MS 769
Papers of Lord Denman (1874 - 1954)



Scope and Content Note

  • Papers
  • 1909-1914
  • 4cm
  • MS 769

The collection consists mainly of correspondence, quite a large part of this being letters of regret sent to Denman on his resignation as Governor-General. However, correspondents include Lord Dudley, who preceded Denman as Governor-General, Joseph Cook, Andrew Fisher, G F Pearce, E D Millen, Winston Churchill and Lord Stamfordham, Secretary to King George V. Several letters, notably those from Australian politicians and that from Winston Churchill, concern matters of Australian Defence, especially naval defence. Other letters refer to the question of the retention of Sydney Government House for use by the Governor-General. The collection also contains some documents such as appointments.

Biographical Note

Lord Denman was born on 16th November 1874. He was appointed Governor-General of Australia in 1911, holding the office of Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords at the time. He arrived on 26th June, and his term of office extended from 31st July 1911 to 18th May 1914. The Federal Capital was inaugurated during his term of office. He died in England on 24th June 1954.


Series List

Series Description

THOMAS DENMAN, 3RD BARON DENMAN

Items 1-60 CORRESPONDENCE 1909-1913

1-3
DUDLEY, 2nd Earl, Governor-General of Australia. Decode of cablegram transmitted to Secretary of State for Colonies, L Harcourt. 15th April, 1909. Typescript, 3pp

4-9
DUDLEY, 2nd Earl. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Government House, Melbourne, 5th March 1911. 9pp

10
DENMAN, Thomas. Pencil draft reply to Dudley’s letter of 5th March. Balcombe Place, East Sussex. 4pp

11-23
HARCOURT, L. Letter to Lord Denman. Downing St., 31st March 1911. Typescript, 1p
Enclosures:

Commission appointing the Rt Hon Lord Denman, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Australia. 22nd March 1911. Signed George R V, L Harcourt. 2pp

Blue printed copy of above. 2pp

Schedule of documents enclosed. 1p

Letters Patent in regard to the absence of the Governor-General from the Commonwealth. Blue printed copy. 29th March 1911. 3pp

Instructions to the Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth of Australia. 29th October 1900. 5pp

Additional Instructions to the Governor-General of Commonwealth of Australia. 11th August 1902. 3pp

Dormant Commission appointing the Rt Hon Lord Chelmsford, or Sir Gerald Strickland to administer the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. 2nd December 1909. 4pp

24-29
LUCAS, C P. Under Secretary of State, Colonial Office. Letter to Lord Denman. Downing St., 10th April 1911. 2pp

Enclosures:
Colonial Office Memorandum. Communication of States' Despatches to Federal Ministers. 30th March 1911. Printed, 1p

Colonial Office. Dominions No 4. Memorandum on the subject of the reservation of Bills of the Commonwealth Parliament. 29th June 1908. Printed 6pp

DUDLEY, 2ND Earl. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. State Government House, Melbourne, 18th July 1911. Marked ‘Confidential’. 9pp
Concerns Strickland.

36-37
STAMFORDHAM, Lord. Private Secretary to King George V. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Balmoral Castle, 26th September 1911. 4pp. Writing for His Majesty.

38-41
STAMFORDHAM, Lord. Letter to Lord Denman. King Emperor’s Camp, India, 28th December 1911. Marked ‘Private’. Typescript, 3pp. Concerns naval questions. Mentions Australian fleet unit.

44
YASS. Address of welcome from citizens of Yass to Rt Hon Thomas, Baron Denman. Illuminated on parchment. Signed by A Shaw, Mayor, Mayor, 11th March 1913. 1p. folio.

45-54
PEARCE, Sir George. Full report of the speech by the Minister of Defence for the Commonwealth of Australia. (Senator Peace), at a dinner given to the Captain and officers of HMAS Melbourne. Federal Parliament House. Wednesday March 26, 1913. Manuscript, 10pp

55-56
EDGEWORTH DAVID, T W. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. University of Sydney, 2nd July 1913. 2pp. Concerns naming of ‘Queen Mary Land’ discovered by Frank Wild of Dr Mawson’s Australasian Antarctic Expedition.

57-58
HARCOURT, L. Letter to Lord Denman. Colonial Office, Downing St., 20th August 1913. Marked ‘Private and personal’. Typescript, 4pp

59-60
AUSTRALASIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 1911
Messages sent and received during the year 1913, between Mawson, Commanding the Expedition, and Lord Denman. Type, with manuscript note and signature of Mawson. 2pp. Mainly concern the naming of King George V and Queen Mary Lands.

ITEMS 61-80 LETTERS EXPRESSING REGRET AT DENMAN’S RESIGNATION, 1914

61-62
MacKinnon, L C. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Corry, Heyington Place, Toorak, 26th January 1914. 3pp

63-64
PAYNE, May E. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Maritimo, Melbourne, 26th January 1914.

65
CLARKE, Henry Lowther. Archbishop of Melbourne. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Bishopscourt, Melbourne E., 27th January 1914. Signed ‘H L Melbourne ‘. 2pp

66-67
CORNISH, Alfred. Secretary of the Australian Club. Autograph letter to the Private Secretary, Government House. Australian Club, 27th January 1914. 2pp

68-69
CRESWICK, W R. Autograph letter to Lord Denman, Toorak, 27th January 1912 (sic. actually 1914). 3pp

70
STEAD, Henry. Letter to Lord Denman. The Review of Reviews, T and G Buildings, Melbourne, 27th January 1914. Typescript, 1p

71
STRICKLAND, G. Autograph letter to Lord Denman, State Government House, Sydney, 28th January 1914. 1p

72
MacGREGOR, William. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Government House, Brisbane, 29th January 1914. 2pp

73-74
MILLEN, E D. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Department of Defence, 29th January 1914. 3pp

75-76
PEARCE, G F. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Commonwealth of Australia, The Senate, Melbourne, 29th January 1913 (sic, actually 1914). Marked ‘Personal’.

77-78
ELLISON-MACARTNEY, William. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Government House, Hobart, 30th January 1914. 3pp

79
MAYTON, A. Autograph letter to Lord Richard Neville. Town Hall, Sydney, 31st January 1914. 4pp

80
WRIGHT, John Charles. Archbishop of Sydney. Bishopscourt, Sydney, 2nd February 1914. Signed ‘John Charles Sydney’. 3pp

Items 81-98 General Correspondence 1914

81-83
STAMFORDHAM, Lord. Letter to Lord Denman. Letter to Lord Denman. Buckingham Palace, 4th March 1914. Typescript, 2pp. Writing for King George V.

84-91
PEARCE, Sir George F. Letter to Lord Denman. Commonwealth of Australia, The Senate, Melbourne, 4th May 1914. Marked ‘Private’. 8pp.
Pearce’s confidential views on defence questions.

92
COOK, Joseph. Prime Minister, 8th May 1914. 2pp. Thanking for photos given him by Lord and Lady Denman.

93-95
MILLEN, E D. 5TH June 1914. Tyepscript, 3pp. Discussing the Pacific Naval Policy.

96-98
FISHER, Andrew. Autograph letter to Lord Denman. Parliament of the Commonwealth, House of Representatives, Melbourne, 29th June 1914. Marked ‘Private and Confidential’. 2pp. Thanking for Denman’s ‘references to Australian affairs since his return’ to England.

Items 99-121 File, ‘Resignation’, Denman

100-118
Cablegrams between Lord Denman and L Harcourt, Secretary of State for Colonies, concerning Denman’s resignation as Governor-General of Australia. Includes some drafts by Denman. 11th November 1913-28th January 1914 19pp

119-120
Cablegram Denman to Myers of Sydney Morning Herald, 28th January, 1914. Concerns Denman’s resignation. 2pp.

121
HARCOURT, L. Official letter expressing His Majesty’s appreciation of Denman’s service as Governor-General. 18th June, 1914. Typescript 1p

Items 122-142 File ‘Announcement of Appointment of New Governor-General, Rt Hon Ronald Munro Ferguson, MP’

123-125
Warrant for the investiture of Sir Stephen Henry Parkes, Knight, as a Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and St George. 9th January, 1914. Signed George R V. Also signed by L Harcourt and Argyll (Chancellor), 3pp

126-132
Cablegram concerning the appointment of Denman’s successor, Ronald Munro Ferguson (later Lord Novar). Mainly between Denman and Harcourt, one Joseph Cook, Prime Minister, to Denman. 30th January, 8th February.

133
COOK, Joseph. Letter to Lord Denman. Prime Minister, Sydney, 20th March 1914. Typescript, 1p.
Inviting Denman to accept appointment as Honorary Brigadier General of military forces of the Commonwealth of Australia.

134
DENMAN, Thomas. Copy of letter sent to Cook in reply to above. 26th March, 1914. Marked ‘Confidential. 1p.

135
Cablegram Denman to Harcourt, stamped 6th May 1914, asking if he may accept position offered above.

136
Cablegram Denman to Harcourt, received 9th May 1914. Answer to above: not considered advisable for Denman to accept.

137-138
Affairs report from the Australian Military Secretary to Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of State for Colonies. Typescript copy, 15th May 1914. 2pp.

139-142
Newspaper cuttings concerning the Departure of Lord and Lady Denman. 15th May 1914. 4pp.