Cricket matters, 1953-1969

Component identifier:

Series 22

Content Summary:

It is well known that Menzies had a great love for the game of cricket. He enjoyed the company of the cricketing fraternity throughout the British world. The correspondence reveals his belief that the Commonwealth could be held together not only politically, but by forging common interests, and one way of doing this was through sporting exchanges, in this case sending cricket teams to countries such as South Africa, the West Indies and India.

In Australia he introduced the tradition of a special Prime Minister's team to play a one day "Picnic Match" against visiting Test Teams. It was always a great success and cricketers were always proud to be chosen to play.

This collection of two boxes contains mostly personal correspondence, cricket souvenirs, some press cutting and cartoons, photographs, membership tickets and autographed menus from "cricket dinners". The Files are arranged in date order. Some items are from 1930, but most are from the 1940s through to 1968.

Subjects:

Politics and government

Contents

Access and use