MS 4849
Papers of Sir Lloyd Dumas (1891-1973)
Papers 1929 - 1971
2.24 m (16 boxes)
Available for reference
The papers were donated to the Library in September 1974 by Sir Lloyd's
daughter, Mrs H. de Pledge Sykes.
The first series comprises an extensive correspondence with Sir Keith
Murdoch, beginning in 1929 and continuing until Murdoch's death in 1952.
The second series contains Sir Lloyd's political correspondence files,
1929 - 1948. Correspondents include Federal and State Ministers and
politicians, prominent public figures, academics and members of the
public. The third series consists of correspondence and records relating
to the issue of the freedom of the press, an issue in which Sir Lloyd took
a prominent role. The last series is a collection of photographs.
Related material is held in the papers of Sir Keith Murdoch, MS 2823,
particularly Series 1 folder 13 & Series 3 folder 11.
Sir Lloyd Dumas was born in 1891, the son of C.M.R. Dumas who founded
the Mt. Barker Courier. His journalistic career began as a cadet
reporter on the Adelaide Advertiser followed by further experience
on the Melbourne Argus, where he was appointed chief of staff in
1921. His next appoinment was as editor of the Sun News-Pictorial
in Melbourne in 1924-27. In 1927 he moved to London as manager and editor
of the Australian Newspapers Cable Service, returning to Australia in 1929
to take up the positions of managing editor of the Adelaide Advertiser
and a director of Advertiser Newspapers Limited.
Dumas' association with the Advertiser continued for the rest of
his career. He subsequently became Managing Director in 1938 and continued
in that role until 1961 and was Chairman of the Advertiser
Newspapers Limited in 1942-67. He was also a director of many other
organisations, such as Australian Newsprint Mills Ltd. (1938-67),
Australian director of Reuters (1950-53) and Chairman of Australian
Associated Press (1949-51).
Dumas married Daisy Minna Hall in 1915. In 1969 he published his
autobiography, entitled The story of a full life. Dumas died in
1973.
| Series |
Title |
| 1 |
Correspondence with Sir Keith Murdoch, 1929 - 53 |
| 2 |
Correspondence on political subjects, 1929 - 48 |
| 3 |
Freedom of the press: correspondence and reports, 1941 - 71 |
| 4 |
Photographs and related material |
Series 1: Correspondence with Sir Keith Murdoch, 1929 - 53
This series consists of the correspondence between Lloyd Dumas and Keith
Murdoch which began when Dumas took up the position of Managing Editor
with The Advertiser in 1929 and continued until Murdoch's death in
1952.
In 1929 The Advertiser was acquired by a syndicate, led by Sir
Keith Murdoch, Theodore Fink, W.L. Baillieu and the Melbourne Herald,
from Sir Langdon Bonython. Murdoch then invited Dumas to return from
London to take charge of the paper. Dumas' first letter to Murdoch is
dated 6 August 1929 and concludes, "I shall write you two or three
times a week to keep you well posted on everything that is done. I hope
the details will not bore you."
The correspondence covers many subjects. All aspects of the management
of The Advertiser are discussed, including editorial changes,
costings and sales figures, staffing issues, share prices, the purchasing
of paper. Less frequently they discuss broader political and economic
issues such as the impact of the depression and unemployment (29 December
1929, 8 February 1932) and the possibility of war in Europe (19 October
1938).
The correspondence was originally arranged in files covering one to
three years and labelled 'Murdoch, K.A.' or 'Murdoch, Sir Keith'.
| Folder |
|
| 1 |
Correspondence, August - December 1929 |
| 2-6 |
Correspondence, 1930 |
| 7-10 |
Correspondence, January 1931 - January 1932 |
| 11-14 |
Correspondence, February 1932 - December 1932 |
| 15-17 |
Correspondence, 1933 |
| 18-20 |
Correspondence, January 1934 - January 1935 |
| 21 |
Correspondence regarding shares, September 1933 - August 1934 |
| 22-23 |
Correspondence, December 1934 - December 1935 |
| 24-25 |
Correspondence, 1936 |
| 26-28 |
Correspondence, 1937 |
| 29-31 |
Correspondence, December 1937 - December 1938 |
| 32-34 |
Correspondence, 1939 |
| 35-36 |
Correspondence, 1940 |
| 37-38 |
Correspondence, 1941 |
| 39-41 |
Correspondence, 1942 |
| 42-44 |
Correspondence, 1943 |
| 45-46 |
Correspondence, 1944 |
| 47 |
Correspondence, 1945 |
| 48 |
Correspondence, 1946 |
| 49-50 |
Correspondence, 1947 |
| 51-52 |
Correspondence, 1948 |
| 53-54 |
Correspondence, 1949 |
| 55 |
Correspondence, 1950 |
| 56 |
Correspondence, 1951 |
| 57 |
Correspondence, 1952 |
| 58 |
Correspondence concerning Sir Keith Murdoch 1952-53, including
copies of a eulogy about him; miscellaneous letters 1940, 1950. |
Series 2: Correspondence on political subjects, 1929 - 48
This series of files, begun by Dumas in September 1929 and continued
until 1948, contains correspondence with Federal and State politicians as
well as other public figures, academics and members of the general public.
The correspondence was originally arranged in files labelled
'Political', each file covering one or more years. See Appendix 1
for a list of the principal correspondents.
| Folder |
|
| 59 |
Political correspondence 1929-30 (September 1929 - December 1930) |
| 60-61 |
Political correspondence 1931 |
| 62 |
Political correspondence 1932 (October 1931 - November 1932) |
| 63 |
Political correspondence 1933 |
| 64 |
Political correspondence 1934 |
| 65 |
Political correspondence 1935-37 |
| 66 |
Political correspondence 1938-39 |
| 67 |
Political correspondence 1940-41 |
| 68 |
Political correspondence 1942-43 |
| 69 |
Political correspondence 1944-48 |
| 70 |
Political correspondence: miscellaneous papers 1936-44 (loose
papers at the end of previous file) |
| 71 |
Political correspondence: miscellaneous papers 1942-48 (loose
papers at the end of previous file) |
Series 3: Freedom of the press: correspondence and reports,
1941 - 71
Most of the material in this series relates to the Freedom of
Information Convention which the United Nations decided to establish, to
promote the exchange of information between countries. It was to begin
with a conference in Geneva in 1948, to consider a draft convention. Dumas
was concerned that, if Australia were to sign it, a large part of the
power over the Australian Press would be transferred to the Federal
Government. In his opinion, the Convention could have had the effect of
prohibiting publication of material critical of foreign governments or,
alternatively, of ensuring foreign governments equal right of reply to any
article which offended them.
As a consequence, Dumas became very active in opposition to the draft
Convention. He liaised with members of the Commonwealth Press Union, the
American Society of Editors and the International Press Institute and was
ultimately instrumental in the abandonment of the Convention.
| Folder |
|
| 72 |
Copy of the report, 'Recommendations for a newpaper publishers'
co-operative campaign', J. Walter Thompson Aust. Pty. Ltd., 2 July 1941 |
| 73 |
Correspondence, July-December 1941, mostly related to the
advertisements for the newpaper publishers' campaign on the importance
of a free press to Australian society |
| 74 |
Correspondence, 1942 relating to a contest, 'What freedom of the
press means to me'; and other projects of the newpaper publishers'
campaign. Papers include some radio broadcasts by R.G. Menzies entitled
'The four freedoms' |
| 75 |
Correspondence, newpaper clippings 1942-47 |
| 76 |
Royal Commission on the Press (U.K.): memoranda of evidence
3, 1947 |
| 77 |
Articles and newpaper clippings, 1947 |
| 78 |
Correspondence, 1948 including Royal Commission on the Press
(U.K.): minutes of evidence 8 January 1948; and Final Act of the
United Nations conference on freedom of information, April 1948 |
| 79 |
Papers from the United Nations conference on freedom of
information, April 1948 |
| 80-81 |
Correspondence and newpaper clippings, 1948, and copies of the Final
Act of the United Nations conference on freedom of information,
April 1948 |
| 82 |
Correspondence, November-December 1948 and resolutions of the
United Nations conference on freedom of information, 1948 |
| 83 |
Correspondence, November 1948 - March 1949 |
| 84 |
Correspondence, December 1948 - January 1949 including the draft of
relevant legislation from Germany |
| 85 |
Correspondence, January - April 1949 including correspondence
during Dumas' visit to London |
| 86 |
Correspondence, May - July 1949 (with correspondence from December
1948 - February 1949) |
| 87 |
Correspondence, July - August 1949 |
| 88 |
Correspondence, August - October 1949 |
| 89 |
Correspondence, November - December 1949 |
| 90 |
Correspondence, January - February 1950 including the Report of
the fifth session of the commission on human rights, supplement no.10,
Economic and Social Council, United Nations |
| 91 |
Correspondence, March - May 1950, including newspaper clippings and
further United Nations material |
| 92 |
Correspondence, June - December 1950, including reports from the
United Nations committee on the draft convention on freedom of
information |
| 93 |
Correspondence, November 1950 - April 1951, including articles and
newpaper clippings |
| 94 |
Correspondence, February - May 1951, including reports from the
United Nations committee on the draft convention on freedom of
information |
| 95 |
Correspondence, April - October 1951, including letter from R.G.
Casey, 4 July 1951, and a report from the United Nations committee on
the draft convention on freedom of information |
| 96 |
Correspondence, September 1951 - January 1953, including newspaper
clippings and further United Nations material |
| 97 |
Correspondence, March 1953, including material from the
International Federation of Free Journalists and a report on the
situation of the press in Central and Eastern Europe, February 1952 |
| 98 |
Correspondence, June 1953 - February 1954, including further United
Nations reports on freedom of information |
| 99 |
Correspondence, articles and newspaper clippings, April 1954 -
March 1957 |
| 100 |
Correspondence and reports, June - December 1959 concerning the
revival of the freedom of information convention |
| 101 |
Correspondence, articles and newspaper clippings, February -
September 1960 |
| 102 |
Correspondence and newspaper clippings, May - December 1960,
including further United Nations material |
| 103 |
Correspondence and articles, January - June 1961, including a copy
of a lecture given by Dumas on 'The free press?', 6 June 1961 |
| 104 |
Correspondence and articles, January - August 1962; January 1963 |
| 105 |
Correspondence and articles, March 1964 - March 1965 |
| 106 |
Correspondence, April - June 1965 |
| 107 |
Correspondence and articles, 1948-49 and undated |
| 108 |
Correspondence, articles and minutes, 1939-68, including extracts
from the minutes of the Commonwealth Press Union Council, February 1949 |
| 109 |
Correspondence, articles and reports, 1948-71 |
Series 4: Photographs and related material
This series contains photographs of Sir Lloyd and Lady Dumas and the
staff of The Advertiser, from 1943 to the 1960s. Some of the
earliest photographs relate to a visit to Britain and New York in 1943, in
which Dumas was accompanied by Hugh McClure Smith, editor of The
Sydney Morning Herald and Eric Kennedy, editor of The Sydney Sun.
Other photographs record the centenary of The Advertiser in 1958.
The last folder, labelled 'Botanic Park', contains photographs, memoranda
and notes (c.1932-33) discussing current elections and reporting speeches
by F.F. Ward at the Botanic Park.
Folders 110-113
Appendix 1
Series 2: List of principal correspondents
(The years correspond to the political correspondence files in Series 2,
folders 59-71 and indicate the location of one or more letters between
Dumas and that correspondent).
| Badman, A.O. |
1938-39 |
| Bardolph, K. |
1944-48 |
| Bonython, Sir J. Langdon |
1942-43 |
| Bruce, S.M. |
1932 |
| Bruce, Sir Wallace |
1931 |
| Butler, R.L. |
1929-30; 1931; 1932 |
| Cameron, A.G. |
1931; 1932; 1933; 1938-39; 1940-41; 1942-43; misc. 1942-48 |
| Casey, R.G. |
1932; 1935-37; 1938-39 |
| Chapman, J.H., Senator |
1929-30 |
| Chifley, J.B. |
1942-43; 1944-48 |
| Cockburn, Stewart misc. |
1942-48 |
| Coffey, Gerald D. |
1940-41 |
| Copland, D.B., Professor |
1929-30; 1931 |
| Copley, H.J., Colonel |
1940-41 |
| Crawford, Sidney |
1942-43 |
| Cudmore, Collier R. |
1935-37; 1938-39; 1940-41 |
| Curtin, John |
1942-43 |
| Daly, J.J. |
1935-37 |
| Dinnis, Fred C. |
1944-48 |
| Douglas, R.I. |
1935-37 |
| Duguid, Charles, Dr. |
1944-48 |
| Duncan, Walter |
1934 |
| Dunk, A.S. |
1935-37; 1938-39; 1944-48 |
| Edwards, T.T. |
1933 |
| Elliott, R.D., Senator |
1931 |
| Evatt, H.V., Dr. |
1942-43 |
| Fadden, A.W. |
1940-41 |
| Finger, Alan H. |
1944-48 |
| Giblin, L.F., Professor |
1929-30; 1931 |
| Gordon, Sir David |
1931 |
| Grenfell Price, A. |
1931; 1940-41; 1942-43 |
| Haigh, G.D. |
1934 |
| Hamilton, W.A. |
1933 |
| Hancock, W.K., Professor |
1931 |
| Hawker, Charles |
1931 |
| Hawker, E.W. |
1934 |
| Hill, L.L. |
1929-30; 1931; 1932 |
| Homburg, R. |
1934 |
| Jenkins, R.G. |
1931 |
| Kinnear, Arthur |
1934 |
| Knox, Sir Robert |
1934 |
| Kneebone, H., Senator |
1931 |
| Lacey, A.W. |
1934 |
| Latham, J.G. |
1929-30; 1931; 1934 |
| Lynch, P.J. |
1933 |
| Lyons, J.A. |
1931; 1932; 1933; 1934; 1935-37; misc. 1936-44 |
| McBride, P.A., Senator |
1938-39 |
| McKenna, F.J. |
1934; 1940-41 |
| McLeay, George, Senator |
1938-39; 1940-41; 1944-48 |
| Makin, Norman |
1929-30; 1932; 1933 |
| Malloch, P. |
1935-37 |
| Melville, L.G., Professor |
1929-30; 1931 |
| Menzies, R.G. |
1935-37; 1938-39; 1940-41 |
| Mierisch, W.J. |
1938-39 |
| Mitchell, Sir James |
1931 |
| Murdoch, Sir Keith |
1934; 1935-37; 1940-41; misc. 1942-48 |
| Murphy, J.F. |
1938-39 |
| Nicholls, R.D. |
1932 |
| Nicholls, T.M., Senator |
1944-48 |
| Nieass, Frank K. |
1942-43; misc. 1942-48 |
| Playford, T. |
1938-39; 1944-48 |
| Peterson, H.A. |
1935-37 |
| Price, J.L. |
1931; 1933 |
| Price Weir, S., Brigadier-General |
1932 |
| Read, A.L. |
1932; 1940-41 |
| Reick, Frank W.C. |
1944-48 |
| Reid, Roy S. |
1944-48 |
| Richards, R.S. |
1935-37; 1940-41; 1942-43; misc. 1936-44 |
| Rodgers, D.K. |
1944-48; misc. 1942-48 |
| Russell, Edgar H. |
1944-48 |
| Rymill, A.C. |
1944-48 |
| Schumacher, B.E. |
misc. 1942-48 |
| Scullin, J.H. |
1931 |
| Sheddon, F.B. |
1938-39 |
| Sincock, J. |
1935-37 |
| Solomon, L. |
misc. 1942-48 |
| Spender, P.C. |
1940-41; 1944-48 |
| Stacey, F.H. |
1932 |
| Stephens, L.W. |
misc. 1942-48 |
| Stirling, Sir J. Lancelot |
1932 |
| Street, G.A. |
1938-39 |
| Sutton, A.F. |
1933 |
| Symons, R.A. |
1940-41 |
| Taylor, Norman |
1932 |
| Toohey, J.P. |
1944-48 |
| Vaughan, Crawford |
1931 |
| Ward, F.F. |
1931; 1933; 1934; 1935-37; 1938-39; 1940-41; 1944-48 |
| Wright, A.W.G. |
1942-43 |
| Yates, G.E. |
1931 |
| Box |
Series |
Folders |
| 1 |
1 |
1-6 |
| 2 |
|
7-13 |
| 3 |
|
14-21 |
| 4 |
|
22-28 |
| 5 |
|
29-35 |
| 6 |
|
36-42 |
| 7 |
|
43-49 |
| 8 |
|
50-56 |
| 9 |
|
57-58 |
| 9 |
2 |
59-63 |
| 10 |
|
64-70 |
| 11 |
|
71 |
| 11 |
3 |
72-77 |
| 12 |
|
78-84 |
| 13 |
|
85-91 |
| 14 |
|
92-98 |
| 15 |
|
99-106 |
| 16 |
|
107-9 |
| 16 |
4 |
110-113 |
|