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Series 16: Leader of the Opposition, 1902-1933

This series contains correspondence, notes, speeches, memoranda, reports, minutes, pamphlets, posters, ephemera, journals, press clippings and other printed material relating to a wide range of interests that concerned Deakin as Leader of the Opposition. There is also a considerable amount of material on the various Protectionist and Liberal parties with which Deakin was associated.
Among the correspondents are Colonel J. Antill, Sir Edmund Barton, Thomas Bavin, Norman Bayles, Octavius Beale, Randolph Bedford, Sir Robert Best, Joseph Carruthers, Austin Chapman, R.M. Collins, James Hume Cook, Joseph Cook, Will Donnelly, Sir Thomas Ewing, Andrew Fisher, Sir John Forrest, Frank Fox, Thomas Glassey, A.W. Glencross, Patrick McMahon Glynn, Vida Goldstein, Sir Samuel Griffith, Beatrice Grimshaw, Littleton E. Groom, John Gunning, Richard Hain, John F. Hamilton, Justice H.B. Higgins, F.G. Hughes, W.M. Hughes, Sir Edward Hutton, William H. Irvine, Sir Walter James, Sydney Jephcott, William Johnson, Arthur Jose, H. Brennan Lewis, Sir William Lyne, James McColl, James Marion, William Martin, Samuel Mauger, Edward Miller, John Nash, Simpson Newland, Lord Northcote, Richard E. O'Connor, King O'Malley, Archibald Peake, Colonel Tom Price, Sir John Quick, Sir George Reid, Frank Sambell, David Syme, Geoffrey Syme, Sir Josiah Symon, Dugald Thomson, Sir George Turner, A.J. Watson, J.C. Watson, John West, William Wilson and B.R. Wise.
This series contains Items 16/1 - 16/1952. The bulk of the items in this series have been digitised, and are available online through this finding aid. Please note that where printed items were duplicated within the series, the duplicates have not been digitised.

 

Subseries 16.1 Correspondence, 1902-1913
Subjects mentioned in the correspondence include Deakin's resignation from office in 1904, the various moves to form a coalition with the two other parties in the same year, the dispute between Sir Josiah Symon and the High Court judges, 1904-1905, Reid's accession to office in 1904, problems of Western Australia, the development of the Northern Territory and the redistribution of electoral boundaries in 1905. In addition, there are letters on the establishment of Canberra, taxation, trade, the Reform League, the Australian Party, trade unions, Deakin's moves to oust Reid in 1905, the change of government in 1908, the events leading up to the Fusion in June 1909, the appointment of a High Commissioner in London, the 1911 Imperial Conference, suffragettes as political prisoners and the consequences of Deakin's retirement. As with the previous series, the correspondence in Series 16 includes a large number of letters from representatives of all political viewpoints, but particularly from Deakin's colleagues, as well as from businessmen, newspapermen, lawyers, civil servants, Governors-General and feminists. This subseries contains Items 16/1 - 16/828.
Subseries 16.2 Memoranda, notes for speeches and other documents, 1904-c.1913
Concerning the formation of the Coalition, agreements with Reid and the Labor Party, defence and the 1911 Imperial Conference, tariffs, the budget speech of 1912-1913 and other matters. This subseries contains Items 16/829 - 16/997.
Subseries 16.3 Printed speeches, 1904-1912
Primarily parliamentary papers featuring speeches by Deakin and others. This subseries contains Items 16/998 - 16/1045.
Subseries 16.4 Historic Memorials Committee, 1912
Correspondence, agendas and minutes. Deakin served on the Committee, which was established in 1911 to commission works celebrating the continuity of Parliament and to preserve memorials of significant people and events. This subseries contains Items 16/1046 - 16/1071.
Subseries 16.5 Liberal Party, 1903-1933
Correspondence, notes, speeches, memoranda, minutes, pamphlets, posters, ephemera, journals, press clippings and other printed material. These papers comprise the bulk of the material in the collection relating to the various Liberal groups of the time. Correspondents include prospective candidates, party organisers and many of Deakin's party colleagues. Much of the correspondence revolves around choosing and electing candidates in various Federal elections. There is also extensive correspondence relating to proposals for a union of the various Liberal parties during 1911 and 1912. Other letters refer to the referenda of 1910, 1911 and 1913. Other papers include an election policy speech, 1910, the report of the conference of Liberal organisations, 1911, Senate nominations for Victoria, 1912, copies of resolutions of the uniting Liberal parties, 1912 and other papers concerning the various Liberal organisations, together with material relating to the 1910, 1911, 1913 and 1915 referenda. This subseries contains Items 16/1072 - 16/1952.
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