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PRG 1693 : Papers of Brian Sydney Baldwin 1923-2015
Introductory notes
BSB’s working life was principally concerned with archives. He was born on 7 September 1923 in the industrial town of Keighley, Yorkshire, the first-born child of a journalist father, the Keighley and District Representative of the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Mercury, who had been a bass singer in the Leeds Choral Society and was descended from a family of Lincolnshire solicitors. He had been a volunteer in the war of 1914-18, rising to the rank of Lieutenant and being wounded in the Battle of Arras. Brian’s mother, who came from the Channel Islands, was a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music who, before her marriage, had been a piano teacher and taught music at Alresford Grammar School, near Winchester.
BSB attended Keighley Boys’ Grammar School (where he was twice winner of the Mrs Craven Laycock Spoken English prize (for which he was coached by his father) and the School French Prize), and proceeded with an open Exhibition to Peterhouse, Cambridge in the manner of a ‘history boy’ — as in Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys — starting in the second term. At Peterhouse he was winner of Bishop White- Thomson’s Reading Prize. Though tutored by Professor Butterfield, he disappointed him by flopping miserably in the Prelims, achieving merely a 2.2.
BSB’s time at Cambridge was then interrupted by war service. He was conscripted into a Pre-OCTU (Pre-Officer Cadet Training Unit) in Wrotham, Kent. The muddy site in the woods had the interest of being near Chaucer’s Pilgrim’s Way. Opting for the Artillery he was sent from there to an OCTU at Catterick, north Yorkshire. Failing to qualify for a commission in the Artillery he was next sent to a holding unit at Larkhill, the southern garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire and compulsorily sent to India to be trained as an officer in the Indian Army. He was embarked on a troopship for Bombay and sent for a course at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun. He had to name his preferred Indian regiment. Along with a friend from the course, Jim Skeet, he chose the regiment of his favourite instructor (Major Farquharson) of the Royal Garwhal Rifles. He was sent, as a lieutenant, to the regimental centre, Lansdowne and incorporated in the 1st Battalion. Lansdowne is situated at an altitude of 1,706 metres above sea level in the Himalayan foothills. During free time there he enjoyed walks on mountain tracks, in company with the Medical Officer. The battalion moved to Madras (now known as Chennai) where Brian was designated Battalion Liaison Officer and provided with a motor bike. From Madras the battalion embarked for Padang, in Japanese occupied Sumatra. Before the ship arrived at Padang, the Japanese had surrendered. The role of the Garhwali battalion became simply taking over from the Japanese, and on at least one occasion, securing their help in quelling protests by the Indonesians.
Returning to Peterhouse (where in his two terms before war service he had completed his time as a freshman, he went on to the ‘First Year’, but did not achieve his hoped-for ‘First’, only a 2.1 (Second Class, Division 1). As a returned serviceman this gave him a BA without having to do the third year of the Tripos. However, still hoping to achieve a ‘First’, and still covered by scholarships, he returned for the final year but again got only a 2.1. The degree of MA was in due course conferred, according to custom.
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He joined the British Council and between 1948 and 1950 was a lecturer in Coimbra, Portugal, where he enjoyed working with Ken Witcomb, who was then director of the Casa da Inglaterra. (Ken later became a professor at Coimbra University.)
BSB renewed contact with Ken Witcomb forty-four years later, when they were both in Australia. BSB had resigned from the British Council and come to Australia in 1952 where his first work was a six month spell with the Social Development Section of the South Pacific Commission in Cremorne, charged with editing for publication a work on Oceanic languages by Dr A. Capell.
In 1953 he joined the Australian National Library as Legislative Reference Officer in the Parliamentary Library but was moved to various other positions until transferring in 1960 to the South Australian Archives, where he remained for twenty-six years, becoming the Acting Principal Archivist. His main achievement there followed from the award of a bursary by the French Government enabling him to initiate and carry out, with his wife Kathleen, whom he married on 30 Dec.1959, a project to spend time at the French National Archives and arrange for the copying on microfilm of all accessible source material in archives throughout France relating to the history of South Australia. His thirty-six reels of microfilm, dealing chiefly with the expeditions of discovery to Australia of Nicolas Baudin and Matthew Flinders (including Flinders’ imprisonment, on his return voyage, in Mauritius); and with the internment in France of William Light (a founder of South Australia) and the time in France of Edward Gibbon Wakefield (the British politician, who was also a driving force behind the colonisation of South Australia). The microfilms have been widely used by historians and were the subject of a conference at Le Havre in 2007. While at the South Australian Archives BSB also edited the extensive correspondence of the South Australian pioneer, Sir Samuel Davenport, which was published in instalments in the journal South Australiana, where he also published articles on his work in France. Between 1970 and 1980 he also wrote papers for the journals Archives and Manuscripts, the Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia, the Journal of the Oral History Association of Australia and the Wattle Park Teachers’ Centre journal Tongues.
From 1986 to 1989 BSB worked part time at Flinders University as founding University Archivist, devising and submitting to Council for approval, regulations to give the University Archives a scope similar to that of the Archives of the University of Sydney and other major University Archives throughout the world: as well as the records of staff, as part of their university duties, there would be the opportunity, if they wished, for them to lodge their private records. Arrangements had to be made with the Schools for the transfer of records after agreed appropriate lapses of time. The most important groups of official records listed and described were the minutes of Council, and the papers of the Registrar. The records of the University Architect and the large collection of photographs that had accrued from various sources in the University since its inception and illustrated its growth and development were two crucial groups for early incorporation. Student files, occupying a great deal of shelf space, were a problem not immediately tackled. Their volume would necessarily have to be reduced by the ‘weeding’ of less important papers, while bearing in mind that any individual’s records as a student could in the future become historically significant, should he or she become a notable figure in the community.
The computer program FileMakerPro was used to devise a template for a database, accessible throughout the University, enabling the retrieval of information by group number, series title, series subject, dates covered, or date of lodgment.
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With regard to Private Records, Professor Gus Fraenkel, the founding Dean of the School of Medicine, personally brought his family records to the University Archives, for permanent safe keeping as a Private Record Group in the same archival collection as the official records of his School. The extensive personal papers of James Millar Main, a Senior Lecturer in History who died while in office, formed another important Private Record Group: in addition to Jim Main's working papers the group contained a perhaps unique collection of printed pamphlets, from various sources, relating to the American political economist Henry George, whose writings inspired several reform movements. A copy of the detailed descriptive list of the Jim Main Papers, occupying many pages, was sent to Main's next of kin, as assurance that the papers were safely in the keeping of the University Archives.
Such was the position in 1989. David Hilliard’s Flinders University: the first 25 years, 1936-1991, published in 1991, is based chiefly on published records and does not mention the establishment of the Archives. The author was nevertheless able to use the Archives to locate documents for purposes of verification. Included in his footnotes are the following citations:1/PLA/92; 207/8; 1/PLA/16; 1/PLA/97; 1/PLA/15; 1/PLA/6; 1/PLA/61; n.159: PLA 5/8; n.162:219/27, all of which could be readily referred to on the computer, where the abbreviations were made plain.
BSB had been combining his half-time work at Flinders University with a half-time position as the Archivist of Prince Alfred College, a boys’ school established by the Methodist Church in 1869. There, he was again responsible for setting up an archives, in this case involving detailed annotation of aspects of the school’s history.1
Finally retiring in 2004 at the age of 81 he settled near his friends Ken and Rosemary Witcomb in Charlestown, New South Wales. After Ken’s death he married Rosemary on 15 December 2008 and spent the happiest years of his life since childhood.
For papers relating to BSB’S private life, as well as further papers relating to his working life, see Mortlock Library, State Library of South Australia PRG 1199, Cormier Family Papers 1824-1997, especially Ser.95 Correspondence between Kathleen Baldwin and Brian Baldwin … 1959-97, 2 subseries, 28cm; Ser.122 Photographs (colour slides)… 1958-79; and Ser.130/2 Photographs 1959-97, 1 album.
1 ‘The monumental efforts of Brian Baldwin in establishing a professionally administered archives and devoting vast amounts of voluntary time to the work has left the school in his debt, as well as greatly contributing to the …’ — R.M. Gibbs A History of Prince Alfred College., 2nd ed., Peacock Publications for PAC, [2008], p.xi. I have been vastly helped by the work you undertook in the Archives. I am full of admiration at what you did; the series list is astounding in its detail and orderliness, and it often says more about the history of the school than anything I write. I recognise the huge labour involved, and the school should be forever grateful for what you have done.’ — Email letter from Ron Gibbs, 31 Aug.2007.
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Series List
Historical notes on the Baldwin family compiled by BSB & his brother 1 Geoffrey Graeme Baldwin (GGB). 1572 –1965 typescript.
Published obituary notices of Sydney Baldwin (SB), father of BSB, 2 who died on 5 June 1965 together with letters received expressing sympathy & earlier press notices. 31 Dec.1948–14 June 1965. 15 items printed and ms.
Family bible entries made by SB & others, transcribed by GGB. 3 1873- 1983. 5p. typescript, ms.
List of picture postcards in album of SB, transcribed by GGB. 4 1911-33. 3p. typescript.
Historical notes on the family of Eva Florence Bateman (EFB), 5 mother of BSB. 1855-1990. 2 items 10p. + 9p. typescript and ms.
Charcoal/pencil drawing of horse’s head and back by EFB, 6A signed ‘Eva Bateman, April’07 [1907)], 2 photographic copies (1 of the drawing unframed, 1 framed); [Actual size, in frame, approx. 62x49cm. Original at present (2016) in the custody of Rosemary Isabelle Witcomb (RIB), Newcastle, NSW, and family; to go eventually to one of the grandchildren of EFB.]
Charcoal/pencil drawings by EFB done at school, 6B 2 items, electrostatic copies (originals in custody of Nicola Baldwin); and reminiscences of EFB in conversation with BSB, illus. with photographs, 1976, 1982, 5p. ms., typescript (electrostatic copies, from tape recordings).
Will of EFB. 7 31 Oct.1981. 2p. typescript, ms. (copy).
Photographs of BSB. 8 c.1939-2014. 18 items.
Certificate of birth of BSB. 9 7 Sep.1923. 2 items printed, ms. (original and certified copy). Two certified copies of birth certificate of BSB, each having a particular interest: (1) being the actual copy given to his father on 18 October 1923 when he registered the birth and bearing the actual postage stamp put on it at that time; (2) a copy recording that it was ‘Submitted to the SA Superannuation Department for inspection 4.3.68’ and that it was ‘submitted to Personnel Services Branch, State Library of SA 28.11.77. pay number 057496’.
Kindergarten & junior form reports, Drake and Tonson’s School, Keighley. 10 1928-32, 15 items, printed, ms.
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Report books, Keighley Boys’ Grammar School. 11 1935-41. 2v., printed, ms.
Schoolchild compositions by BSB, GGB and VSB 12 relating to cycle rides & walks. c.1934-40. 7 items, ms. (copies). 1. ‘A walk to Addingham’, BSB, 1934, 4p., ms. (annotated by SB: ‘Brian aged 10’); 2. ‘A cycling holiday’ (short story), BSB, n.d. (c.1934-38), 4p. (15x10cm.), typescript, ms., illus.; 3. ‘Off For a Walk’, GGB, Mar.1934, 2p., ms. (annotated by SB: ‘Geoff, at the age of 9, March 1934’), copy; 4. ‘My Portrait’, GGB, 22nd July (annotated: 1935), 2p., ms., copy; 5. ‘A Visit to Stratford-On-Avon’, BSB, [Apr.1939], 8p., ms.; 6. ‘Our Easter Holiday’, GGB, [Apr., 1939], 3p. (A4), ms., copy; 7. ‘The Cycle Ride’, VEB, 21 Mar.1940, 4p., ms., copy.]
Short schoolchild compositions on incident with cat, by BSB, GGB and VEB. 13 c.1935-37. 3 items, ms., copies. [‘Catastrophe in Barlow Road’, BSB; ‘A Cat-astrophe’, GGB; ‘An Unwelcome Visitor’, VEB.]
Diary of SB of amusing remarks by BSB, GGB and VEB as small children. 14 1929-37. 3p. typescript transcript made by GGB.
Short wave log of BSB. 15 1937-38. 10 folios, ms. [SB had a 2-valve short wave receiver made for BSB. BSB at this time visited Jim Platt, Utley, on Saturday mornings to hear him use his short wave transmitter, G2VO.]
Programme of school play Emil and the Detectives. 16 23 Mar.1937. 4p. + 3 press notices, printed [BSB played Polly Hoppit; GGB played The Professor.] 17 Sixth form school essay on Christianity by BSB, marked by Kenneth Preston. 17 1941. 10p. ms.
Certificates, crest, for prizes. 18 1936-65. 4 items, printed, ms., (copies). [School Spoken English prize, School French Prize, Peterhouse Reading Prize (crest)].
Examination certificates. 19 1939-65. 12 items, printed [School Certificate; Higher Sch. Certif.; Sch. Certif. Latin; Certifs. of BA and MA, Cantab.; Diploma of Portuguese, Univ. of Coimbra; Prelim. Certif., Libs Bd of Australia; Certif. of Archives, Libs Bd of Australia; Fr. Govt Bursary, 1963; Certif. of Stage Technique International d’Archives, Ministre d’Affaires Culturel, France; Registration Certif., Lib. Assoc. of Australia, 1965; Associate of Lib. Assoc. of Australia, 1965.]
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Letters received by BSB from students, teachers, 20 superior military officer, friends. 25 Dec.1938-6 May 2016. 22 items, ms, typescript. [Includes letters from Lord Briggs & Lord Healey.]
Nazi propaganda received by SB as journalist, The Yorkshire Post; 21 together with scrap book of press cuttings made by BSB of propaganda flight over Keighley (Yorks.) by German zeppelin Hindenburg. 1936, 1939. 2 items, printed, ms.
Letters received by BSB 22 re award of Exhibition at Peterhouse & of County Major Scholarship. 1942, 1946. 11 items, printed, typescript, ms. [BSB in residence 13 Jan.-Sep.1942 and in 1946-47.]
National Service Act, 1939 … ‘requirement to register … on 21 Oct. 1939’. 23 1 item (placard size), printed.
Random selection of letters sent by BSB to his parents, brother and sister; 24 together with a letter received 21 Jan.1942 from EFB’s friend, Roza. 14 Jan.1942-12 Dec.1943. 32 items, ms., printed enclosures. [Sent from Cambridge, and from army camps in Skegness, Wrotham, Catterick, Cromer.]
Documents re. record of war service. 25 1942-46. 7 items. Typescript, ms., printed.
Wartime photographs. 26 1942-48. 8p.
The Poolewe Mirror. 27 Feb.-Apr.1944. 9p., typescript carbon, ms. [Relates to Highland Fieldcraft Training Centre, Poolewe. Includes article by BSB.]
Letters received by BSB as military cadet, Camberley, from his parents. 28 27 Apr.-11 May 1944. 17 items, ms, typescript + encl. printed (press cutting). [SB served as Lieutenant in Home Guard; EFB served part time in a Red Cross canteen (Winnie Healey, mother of Denis Healey later Lord Healey, served in same canteen.]
Letters received by BSB as military cadet from VEB. 29 23 Feb.1944-31 Oct.1946. 16 items, ms. [Received at Poolewe, Wrotham and Camberley. Sent from 25, Barlow Road, Keighley and from where VEB was serving: The Palace Convalescent Home, Ely; Harewood House Convalescent Hospital; St Dunstan’s, Church Stretton.]
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Letters sent by BSB to GGB from time in army in India to time in 30 British Council, Coimbra. 22 Feb.1945-16 Nov.1948. 20 items, ms. [From Lansdowne, Saharanpur, Saugor (India); Padang, Bukitingi (Indonesia); Srinagar (Kashmir), Lansdowne (Garhwal) (India); Cambridge, London; Spain; Coimbra, Portugal.]
Random selection of letters received by BSB from his parents. 31 24 Feb.1946-7 June 1947. 16 items, typescript, ms. [1946 items presumably received in Sumatra; 1947 items received at Fen Court, Peterhouse, Cambridge. (Letter14,7 June 1947, refers to visit to home of Anne Percival Smith. It troubled BSB in his last years that he had been very neglectful in not paying subsequent respects to Anne Percival Smith — cousin of his army friend Michael P Smith, later Canon P Smith — with whom he had had a close friendship (including partnership at May Ball).]
Design and invoice for fireplace and invoice for bookcases 32 for 25 Barlow Rd, Keighley. Sep., Dec. 1946. 3 folios, drawing, ms. and printed. [A semi-circular hearth, not the wider, oval hearth in the sketch presented to the firm by BSB was erroneously drawn in the diagram and constructed,.]
Letters sent by BSB to his parents during his last weeks at Cambridge. 33 2 June-11 Aug.1948. 8 items, ms. [Topics include visit to Asa Briggs, Worcester College, Oxford, interview at BBC & British Council (BC). One ref. to Anne Percival Smith (2 Jun.).]
Testimonials. 34 1948,1962. 2 items, typescript.
Appointment to BC. 35 23 Aug.1948. 2 items, typescript, press cutting.
Random sequence of letters sent by BSB to his parents 36 from Richmond in the days before his departure for Portugal. 21-28 Sep.1948. 7 items, ms. [Portuguese lessons at BC, London; accompanying VEB in visit to Star and Garter Hospital to see her work with wounded and blind airmen.]
Letters sent by BSB to his parents during journey Folkstone-Coimbra 37 and subsequent weeks. 6 Nov.-8 Dec.1948. 7 items, ms. [Welcome by W.K.Witcomb (WKW), Dir. Casa da Inglaterra; references to Senhora Dona Sofia and Dr Romão.]
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Random sequences of letters sent by BSB to his parents 38 while Lecturer, BC, Coimbra. 21 Jul. 1949-22 Mar.1951. 46 items. ms. [(A) 21 Jul.-1 Aug.1949. 6 items, ms. (Return from home leave; residence at Pensão Joachim). (B) 9-15 Oct.1949. 7 items, ms. (C) 20 Dec.1949-5 Jan.1950. 12 items, ms. (D) 6-15 Jan. 1950 (Vila Real, Chaves). 9 items, ms. (E) 8-22 Mar.1951 (Paris, Lisbon). 12 items, ms.]
Random sample of letters sent by BSB to parents 39 while Lecturer, BC, Coimbra, describing Portuguese National Verse Competition, Buçaco. 17-18 Sep.1949. 2 items, ms.
Random sample of letters sent by BSB to parents 40 while Acting Dir., BC, Coimbra, describing dinner with Somerset Maugham, together with related letter received from British Consul, Oporto & letter received from Somerset Maugham. 20 Sep.1949-16 Oct.1951. 17 items, ms.
Medical records relating to diagnosis of petit mal, 41 1950, 1957, 1988, 5 items; relating to heart attack, 26 July 2002, 1 item, 2p.; example of annual Management Plan & Team Care Arrangement, Smith St Medical Centre, Charlestown, NSW, 2015. 1950-88, 2015. 7 items, typescript, typescript carbon. [BSB had stent inserted 2002; triple bypass May 2007; supra-pubic catheter 2009.]
Selected sequence of letters sent by BSB to his parents from Coimbra. 42 18 Oct.-15 Nov.1949, 19 items, ms. [References to wearing tails to University Opening; VEB to Attlee wedding, VEB to Ball at 10 Downing St; Maugham on Beckford; Salazar in Coimbra; BSB to Caramulo to see Durrell; WKW to Franco reception.]
Selection of letters sent from Coimbra by BSB to his parents 43 relating to days spent with GGB and VEB in Spain. 6-17 July 1950. 7 items, ms.
Membership, British Film Institute; Life membership, Cambridge Union. 44 1950, 1952. 2 items, printed, ms.
Letters received by BSB from his parents 45 relating to visit to Festival of Britain. 13-22 May 1951. 9p. + encl., ms., typescript, printed.
Selection of letters sent by BSB to his parents from Lindfield Gardens, London. 46 21 Apr.- 7 May 1952. 4 items ms.
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Selection of letters sent by BSB to his parents 47 relating to decision by Jane Oakley (Australian exchange student of VEB) not to marry him. 16 Apr.-9 May 1952. 23p. ms. and typescript. [Surprisingly no suggestion of cancelling voyage to Australia.]
Notes by BSB on travels in UK and France. 48 June 1952. 16p. ms.
Letters received by BSB from his parents 49 during the month prior to his voyage to Australia. 26 June-22 July 1952. 25p.+ 1 enc. Typescript, ms., printed.
Letters sent by BSB to his parents during voyage Tilbury-Sydney 50 up to arrival in Melbourne. 5 Aug.-4 Sep.1952. 104p. ms.
Diary kept during voyage Tilbury to Sydney. 51 29 Aug.- [c.6-8 Sep.]1952. 63 small pages, ms.
Letters received by BSB from his parents during voyage Tilbury-Sydney 52 aboard RMS Orcades. 5 Aug.-8 Sep.1952. 14 items, ms., typescript.
Letters & telegram received by BSB from his parents 53 during his first 4 months in Australia. 14 Sep.1952-17 Jan.1953. c.45 items, ms., typescript carbon. [His father encloses with his letter of 11 Dec.1952 a copy of one he has sent to Prof. Butterfield, saying BSB is working in the S. Pacific Commission (SPC) Social Development Section of which Prof. Davidson is the head & that BSB is about apply for a Research School. in S. Pacific History in the ANU and will be writing to Prof. Butterfield in this connection. BSB was unsuccessful in his application to Prof. Davidson.]
Letters sent by BSB to his parents during his first months in Glebe, Sydney, 54 working at the SPC in Cremorne. 22 Sep.1952-22 Jan.1953. 22 items, ms. [Includes visit to Canberra, 7-9 Nov.1952. Letter 18 Nov.1952 describes visits to ABC to record talk ‘Christmas in Portugal’ to be broadcast on Christmas Day.]
Letters received by BSB from Harry Wall (HW), his godfather. 55 6 Jun.1947-7 Jun.1966, 39 items + copies of 2 press obits of HW, undated) 1p. & letter received by BSB from J.S. Leach, 5 Jul.1966, re. £500 legacy. Typescript, ms.
Words spoken by Harry Maude, SPC, 56 describing a visit to quell a disturbance on a Pacific Island — report made by BSB. 1953. 2p., ms.
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Letters sent by BSB to his parents during his first four months in Canberra. 57 21 May-21Sep.1953. 47 items, ms. [Work in Australian Nat. Library; references to his father’s eye illness; acquaintance with Struan (S.Bell) & introduction to horse riding; with Prof. Sir John Eccles (neurophysiologist) & family for folk dancing; stag party of Peter Bailey (son of Prof. Kenneth Bailey, Solicitor General).]
Letters sent from Canberra by BSB to his parents. 58 5 Jan.-8 Feb.1954. 11 items, ms. + 1 press cutting, 23 Jan.1953 received from SB of a report by him for the Keighley News, placed here since it relates to information in a letter c.26 Dec.1953- 4 Jan.1954 from BSB (not saved) describing his first plane flight & meeting old school friend Roy Gillett.) [Christmas 1953 with family of Struan Bell (S. Bell); nose operation at Canberra Hospital & diagnosis of epilepsy; S. Bell’s kindness (8 Feb.’54); visit to Stewart Broadhead, who was house-sitting in Prof. Manning Clark’s house (26 Jan.’54); GGB’s article in Farm Mechanisation (27 Jan.’54).]
Letter & encl. sent by BSB from Canberra to his parents 59 describing hitch-hiking expedition to Rockhampton. 20 May & 3 Jun. 1954. 2 items, ms. [Aim was mainly to see areas where S. Bell spent her early years.]
Selection of letters sent from Canberra by BSB to his parents 60 to include mentions of applications for jobs and events with S. Bell. 7 Jun.-25 Aug.1954. 15 items, ms.
Letter sent jointly by BSB & S. Bell to BSB’s parents. 61 24 Jan. 1955. 1 item, ms. [References.to 2nd hand 1926 Chev. tourer bought by BSB, which S. Bell refers to as Sir Toby Belch.]
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Selection of letters sent from Canberra by BSB to his parents. 62 21 Jan.-6 Dec.1955, together with a selection of 7 letters of later dates: 30 Dec.1955, 4,5,8 Jan., 19 Mar., 22 May, 11, 16 Dec.1956. 31 items, ms. [2 Feb.1955: drove with S. Bell 1926 Chev. from Canberra to Bateman’s Bay; 15 Feb. 1955: Geoff has bought a Hillman; 1 Mar. 1955: re-upholstered ‘Sir Toby’, S. Bell doing the machining & fitting of the Vynoid material, BSB doing stuffing & stitching; 16 Mar. 1955 letter 1: S. Bell’s parents’ visit Canberra, stay with her at University House, are driven in dicky seat of BSB’s 1926 Chev.; 14 May 1955: Chev. skids & overturns, landing upside down, on gravel road, Struan & BSB thrown out; S. Bell headaches, BSB broken collar bone; driven to Canberra hospital by Uriarra Station Manager; kind letter from Mr Bell; 1 June 1955 S. Bell has appendix operation; 22 June 1955: BSB to pre- wedding party for John Bailey (son of Solicitor General), smokes cigar; S. Bell receives letter from BSB’s parents; 19 Sep.1955: BSB’s father ill (heart attack?); 19 Sep.1955: BSB looked after Shirley Watson’s baby with S. Bell while she & Geoff were out with Sir Ivor & Lady Jennings; 21 Sep.1955: BSB’s father has stone [in kidney?]; 30 Dec.1955 is written from S. Bell’s home, Berowra; 5 Jan.1956 describes being driven back to Canberra by John Bell; letter 19 Mar.1956 describes S. Bell’s send-off from the Australian National University on her European tour.]
Random selection of letters received by BSB in Canberra from his mother, 63 while his father was ill, in 1955 & 1 received in Darwin in Jan.1957 after a visit home to Keighley, Yorkshire by him, accompanied by S. Bell. 30 Sep.-1 Nov.1955, 31 Jan.1957. 6 items. [Letter 31 Jan.1957: EFB reminisces happily about the visit by BSB & S. Bell. In a further letter of similar date originally selected, which has become missing, EFB writes of BSB taking S. Bell to Austwick, Haworth & other places in the Keighley vicinity.]
Random selection of letters sent by BSB in Canberra and Darwin 64 to his parents describing letters received from S. Bell in Europe. 5 items, ms.
Letters sent by BSB returning from home leave to Darwin 65 & then in Darwin to his parents. 29 Jan. 1957-19 Mar.1957. 19 items, ms. [The time of BSB’s father’s recuperation from a heart attack. Ref. to correspondence with father of S. Bell.]
Random selection of letters received by BSB in Alice Springs 66 from his parents at the time of his engagement to Kathleen Cormier. 16 Sep., 8, 24 Oct., 10 Nov.+ encl. (press articles) 1959. 4 items + encl., ms., typescript, printed. [(A letter received by BSB from S. Bell when he arrived in Adelaide from Alice Springs with KB, on 8 Oct.1959, asking him to halt the marriage to KB has not survived.) 16 Sep.1959: SB visits Wilton House, Salisbury, where he was in hospital after wound in War 1914-18; SB suggests BSB change to Catholic religion to be in accord with his future wife; 10 Nov.1959: encl. 1, ‘Keighley Man Engaged’, Keighley News 7 Nov.1959, encl. 2 Engagement notice Yorkshire Post 3 Nov.1959.]
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Random sample letter sent by BSB from Adelaide to his parents 67 after his marriage to Kathleen Cormier. 17 June 1969. 1 item, ms. [Stuart Crystal wedding present from GGB.]
Certificate of marriage of BSB & Kathleen Cormier (KB). 68 30 Dec.1959. 1p. printed & ms., electrostatic copy. [For records relating to BSB & KB see also SLSA, Mortlock Library PRG 1199.]
Self portrait of BSB (pencil sketch); 69 portraits of BSB by KB & Denis Hooper Colesey (artist). 28 Oct.1960. 3 items, ms.
Whimsical photograph of BSB & KB. 70 c.1959-60.1 item.
Group photograph of research students (incl. BSB) 71 attending the Stage International des Archives de l’Ecole des Chartes at the French National Archives. 1963.1 item. [BSB & KB occupied an apartment in the Hotel de Rohan, one of the buildings of the French National Archives.]
Birthday cards from nieces Donna Cormier and Marcelle Cormier 72 resident with BSB & KB. c.1964. 3p., ms.
Obituary of SB, Yorkshire Post, 73 7 June 1965.1p. transcription by GGB, ms. [Death of SB occurred 4 June 1965.]
Letters received by BSB in Adelaide from EFB & GGB 74 posted by messenger to Italy during postal strike in UK. 4 & 8 Feb.1971. 2 items, ms.
Note by BSB, 11 Apr.2016, on his attendance at the 4th Congress 75 of the International Council on Archives, London. 1980.1p., ms. [Liaison with S. Bell, then in British Council, London; made promise to marry her after death of KB.]
Random sample of papers as Flinders University Archivist. 76 7 May 1986-Dec.1989. 23p., typescript.
Letter received by GGB from Lord Asa Briggs, 77 expressing sympathy on death of EFB, 15 June 1990; together with letter received by BSB from GGB relating to measures for disposal of flat occupied by EFB, 22 May 1990. 22 May,15 June 1990. 2 items, ms., printed.
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Letter received by BSB from VEB, 78 dated 17 May but postmarked 13 May 1992, the day she died; filed with biogl notes on VEB by BSB; & letter of commiseration sent by BSB to his brother-in-law JES Bretherton. 13-21 May 1992. 3 items. Typescript, ms.
Photograph taken by GEB, 2 Jul.2002, of grave of VEB 79 (d. 16 May 1992), Ley Green, Kings Walden, Hitchin, Herts., UK. 2002. 1 item.
Press cutting re. EFB’s 105th birthday 6 Jan.1990 and press notices 80 re her death 6 Apr.1990. 10 Jan., 10 Apr.1990. 3 items, printed.
Diary 81 29 Sep.1990-16 Jan.1999. 11 folios (fscap), ms. [Grief at death 20 Sep.1997 of KB (diary 16, 19 Jan. 1998). Visit by Rosemary Isabelle Witcomb (RIW) (16 Mar.1998).]
Abstract by GGB of information in letters sent by BSB to his parents. 82 12 Jan.1993-29 Dec.1999. 17p. typescript, ms.
Diary covering time of cancer diagnosis of KB 83 to end of 2nd month after her death; together with draft of letter BSB to GEB, 29 Jul.1997 & copy of letter sent to GEB from Mary Potter Hospice, Adelaide, 13 Sep.1997. 19 May-4 Dec.1997. 3 items. [Page for 25 Sep. has biog. Notes.]
Death certificate of KB. 84 20 Sep.1997. 1p., printed, ms. [Further copy in SLSA, Mortlock Library PRG 1199/105.]
Papers re. resignation as part-time archivist, Prince Alfred College, 85 Adelaide. 8-9 Mar., …May 2004. 4 Items, typescript, ms.
Certificate of marriage of BSB & RIW. 86 15 Dec.2008. 1p., electrostatic copy.
List of journal publications of BSB. 87 1946-2002. 3p., typescript. [The 1971 article The Administration of Public Lands and Surveys in South Australia, 1836-1951 is crown copyright.]
European Union passport of BSB. 88 9 June 1998-20 Sep.2000. 1 item. Printed, ms., rubber stamped.
Correspondence between BSB & Frank Horner 89 re. research on expedition of Nicolas Baudin, 1801-03. 30 Aug.1987-22 Jan. 1988, 14 Aug,2004. 3 items + press cutting. Typescript, ms., printed.
PRG 1693 Series list Page 13 of 14
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Letter received by BSB from Irene Mallet (cousin of Valerie Watkins) 90 re. Cormier family history. 28 May 2003. 2p., typescript copy. [BSB visited Jersey to contact Cormier family members; also to retrieve letters of W.K. Witcomb from family of Henry Myhill.]
Will of BSB. 91 29 Nov.2011. 7p. typescript, certified copy.
PRG 1693 Series list Page 14 of 14