Guide to the Papers of Frederick J. Riley, 1888-1968

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 759
Creator:
Riley, F. J. (Frederick John)
Extent:
5.21 metres and (70 ms boxes + 1 small folio box + 4 medium folio boxes + 2 map folios + 1 folio + 1 volume + 1 packet)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Frederick J. Riley, National Library of Australia, MS 759, [series/file/box number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:
MS 759 consists principally of correspondence, records, notes, reports, scrapbooks and photographs acquired by Riley whilst he was an executive of the Manufacturing Grocers' Employees' Federation of Australia, and an executive member of the Trades Hall Council, Australian Labor Party, Anti-Communist Labor Party and the Democratic Labor Party. Also included are smaller collections of papers relating to the Socialist Federation of Australia, 1910; the anti-conscription campaign and the Australian Peace Alliance, 1916-1917; the general election, 1919; Wharf Labourers Women and Children's Relief Committee, 1919; 44 hour wage case, 1926; Y Club, 1918-1941; Dr William Maloney's Memorial Fund, 1941; Commonwealth Prices Commission, 1942-1948; Fred Riley's wife, the former Alice Ann Warburton, and his father Frederick Riley (70 boxes, 6 fol. boxes, 2 elephant folios).The Acc12.033 instalment comprises notes, photographs, letters, programmes, invitations, contribution lists (many containing handwritten notes), as well as item descriptions which were removed from the Library's pamphlet and printed ephemera collection documenting the Australian labour movement from the 1890s to the 1960s (2 folders).
Biographical Note:

Frederick John (Fred) Riley who was born on 18 May 1886 in Stirling East, South Australia, was the son of Frederick Riley a blacksmith and political activist.

During his younger years F.J. Riley worked as a miner in Broken Hill, Cobar and Mt Morgan, and in the opal fields at White Cliffs. In 1914 he moved to Melbourne where he joined the North Fitzroy branch of the Australian Political Labour Party. He was secretary of the Australian Peace Alliance during the anti-conscription campaigns of 1916 and 1917.

Riley contested unsuccessfully the Federal electorate of Flinders at the 1919 general election. His successful opponent at this election was Stanley Melbourne (later Lord) Bruce. Riley was at this time a member of the Waterside Workers' Federation and during the strike of 1919 he worked with Alice Warburton on behalf of the Women and Children's Wharf Labourers' Relief Committee. Alice Warburton later became his wife.

From 1922 until 1961 Fred Riley was the Secretary of the Manufacturing Grocers' Employees' Federation of Australia, and after 1925 was the Federation delegate to the Trades Hall Council where he was President in 1931-1932. For 30 years until 1955 he was a member of the State executive of the Australian Labor Party. He was the Victorian President of the Party during the period 1941-1942. In 1942 he was appointed to the Commonwealth Prices Commission.

Riley joined the Barry-Coleman group in the Labor Party "split" in 1955 and in June of that year he contested unsuccessfully the Legislative Council elections as an A.L.P. (Anti-Communist) candidate for the Melbourne North Province. The A.L.P. (Anti-Communist) Party became known as the Democratic Labor Party in 1957 and Riley was its Victorian President during 1960-1961.

In 1961 Riley retired from his position as Secretary of the M.G.E.F.A., and died on 2 April 1970. He was survived by his second wife Anne.

Sources: Whos who in Australia, 1962; Riley Papers.

Provenance:

F. J. Riley presented his large collection of personal papers, records of the Manufacturing Grocers' Employees' Federation of Australia, the Australian Labor Party and the Trades Hall Council, scrap books, pamphlets, photographs and newspapers to the National Library from 1949 until 1969. After his death in 1970, the residue of Riley's personal library joined the collection in accordance with his will, and the wishes of his widow, Mrs Anne E. Riley.

At that time Sir Harold White, National Librarian spoke of Riley's "diligent habit of assembling for us material relating to the history of the Australian Labor Party and of the Trade Union movement. Our collections have been enriched not only by his regular donations but also by his guidance in directing us to other sources. He made a further contribution through careful documentation of much that he sent us, adding significance to its research value. Many students have been and will continue to be grateful for his interest and work in the preservation of this aspect, of our history".

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn723228) for the access conditions.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Frederick J. Riley, National Library of Australia, MS 759, [series/file/box number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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