Collection Name

HOBBS, Joseph John Talbot, Sir (1864-1938)

Joseph John Talbot Hobbs was born on 24 August 1864 in London. Son of Joseph Hobbs a journeyman joiner who became a clerk of works, and his wife Frances Ann, nee Wilson. Joseph John Talbot Hobbs worked as an architectural draftsman to builder, John Hurst, with whom he migrated to Perth in 1887. There he began work as a carpenter but soon set up practice as an architect. In 1905 he set up the firm Hobbs, Smith and Forbes in which he was the senior partner.

In 1918 he invented, developed and manufactured steel casemates for machine guns in the trenches. Joseph John Talbot Hobbs was on the WA Board of Architects and was also a Fellow of the WA, Victorian and British Institutes. He was Chairman of a committee organising the visit of the Prince of Wales to WA in 1920, WA Commissioner at the Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924, and a delegate to the League of Nations Assembly in 1933. At various times he was Chief Scout of WA, State President of TOCH, a patron of Legacy, Warden of the WA War Memorial and a Director of 3 companies.

Joseph John Talbot Hobbs suffered a heart attack at sea and died on 21 April 1938 while traveling to France.

ACC 2595A Donated January 1971 ACC 2780A Donated October 1978 ACC 4618A Donated 18 January 1980 ACC 5523A Donated 24 August 2001 ACC 9296A Donated 29 October 2014

PRIVATE ARCHIVES MANUSCRIPT NOTE (MN1460; ACC 2595A, 2780A, 4618A, 5523A, 9296A) SUMMARY OF CLASSES CERTIFICATES PHOTOGRAPHS CORRESPONDENCE PLANS DEGREES AND HONOURS RECEIPTS DIARIES ROLLS FILES SCRAPBOOKS INVITATIONS TICKETS LEDGERS

Acc. No. DESCRIPTION CERTIFICATES 4618A/1 n.d. OSM Certificate from Grand Lodge of Western Australia of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons to R. W. Bro. JT Hobbs 4618A/2 24 April 1890 CHART DRAWERS Certificate from representatives of the Building Trades of the City of Perth to J. Talbot Hobbs Esq. Architect 4618A/3 25 June 1895 OSM Certificate from Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (Inc) to award Mr. J Talbot Hobbs a Fellowship 4618A/4 31 May 1897 OSM In memoriam to Mr. and Mrs. Sneller in relation to Private Frank N. Sneller 4618A/5 31 August 1906 OSM Certificate from West Australian Institute of Architects to award J. Talbot Hobbs a Fellowship 4618A/6 30 June 1919 OSM Certificate from Wanganui Citizens to Soldiers and Sailors of the Allied Forces who fought during the Great War 4618A/7 22 April 1921 OSM Certificate from University of Western Australia to Major General Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs awarding a Doctor of Laws (Honorary Degree) 4618A/8 20 July 1922 OSM Certificate from Royal Victorian Institute of Architects (Inc) to award Sir John Talbot Hobbs of Perth WA a Honorary Fellowship

CORRESPONDENCE 4618A/9 1924 - 1925 Correspondence, newspaper articles from "Daily News" and "West Australian" in relation to the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in 1924. Includes a speech on "Group Settlements" delivered by Hon W. C. Angwin in the Legislative Assembly, Perth in 1924, newspaper articles from "The Times" also minutes of the meeting on Western Australian Immigration Scheme for young men with capital 4618A/10 1924 Correspondence in relation to timber and also minutes of a meeting held at the Agent General in London 4618A/11 6 May 1918 - 22 August 1918 Correspondence concerning Hobbs Machine Gun Steel Casemate with plans, also Circular Ferro-Concrete Pill Boxes designed by Sir Ernest W Moir with plans

DEGREES AND HONOURS 4618A/24 22 April 1921 Conferring of Degrees at Government House, Perth

DIARIES 4618A/12 17 February 1930 - 14 October 1930 Notes of tour of Australian Cemeteries and War Memorials in Egypt, Gallipoli, France and Belgium also include a list of baggage 5523A/1 1915 OSM Personal diary of Talbot Hobbs includes the Great War, written in pencil. Volume 1. 5523A/2 1916 OSM Personal diary of Brigadier General Talbot Hobbs written in pencil. Volume 2.

5523A/3 1917 OSM Personal diary of Major General Talbot Hobbs written in pencil. Volume 3. 5523A/4 1918 OSM Personal diary of Major General Talbot Hobbs written in pencil. Army book 136. Volume 4. 5523A/5 1918 Personal diary of Major General Talbot Hobbs written in pencil. Army book 136. Volume 5. 9296A/1 1924 Personal diary with inserts from April to September only and relates to the time he spent at the London Exhibition of 1924 and includes information about potential migrants who he was interviewing and gives a general impression of his life and his contact in the UK

FILES 4618A/21 Date range: 1886-1930 Includes programmes of different events that Joseph John Talbot Hobbs was involved with, newspaper articles from various papers, telegrams and correspondence

INVITATIONS 4618A/13 4 May 19? Invitation from Sir Frederick and Lady Sargood to a garden party 4618A/14 23 July 19? Invitation from the Governor and Lady Lawley to an afternoon reception 4618A/15 9 May 1901 Invitation from His Majesty's Ministers of State For the Commonwealth of Australia to witness opening of the Parliament of the Commonwealth in Melbourne 4618A/16 9 May 1901 Invitation from His Majesty's Ministers of State for Australia to meet their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. This invitation also includes an evening reception in Melbourne and a letter addressed to Major Hobbs concerning appointment as Staff Officer dated 23 March 1901 4618A/17 10 May 1901 Invitation from the Mayor of Melbourne and Mrs. Gillott to a reception at the Town Hall. This invitation also includes meeting Their Royal Highnesses The Duke & Duchess of Cornwall and York 4618A/18 16 July 1906 Invitation from the President Mr. John Belcher A.R.A. and the Executive Committee to the Seventh International Congress of Architects in London 4618A/19 23 April 1924 Invitation from the President of the British Empire Exhibition to the State Opening of the Exhibition at the Stadium, Wembley

LEDGERS Ledgers showing costs for preparing plans and specifications for construction of buildings, additions and alterations 2780A/1 1887 - 1895 2780A/2 1888 - 1896 2780A/3 1895 – 1904

PHOTOGRAPHS BA 544 Photographs are held in the Pictorial Collection

PLANS 4618A/20 n.d. CHART DRAWERS D No 2195 of Hobb's M. G. (machine gun) Emplacement (steel casemate for machine guns in the trenches) Arrangement, description and correspondence attached (6 sheets)

RECEIPTS 4618A/22 1916 - 1924 Receipts and correspondence concerning land in South Perth owned by JT Hobbs

ROLLS 4618A/23 1897 Nominal roll of the Colonial Contingent. Captain Hobbs noted on page 14 in The Western Australian Artillery Volunteers

SCRAPBOOKS 9296A/2 1915-1938 Contains newspaper cuttings, pertaining to JJ Talbot Hobbs, taken from various Western Australian papers including The West Australian, Daily News, Kalgoorlie Miner and The Sunday Times plus overseas papers such as The Times and The Daily Chronicle

TICKETS 2595A 10 November 1886 Passengers’ contract ticket issued to passengers booked to Australia for a voyage from London to Fremantle, commencing 29 November 1886. Photocopy

Holdings = 30m

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