General correspondence, 1941-93

Containers:

Box 1, Box 2

Component identifier:

Subseries 1_1

Content Summary:

The correspondence relates mainly to the period from 1970 onwards after Byrne's material was accepted by the Commonwealth Government. It relates to his endeavours to obtain some monetary assistance from the Government in order to assist him to complete his life's work and secondly to have the Government consider the erection of a suitable building in which to house his memorial and to obtain greater recognition of his work. A considerable amount of the correspondence relates to the period after the announcement in 1979 by the Museum Trust that it intended to commission the building of a flying replica of the Southern Cross. Byrne sought to assist by exhibiting his work in the hangar at Parafield in Adelaide and sought release of his collection by the Government so that he might assist. Byrne became convinced that his life story was of significance and should be recorded and much of the correspondence reflects his endeavours to obtain publicity with a view to interesting a suitable person or publishers to this end. A significant amount of correspondence relates to Byrne's negotiations with the National Museum and National Library with regard to the Memorial and his personal papers.

(Boxes 1-2)

Immediate source of acquisition:

The first instalment of the Byrne Papers was presented to the Library by Austin Byrne in 1971. Further instalments were received in 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1981 1983 and 1987. The remainder of the Byrne Papers were bequeathed to the Library pursuant to Mr Byrne's will and were collected after his death in 1993.

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