Guide to the Papers of Andrew Fisher, 1883-1952 (bulk 1901-1921)
Collection context
Summary
- Collection number:
- MS 2919
- Creator:
- Fisher, Andrew, 1862-1928
- Extent:
- (14 boxes + 8 folio boxes + 5 map drawer folio items)
- Language:
- English and English
- Preferred citation:
- Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers ofAndrew Fisher, National Library of Australia, MS 2919, [series and/or folder number]'.
- Availability:
- Available
- Access conditions:
- Available for research. Not for loan.
Background
- Content Summary:
-
The Fisher Papers include correspondence on family and official matters, departmental minutes and administrative papers, press cuttings, photographs, personal documents, and books and pamphlets. Much of this material document Fisher's political career, especially his terms as Australia's Prime Minister (1908-1909, 1910-1913, 1914-1915), and his work as High Commissioner in London (1915-1921). The correspondents include George Ryland, Matthew Reid, W. Demaine, J. C. Watson, Frank Tudor, D. C. McGrath, James Page, Albert Gardiner, W. G. Higgs, Josiah Thomas, Sir George Pearce, Keith A. Murdoch, W.M. Hughes, Sir George Reid, Colonel Anderson and General Birdwood.
One folder of material which was added to the collection in 1983 relates to social engagements and other activities of Fisher's daughter, Margaret Fisher.
- Biographical Note:
-
Andrew Fisher was born at Crosshouse, Ayrshire, Scotland, on 29 August 1862. He left school, probably around the age of ten, to work in the local coalmines. In 1879, at the age of 17, he became secretary of the local Crosshouse branch of the Ayrshire Miners' Union. In 1885, he left with his brother James for Queensland. After working briefly at the Burrum coalfields, he settled at Gympie to work as an engine driver in the gold mines.
Fisher became active in the labour movement. He joined the Gympie branch of the Amalgamated Miners Union and was soon its Secretary and President. In 1892, as the Workers' Political Organisation delegate from Gympie, he helped the Labour-in-Politics convention prepare for the 1893 State elections. Fisher himself was elected to the seat of Gympie, which he held from 1893 to 1896 and from 1899 to 1901. During the latter term, he was briefly Secretary for Railways and Minister for Public Works in the Dawson Labor Government of 1899.
Fisher was a supporter of Federation. In May 1901 he successfully contested the Queensland Federal seat of Wide Bay. The following December, he married Margaret Irvine, the daughter of his landlady in Gympie.
Fisher had an outstanding career in Federal politics from 1901 to 1915. Having defeated W. M. Hughes for the position of Deputy Leader of the Labor Party in 1905, he replaced J. C. Watson as Leader and Chairman in 1907, and led his first ministry as Prime Minister in November 1908, when the Party withdrew its support for Deakin. Fisher in turn lost Deakin's support and thus the Treasury benches in June 1909, but regained power at the general election of April 1910.
During the three years of Fisher's second term, many of the Labor Party's policies became law. Maternity allowances were granted; land taxes introduced; three destroyers, three cruisers, and two submarines were purchased for the Royal Australian Navy; administrative responsibility for the Northern Territory was transferred from South Australia to the Commonwealth; work was begun on the Federal Capital; the Commonwealth Bank was established and Commonwealth bank notes issued; and the construction of the trans-Australia railway line commenced. During the same term in office, Fisher represented Australia at the opening of the Union of South Africa Parliament (1910); at the Imperial Conference (1911); and the Coronation of King George V (1911).
At the general election of May 1913, Joseph Cook's anti-Labor coalition narrowly defeated the Labor Party. However, the Senate, which was controlled by the Labor Party, defeated several Government Bills and the Governor-General, Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, granted a double dissolution. As a result of the election in June 1914 the third Fisher Ministry came into office. War had just broken out and the new Government put through censorship and security laws, directed the Navy to capture German New Guinea, and sent the first Australian troops to the Middle East and Gallipoli. During December 1914 Fisher travelled to New Zealand to confer with the Prime Minister, W. F. Massey, about trade and defence arrangements. In October 1915, he resigned to succeed Sir George Reid as Australia's High Commissioner in London. This work involved Fisher in much of the liaison work for the Anglo-Australian war effort. He retired in 1921.
Fisher made two subsequent attempts to re-enter politics. Soon after retiring as High Commissioner, he stood unsuccessfully for Labor pre-selection for the House of Commons seat of Paisley. Later, during a brief visit to Australia, he was rejected as a potential Labor candidate for West Sydney, the electorate previously held by T. J. Ryan.
Andrew Fisher died in London, on 22 October 1928.
Person notes for CP 713, Andrew Fisher, http://naa.gov.au/the_collection/recordsearch.html. National Archives of Australia, RecordSearch database.
Andrew Fisher, Australia's Prime Ministers, http://primeministers.naa.gov.au/meetpm.asp?pmId=6. The Australia's Prime Ministers portal is hosted by the National Archives of Australia.
Andrew Fisher, Australian Dictonary of Biography Online, http://222.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080529b.htm
Clem Lloyd, 'Andrew Fisher' in: Australian Prime Ministers, edited by Michelle Grattan, Sydney, New Holland, 2000
John Malkin, Andrew Fisher: 1862-1928, Darvel, Ayrshire, Walker Connell, [1979?]
- Provenance:
-
The papers were donated to the Library in several instalments by Fisher's family between 1961 and 1990.
- Arrangement:
-
The Library has arranged the Fisher Papers into fourteen series, each of which has been described in this finding aid. In addition, all the correspondence items in the collection have been indexed (refer to the attached Appendix, under the 'Related Documentation' heading).
During the 2007 revision of the finding aid, instalments of material received between 1981 and 1990 were integrated into the series arrangement of the original instalment.
Access and use
- Conditions Governing Access:
- This collection is available for reference.
- 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 ofAndrew Fisher, National Library of Australia, MS 2919, [series and/or folder number]'.
- Location of this collection:
-
Parkes PlaceCanberra ACT 2600, Australia
- Contact: