1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, 1952-68

Component identifier:

Series 19

Content Summary:

The Provisional Organising Committee of the 1956 Olympic Games was set up by the Australian Olympic Federation in 1949. Its main responsibility was the selection of venues and liaison with Governments and the Melbourne City Council in relation to the construction of venues and the Olympic Village. An office was opened in 1951 and in that year Kent Hughes became Chairman of the Organising Committee, holding the position until the Committee was wound up in 1958. He was also chairman of the Executive Committee and the Finance and general Purposes Committee, which was formed in 1953 and which met every two weeks or so.

The series comprises correspondence, cuttings, reports and press releases. After the Games, Kent Hughes received many letters from friends, colleagues and the general public the success of the Games. The correspondents include Avery Brundage, Lord Burghley, John T. McGovern, Hugh Weir, H.E. Bolte, Sir Arthur Fadden, Sir Harold Alderson, Lewis Luxton and T. Forristal.

The series also includes a letter from John Ian Wing, a schoolboy from Melbourne. Wing suggested that at the closing ceremony all athletes should walk together rather than as teams and the idea was adopted.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The collection was donated to the National Library, in several instalments between 1973 and 1991, by Lady Kent Hughes and her daughters, Mrs Janet Derham, Mrs Margaret Sasse and Dr Mary Lou Sheil.

Names:

Kent Hughes, Lady

Contents

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