Imperial Conference, London, 1907-1907

Component identifier:

Subseries 15_3

Content Summary:

Correspondence, conference papers and other material that Deakin received while in London for the Imperial Conference in 1907. Imperial defence, imperial preference and the conference itself predominate in the correspondence. Some of the other topics are wireless and telegraphic communication, insurance companies, offers of honorary doctorates from Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh universities, interviews with the Press and women's suffrage. There are also many invitations.

Among the correspondents are L.S. Amery, the Duke of Argyll, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Joseph Chamberlain, Sir George S. Clarke, Lord Elgin, Richard Jebb, Lord Jersey, Lord Knollys, Tom Roberts, the Duke of Sutherland, Lord Tennyson, Lord Tweedmouth, J.C. Watson and B.R. Wise.

There are also papers specifically concerning the conference, including the published minutes of proceedings, conference resolutions, reports, typescripts on an Imperial Constitution and Judiciary and others on Australian resolutions, a pre-conference memorandum by Sir Samuel Way, Richard Jebb's 'The Empire development fund and board', and a copy of Deakin's report to Parliament made on his return to Australia. Press clippings, souvenir volumes, invitations, posters of Deakin addressing the Pilgrim's Club and an illuminated scroll conferring the Freedom of the City of Manchester upon Deakin complete the subseries.

This subseries contains Items 15/1382 - 15/1741, 15/4297 - 15/4302.

Immediate source of acquisition:

On 3 December 1965 Ivy Brookes, the eldest daughter of Alfred Deakin, formally presented the Deakin Papers to the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies, for permanent preservation in the National Library. After Deakin's death in 1919 his papers remained in the possession of his widow, Pattie, until her death in 1934. They were used extensively by Herbert Brookes, and by Professor Walter Murdoch while he was working on the first biography of Deakin, published in 1923. In 1945 the Deakin Papers were examined by an officer of the National Library and it was agreed that the papers would ultimately be deposited in the Library. In 1948 Professor R.M. Crawford of the University of Melbourne became custodian of the papers on the understanding that either an extensive selection of documents or a biography would be based on them. Subsequently his colleague, Professor J.A. La Nauze, began Deakin's biography and the papers remained in his custody until the work was completed in 1965. From time to time other papers relating to Deakin were added to the original collection by Herbert and Ivy Brookes, Lady Rivett and Sir Thomas and Lady White. Professors Crawford and La Nauze also added letters or copies of Deakin letters that they had acquired from other sources.

Names:

Brookes, Ivy

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