26. Miscellaneous Correspondence, mainly official, 1914-1920

Containers:

Box 11, Box 12

Component identifier:

Series

Content Summary:

This file covers 1914-1920 in random order. Subjects covered; Dispute between Novar and Sir Gerald Strickland (1914) about precedence at Joint Levees and arrangements for the 1914 Joint Levee; Novar's visit to Sydney (1916); letters to Lord Richard Neville (1914-1916) on personal matters, the war and Hughes's visit to Canada (1916); with Lord Milner (1919-1920); about military decorations; dispute with Sir Francis Newdegate, Governor of Western Australia about precedence and official duties at military functions, and visit of Prince of Wales (1920); with Charles Douglas (1915-1919 on personal matters and the war; care of Novar's art collection; letters to Governor-General, Canada, Duke of Connaught (1916) and the Duke of Devonshire (1917); with British Ambassador to Japan, Sir W Conyngham Greene (1916-1917) about Japanese naval visit to Australia (1916), encouragement of Australian-Japanese trade, need to teach Japanese to officials connected with Japan and appointment of an Australian commercial attache to some British Consulates; Novar's complaints to Secretary of State about Strickland (1916); Secretary of State's decision about recommendations for honours from the States (1920); personal letter from General Sir William Birdwood; report from Colonel FWM Grigg, Secretary to Prince of Wales, on disputes between Governors and Governor-General over States' rights (1920); to Lord Milner about appointment and status of State Governors (1919); Novar's personal staff (1916-1920); to British Ambassador, Peking, Sir John Jordan and Mr Alston, British Legation, Peking (1916-1917); to Governor of Malta, Lord Metheun, about Maltese immigrants being refused entry to Australia (1917); discipline within and government interference in the Australian Navy (1918-1920); granting of honours; confidential memorandum to Lord Forster (1920) explaining work of Governor-General and problems encountered between 1914- 1920, including with State Governors, channels of communication, honours, the Executive Council, double dissolutions, Dormant Commission, administration of Governor-General's office, ceremonial and defence, postponement of Naval Pageant (1920) and visit of Prince of Wales to Sydney (1920). Comprises Items 8584-9050.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were received in 1961 from Mr A.B.L. Munro Ferguson and the Trustees of the late Viscount Novar. Thirty photographs copied from the Novar albums in the possession of Mr Munro Ferguson were added to the collection in 1985. Subsequent additions include five illuminated manuscripts purchased from a dealer in 1990 and transcripts of extracts from Novar's diaries donated by Professor John Poynter in 1997. Six volumes of diaries, on long-term loan from Mr Ronald Munro Ferguson (great nephew of Lord Novar), were added to the collection on 12 January 2004. The diaries were kept by Lord Novar while he was Governor General of Australia between 1915 and 1920.

Access and use