Guide to the Papers of Reginald Thornton (as filmed by the AJCP)
M1861
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Thornton, Reginald Trelawny
- Title
- Papers of Reginald Thornton (as filmed by the AJCP)
- Date Range
- 1926 - 1929
- Collection Number
- M1861
- Extent
- 7 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
A diary of Thornton's tour of Australia and Canada 1928, correspondence and newspaper cuttings. The diary contains descriptions of voyage from London to Perth, impressions of Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and country districts in Australia, and discussions with officials, employers and officers of the Big Brother Movement. Most of the letters were written by Thornton to his wife Barbara in England.
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Access.
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
Filmed at the private residence of Mrs Peggy Poole, England, as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project, 1984 (AJCP Reel: M1861). Original microfilm digitised as part of the NLA AJCP Online Delivery Project, 2017-2020.
Existence and Location of Originals
The private residence of Mrs Peggy Poole, Wirral, Merseyside, 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-vn746736] 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
Big Brother Movement; Canada; Emigration and immigration: children; London, England; Thornton, Barbara; Thornton, Reginald; Adelaide, South Australia: visits to; Melbourne, Victoria: visits to; Australia: visits to
Bibliography
Originally cited in Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook. Part 8: Miscellaneous (M) Series. Third Edition, published 1998. Entry 460, p179.
Biographical / Historical
Reginald Trelawny Thornton (1887-1968). Educated at Marlborough. Teaplanter in Ceylon 1906-14. Enlisted in Ceylon Planters' Rifles, served in France and East Africa, rising to rank of Captain and winning Military Cross. Settled in East Kent as farmer 1920. London Organizer of Big Brother Movement 1926-31, visiting Australia and Canada in 1928. Field Secretary of National Association of Boys' Clubs 1931-45, Warden of St. Pierre, near Chepstow, training college for boys' club leaders 1945-52. Awarded M.B.E. 1952.
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Diary of tour of Australia and Canada, July 1928 - December 1928
4 itemsAn extremely detailed diary, partly typed and partly handwritten, covering Thornton's tour of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, when he discussed the problems of assisted emigration with officials, businessmen and farmers and met many boys sent out by the Big Brother Movement, and also his journey across Canada, where he sought to launch the Big Brother Movement. The diary is divided into four sections.
S.S. Esperance Bay, 10 July 1928 - 9 August 1928 (File (i))
The diary records the voyage from London to Perth via Port Said and Colombo and describes in detail the social activities on the ship and the behaviour of the boys in the Big Brother party. There are also copies of reports on the voyage.
Australia, 10 August 1928 - 19 October 1928 (File (ii))
The diary records his brief visits to and impressions of Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney, followed by his lengthy tours of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Thornton visited a large number of farms and small towns, particularly in the Murray Valley, Mallee and Gippsland districts; among the larger towns that he visited were Mildura, Shepparton, Albury, Wagga, Parkes, Orange, Tamworth and Newcastle. The diary describes the landscape, economic conditions, conditions on farms, the relations between farmers and boys, the progress or difficulties of boys, talks with local officials, employers and officers of the Big Brother Movement and the New Settlers League, social activities, golf, and meetings with relatives in Sydney. There are references to Sir William Campion, V. Ryan, Col. Burrett, Bankes Amery, Sir Dudley De Chair, K.F.J. Bikersteth, H. Gepp and C. Fairbairn.
S.S. Niagara, 19 October 1928 - 11 November 1928 (File (iii))
The diary records the voyage from Sydney to Victoria, British Columbia, with visits to Auckland, Fiji and Hawaii.
Canada, 11 November 1928 - 8 December 1928 (File (iv))
The diary describes Thornton's journey and his talks with Canadian politicians, officials and employers in Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. There are occasional references to Australia and comparisons between Australia and Canada.