Guide to the Papers of Sir Charles Marr

MS 3874

National Library of Australia


Date completed: 1975
Last updated: November 2002


Collection Summary

Creator: MARR, Charles William Clanan, Sir, 1880-1960
Title: Papers of Sir Charles Marr
Date Range: 1912-1959
Collection Number: MS 3874
Extent: 96 cm. (6 boxes); plus 4 folio boxes
Repository: National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Content

The collection includes general correspondence, papers relating to Marr's service in Mesopotamia during World War I and Papua New Guinea, electoral papers, photographs, cuttings and printed material.

Access

The collection is available for reference.

Provenance

The collection was donated to the Library by Mr Colin C. Marr in 1973

Copying and Publishing

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissable 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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 Sir Charles Marr, National Library of Australia, MS 3874, [series and/or folder number]'.

Biographical Note

Charles William Marr was born at Petersham, New South Wales on 23 March 1880, the son of James C. Marr. He was educated at Newington College and Sydney Technical College. Between 1901 and 1914, he worked as an electrical engineer with the Postmaster-General's Department and supervised the construction of Australia's first wireless station, at Pennant Hills.

In 1915 Marr was appointed to the Australian and New Zealand Wireless Squadron in Mesopotamia. He reached the rank of Major. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917, the Distinguished Service Order in 1918 and the Volunteer Officers' Decoration in 1923.

Marr entered Parliament in 1919 and held the New South Wales seat of Parkes for the Nationalists until 1929. His other positions include Government Whip and Parliamentary Secretary for the Nationalists (1921-1925), member of the managing committee for the tour of the Prince of Wales (1920), Vice-President of a similar committee for the 1927 tour of the Duke and Duchess of York, Honorary Minister (1925-1929), Minister for Home and Territories (1927-1928) and leader of the Australian Delegation of the League of Nations General Assembly of Geneva (1929).

Although defeated in the 1929 Federal Election, Marr regained the seat of Parkes in a by-election in February 1931. In the first Lyons ministry, he was for a brief time Minister for Health, for Repatriation, and in charge of Territories. In 1933 he attended the inauguration of the Legislation Council of the Territory of New Guinea, and in the following year directed the tour of the Duke of Gloucester. For this and other public services he was awarded the K.C.V.O. in December 1934. Marr's latter parliamentary work included the Deputy Chairmanship of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Broadcasting between 1940 and 1943. He lost his seat to Leslie Haylen in the 1943 General Election.

Marr was associated with a number of business enterprises. At various times he was Chairman of Mineral Developments Ltd, Tatua Gold Development Ltd, and Amalgamated Coffee Plantations (N.G.) Ltd, and Director of New Zealand Forest Products Ltd, Papua Apinaipi Petroleum Company Ltd, W.R. Carpenter and Company Ltd, and Hadfields Steel Works.

Marr died in Sydney on 20 October 1960 and was accorded a State Funeral. He was survived by his wife, who died in 1967, and two sons and two daughters.

References:

Keast Burke. With horse and morse in Mesopotamia: the story of Anzacs in Asia. Sydney, 1927

Who's who in australia

Obituaries in Bathurst National Advocate, 21 October, 1960 and Canberra Times, 24 October, 1960



Series List and Descriptions

Series 1 General correspondence, 1921-1959

The series contains letters, postcards and telegrams received by Marr, together with some copies of his replies. They are arranged chronologically, with undated letters placed last. Subject covered include support in the 1920s for the early transfer of Parliament to Canberra, the proposed erection of a memorial to Sir Henry Parkes at his birthplace in England in 1933-34, the liquidation of Intercity Airways Pty Ltd between 1946 and 1948, and Marr's activities in the Masonic Order in 1946-47. Items 1-44

Series 2 World War I, 1916-1959

The principal items in the series are five handwritten and typescript diaries kept by Captain Marr in Mesopotamia between May 1916 and February 1918. Other items include letters by Marr's children (August 1916) and letters about the War from H.R. Hopwood (1928) and Arthur Hayman (1959). There are also programs of a shipboard concert, 1918 and of the fourth reunion dinner of New Zealand Wireless Troop, Mesopotamia, 1959; invitations to opening of the Australian War Memorial, 1929, and to the 1955 reunion of the Pymble Branch of the Returned Services League; an undated article on religion in Persia by Lieutenant-Corporal J. Stuart; pamphlets, cuttings from newspapers and journals, and two books titled With horse and morse in Mesopotamia (Sydney, 1927) edited by Keast Burke and Australia chivalry (Melbourne, 1933) edited by J.L. Treloar. Items 1-29

Series 3 Electoral papers, 1929-1943

This series comprises papers on Marr's election campaigns for the Federal seat of Parkes, New South Wales, in 1929, 1931, 1934, 1937, and 1943. They include letters, telegrams, postcards, invitations, canvassing material and cuttings. Items 1-340

Series 4 Royal tours, 1927-1954

The series contains papers relating to the Australian tour of the Duke of Gloucester in 1934. Marr was responsible for the arrangements of the tour. It consists of press cuttings, programs and invitations, and also includes a few items on the 1927 and 1954 Royal Tours. A photograph of a procession from the 1934 tour is in Series 7. Items 1-22

Series 5 Papua New Guinea, 1932-1951

This small series contains papers relevant to Marr's interest in Papua New Guinea as Minister in charge of Territories between 1932-34 and his business interests in the area. The correspondents include Sir Hubert Murray and Thomas Griffiths. Other papers include a 1933 Cabinet submission on the control of foreign shipping to and from New Guinea, printed items including publicity material and the memorandum and articles of association of the Amalgamated Coffee Plantation (N.G.), Ltd; cuttings, mainly from 1933; issues of the Pacific Islands Monthly for 1934; and the program of the inauguration of the Legislative Council of Papua New Guinea, 1951. Items 1-38

Series 6 Miscellaneous printed material, c. 1937-1940s

The series includes a miniature facsimile copy of the Sydney Morning Herald, 2 January 1901; Claude Marquet's Cartoon's: a memorial volume (Sydney, 1920); a report on N.Z. Forest Products Ltd by D. Henry and S.A. Clarke (Typescript, 1940); an Australian Parliamentary Joint Committee Report on wireless broadcasting, 1940-42; and pamphlets and periodicals on political, social and statistical subjects dating between 1926 and 1953. Items 1-34

Series 7 Photographs, 1912-1940s

The earliest photographs are postcards of the Pennant Hills Wireless Station, 1912, the construction of which Marr supervised for the Post-Master General's Department. Others cover Marr's military activities during 1915 and 1918, including a group photograph of the First Australian Wireless Squadron at Bombay en route to Mesopotamia. Other photographs document Marr's political activities in the 1930s and 1940s, Norfolk Island in 1926, Canberra in 1926-27, the Lyons Government, the 1934 Royal Tour, World War II, and Marr's family. Items 1-54

Series 8 Miscellaneous papers, c. 1937-1940s

The series includes speech notes (mostly undated but some covering 1940-1944), invitations and programs for the visit of the United States Fleet to Australia in 1925, the New South Wales sesquicentennial celebrations of 1938, and various Masonic functions, maps, Christmas cards, cuttings, and a large petition dated 1937, from the British Israelite Movement. Items 1-149

Name Index to Correspondence

All letters in the collection have been name-indexed. The numbers before the solidus (/) refer to the series, while those following the soldus refer to the individual items. Underlining indicates authorship, non-underlining indicates receipt of a letter. Letters to Marr have been indexed only under the name of the author, and not that of Marr.

ADAMS, Herbert 1/65, 1/67, 1/68, 1/69
AITKEN, Mrs 1/21
ALGIER, A.H 3/94
ASHFORD, W.J. 3/124
BAGOT, E.D.A 3/47
BALKIND, Z. 3/44
BAMFORD, F.W. 3/13
BARTIER, H.J. 1/78-79
BAVIN, Sir Thomas R. 3/4
BAYLEY, J.G. 3/2, 3/88
BELL, Alexander J. 3/50
BERG, Elizabeth 3/19
BERNIE, J. 3/12A
BERNIE, M. 3/12A
BIRD, A. 1/16
BISHOP, A. 3/146
BLAKE, Adele 3/238
BOLGER, J.J. 3/105
BOUGH, J. 3/67
BOUGH, M. 3/67
BOWDEN, Clarice 3/278
BOYD, Sam 3/78
BRACK, James 3/130, 3/235
BRADNEY, M.A. 3/22
BRADNEY, M.A., Mrs 3/327-328
BRADY, Richard T 1/13
BRADY Family 3/237
BROWN, A. 3/144
BROWN, Richard H. 3/140
BRUCE, Stanley M., 1st Viscount 3/10
BRYDEN, ? 3/251
BUCKLAND, T. 1/22
BURCHALL, Reginald 1/144
BURDETT, Ann 3/165
BURRELL, Moreton 1/94
BURROWS, Joseph 3/162
BURT, Stewart 3/210
BUSSELL, H.L. 1/20
CAMERON, AuDrey P. 3/113
CAMERON, Dora 3/261
CAMERON, M.D. 3/73
CAMPBELL, George 3/154
CAMPBELL, William 1/97
CARDEW, J. Haydon 3/212
CARPENTER, W.R. 3/325-326
CARROLL, William 3/41
CARTER, Gordon H. 3/53, 3/115
CARTER, H 3/150
CASTLE, Alice 3/136
CATLEY, Alexander H., Capt. 3/102
CHEVY, F.A. 1/26
CHISHOLM, Roy 3/60
CLARK, Hannah 3/135
CLARK, Percy 3/135
COHEN, Arthur 3/315
COLDWELL-SMITH, C.E. 1/123
COMERFORD, K. 3/324
CONACHER, C.W.D. 3/224
COOK, Hartley 3/297
COOKE, T.E. 1/96, 3/335, 3/336
COOPER, Sir Walter J. 3/37
COPELAND, Frank 3/63
COUCHMAN, M. 3/52
COURTNEY, W. 1/15
COWIE, G. Rev. 1/112
CRAMP, H.R. 1/56-57, 1/59
CRAMSIE, J.W.B. 1/18
CROFT, William H., Rev. 3/229
CROSS, Mrs 1/144
CROSS, D. 1/117
CROUCH, F.G. 1/6
CULVER, E.W. 1/12
DALE, W. 3/284
DAVIDSON, Sir Alfred C. 1/85-87
DAVIES, J. E. 3/281
DAVIES, James 3/69
DAVIS, E. 3/40
DAVYS, H.J. 1/34-37
DAY, William 3/134
DE VILLE, Robert 3/314
DEANE, Percy E. 1/1, 1/2
DINGLE, S.S. 1/7
DINGWALL, James 3/82
DOHERTY, F. 3/128
DOUGALL, R.J.M. 3/228
DOUGLASS, W. 1/9
DrEW, Harold A. 1/96, 1/99, 1/100B
DUNCAN-HUGHES, John G. 3/79, 3/119
DURHAM, Martin 3/127
EATON, J. 3/274
EASTON, John W. 3/271
EBBS, A.R. 3/282
ELLEN, R.R 3/187
ENGLISH, Alice G. 3/304, 3/307
ENNEVER, R.G. 3/55
EVANS, F.F. 3/301
FADDEN, Sir Arthur 3/331
FARGIS, Olga 3/221
FARR, W., Col. 3/174
FELETTI, A.B. 3/330
FIELDING, F. 1/8
FISK, Sir Ernest 1/127
FITZGERALD, C.H. 3/172
FITZMAURICE, Charles 3/316
FITZPATRICK, George 1/3
FOGARTY, E.M. 3/101
FORBES, C. Gordon See Gordon-Forbes, C
FRANCIS, Grosvenor A. 3/302
FRANCIS, J. 3/17
FRANKFORD, Henry L.A. 1/142
FRASER, A.C. 3/21
FRASER, J.A. 3/266
FREW, AnDrew 1/109, 1/44
FRIEND, W. 1/24, 1/24A
FRY, A. 3/104
FULKER, F.R. 1/124
GABRIEL, Percy J. 1/106, 1/144
GALE, C.C. 1/60
GANDON, N.H.J. 1/76, 1/80-82, 1/83-84, 1/90-91, 1/92
GARDNER, Sydney 3/24
GEMELL, William 3/137
GIBSON, William G. 3/11, 3/31
GILLETT, George E. 3/188
GIESENER-WILDE, Helga 3/236
GLASGOW, Carl F.S. 3/9, 3/268
GLEESON, C.J.. 3/123
GLENCROSS, Eleanor, Mrs Patrick 3/252
GLIDDON, A.A. 3/298
GLOUCESTER, Henry William Duke 4/5
GORDON-FORBES, C. 3/152
GORDON-YOUNG, F.G. 1/129-130
GOSSET, R.W. 3/249
GRAHAM, M.I. 3/255
GRANT, A.C. 1/121, 1/126B
GRANTHAM, W. 3/133
GREEN, Arthur 1/38-50, 1/51, 1/52-54, 1/55
GREEN, Frank C. 1/82A
GRIEVE, Sir Herbert R.R. 1/56-57, 1/58, 1/59
GRIFFITHS, Thomas, Brig-General 5/1
GROVES, J. 3/301, 3/303
GUTHRIE, James 3/84
HAIR, James Manning See Manning-Hair, James
HALLORAN, Aubrey 1/5
HAMBLING, G. 3/250
HAMILTON, ? 1/119
HARRINGTON, M. 3/220
HARRINGTONS Ltd 1/27
HARRISON, B. 3/308
HARRISON, Sir Eric J. 1/61
HARTWELL, R.D. 3/171
HAWORTH, Walter 1/110, 1/144
HAY, Ralph H. 3/287
HAYES, Herbert 3/28
HAYMAN, Arthur H. 2/9
HEAD, Albert 1/62
HENDERSON, R.C. 1/25
HERFORD, R.G. 1/128
HICHIN, Alfred H. 3/216
HILL, W.C. 3/29
HOLLAND, A.E. 3/239
HOLT, Christine, Mrs 1/98, 1/100A, 3/334
HOPKINS, Benjamin 3/106
HOPWOOD, H.R. 2/8
HORTON, ? 3/45
HOWARD, W. Henry, Rev. 3/263
HOWELL, A.M., 3/180
HUGH, W.M. 3/186
HUGHES, John G. Duncan See Duncan Hughes, John G.
HUGHES, Laurence 3/139
HUGO, W.M. 3/217
HUNGERFORD, S. 3/18
HUNTER, David B. 3/279
HUNTER, Ena 3/12
HURRY, G. 3/51
IRISH, C.A. 3/262
IRWIN, George 3/320
JACK, H.R. 3/319
JACKA, E.A. 3/170
JACKSON, H.V. 3/141
JACOBSON, Ernest 3/16
JACOBSON, Mrs Ernest 3/16
JARDINE, S. 3/248
JENKINS, W.C. 3/111
JOHNS, F. 3/283
JONES, C., Mrs 3/167
JONES, C. 3/122
JONES, E.W. Ernest 3/213
JOWETT, E. 3/258
KELY, E.M. 3/1
KENNARD, Marie, Mrs 3/146
KIMBLE, O.L. 1/103-104, 1/125, 1/43
KINGSMILL, Sir Walter 3/112, 3/159
KNIBBS, L. 1/115, 1/144
LADYSMITH, R. Campbell 3/93
LAND, Walter 3/97
LANDSDOWN, Edgar 3/288
LATHAM, Sir John G. 3/74, 3/142-143
LAURENCE, Ernest A. 3/265
LAWSON, S.L.R. 1/131-132
LAWSON, W.J. 3/332-333
LAYTON, W.G. 1/58
LAZARUS, Samuel 3/293
LEE, John R. 3/178
LESTER Family 3/237
LEVY, Daniel 3/153
LINDEN, Eric 3/70
LINDSAY, D. 3/211
LINTON, Richard 3/42
LOGAN, John R. 3/65
LOVE, Sir Clifton 3/120
LOVE, Muriel C. 3/161
LOVE, Percy 3/95
LOVEJOY, H.R. 3/289
LYNCH, Patrick J. 3/98
McBEATH, Sir William 3/49
McCOY, C.J., Rev. 3/182
MACDONALD, Allan N. 3/276
McDONALD, D. 3/34
McDONALD, F.D. 1/30
McDOWELL, Benjamin 3/57
MACEDON, George K. 3/39
MACFARLANE, W.M. 3/189
McGLINN, John P., Brig General 3/72
MACKAY, George H. 3/80
MACKAY, J.E. 3/129
MACKEL, J. 3/116
MACKENZIE, H.M. 3/232
McLACHLAN, Alexander J. 1/34-37, 3/7, 3/87
McLEAN, J.K. 1/137-1/38
McLEOD, A.D. 3/267
McMILLAN, A.R. 1/63
McMULLIN, Alister M. (later Sir Alister) 1/136A
MANNING, Florence 3/254
MANNING-HAIR, James 3/256, 3/305
MANTON, ? 3/90
MARKS, E.S. 3/64
Marks, Walter M. 3/234
MARR, C.G. 1/64A
MARR, Sir Charles W.C. 1/51, 1/55, 1/67, 1/69, 1/85-87, 1/92, 1/100A-100B, 1/102, 1/114, 1/126A-126B, 1/136B, 1/143, 3/303, 3/336, 5/12-18, 5/19-20
MARR, Colin C. 2/6
MARR, James C. 3/77
MARR, Marion J., Mrs J.F. 3/295
MARTIN, L.O. 3/26
MASTERMAN, A. 3/59
MAUGHAN, Sir David 3/272
MAY, F. 3/323
MAYGER, Neil 3/1A
MEEKS, Jack 3/81
MELICK, Stanton 1/19
MENZIES, Robert G. (later Sir Robert) 3/329
MERRY, F. 3/294
MESSENGER, P.A. 3/147
MICK SIMMONS Ltd 1/23
MILES, Percy 3/48
MILLER, Dr 3/66
MILLER, L.M. 3/183
MILLER, L.V. 3/125-126
MILLER, W.A. 3/158
MITCHELL, J. 3/306
MONRO, ? 3/43
MOORE, Edith Harrison 3/76
MORETON, Helen 3/99
MORGAN, Godfrey 3/36
MORLEY, W., Rev. 3/292
MORONEY, T. 3/313
MORRISON, Constance E. 3/247
MOSS, Sydney 3/157
MOULTON, A.V. 3/131
MULLER, E. 5/4-11
MUNRO, Edward J., Lt. Col. 3/176
MURDOCH, H.B. 3/181
MURPHY, J. 3/27
MURRAY, Sir J. Hubert 5/2-3
NAIRN, W.M. 3/85
NAPIER, Ralph 1/108
NATHANIEL, T.P. 1/135
NESBITT, R.H. 1/64
NETTHEIM, L. Ray 3/114
NEWSOME, J. 3/107
NICHOLAS, Alfred 3/68
NICHOLAS, George 3/68
NICHOLSON, George C. 3/215
NOTT, Lewis, W., Dr 3/15
NUTT, Roy 3/61-62
O'ODONELL, J.K. 3/5
OGDEN, William G. 3/108-110
OLIVER, David O. 3/257
OWEN, B.E., Mrs 3/286
PAGE, M. 3/177
PAGE, William B. 3/243
PARKER, Gilbert 3/33
PARKER, R.J. 3/291
PARKER, Ralph, Dr 1/95
PARSONS, W. Langdon 3/121
PATERSON, T. 3/75
PAYNE, Ernest 3/173
PAYNE, Herbert J.M. 3/30
PEARCE, Henry W. 1/32, 1/33, 3/83
PEARCE, L.A.W. 1/4
PEARSON, Rhoda G. 3/285
PENNINGTON, J. 3/25
PERKINS, John A. 1/133
PHILLIPS, F.G. 3/321
PLOMLEY, M.J. Dr 1/100
PLUMMER, Helen M. 3/317
POTTS, Phillip 3/6, 3/58
POWLEY, ? 3/92
PRICE, Beryl, Mrs J.A. 2/7
PROWSE, John 3/46
PUDDICOMBE, R.S. 1/122, 1/126A
PURDY, George 3/245
PURDY, J. 3/241
PURSER, Cecil 3/222
QUARRELL, F.V. 3/290
QUINLAN, F.J. 3/244
RADCLIFFE, John 3/132
READ, S. 3/18
REED, FreDrick 3/312
REID, Matthew 3/71
RILEY, Thomas W.F. 1/111, 1/144
ROBBINS, E.D. 1/105
ROBINSON, F.C. 3/226-227
ROBSON, W.M., Rev. 3/168
ROOK, A.E. 3/300
ROSEBY, Thomas J. 3/155
ROSENTHAL, Sir Charles 3/233
ROSENTHAL, Raphael, Mrs 3/175
ROSS, Lindsay 3/184-185
RUSSELL, Edward 3/260
RUSSELL, F.A. Allison 3/309
RYE, F. 1/107, 1/144
RYLE, Norman C. 3/253
SAMPSON, Burford, Lieut-Col 3/273
SANDS, R.S., Col 3/310-311
SCHWINGHAMMER, G.F. 3/166
SCOTT, G. McLaren, Rev. 1/101, 1/102
SCOTT, Joyce 3/160
SELF, A.V. 3/91
SELF, Muriel E., Mrs Percy N. 2/5
SEYMOUR, C. 3/100
SHAW, H.G. 1/89
SHERWOOD, H.A., Mrs 3/148-149
SHIMMELS, A. 3/164
SIMPSON, H. 3/218
SINCLAIR, F.C. 3/242
SLOMAN, Ethel 3/225
SMITH, C.E. Coldwell See Coldwell-Smith, C.E.
SOMERVILLE, M., Mrs 1/30
SOMMERLAD, E.C. 3/179
SOMMERVILLE, A.F. 3/219
SOUTAR, ? 3/56
SOUTH, W.H. 3/301
STRAUGHEN, F.F. 1/126
STUART, J. 2/9-14
STUB, David 3/223
STUPART, Alice M. 3/277
SWALES, H. 3/264
SWANSEA, George 3/54
SYMONDS, J. 1/17
TEUDT, F. 1/116, 1/144
THOMAS, Charles C. 3/156
THOMPSON, V.C. 3/23
THOMPSON, W.G. 3/240
TOWNSEND, Samuel 3/89
TRACEY, A.J.A. 3/322
TREMLETT, Charles H. 3/103
VARDY, John E. 3/163
VERCOE, Edward 3/296
VILLE, Robert De See De Ville, Robert
VINNICOMBE, F.A. 3/259
W.H. PALING and Co Ltd 1/11
WALDER, S. 1/14
WALKER, J.T. 1/10
WARDEN, J. 1/120
WARRICK, W.M. 3/96
WARRICK, W.M. 3/96
WATTS, N. 3/214
WELLS, C.V.T. 3/269-270
WHAISON, Isabella, Mrs 3/209
WILDE, Charles R. 3/236
WILDE, Helga Gisener See Gisener-Wilde, Helga
WILLIAMS, F. 3/318
WILLINGTON, W.B. 1/28
WILSON, J.H. 3/275
WOOD, Percy M., Dr 3/8
WORSLEY, W.O. 3/246
WRIGHT, Daisy D. 3/169
WUNDERLICH, Norman 1/113, 1/114
YOUNG, E.J. 3/231
YOUNG, F.G. Gordon See Gordon-Young, F.G.
ZIMMERN, Elsie 1/31
UNIDENTIFIED 1/143A, 3/117-118, 3/138, 3/1510