Guide to the Papers of John Hamilton, 1996-2009

Summary

Collection number:

MS Acc00.024, MS Acc11.181, MS Acc13.034

Creator:

John Hamilton

Extent:

9 metres and (2 ms boxes + 10 ms cartons + 8 large folio boxes + 3 small folio boxes) + 33 audio carriers

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Hamilton, National Library of Australia, class and series/file/item number]'.

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

MS Acc00.024 comprises files documenting Hamilton's publications and files relating to his work and travels, together with press clippings and photographs. There are also subject files, diaries, scrapbooks and cartoons. Topics covered include Timor, Indonesia, China, Vanuatu, the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and the Sinai Desert.

The Acc11.181 instalment comprises a collection of folders of newspaper articles written by Hamilton, some interleaved with related ephemera. Folders are arranged chronologically by year. There are several folders entitled 'General News' and others relating to specific subjects including: Martin Bryant - Port Arthur massacre, 1996; Princess Diana, 1997, includes Order of Service for her funeral and A4 colour photographs of the cortege and the public in mourning; Indonesia in crisis, 1998; Jaidyn Leskie murder trial, 1998; Timor crisis, 1999; Sydney Olympics, 2000; ANZACS, 2002; Bali bombings, 2002; and Galipolli, 2005. There is also a photo album of a visit to Galipolli [2005], a collection of Hamilton's Media Passes and cassette tapes of interviews he conducted.

The Acc13.034 instalment comprises papers documenting Hamilton's career as a journalist, including professional correspondence, book launch and award presentation speeches, news cuttings, photographs and ephemera. Correspondents include media colleagues such as Herald sun editor Peter Blanden, politicians including John Howard and Florence Bjelke-Petersen, and readers. A portion of the papers focus on Hamilton's retirement from the Herald sun in 2011 and include a farewell card featuring a portrait of Hamilton by cartoonist Simon Schneider.

Biographical Note:

Journalist and author. John Hamilton was born in England in 1940 and migrated to Western Australia as a child with his family. Hamilton established himself in Melbourne where he worked as reporter, columnist, feature writer and foreign correspondent before becoming associate editor of the Herald sun newspaper. In a career spanning more than forty years he reported on several major Australian events including the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 and the Thredbo landslide disaster in 1997. His overseas assignments took him to such diverse locations as East Timor, to cover the 1975 civil war, and Turkey to cover the 85th anniversary of the landing at Anzac Cove, 2000.Hamilton served as a White House correspondent in Washington, D.C. and as chief correspondent and European editor for the Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, based in London. His media honours include two Walkley Awards and the Canada National Press Club Award of Journalistic Merit for his international reporting. He is also the holder of a High Commendation for the Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year Award and a lifetime Australia Day Ambassador. As an author, Hamilton has published Gallipoli sniper: the life of Billy Sing (2008), among other works.

Collection Retrieval Advice:

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

Indexed terms

Subjects:

Mass media
Defence
History

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn3944470).

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 John Hamilton, National Library of Australia, class and series/file/item number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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