Guide to the Papers of Sir Joseph Cook
MS 762
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Sir Joseph Cook
- Title
- Papers of Sir Joseph Cook
- Date Range
- 1919-1927
- Collection Number
- MS 762
- Extent
- 0.13 metres (9 folders)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Material relating to the Paris Peace Conference (1919) and the Naval Armaments Conference (1927). Also included is a file labelled 'Status of the High Commissioners', 1926. Many of the papers relating to the Paris Peace Conference were written or assembled by J.G. Latham, who accompanied Cook to the Conference. This material was donated to the Library in 1953 by Mr R. Cecil Cook, son of Sir Joseph Cook.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1414379).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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], MS 762, National Library of Australia, Records of Sir Joseph Cook, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Related Materials
In addition to the Cook Papers, the Library holds other manuscript collections (including copies on microfilm) which contain letters or other materials relating to Cook. This material is described in the guide 'Special collections relating to Sir Joseph Cook in the National Library of Australia', which is available online at http://www.nla.gov.au/ms/findaids/0762rm.html.
Biographical Note
References: Australian Encyclopaedia; Australian Dictionary of Biography; Commonwealth Parliamentary Handbook.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1860 | Born 7th December, at Silverdale, Staffordshire. |
| 1873 | Became family breadwinner after his father's death. |
| 1885 | Married Mary Turner on August 8, emigrated to Australia shortly after. |
| 1887 | Employed at the Vale of Clwydd colliery, Lithgow NSW. |
| 1891 | Elected to NSW Parliament as Labor Member for Hartley. |
| 1893 | Elected leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party. |
| 1894 | Left the Labour Party, appointed Postmaster-General. |
| 1898-99 | Secretary for Mines and Agriculture. |
| 1901-21 | Represented Parramatta in the Federal Parliament. |
| 1905 | Deputy-leader of the Free Trade Party. |
| 1908 | Leader of the Free Trade Party |
| 1909-10 | Minister for Defence, and deputy leader of the newly formed Liberal Party. |
| 1913 | 13th January, replaced Alfred Deakin as leader of the Liberal Party. |
| 1913-14 | Prime Minister, Minister for Home Affairs. |
| 1917-20 | Minister for the Navy in W.M. Hughes' Nationalist ministry. |
| 1918 | Represented Australia at the Imperial War Conference and in the Imperial War Cabinet, along with Hughes. |
| 1918 | Knighted. |
| 1919 | Represented Australia at the Versailles Peace Conference |
| 1920-21 | Treasurer. |
| 1921-27 | High Commissioner for Australia in London. |
| 1928-29 | Chair of the Royal Commission into the Finances of South Australia as Affected by Federation. |
| 1929 | Retired to Bellevue Hill, Sydney. |
| 1947 | Died 30th July. |
Item Descriptions
Series [unnumbered]. Peace Conference, Paris, 1919
'Ex-German colonies I, correspondence, memoranda', July 1918 - May 1919 (File 1-1a) - Box 1
Reports, cables, memoranda and newspaper cuttings about the former German colonies in the Pacific; includes a letter from Andew Fisher, and a report 'Australia's claim to the German islands'.
'Ex-German colonies II, peace clauses', Jan - May 1919 (File 2) - Box 1
Minutes and draft treaty clauses relating to the German colonies and the treatment of Germans in former German colonies; also a few letters to/from Commander J.G. Latham.
'Ex-German colonies III: Nauru', Nov 1918 - Aug 1919 (File 3) - Box 1
Memoranda, copies of correspondence, agreement between United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand for administration of the mandate over the island of Nauru,. Correspondents include Sir Joseph Cook, W.M. Hughes, and W.F. Massey (NZ).