MS 4849
Papers of Sir Lloyd Dumas (1891-1973)



Scope and Content Note

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.

Biographical Note

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 List

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

Collection Description

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 list

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