Guide to the Papers of Frederick Osborne, 1945-1984

 

Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
MS 3662
Extent:
7.28 metres and (various)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Frederick Osborne, National Library of Australia, MS 3662, [series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The collection comprises personal papers documenting Osborne's career as a parliamentarian, solicitor and businessman. The papers date from Osborne's election as Liberal Member for Evans in 1949, through to his retirement from political and business activities in 1984.

The bulk of the papers relate to Osborne's political career from 1950 to 1961, including papers relating to his terms as Minister for Customs and Excise, Minister for Air, and Minister for Repatriation. The personal and parliamentary correspondence documents Osborne's relationships with other parliamentarians and government officials, business associates and friends. The subject files are diverse, covering foreign affairs, defence, repatriation, communism, industrial arbitration and immigration. The collection also reflects Osborne's personal interests and activities, including his membership of the Round Table Group and the Union Club.

The range of formats in the collection includes correspondence, photographs, publications, speeches, press statements, and subject files. Most of Osborne's letters were typed, and the collection contains often multiple copies of letters by him, some signed or stamped with his signature.

The principal correspondents include Sir Robert Menzies, Sir John Carrick, Lord Casey, Sir Alexander Downer, Sir Allen Fairhall, Sir Philip McBride, Sir Robert Southey, StaniforthRicketson, Morgan Giles, Dr Donald Cameron, Duncan McCallum, James Wolfensohn, Arthur Lowndes, Sir John Cramer, Athol Townley, Sir Shane Paltridge, Harold Holt, William McMahon, Sir Denham Henty, Sir William Spooner, Sir Garfield Barwick, Sir Gordon Freeth, Sir Neil O'Sullivan, Sir Arthur Fadden, Sir John McEwen, Sir Robert Cotton and Sir Daniel McVey.

Biographical Note:

Frederick Meares Osborne was born in Sydney on 20 January 1909. He was educated at North Sydney High School, Sydney Church of England Grammar School and St Andrew's College, University of Sydney, where he graduated Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. In 1934 he was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. In 1944 he married Elizabeth Drake. They had four children, Alick, Michael, Imogen and Penelope.

In September 1939 Osborne was mobilised as a Sub-Lieutenant, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve (RANVR). He served with the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy 1939-46, commanding HMS Gentian (1941), Vanquisher (1943), and Peacock (1945). He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, 1940, and bar, 1945. Osborne was demobilised in 1946, appointed Lieutenant-Commander RANVR in 1947, and then Commander in 1955. After the war Osborne returned to his law practice in Sydney, with Dibbs, Crowther and Osborne. He later joined the firm Ebsworth and Ebsworth, before moving to Dudley Westgarth and Co. in 1965.

Osborne began his career in Federal politics in 1949 as the Liberal Member for Evans, an electorate in Sydney, New South Wales. He held this seat until his defeat in the general election of 1961. During this period he was Minister for Customs and Excise 1956, Minister for Air 1956-60, and Minister for Repatriation 1960-61.

Osborne frequently served as an acting minister for various portfolios, including Navy, January-February 1958 and August 1958, Supply, April-May 1958, Immigration, May-July 1959, Interior, November 1959, and Territories, April-June 1960. He also served as the Minister assisting the Acting Minister for External Affairs, August-November 1957. He was active in committee work, serving on numerous committees including the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs. Osborne was a member of the Parliamentary delegation to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and Government representative at the inauguration of Ghana in March 1957.

After his defeat in 1961 Osborne served on the NSW State Executive of the Liberal Party, becoming State Treasurer in 1964, and then serving as State President 1967-70.

Osborne was appointed Esquire Bedell of the University of Sydney in 1968. He was a member of the Union Club and the Round Table Group, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, and made a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG) in 1969. He served as President of the Swiss-Australian Society and President of the NSW Division of the Australia-Britain Society. Osborne was General Counsel in Australia for Lloyds, 1963-75. Throughout his career he served as a chairman or director of numerous companies and organisations, including Sandoz Australia, the British Aircraft Corporation, Macdonald Hamilton Co, the English Electric Company, Meares Bros and the Australian Ballet Foundation. He was also a member of the New South Wales Board of Advice of the National Bank of Australasia.

Osborne died in Sydney on 23 July 1996.

Provenance:

Frederick Osborne presented the first instalment of his papers to the Library in 1973, and a second instalment was received from him in 1995.

Arrangement:

For much of the collection, the Library has retained the way in which Osborne arranged his papers.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2243753).
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 Osborne, National Library of Australia, MS 3662, [series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: