MS 936, Mfm G7685-7 and G24,777-781
Papers of J. A. Perkins (1878-1954)



Scope and Content Note

  • Papers
  • 1891-1954 (historical extracts 1823-1943)
  • 2.56 m. (16 boxes) and one folio package
  • Available for reference

The papers, which were donated to the Library by Perkins’ widow Evelyn in 1954, fall into two broad categories: personal and political material relating to Perkins’ career, and historical material assembled by Perkins relating to the Eden-Monaro District.

The personal papers (Series 2-4) comprise diaries, correspondence, press cuttings, notes, articles, invitations, menus and booklists.

The historical material (Series 1) emanates from Perkins’ life-long interest in the history of the area where he spent most of his life. It consists of typescript items which he extracted from newspapers and other publications, arranged chronologically as ‘Monaro District Items’ and ‘Tumut and Adelong Items’. There is also an 11-volume narrative history ‘The District of Monaro’, 1823 to 1936, compiled by Perkins using the extracts as source material.

Microfilm

The most heavily used parts of this collection (historical extracts and indexes) have been microfilmed. Readers are requested to use the microfilm instead of the original papers, which are very fragile. Microfilm reel numbers are provided in the list. The reels may be requested from the Manuscript Reading Room.

Related holdings

Some original and microfilmed Perkins papers are also held in the Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales. The locations are A3621, A3622-A3624, ML MSS 1257 and ML MSS 4112 (microfilms CY Reels 898-899, CY Reels 942-943, CY Reel 975 and CY Reel 977). For further information, see the two-volume Catalogue of manuscripts of Australasia and the Pacific in the Mitchell Library, Sydney (Series A and Series B). A copy of this Catalogue is held in the NLA Manuscript Reading Room.

Indexes and chronological transcripts from the Perkins Papers relating to the Eden-Monaro district may be found in the records of the Tumut and District Family History Society (MS 7231). These comprise duplicate transcripts of Folders [‘Items’] 16-19, together with a name index to 16-19. See also the reference to this material under the next paragraph, ‘Indexes to Historical Extracts’.

Indexes to Historical Extracts

Alphabetical indexes to Volumes 1-7 (Monaro District) are available in both hard copy and microfilm. The microfilm (mfm G7685-7687) was acquired in 1970. For many years Volumes 8 and 9 remained unpaginated and unindexed. Some time before 1994 these volumes were paginated and the Library acquired a hard copy index to Volumes 8 and 9, compiled by W.G. Coppell. This index has not yet been microfilmed.

For many years the original Volumes 1-4 of the Tumut and Adelong items were unpaginated and unindexed. Microfilm of these volumes (mfm G24,779) was obtained from the Mitchell Library in 1991 and was found to have intermittent page numbers (total of 283 pages). Members of the Tumut and District Family History Society did not paginate the original Volumes 1-4 held by the National Library. Instead, they re-typed the extracts and incorporated page numbers, and from this document they created an index. The Library acquired the re-typed extracts and index in 1986. Neither this re-typed document nor the index have yet been filmed. Please note that the pages in the re-typed transcripts do not correspond exactly with the pages in Perkins’ originals, so readers should consult MS 7231 in preference to Folders 16-19 of MS 936.

At the time of revision, there were no indexes to Folders 14-15 (Cooma and Tumut items) or Folders 20-32 (‘The District of Monaro’)

A note on item numbers – original manuscripts

This list was revised in 1999 and expanded to include detailed descriptions of Series 2-4. The system of continuous ‘item numbers’ used throughout the collection (In Series 1 equivalent to whole folders or volumes) has been replaced by folder numbers to be more consistent with the ‘item numbers’ (equivalent to single pages) used in Series 2-4.

Access and copyright - microfilm

Microfilm reels mfm G 24, 777-781 were acquired from the Mitchell Library in 1991, to supplement the microfilm already held. Although there are no access restrictions on either set of reels, they are housed in the Supervised Access run of Manuscripts so that readers may use them in the same room as the unfilmed original manuscripts. The Mitchell Library has given permission for printouts to be made for the purpose of private study. Please note, however, that no reproductions of these films or of prints made from them may be made for publication without the assent of the State Library of New South Wales.


Biographical Note

J.A. Perkins (1878-1954) was a Federal and State parliamentarian. He was Federal Member for Eden-Monaro 1926-29 and 1931-43; Minister for the Interior, 1932-34 and Minister for Trade and Customs, 1938-39.

18 May 1878

Born at Tumut, New South Wales. Educated in the district, he took up farming and later went into business as a bookseller in Cooma.

1904 and 1908

Mayor of Cooma

22 November 1921

Elected to the Legislative Assembly, New South Wales, as Member for Goulburn. He held this seat until his resignation on 21 January 1926

6 March 1926

Elected to the House of Representatives for Eden-Monaro at by-election; re-elected at General Election in November 1928.

6 January-16 December 1929

Government Whip

12 October 1929

Defeated at the General Election

19 December 1931

Re-elected to seat of Eden-Monaro at General Election

6 January-13 October 1932

Acting Minister for Trade and Customs

13 October 1932-17 October 1934

Minister for the Interior

7-8 November 1938

Minister Without Portfolio assisting the Prime Minister and administering External Territories

8 November 1938-26 April 1939

Minister for Trade and Customs

26 April 1939-14 March 1940

Minister Without Portfolio administering External Territories

1941-43

Chairman of the Joint Committee on Social Security

21 August 1943

Defeated at General Election and retired from politics

13 July 1954

Died at his home in Manly, New South Wales


Series List

Series 1

Historical Extracts

Series 2

Political material

Series 3

Diaries, 1892-1950

Series 4

Personal material


Series Description

Series 1 Historical extracts

The historical material relates mainly to the Monaro District – that part of South-Eastern New South Wales lying between Queanbeyan and the Victorian border, including the towns of Cooma, Bombala, Nimitabel and Eden.

A. Monaro District items and indexes

The nine volumes of Monaro District items comprise extracts from newspapers, chiefly the Sydney morning herald (which itself quotes Monaro district newspapers), and local newspapers including the Cooma gazette, Goulburn herald, Adelong times, and Monaro mercury. Mr Perkins also consulted the Mitchell Library’s series of clippings from the Monaro mercury titled ‘The district of Monaro: its rise and progress’. Other sources include Moore’s almanac, Australian almanac and Historical records of Australia.

The extracts give details of explanations and development of the Monaro district, market prices, business enterprises, gold prospecting census figures, elections and so on. The bulk of the extracts relate to Cooma, the principal town in the district.

Note on indexes: The indexes to Volumes 1-9 of the historical extracts have been placed after the main sequence of extracts. Readers should consult the indexes first, in order to find page references in the volumes.

Library staff have superimposed folder numbers and reel numbers on Perkins’ own volume and page notation. For citation or retrieval purposes, use folder numbers or reel numbers.

Folder-

Vol.

Dates

Page nos.

Reel no.

1

1

1823-1845

9-277

mfm G24,777

2

2

1845-1858

281-555E

mfm G24,777

3

3

1859-1865

557-862C

mfm G24,777

4

4

1866-1871

863-1132

mfm G24,777

5

5

1872-1880

1161-1571

mfm G24,777 (3 parts in 3 folders)

6

6

1881-1900

1579-2182

mfm G7685, G24,778

7

7

1901-1918

2201-2717

mfm G24,778

8

8

1919-1030

2725-3053

mfm G24,778 (no page nos on microfilm)

9

9

1931-1948

3070-3462

mfm G24, 778 (no page nos on microfilm)

Indexes to Monaro District Items

The following indexes have been compiled under ‘Persons’, ‘Places’ and ‘General’, listed in parallel alphabetical order. Each index refers to unique page numbers in specific volumes: thus in the Index to Volumes 1 & 2 (Folder 18), the entry Badgery, John - 273 refers to page 273 in Volume 1 of the extracts (Folder 1).

Folder

Index to
Vol. no.

Dates

Reel no.

10

1 & 2

1823-1858

mfm G7685

11

3 - 5

1859-1880

mfm G7685

12

6

1881-1900

mfm G7686

13

7

1901-1918

mfm G7687
(finishes at index term Places- ‘Cambridgeshire, page 2385’)

13a

8 & 9

1919-1948

not microfilmed
(Compiled by W.G. Coppell, 1994

B. Cooma and Tumut items

These two volumes contain extracts from the same sources as Items 1 –2 above. Item 15 comprises extracts taken almost entirely from the Sydney morning herald and largely duplicates Item 14. None of these extracts have been paginated, indexed or microfilmed.

Folder

Dates

14

1835-1899; Cooma items 1835-1942

14a-c

Transcripts of Cooma and Tumut items, typed by Pam Archer, added in 26/11/84.

15

1871-1882

C. Tumut and Adelong items

These four volumes contain extracts drawn from the same sources and relating largely to the same area as Items 1 – 2 and 14-15 above. Perkins’ original volumes (NLA set) are not paginated or indexed. It is recommended that instead of using Folders 16-19, readers consult the paginated transcripts and corresponding index typed by Tumut Family History Society (MS 7231).

Folder

Vol.

Dates

Reel no.

16a-b

1

1824-1870

mfm G24, 779

17

2

1871-1888

mfm G24, 779

18

3

1889-1910

mfm G24, 779

19

4

1911-1939

mfm G24, 779

D. The District of Monaro

These 11 volumes of typescript narrative were compiled by Perkins from the material contained in the various volumes of historical extracts. The narrative is chronological and the volumes are paginated but not indexed. Microfilm exists for the following pages only: 683-1084, 1321-1572, 1869-2225, 2572-3428.

Folder

Vol.

Dates

Pages

Reel no.

20

1

1823-1860

1-329

21a-b

2

1859-1865

330-682

22a-b

3

1866-1875

683-1034

mfmG 24,780

23a-c

4

1876-1882

1035-1820

mfm G24,780

24

5

18831889

1821-2075

mfm G24,780

25

6

1890-1897

2076-2159

mfm G24,780

26

7

1898-1906

2160-2514

mfm G24,780

27

8

1907-1918

2515-2860

mfm G24,780-1

28

9

1919-1926

2861-2921

mfm G24,781

29

10

1927-1932

2922-3139

mfm G24,781

30

11

1934-1936

3249-3458

mfm G24,781

31

Other historical material; condensed history of Monaro

32

Cooma narrative, pages 300-524

There is additional material ‘Historical notes – extracts from newspapers and reminiscences etc. 1869-1983’ on microfilm reels mfm G24,780-781. The originals are not in NLA.


Series 2 Political material

A. Political correspondence, 1922-43

Folder

33-46

Fourteen folders of correspondence from political colleagues and some copies of Perkins’ replies. Topics include the United Australia Party and the National Association of New South Wales. Of particular interest is a letter from S.M. Bruce dated 25 September 1929, outlining his ideas on the arbitration question (item 2/64a). There is also a copy of a letter to W.M. Hughes dated 22 August 1929, signed by Perkins as Government Whip, notifying him of his expulsion from the UAP (item 2/65). Both of these are in folder 35. Folder 43 contains a summary of correspondents of constituents in the Eden-Monaro electorate. (Items 2/[A]1-2/[A]1103)

B. Election material, 1903-43

Folder

47-49

Three folders of material including voting leaflets and publicity, polling results, campaign itineraries, lists of party branch secretaries and committee members, and requisitions signed by constituents. (Items 2/B1-2/B112)

C. Newspaper cuttings, 1927-43

Folder

50-63

Eighteen folders of mounted and filed cuttings, with some loose ones at the end. The predominant date of the cuttings is 1938, but they are arranged largely in topical groups rather than chronological order. As well as cuttings there are electoral leaflets and Hansard extracts. Topics include elections, immigration, Aborigines, hotel closing hours. (Not itemised)

D. Printed material

Folder

64-66

Three folders of material including election literature, programs, souvenirs, official reports, issues of magazines, statistical summaries, roneoed notices, maps and leaflets on the Rosicrucians. (Items 2/D1-2/D90)

E. Poems and essays

Folder

67

Typescript ‘History of England’, 55BC to Edward VIII, in blank verse; poem‘Stowell’ composed by Perkins in Hobart, 1939; essays entitled ‘The south-east gate’, ‘The fable of the south coast farmer’, ‘Forward the new dawn’. (Items 2/E1-2/E6)

F. Miscellaneous political material, 1922-43

Folder

68-73

Seven folders containing receipts, proofs of Hansard speeches, hand- written and typescript broadcasts, typescript extracts from newspapers, various reports and memoranda, articles, minutes and agenda. (Items 2/F1-2/F318)

Folio run

One bag containing political cuttings pasted on boards (2 items, 1925 and n.d.) and a poster advertising the Patriotic Art Union, World War I.


Series 3 Diaries, 1892-1950

Perkins was a dedicated diarist. Except for a few gaps in the later years, there are diaries for every year from 1892 to 1950, a total of 44 volumes. The entries are detailed, but increasingly from 1898 many of the entries are in shorthand. Some volumes contain items such as cuttings and programs pasted in them. At the front of several diaries is a typed summary of the highlights of the year.

Folder

74-93

Diaries for each year 1892-1911 (Items 3/1-3/20)

94-96

Diaries for each year 1923-43 (Items 3/21-3/41)

97

1945 (Item 3/42)

98-99

1949-50 (Items 3/43-44)


Series 4 Personal material

A. Private correspondence (Folders 100-103)

There is some overlap with Political Correspondence (Series 2A), as many of the letters discuss politics and elections. As well as letters to colleagues, relatives and friends, there are business documents, programs and other items. (Items 4/[A]1-210)

B. World Tour, 1935 (Folders 104-105)

Correspondence, programs, souvenirs, photographs, receipts, roneoed shipboard notices and sheets of wireless news on board the Strathaird. (Items 4/B1-B103)

C. Miscellaneous personal (Folders 106-107)

Correspondence, receipts, photographs, magazines, statistics about Australian towns (Items 4/C1-C77)

D. Word Book (Folder 108)

Typescript dictionary of shorthand symbols (Item 4/D1)

E. Word lists (Folder 109)

Word lists to accompany word book, together with catalogues from book dealers (Items 4/E1-E12).


SUMMARY OF MICROFILM REELS mfm G7685-7687

mfm G7685

Item nos.

10

Volumes 1 & 2 Index, Monaro district items 1823-1858

11

Volumes 3 & 4 Index, Monaro district items 1859-1871

11

Volume 5 Index, Monaro district items 1872-1880

6

Volume 6, Monaro district extracts 1881-1900, pages 1579-2181. Pages 1801-1804 are missing, as in the original manuscripts.

13

Volume 7 Index, Monaro district items 1901-1918. Reel finishes with page headed Places and with first entry ‘Cambridgeshire (Eng.) 2385’ and last entry ‘Coolringdon’.

mfm G7686

12

Volume 6 Index, Monaro district items 1881-1900

mfm G7687

13

Volume 7 Index, Monaro district items 1901-1918, continued. Reel begins with page headed Places, first entry ‘Cambridgeshire (Eng.) 2385’ and last entry ‘Coolringdon’.

SUMMARY OF MICROFILM REELS mfm G24,777-781

mfm G24,777

Item nos.

1-5

Monaro district items 1823-1880

mfm G24,778

6-9

Monaro district items 1881-1948 (N.B. Indexes to items 1-7 appear on mfm G7685-7687).

mfm G24,779

16-19

Tumut and Adelong items 1824-1939

mfm G24,780-781

Historical notes: extracts from newspapers and reminiscences, etc, 1868-1933. N.B. This microfilm is of papers which are not held in the Manuscript Collection of NLA.


Box List

SERIES

FOLDER/’ITEM’

BOX

ITEMS

1

1-5

1

-

1

6-11

2

-

1

12-15

3

-

1

16-20

4

-

1

21-24

5

-

1

25-29

6

-

1

30-32

7

-

2

33-39

7

2/[A]1-[A]540

2

40-46

8

2/[A]541-[A]1103

2

47-49

8

2/B1-112

2

50

8

-

2

51-57

9

-

2

58-61

10

-

2

62-63

11

-

2

64-66

11

2/D1-D90

2

67

11

2/E1-E6

2

68

11

2/F1-F99

2

69-73

12

2/F100-F318

3

74-77

12

3/1-4

3

78-84

13

3/5-11

3

85-92

14

3/12-19

3

93-99

15

3/20-44

4

100

15

4/[A]1-[A]39

4

101-103

16

4/[A]40-[A]210

4

104-105

16

4/B1-103

4

106-107

16

4/C1-C77

4

108

16

D1

4

109

16

4/E1-E12

Folio run

One bag

Folio box

Guide revised February 1999