Guide to the Papers of Howard Francis Dawson, 1961-1981

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 7850
Creator:
Howard Francis Dawson
Extent:
1.68 metres and (12 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Howard Francis Dawson, National Library of Australia, MS 7850, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection contains correspondence and other papers relating to Dawson's work as Federal Secretary and Federal President of the United Nations Association of Australia, and as an office holder of the Australian National Committee for the United Nations Children's Fund, UNICEF. Formed from the restructuring of the League of Nations Union, the Australian Association for the United Nations (now UNAA) and the Australian National Committee for the UN (ANCUN) were amalgamated in 1950. The Australian National Committee for UNICEF (ANCU) under the sponsorship of UNAA was formed in 1963. The papers record the activities of these two organizations.

Correspondence of both UNAA and ANCU, their constitutions, minutes of meetings of directors and of the executive committee, circulars, memoranda and annual reports form the major part of the collection.

There are also guidelines for UNICEF national committees, an agreement covering sales of UNICEF cards, material on Friends of UNICEF and emergency appeals and relief aid.

Biographical Note:

Howard Francis William Dawson OBE was born in 1895. An accountant and company auditor, he was head of the State Government Insurance Office of Victoria when he retired in 1961. Dawson was an Insurance Commissioner (Victoria), 1949-61, president of the Economics Society of Australia and New Zealand, 1952-53, a councillor of the City of Camberwell, 1946-1970, serving two terms as mayor, a Commissioner of the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works, 1954-70, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Municipal Association of Victoria for 20 years.

Dawson was Honorary Treasurer of the Victorian Division of the United Nations Association from 1944 to 1950, and again from 1952 to 1969 when he was elected President. Federally, Dawson was Treasurer, 1958-1961, and again in 1969, Secretary, 1961-69, and President, 1970-71. He was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Association in 1971.

Dawson was personally very involved with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and was a prime mover in the establishment of a national UNICEF Committee under the sponsorship of UNAA, becoming Secretary/Treasurer of the provisional UNAA/ANCU committee in 1963. When the first constitution of the Australian National Committee for UNICEF was adopted in 1966, he was elected Treasurer and a member of the Board of Directors. He was president from 1971-73.

Dawson made a special contribution to the promotion of various international years conducted by the United Nations, including the International Co-operation Year (1965), the Human Rights Year (1968), and the International Year Against Racism and Racial Discrimination (1971).

He was awarded a United Nations Peace Medal in 1976.

Provenance:

The papers were donated by Howard Dawson in 1989

Indexed terms

Names:
Howard Francis Dawson

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1060783).
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 Howard Francis Dawson, National Library of Australia, MS 7850, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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