Guide to the Papers of the Somers Family (as filmed by the AJCP)
M2504-M2511
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Somers Family
- Title
- Papers of the Somers Family (as filmed by the AJCP)
- Date Range
- 1876 - 1937
- Collection Number
- M2504-M2511
- Extent
- 31 items
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Australian Joint Copying Project
- Sponsor
- The Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP) online portal was created with the assistance of the Australian Public Service Modernisation Fund, 2017-2020. The National Library of Australia gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the other foundation AJCP partners, the State Library of New South Wales and The National Archives of the UK, and all other organisations which supported the work of the AJCP, the world's most extensive collaborative copying project, operating from 1948 to 1997.
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The following items were filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project: Papers 1876-1890 of Anna E. Somers Cocks referring to family in Australia; Papers 1926-1931 of Lord Somers, including letters, photographs, cashbooks, brochures and programs. They refer to appointment of governors, migration to Australia, effects of police strike and political affairs. Correspondents include Lord and Lady Somers, Dame Nellie Melba, Sir Isaac Isaacs and Sir Robert Gibson. Papers 1926-1927 of Lady Somers, including letters from her daughter and a scrapbook.
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Access.
Letters of Arthur Somers Cocks, File E, Loose Correspondence: These letters are not available for research. Enquiries should be addressed to the Royal Librarian, Windsor Castle.
Conditions Governing Use
Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.
Preferred Citation
Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.
Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.
Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)
Archival History
Material selectively filmed at the private residence of Mr James Hervey-Bathurst, England, as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project, 1990 (AJCP Reels: M2504-2511). Original microfilm digitised as part of the AJCP Online Delivery Project, 2017-2020.
Existence and Location of Originals
Private residence: Mr James Hervey-Bathurst. Ledbury, Herefordshire, England.
Existence and Location of Copies
The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2304277] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.
Finding-Aid Notes
This finding aid is a revised online version of the original finding aid prepared by the Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP), published by the National Library of Australia in 2018. The original AJCP finding aids were unpublished typescripts or photocopies available from libraries that held copies of the original microfilm.
Dates used in this finding aid refer to the date range of the records selected for filming rather than to the date range of the Series or Files.
Subjects
Emigration and immigration; Gibson, Sir Robert; Governors and Governors General: Victoria; Isaacs, Sir Isaac; Melba, Dame Nellie; Photographs: Victoria; Somers Cocks, Anna E.; Somers Cocks, Daisy F., Baroness Somers; Somers Cocks, Sir Arthur, 6th Baron Somers; Somers Family; Strikes
Bibliography
Originally cited in Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook. Part 8: Miscellaneous (M) Series. Third Edition, published 1998. Entry 424, p.166.
Biographical / Historical
Members of the Somers Family included Anna Eckford Somers Cocks and Arthur Somers Cocks, 6th Baron Somers. Lord Somers was Governor of Victoria 1926-1931.
Lord Somers' papers were listed by Miss Naomi Perkins as part of the project of Dr. D. McCaughey, Governor of Victoria, to trace and list the papers of former Governors. This project was generously supported by the British Council.
Item Descriptions
Series. Anna Eckford Somers Cocks, 13 December 1876 - 14 May 1890
5 itemsArchival History
Originally filmed on AJCP Reel M2504.
Subseries. J.P. Somers Cocks Melbourne Affairs, 13 December 1876 - 1878
2 itemsFilmed selectively.
Application for a marriage licence by Frederick Benjamin Bryant to marry Jessie Olivia Elworthy in Melbourne, 13 December 1876 (File)
Letters re marriage in Australia of John Patrick Somers Cocks to Elizabeth Bateman (c.20p.), 1877 - 1878 (File)
Includes: J.P. Somers Cocks to his mother Anna Somers Cocks; Eliza Bateman (Sandridge) to J.P. Somers Cocks; Messrs. Malleson, England and Stewart (Melbourne) to Messrs. Still and Sons (London) re terms to be offerred to [Miss Bateman].
Series. Arthur Somers Cocks - 6th. Baron
16 itemsArchival History
Originally filmed on AJCP Reels M2504-M2510.
Related Materials
See also - Lord Somers: something of the life and letters of Arthur, 6th Baron Somers by Alan Gregory. St Kilda, Lord Somers' Camp and Power House, 1987.
Biographical / Historical
Arthur Herbert Tennyson Somers Cocks (1887-1944) was the son of Captain H.H. Somers Cocks. He succeeded his great uncle as the 6th Baron Somers in 1899. During the First World War he was lieutenant-colonel of the First Life Guards and was attached to the Royal Tank Corps. He retired from the army in 1922.
In 1926 he was appointed Governor of Victoria, and proved to be a very popular Governor, being interested in cricket and the boy scout movement. In 1921 he married Daisy Finola Meeking. Their daughter married Major B. Hervey-Bathurst.
Subseries Boxes 5-10. Australian Papers, May 1926 - September 1931
12 itemsFilmed selectively.
Subseries Box 5. Australia: Official, May 1926 - September 1931
5 items
Cash Book (125pp), May 1926 - September 1931 (File A)
Includes Bank of Australia account book, 7 July 1931-14 Sept 1931. (3p.)
Lady Somers' lists of engagements (8p.), April 1931 - May 1931 (File C)
References to trips to Mallee, Moonee Valley races, etc.
Box file of correspondence, farewell letters expressing thanks for Somers' work in Victoria c. 200 letters, c. June 1931 (File D)
Correspondents include: H.B. Tyack Bake; A. Tholy Prinsep; A. Somerset; Toc H.; United Power House; W.R. Creswell, Geelong Grammar School; various municipalities.
Loose correspondence (c.40p.), 8 December 1930 - 12 June 1931 (File E)
Includes:
J. Thomas (Dominions Office) to Somers, 24 Dec. 1930: re appointing his successor.
E.J. Harding (Dominions Office) to Somers, 28 Jan. 1931: re appointing successor.
A.F. Burrett (Melbourne) to Cpt. McDonald, 12 June 1931: re Big Brother Movement, encloses 5th Annual Report, 1929/30. (13p.)
Robert Gibson (Commonwealth Bank, Melbourne), 8 Dec. 1930: re state of the Federation, finance, the Loan Council.
This section includes letters from Lord Stamfordham (Personal Private Secretary to George V) 1930-1931 re appointment of Isaac Isaacs as Governor General.
John - (London) to Somers, 18 Dec. 1930: re lunch at Buckingham Palace and Isaacs's appointment.
Subseries Box 6. Correspondence, 1927 - 1931
6 itemsThese letters are generally undated. Dates have been surmised from post marks where possible.
Lady Somers (Melbourne) to her sister Viola, Lady Apsley, 1927 - 1931 (File A)
Discusses her official duties; comments on people met, trips made, etc. (54 letters).
[Some in pencil, faint].
Lord and Lady Somers (Melbourne) to his sister, Verena, Lady Clarendon, 1927-1931, 1933 (File B)
Details official duties, trips up-state, political comments, appointment of governors, etc. (c. 150 letters)
Lord Somers (Melbourne) to Lord Clarendon re Governor Generalship of South Africa, 3 January 1928 (File C)
Subseries Box 7. Memorabilia, 1918 - 1937
Comprises souvenirs, programmes, certificates re scouting, Lord Somers' camp, etc. (c. 453p.)
Includes:
Brochures re 3rd Annual Lord Somers' Camp, 1931.
Lord Somers' Camp routine, 1937.
Map showing trip in the Mallee, 1927.
Order of service Armistice Day, St Paul's Melbourne, 1918.
Savage Club 175 Corroboree, programme, 6 Aug. 1927.
Souvenir of opening of Parliament House by Duke of York, 1927.
52nd. Battalion Australian Imperial Force [Booklet re battalion].
Presentation address from pupils of District Schools of Hamilton, 6 Dec. 1920.
Bolshevism in Australia by Emily Scott, for Victoria League, Melbourne (typescript) (incomplete), Aug. 1927.
Photographs of Lord Somers' Camp, Victoria Railways, cattle mustering etc.
Also includes correspondence:
Nellie Melba (Coldstream) to Lady Somers re attendance at Garden party, n.d.
I. Isaacs (High Court of Australia) to Lady Somers re accident to Lady Apsley, 31 Dec. 1931.
Daisy Isaacs (High Court of Australia) re offer of help, 18 Dec. 1930.
Committee of the Victorian Association of Braille Writers (in braille and typescript) re Lord Somers' visit on the opening of the Braille Hall, 14 May 1927.
Subseries Box 8. Photographs
Official photographs of Lord and Lady Somers at functions (arrival in Melbourne; inspecting Australian regiment; with Government House staff, etc) and personal snap shots of Australian countryside taken during visits and at camps.
Subseries Box 10. Masonic, 1886 - 1931
12 itemsComprises: Masonic material, souvenirs, programmes, menus, booklets of ritual, by-laws, constitutions, etc. (c.1600p.)
Items of interest include:
Members of the United Service Lodge, no. 330 (16/04/1928)
Rules and regulations of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Freemasons of Victoria (1925)
Souvenir re installation of Lord Somers as Grand Master (1927)
Souvenir 'Bon Voyage' re departure of Lord Somers (1931)
Menu for banquet re installation of Lord Somers
The Ritual of the Holy Royal Arch (n.d.)
Ceremony of passing the veils (1927)
Ceremony of installation of principals and investiture of officers and addresses to principals and officers (1920)
By-laws of United Service Lodge, no. 330 (1923)
Consecration and dedication ceremonies (1925)
Constitution, laws and regulations of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Freemasons of Victoria (1925)
Lord Carrington Lodge, no. 111, Review of Progress (1886-1928)
Series. Finola, Lady Somers, 9 July 1926 - 14 March 1930
3 itemsArchival History
Originally filmed on AJCP Reels M2510-M2511.
Subseries. Trunk, 9 December 1926 - 1927
1 itemFilmed selectively.
Subseries. Bundle of Australian material. (c.154p.)
Filmed selectively.
Letters From England, originally part of this Series, were not filmed by the AJCP.
Includes:
Letters from daughter 'Shib', Melbourne.
Souvenirs and programmes re visit of Duke and Duchess of York, 1927.
Order of Proceedings of laying of foundation stone at the William Thomson Manifold Wing, Janet Clarke Hall, Trinity College, 9 Dec. 1926.
Menu Camp Seymour, 1927.
Programme of unveiling of City of Brighton war memorial, 24 April 1927.
Correspondence, mainly messages on departure.
Scrapbook of memorabilia, draft speeches etc.
Draft farewell speech[?] by Lady Somers.
Subseries. Brown Writing Case, 9 July 1926 - 14 March 1930
3 itemsArchival History
Filmed selectively.