Guide to the Papers of Sir Joseph Cook
MS 2212
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Sir Joseph Cook
- Title
- Papers of Sir Joseph Cook
- Date Range
- 1880-1986
- Collection Number
- MS 2212
- Extent
- 0.56 metres (4 boxes)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
This collection is a mixture of material created by Joseph Cook, and material gathered by Mrs Mary Wood, his granddaughter. It consists of a small number of notebooks, a commission as NSW Secretary for Mines and Agriculture, an illuminated address, the text of the Treaty of Versailles, a passport, photographs, newspaper cuttings, and miscellaneous printed and photocopied material relating to Cook. The first part of this material was donated to the Library in 1968 by Mrs Wood. Subsequent material, also originating from Mrs Wood, was purchased from a book dealer in 1995.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1031001).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 2212, National Library of Australia, Papers 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]. Material relating directly to Sir Joseph Cook
Commission appointing Cook Secretary for Mines and Agriculture for New South Wales, and a covering letter, 1898 (File 4) - Box 1
Illuminated address presented to Cook by residents of Wallerawang on his transfer from New South Wales Parliament to Federal Parliament, May 1901 (File 5) - Box 1
Versailles Conference: Conditions of Peace [text of the Treaty of Versailles], 1919 (File 6) - Box 1
Miscellaneous Documents, 1936-1938 (File 8) - Box 2
Envelope addressed to Miss C.M. Cook, c/o Bradford, England, from Sydney, 1936, containing photograph of London and message describing lodgings in London; Cabin-class passage ticket, Liverpool-Sydney, for Dame Mary Cook, 1938
Photographs (File 10) - Box 2
19th century family (unidentified); Wedding photograph of Mary Cook, 1885.; Joseph and Mary Cook and three children: Mary Cook and a young boy: Cook selling the first war bonds certificate; Cook and Lady Cook (two copies: mounted and unmounted); Portrait of Cook (National Galleries of Scotland); Some statesmen of the Great War: painting by Sir James Guthrie (postcard); Cook and Lady Cook at the Opening of Parliament, London, ca 1924; Cook and another in uniform, London, ca 1920s; Launching of Australia's first Supermarine Napier aircraft by Dame Mary Cook, Southampton, 1926; Sir Joseph and Lady Cook (portraits from a magazine), 1920s
Miscellaneous papers, 1915-1947 (File 11) - Box 2
Our part: three great speeches on the war (delivered by C.G. Wade, Joseph Cook and E.D. Millen, 6 July 1915); Speech by Cook on the Treaty of Peace (bound Hansard extract), 17 Sept 1919; Federal referendums: the case for and against (referenda on aviation and marketing), 1936; Commonwealth Gazette notice of Cook's death, 1947, and photocopy with 7¢ stamp of Cook (issued in 1972) affixed; Order of service, State Funeral, Wesley Chapel, Sydney, 1 Aug 1947.
Series [unnumbered]. Material collected by Mrs Mary Wood
Photocopy of Australian High Commissioner file, comprising newspaper cuttings and memoranda, 1921-1927 (File 14) - Box 3
(Original held at Australian Archives (Series CP 268/3, Bundle 4).
Photographs (File 16) - Box 3
Including: copy photographs of those in Folder 1; Canberra suburb of Cook; Sir Joseph's Cook's regalia; Mrs Mary Wood with Cook's regalia, Parramatta, ca 1985; photocopies of 19th-century photographs of Lithgow; photograph of 7¢ stamp of Cook.
Newspaper cuttings and photocopies, 1904, 1910, 1927, 1955, 1978, 1985-1986 (File 19) - Box 3
Principally about the rediscovery of Cook's regalia at Parramatta in 1985.
Block of five 7¢ stamps issued in honour of Joseph Cook, with a sixth non-denominated stamp 'Joseph Cook Prime Minister 1913-1914', 1972 (File 20) - Box 3
Farewell to the Honourable Mr Justice Richard Cecil Cook, Industrial Commission of New South Wales, 1 Mar 1972 (File 21) - Box 3
With a photograph of a large house.