Guide to the Papers of Sir Littleton Groom, c.1886-1936

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 236
Creator:
Sir Littleton Groom
Extent:
6.3 metres and (42 boxes + 2 folio items)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Sir Littleton Groom, National Library of Australia, MS 236, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers were presented to the Library by Lady Groom in 1937, together with other printed and pictorial items from Sir Littleton's Library.

The papers date from Groom's university days. They include some material on Toowoomba and the Darling Downs but they are concentrated on the years of Groom's political career and largely concern Liberal government matters, forming a comprehensive record of the first twenty five years of Federation. Subjects dealt with naturally reflect portfolios held by Groom and other areas of longstanding interest, and they include conciliation and arbitration, railways, the Murray Waters question, transfer of Parliament to Canberra, agricultural matters and tariffs.

Groom's involvement in the Church of England is well documented, as is his attendance at the Assembly of the League of Nations in Geneva in 1924.

A high proportion of the papers consists of correspondence and there are memoranda, reports, notes, speeches and printed items. There is also a collection of press cuttings which span Groom's entire career.

Biographical Note:
Date Event
1867 Born (22 April) at Toowoomba, son of William Henry Groom and Grace, née Littleton
1891 Graduated M.A., University of Melbourne
1891-1901 Practised as a barrister in Brisbane
1892 Graduated LL.B., University of Melbourne
1894 Married (4 July) Jessie Bell
1901 Elected at by-election (14 September) to seat of Darling Downs in House of Representatives, succeeding his father
1905-6 Minister for Home Affairs in Deakin Ministry
1906-8 Attorney-General in Deakin Ministry
1909-10 Minister for External Affairs in Deakin Ministry
1913-14 Minister for Trade and Customs in Cook Ministry
1917 Assistant Minister for Defence in Hughes Ministry
1917-18 Vice-President of Executive Council in Hughes Ministry
1918-21 Minister for Works and Railways in Hughes Ministry
1921-23 Attorney-General in Hughes Ministry
1923-25 Attorney-General in Bruce-Page Ministry
1924 Appointed KCMG
1924 Led Australian delegation to League of Nations General Assembly
1926-29 Speaker of the House of Representatives
1929 Defeated at general election (12 October)
1931 Re-elected to seat of Darling Downs at general election (15 December)
1933 Joined United Australia Party
1936 Died (6 November) in Canberra
Immediate Source of Acquisition:

The papers were donated to the Commonwealth National Library by Lady Groom in 1937.

Indexed terms

Names:
Sir Littleton Groom

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1329329).
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 Sir Littleton Groom, National Library of Australia, MS 236, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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