September 1952 (File 18) - Box 2
Bound exercise book, 1952 -1954 (File 19) - Box 2
Intermittent diary entries for dates: 25 September - 15 December 1952; 8 April - 2 October 1953; 3 February - 20 June 1954
Series 2. Personal documents, 1928-1973
Personal matters, 1939-1963 (File 1_2) - Box 3
Comprises financial and family papers. Includes legal papers concerning deaths of family members, property sales and purchasing and financial loans.
Correspondence, 1943-1964 (File 3) - Box 3
Mostly personal correspondence. Correspondents include Nancy Walton, Sonia Oelrich and Sir Robert Menzies
Newspaper clippings, 1945-1964 (File 4) - Box 3
Clippings predominately from the Sydney Morning Herald most of which mention or relate to McCallum. Includes two copies of Hard Comment from 1950
Royal Arch Chapter, University of Sydney, Masonic lodge, 1946-1967 (File 5) - Box 3
Correspondence, certificates and programmes
Correspondence, 1947-1962 (File 6) - Box 4
Correspondence, drafts, clippings, photographs and miscellanea. Correspondence includes letters from family members, multiple copies of form letters to Liberal party branches and letters relating to his preselection battle in 1961 and retirement in 1962
Cards and letters, 1949-1973 (File 7) - Box 4
Letters, postcards and Christmas, greeting and sympathy cards. Correspondents include Earle Page, Harold Holt, Douglas Darby and Robert Menzies.
Includes McCallum's Christmas card list for 1961
Thea Hood, 1950-1956 (File 10) - Box 5
Thea Hood was McCallum's secretary before leaving his employ and working for (amongst others) the United Nations in Korea. Correspondence from Hood or about Hood
Miscellaneous, 1950-[1960] (File 11) - Box 5
Includes photographs (presumed to be of McCallum with grandchildren), postcards, correspondence and two copies of a poem concerning Labor Party banking policy
Series 3. Political, parliamentary and constituency papers, 1934-1962
McCallum was actively involved in politics for many years. He was State President of the Labor Party and twice stood unsuccessfully for the Party in elections during the early 1930s. Strongly democratic, he became opposed both to Fascism and Communism and was a foundation supporter of the Liberal Party in 1944. During his terms as a Liberal Senator he was primarily interested in education and foreign affairs and served on the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Railways and on various Library committees.
The series comprises McCallum's files on various subjects, legislation or activity. Much of the correspondence is related to issues brought to him by his constituents.
Correspondence, 1928-1945 (File 1) - Box 5
Primarily correspondence 1943-1945 from listeners to his broadcasts for the Australian Broadcasting Commission
Banking, 1934-1957 (File 2) - Box 5
Papers and correspondence, including a transcript of a speech from 1934, when McCallum was in the Labor Party
Letters to newspapers, 1938-1967 (File 3) - Box 6
Copies of McCallum's letters to newspapers, primarily the Sydney Morning Herald
Round Table, 1947-1962 (File 7) - Box 6
Articles and correspondence relating to the Sydney political discussion group, the Round Table
France, 1947-1960 (File 8) - Box 6
Publications produced by the French Government and collected by McCallum
Honours, 1949-1961 (File 10) - Box 7
Correspondence relating to McCallum's recommendation of people for honours and letters of congratulations to constituents who had received honours.
Australian National University, 1950-1960 (File 15) - Box 8
Correspondence. McCallum served on the Council of the University, 1952-1959
Libraries, 1950-1958 (File 16) - Box 8
Correspondence and reports McCallum served on the National Library Inquiry Committee chaired by Sir George Paton and the Parliamentary Committee of the Commonwealth National Library.
Repatriation and military matters, 1950-1961 (File 18) - Box 8
Correspondence between McCallum, constituents and the Minister for Repatriation and correspondence concerning Army re-organisation and the Royal Military College Duntroon
General parliamentary papers, 1950-1962 (File 19_23) - Box 9
Miscellaneous correspondence, reports, articles and administrative papers acquired by McCallum during the course of his parliamentary terms
Immigration, 1950-1962 (File 24_26) - Box 10
Correspondence on immigration matters between McCallum, his constituents and the Minister and Department of Immigration
Foreign affairs, 1952-1961 (File 31) - Box 11
Small collection of papers relating to McCallum's interest in foreign affairs. Contains two short reports from the Foreign Affairs Committee
Letters 'abusive and from cranks', 1953-1961 (File 33) - Box 11
Correspondence from constituents on various subjects
Functions of the Senate, 1954 (File 34) - Box 11
Copies of an address by McCallum entitled 'Functions of the Senate' and source documents
Prime Minister (miscellaneous), 1954-1960 (File 35) - Box 11
Correspondence, primarily with constituents seeking Commonwealth credentials
Royal Commission on Espionage, 1955 (File 36) - Box 11
McCallum was mentioned as a possible person of interest by Soviet agents in two documents produced by the Soviet defector Vladimir Petrov. Included are a copy of a section of the Commission's transcript which relates to McCallum, newspaper clippings, correspondence and McCallum's statutory declaration
War service homes, 1956-1962 (File 37) - Box 11
Correspondence relating to applications for assistance under the War Service Homes Act
Compulsory voting, 1956-1958 (File 38) - Box 12
Articles and correspondence concerning compulsory voting
Railways, 1956-1960 (File 39) - Box 12
Correspondence, clippings and reports. Most of the material was gathered whilst McCallum was a member of the Rail Gauge Standardisation Committee
Civil Defence School handbook, 1957 (File 40) - Box 12
McCallum attended the Civil Defence School, Macedon, Victoria between 19 and 22 February 1957. Contains information on nuclear and other threat management
Censorship, 1957-1960 (File 43) - Box 12
Correspondence concerning McCallum's opposition to censorship
Hursey case, 1958 (File 44) - Box 13
Correspondence concerning two waterfront workers victimised for refusing to pay into Trades Union political funds
Series 4. Liberal Party of Australia, 1946-1962
McCallum joined the Liberal Party on its formation in 1944. He contested the federal election for the party unsuccessfully in 1946, but succeeded on becoming a New South Wales Senator in the 1949 election. The series comprises broadcast typescripts, correspondence and published materials
Handwritten list of names and addresses (File 1) - Box 13
(18 pages) Presumed to be a list of Liberal Party members or supporters in Sydney
Liberal Party of Australia Speakers' Notes, 1946 (File 2) - Box 13
Publication issued to endorsed Liberal candidates and speakers during elections. This edition is dated 1 June 1946
Broadcasts 1949-1952 (File 3) - Box 14
Includes original typescripts for the radio broadcast "What do you think" as well as responses to listeners' questions. Also included are a number of transcripts and notes for other broadcasts made by McCallum, and papers relating to broadcasts by Sir Robert Menzies.
"What do you think" radio scripts, 1952 (File 4) - Box 14
Radio scripts for this weekly broadcast for the NSW Liberal Party, spoken by McCallum and broadcast on radio station 2UW
Correspondence and reports, 1947-1962 (File 5) - Box 14
Miscellaneous papers gathered by McCallum on various topics, including Liberal Party correspondence and press releases
Liberal Party of Australia. New South Wales Division, 1950-1961 (File 6) - Box 14
Correspondence with the NSW Liberal Party, its branches and the Liberal Party General Secretary, John Carrick
Series 5. Australian Capital Territory, 1955-1962
McCallum served as Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Development of Canberra, 1954-1955 and of the Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory, 1956-1962.
The series contains correspondence, clippings and reports. Correspondents include Ray Bullock, Sir John Butters, W.C.D. Veale, A.E. Wright, Allen Fairhall and Gordon Freeth.
Senate Select Committee on Development of Canberra (File 2) - Box 15
Reports and typescripts of evidence taken by the Committee
Senate Select Committee on Development of Canberra (File 3) - Box 15
Correspondence, mostly in connection with the report of the Committee
Reports and publications gathered by the Select Committee (File 5) - Box 16
Includes maps, Report of the Select Committee, National Capital Development Commission annual reports, 1958 and 1959/1960 and Observations on the future of development of Canberra, by Sir William Holford, 1958
Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory. Enquiry into trading hours in the Australian Capital Territory, 1957-1958 (File 6) - Box 16
Correspondence, clippings, statements and reports
Series 6. Invitations, 1945-1965
Invitations to functions, dinners, meetings etc. received by McCallum, primarily during his time as Senator for New South Wales, 1950-1962. Many of the invitations have McCallum's typed response attached. The File for 1954 includes a number of invitations to events for the visit of Queen Elizabeth II.
Series 7. Political correspondence, 1950-1967
Correspondence received and written whilst McCallum was a Senator. Note that the alphabetic arrangement is primarily used for correspondents' surnames or organisation names, but not always so. Correspondence filed under a particular constituent's name will often include related correspondence with another party or parties. There are also instances where correspondence is filed variously under the name of the organisation and the surname of an individual within that organisation.
Correspondents include Sir Richard Boyer, Douglas Darby, Gordon Freeth, Sir Arthur Fadden, Paul Hasluck, A.G. Huie, Harold Holt, Rev. Bernard Judd, Madame Maurice Leriche, Maurice Lesnie, Sir Robert Menzies, Charles Moses, Colin Moodie, H. R. Krygier, Sonia Oelrich, Hubert Opperman, Colin Roderick, Dame Annabelle Rankin, J. M. Douglas Pringle, Sir Earle Page, H. MacNeil Saunders, Sir William Spooner, G. Ross Thomas, H. B. Turner, J.C. Thorne, W.C. Wentworth, Dr H.S. Wyndham and Sir Thomas White
Series 8. Printed matter, 1934-1974 - Box 24-25
Comprising Published works collected by McCallum. Books, pamphlets, ceremonial programmes, issues of periodicals, tourist guides and government reports, including Australia. Second report of the Royal Commission on Taxation, 1934; Punjab : the homeland of the Sikhs by Harnam Singh, 1945; Americans guide to Hindustani by M.J. Shahaney, [1940s]; United States Senate : report by J.R. Odgers, [1955]; Australia. Senate report from the Select Committee appointed to inquire into and report upon payments to maritime unions, 1958; Revaluation of the Australian pound by H.V. Hudd, [1950]; Traité instituant la Communauté Économique Européenne, [1957].