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Series 9: Victorian Minister, 1884-1897

This series contains correspondence, notes, memoranda, reports, certificates, programs, menus, a photograph, press clippings and other printed material. There is some correspondence and general items relating to Deakin's activities as a Minister in Victoria, but apart from this, most of the material concerns Deakin's work as Chief Secretary and his visit to London as a Victorian delegate to the Colonial Conference of 1887. Among the general correspondents are R.M. Collins, David Davies, J.L. Dow, Sir Sandford Fleming, James Graves, Richard Hain, Jules Joubert, Lord Knutsford, James Mirams, John Quick, Richard Richardson, William Uren, R.S. Walpole and William T. Webb.
This series contains Items 9/1 - 9/479. 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 9.1 Correspondence, 1884-1890
Concerning political and party matters, the International Exhibition of 1888, various bills before Parliament and the defence arrangements of the colony. There are letters from R.M. Collins, David Davies, J.L. Dow, Sir Sandford Fleming, James Graves, Richard Hain, Jules Joubert, Lord Knutsford, James Mirams, John Quick, Richard Richardson, William Uren, R.S. Walpole and William T. Webb. Some of the letters in this subseries were copied from the originals held in Series 5, as Deakin used the originals as notepaper for his 'Orthodoxy' manuscript (MS 1540/5/46-90). This subseries contains Items 9/1 - 9/102.
Subseries 9.2 Vice-Regal documents, 1883-1890
Certificates confirming Deakin's appointment to various ministerial positions. This subseries contains Items 9/103 - 9/112.
Subseries 9.3 Chief Secretary, 1885-1897
Correspondence, notes, memoranda, press clippings and other printed material. These papers relate to various administrative matters (including a memorandum on Marcus Clarke and his family), and such issues as the 1888 Chinese Immigration Conference, the Land Act, the Councils of Conciliation Bill, the Contractors Lien on Land Bill, the Declaration of Affidavits Bill, the Residence Areas Bill, the Partition Bill, the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the Metropolitan General Cemetery Bill, plural voting, females in the public service, the appointment of the Solicitor-General, defence matters and some parliamentary debates. There is more extensive material on the Distress for Rent Bill, the Infant Life Protection Bill, the 1890 Maritime Strike, the Factories and Shops Act and various financial matters. There is also a report prepared for the Royal Commission on the Parliament Buildings on which Deakin served, entitled A short history and description of the Parliament House (1886). This subseries contains Items 9/113 - 9/337.
Subseries 9.4 1887 Colonial Conference, London, 1886-1887
Deakin led the Victorian delegation to the 1887 Colonial Conference, called to celebrate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee. The correspondence is mostly of a social nature. It includes the first offer made to Deakin of a knighthood, some requests for interviews and articles, a letter on defence from Lord George Hamilton of the Admiralty and one congratulating Deakin on his return to Victoria. There is a photograph of those attending the conference, some notes for speeches including one made on Deakin's return to Melbourne, numerous invitations and programs of functions in London, theatre programs collected by Deakin and clippings from The Age and The Argus about the conference. This subseries contains Items 9/338 - 9/479.
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