Guide to the Papers of Ross Hohnen, 1944-2003

 

Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
MS 9124, MS Acc03.149
Creator:
Ross Hohnen
Extent:
6.4 metres and (26 boxes, 6 cartons)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Ross Hohnen, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:
The papers comprise files maintained by Hohnen while Registrar and Secretary of the Australian National University, 1949-76; drafts and research materials for a history of the Australian National Universtiy; appointment diaries; papers relating to the 1995 review of the Institute of Advanced Studies; and papers relating to Hohnen's involvement in numerous organisations including the Industrial Design Council of Australia, Australian Frontier Incorporated, the National Heart Foundation, Heart Research Institute, and the Scout Association of Australia.
Biographical Note:

The following information was provided by Ross Hohnen.

Ross Ainsworth Hohnen, born 21 Oct. 1917 at Arncliffe, NSW

Mentioned in dispatches, 1946

Officer of the Order of the British Empire 1967

Honorary Fellow, Design Institute of Australia,1971

Honorary Fellow, University House, ANU, 1975

Canberran of the Year (first), 1977

Member of the Order of Australia, 1987

Fellow (first), Heart Research Institute, (Syd/Uni; RPAH), 1991

Parents

Charles Edward Hohnen (1864-1938) ,b.Sydney, commercial traveller, W McArthur Ltd. (family arrived 1857)

Edith Jane Ainsworth (1877-1971), b. Kempsey, NSW; music teacher and medallist horsewoman (family arrived 1825 and 1833)

Married 1940

Phyllis Adele Whitten, BA, Dip Ed (Syd) b. 24 January 1915, Kempsey, NSW, daughter of Reverend Alfred Giles Whitten. (1883-1958) [b. Narrabri, NSW; clergyman, family arrived 1842]; and Ethel Annie Cock, (1883-1980), [b. Neville NSW; family arrived 1854].

Phyllis Whitten worked in the NSW Dept of Education as a teacher, research office, school counsellor, and school librarian.

Children

Michael Edward, MBBS (Adel) MPH (Hawaii);

Stuart Alexander, BE (Adel) MBA (Stanford)

Murray Andrew; LLB (Adel)

Alys Evanne, RN, (m. D. N. Fraser, marine engineer, airline pilot)

Education

Bexley Public School, 1922-1928

Sydney Boys' High School, 1929-1933

University of Sydney BEc (Evening student), 1935-1938

War Service 1940-46

Adjutant, S Services, HQ New Guinea Force, 1943-45;

Adjutant AASC, (Balikpapan) 7 AustDiv 1945

Career

The Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Ltd 1934-1946 (war service 1940-1946);

First Registrar, The New England University College, Armidale, NSW (University of Sydney) 1946-1948;

The Australian National University, Canberra ACT -1948-1975 :

Assistant to the Registrar, 1948-1949

Registrar of the University, 1949-1968

Secretary of the University, 1968-1975 (Retired on health grounds 1975)

Extra-Curricular Activities

Sydney Boys' High, athletics, (five school records); also Combined High Schools, Great Public Schools;

Scouting:

1925-1940: Wolf Cub, Scout, King's Scout, District Cub Master, (North St George), Assistant HQ Commissioner for Wolf Cubs, NSW

1957-?1962: President, South Canberra District

1962-1969: Area Commissioner, Canberra-Monaro Area (NSW).

1969-1996: Honorary Commissioner, ACT Branch.

1979-1981: President, Canberra-Monaro Area, (NSW)

1981-1989: President, ACT Branch of the Scout Association of Australia.

1972-1976: International Commissioner for Australia, Asia-Pacific Region Committee, World Organisation of Scouting; Deputy Chairman, 1974-76 Chairman,1976-78

1985: Founding member and first Honorary Secretary, Arthur Shakespeare Foundation for Scouting

Scouting awards include the Silver Kangaroo, 1985 and the President's Citation, 1997

The Arts:Australia Council

Member of the Council (co-opted), 1975-'77 Member, Crafts Board, First Chairman, Community Arts Committee, 1975-1977

Industrial Design Council of Australia

Founding member, Deputy Chairman, Chairman

Essington Lewis Award, 1971

Canberra School of Music

Member Advisory Council

Canberra Theatre Trust

Deputy Chairman, 1968-1970 Chairman, 1971-1977

Crafts Council of Australia

Chairman, Planning and Restoration Committee, Crafts Council Gallery, The Rocks, Sydney, 1979-81

Academic:Canberra Grammar School

Member of Council ?-1960

Wollongong University

Member of Council 1975-77

Duke of Edinburgh's Third Study Conference, 1968

Member of Executive Committee

Australian Dictionary of Biography (ANU)

Volumes 1-9 : member National Committee and member of Editorial Committee

Church:

Member of the Council of the Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, 1950s

Member of Parish Council of the Church of St John the Baptist, Reid, ACT, 1950s

Other:National Heart Foundation of Australia

Deputy National President, 1979-81 Member of National Board and Honorary Secretary, 1966-77 Member-at-Large, 1981- Chairman, Smoking and Heart Disease Committee Conducted Feasibility Study for the creation of a research institute dedicated to the mechanisms of atherosclerosis and Chaired first Development Council. Conducted Audit of the allocation of the Foundation's funds for educational targets. First President, ACT Division Sir John Loewenthal Award, 1988

Heart Research Institute, Sydney (Sydney University and Royal Prince Alfred Hospital)

Chairman of first Development Council Founding Member of the Board of Governors

Technical Aid for the Disabled, ACT Branch

First Chairman, 1979-82

Australian Frontier Inc.

Promotion in Canberra (failed) of an 'Institute for the Study of Man and Society' Public Officer of the corporation

Collection Retrieval Advice:

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Provenance:

The papers were donated to the Library by Mr Hohnen in two instalments in 1997.

Indexed terms

Names:
Ross Hohnen

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1693381).
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 Ross Hohnen, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: