Family papers, 1948-87

Component identifier:

Series 2

Content Summary:

Plimsoll never married but he was close to his father (who died in 1965), his brother John, his nieces and other members of the family, including relatives in New Zealand. This series mostly comprises letters from various members of the family, with a very small number of copies of Plimsoll's own letters. Many of the letters have been lost. There is only one letter from his mother, written in 1954. The great majority of the letters from his father date from 1960-65, while there are large gaps in the letters from John Plimsoll. The letters from John Plimsoll are often accompanied by newspaper cuttings referring to his son or to Australian politics. Most of the letters from John Plimsoll deal with financial and investment matters.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Sir James Plimsoll, who died on 8 May 1987, bequeathed his papers and books to the National Library. Following intervention by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the executors were informed that some of the papers were Commonwealth records and others were records of the Tasmanian Government. Consequently, the papers were transferred to the Australian Archives for detailed examination. It was finally determined that 149 boxes would come to the National Library, four boxes would be sent to the Tasmanian State Archives, and the remaining boxes would be retained by the Australian Archives. The papers were received by the National Library in March 1990.

Names:

Sir James Plimsoll

Contents

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