Guide to the Papers of Viscount John Lawrence Baird Stonehaven

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MS 2127

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Viscount John Lawrence Baird Stonehaven
Title
Papers of Viscount John Lawrence Baird Stonehaven
Date Range
1893 - 1941
Collection Number
MS 2127
Extent
0.96 metres (4 ms boxes + 2 archive boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection includes correspondence (mainly 1926 to 1930) between Stonehaven and other Governors-General, British diploments, politicians and friends in England, diaries, press cuttings, memoranda, reports and minutes.

The subject of the correspondence includes economic situation in Australia, Great Britain and other of the British Empire, Stonehaven's resignation from the Conservative Party in 1936. The diaries include entries of Stonehaven's visit to Egypt in October 1919, political and industrial situation in England, British Defence Policy, politics and the War.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2266115).

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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Viscount John Lawrence Baird Stonehaven, National Library of Australia, MS 2127, [series/ file number]'.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated to the Library by the Rt. Hon. The Viscount Stonehaven in 1968. Further papers were added in 1999 and 2002.

Additional Finding Aids

All correspondence in the 'Original Consignment' has been name-indexed; please refer to the attached Correspondence Index (Appendix I) in the Related Documentation section of this finding aid.

Biographical Note

Sir John Lawrence Baird, son of Sir Alexander Baird was born on 27 April 1874. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church Oxford and spent a year in Australia in 1894 as Aide-de-Camp to sir Robert Duff, Governor of New South Wales. He joined the Diplomatic Service in 1896 and during the next twelve years was stationed at Vienna, Cairo, Abyssina, Paris and Buenos Aires.

In 1910 Baird was elected to the House of Commons as a Unionist member and from 1922 to 1925 the seat of Rugby and from 1922 to 1925 the seat of Ayr Burghs.

After the outbreak of World War I he joined the Intelligence Corps and was awarded the D.S.O. in 1915.

He was recalled to London in 1916 to become Parliamentary Member of the Air Board. In 1919 he was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the House Office and from 1922-1924 he was Minister of Transport and Commissioner of Works.

In 1925 he was appointed Governor-General of Australia and New Guinea, visiting parts of these countries which had never been reached by his predecessors. Stonehaven also encouraged interest in the development of internal air services in Australia.

On his return to England in 1931 Stonehaven held the office of Chairman of the Conservative Party Organisation until 1936. In 1938 he was created a Viscount. Lord Stonehaven died in Scotland on 20 August 1941.

Item Descriptions

Class. Original Consignment

Series 1. Correspondence, 1899-1940

The series contain letters received and copied of replies mainly for the years 1926-1930. It is arranged in chronological order with undated letters placed at the end of the series. Most of the letters are from other Governor-General, British diplomats, politicians and old friends in England. Subjects covered include personal affairs; Stonehaven's comments on Australia's senior military officers in 1925; letters of congratulation on his appointment as Governor-General; his journey to Australia and his impressions of the Australian people. There are also details and comments on the nature of the British Empire, the Imperial Conference of 1926, the changing role of the Governor-General, the loyalty of the Australian people to the Empire, and political developments in Canada, India, Egypt, the Sudan, Germany and Italy; comments on the political and economic situation in England and Australia; including the 1926 General Strike in England, trade unionism in Australia, the Bruce and Scullin Governments and beginnings of the depression. The letters also contain comments on men who could possibly succeed Stonehaven as Governor-General, the financial position of the Governor-General, the dispute over the appointment of Sir Isaac Isaacs, political events in England in the 1930s, and the dispute over Stonehaven's non-appointment to a Suez Canal Directorship in 1938. (Item 1-649)

Series 2. Correspondence with the King and King's Private Secretaries, 1925-1927

This series mainly consists of replies from Sir Clive Wigram and Lord Stamfordham to letters from Stonehaven, but there are also some copies of Stonehaven's letters. (Item 1-280)

Series 3. Advice from Lord Forster, 1925

The file was created by Stonehaven and is arranged in chronology order. One paper a typescript memorandum with handwritten notes entitle For my successor concerning the appropriate dress for Governor-General and containing informing relating to servants, staff, cars, general expenses and entertainment. The series also contains letters and cables from Lord Forster to Lord Stonehaven and L.S. Amery, Secretary of State for the Colonies, concerning Stonehaven's appointment and the arrangements for taking up office as Governor-General. Finally there are telegrams from the Prime Minister, S.M. Bruce, concerning the timing of Stonehaven's arrival in Australia. (Item 1-28)

Series 4. Correspondence concerning Stonehaven's resignation as Chairman of the Conservation Party, 1936

This series created by Stonehaven is arranged in chronological order. It consists of a newsclipping announcing the resignation of Lord Stonehaven from the Chairmanship of the Conservative Party Organisation on the 3 March 1936 and letters from members of the Conservative Party to Stonehaven expressing regret at his resignation and thanking him for his work in the organisation. (Item 1-29)

Series 5. Committee of Imperial Defence, 1926-1929

The series is not in chronological order, papers have been kept in the order that they were filed by Stonehaven. The series contains covering letters from L.S. Amery to the Governor-General and Prime Minister of Australia which accompanied printed documents of the Committee of Imperial Defence and its various sub-committees. The papers include memoranda, reports, and minutes relating to various aspects of defence including reduction and limitation of armaments, coastal defence, general principles of Imperial defence, military legislation in France, and British defence policy and its repercussions on Singapore, China and Japan. (Item 1-152)

Series 6. Powers of Governors-General, 1926-1927

Manuscript drafts of cables between England and Australia and New Zealand relating to the Imperial Conference of 1926. New Zealand relating to Imperial Conference of 1926. They include a cable from L.S. Amery reporting on proposed changes in the powers of Governor-General and replies and opinions from Lord Stonehaven and also Sir Charles Ferguson, the Governor-General of New Zealand. The changes took place in 1927. (Item 1-14)

Series 7. Diaries, 1919 and 1941

September 1919 diary: It documents a visit that Stonehaven made to Egypt and includes descriptions of post-war France, British and French diplomacy, and British rule in Egypt. (Item 1-94)
October 1919 diary: It deals with the political and industrial situation in England. It contains descriptions and comments on Members of Parliament including David Lloyd George, Andrew Bonar Law, Stanley Baldwin, and Austen Chamberlain; the economic situation, the Labor Party, the railway strike of 1919 and descriptions of conditions in factories. (Item)
1941 diary: Written shortly before Stonehaven's death, the diary includes descriptions of British defence policy, party politics and the war situation generally. (Item)

Series 8. Press cuttings, 1893-1940

Miscellaneous newspaper cuttings, mostly concerning Stonehaven's term as Governor-General. (Item 1-30)

Series 9. Miscellaneous

The series includes a handwritten anonymous poem in memory of Stonehaven's sister Miss Nina Isabel Baird, 1919; typescript of a speech by Lord Stonehaven given in Sydney to the Australia War Graves' Pilgrimage June 1929; itineraries of tours arranged in Australia, seating arrangements of dinners, and other miscellaneous notes. (Item 1-37)

Class. Consignment added 1999

This consignment is found in Box 3. Photocopies of the following items relating to Lord Stonehaven's time as Governor-General of Australia: a letter from Lord Stonehaven to Lord Stamfordham, dated 12 January 1927 and photographs of Aboriginals, taken on a visit by Lord Stonehaven to north eastern Australia.

Please note that the originals of these items are held in the Royal Archive, Windsor Castle.

Class. Consignment added 2002

This consignment is contained in Boxes 3-6. Five scrapbooks of photographs and newspaper cuttings compiled by Lord and Lady Stonehaven during their time in Australia, April 1927 - November 1930.

Photograph album of the government dockyard, Newcastle (NSW), presented to Lord Stonehaven on 21 April, 1926. Photograph album of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Scheme (NSW), commemorating Lord Stonehaven's official visit, 7-10 June 1927. A copy of Sydney Harbour Bridge, published by Dorman Long, London in 1932 and signed by Lord Stonehaven.


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