MS 7842
Papers of Sir George Reid (1845-1918)



Scope and Content Note

Papers

1855-1989

1.16 metres (4 boxes and 2 folio boxes)

Available for reference

The initial instalment of this collection was donated by Mrs Anne Fairbairn, grand-daughter of Sir George Reid, under the Taxation Incentive for the Arts Scheme in October 1989, with additional donations being made in November 1991, July 1996 and April 1998.

The first two instalments of material were relatively small and were consequently listed at item level in some detail. However, due to the size and diverse contents of the larger 1996 and 1998 additions, it was impossible to continue this level of description. As a consequence, the 1996 and 1998 additions have been arranged into groups such as pre-1880 material, Australian politics, Australian High Commissioner, and retirement. The headings reflect the main aspects of Sir George Reid’s life and work and accommodate material in the collection pertaining to the wider Reid Family and Dame Flora Reid’s own awards and public engagements. The numbering of folders has been continued from the earlier part of the collection.


Related Material

In addition to the Reid Papers the Library holds a video and other manuscript collections (including microfilm copies) which contain letters or other materials relating to Reid. These are described in Special collections relating to Sir George Reid in the National Library of Australia


Biographical Note

Sir George Houston Reid was born in Scotland on the 25th of February 1845, the fifth son of the Reverend John Reid and Marion Crybbace. The family emigrated to Australia in 1852. Reid’s first public position was as an official of the New South Wales Treasury, during which time he studied part time for the Bar to which he was appointed in 1879. Reid was a member of the New South Wales Parliament for twenty years, succeeding Sir Henry Parkes as leader of the Free Trade Party in 1891. From 1894 to 1899 he was Premier and Treasurer of New South Wales, during which time he took part in the 1897-98 Australasian National Convention and the drafting of the Commonwealth Constitution. Reid was a member of the first Federal Parliament and Prime Minister of Australia in 1904-5. In 1909 he was appointed the first Australian High Commissioner in London, a post he held until he retired in 1916. During his retirement he stayed active in politics, standing for and winning the House of Commons seat of St George, Hanover Square.

In 1909 Reid was made a Knight Commander of St Michael and St George in recognition of his work in Australian politics. In 1911 he was promoted to Grand Cross of the same Order and in 1916 was accorded the rare honour of appointment as Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath without having held any lower rank in the order.

In 1891 he married Flora Anne Brumby and they had three children, Thelma, Douglas and Clive. Flora was a public figure in her own right and in 1917 was awarded a Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her work with Australian servicemen in London during World War I.

A large man with a walrus moustache, Reid was always a popular subject for cartoonists. He was also an entertaining and witty speaker and was a sought after speaker for official functions, a role which is well represented by the number of printed speeches and menus in the collection. A busy public figure even in retirement, Reid died of a major stroke on the 12th of September 1918.

Reference

McMinn, W.G. George Reid , Melbourne, Melbourne University Press, 1989.

Fred Johns’s Annual for 1913, Adelaide, 1913.


First Instalment received October 1989

Folder 1

Item 1 W. McMillan to Reid, 18 January 1889 (telegram)
2 Sir Edmund Barton to Reid, 22 March 1895
3 Sir Saul Samuel to Reid, March 1896
4 Memorandum from the Prime Minister to the Governor-General requesting a dissolution of the House of Representatives, Melbourne, 3 July 1905
5 Menu of Sydney Chamber of Commerce Dinner given in honour of Sir George Reid, 19 November 1913
6 Cheque for £100,000 from the Australian Government payable to the Prime Minister of Britain for the Belgian Relief Fund, 29 October 1914 (signed by Reid and H.H. Asquith)
7-8 Sir Edmund Barton to Reid, 7 January 1916
9-10 David Lloyd George to Reid, 11 December 1916 (circular)
11 David Lloyd George to Reid, 6 July 1917
12-14 Cassell & Company Ltd. Royalty statements for Reid's book My reminiscences, 31 December 1917 and 31 December 1918
15 Copy of a resolution of the Committee of St George's Hanover Square Conservative Association acknowledging Reid's withdrawal from the General Election, 5 June 1918
16 Last Will and Testament of Reid, 8 January 1918
17-32 Letters of regret concerning farewell dinner given by the High Commissioner, December 1915

Addition November 1991

Letters to Sir George Reid

Folder 2

Item 1

Acceptance as Honorary Member of the Cobden Club, 20 February 1876

Item 2

Joseph Chamberlain, Colonial Office, 15 June 1897

Item 3

Edward Poynten, 29 April 1910

Item 4

Arthur Balfour, 24 June 1910

Item 5

H.H. Asquith, 6 July 1910

Item 6

Lady Brassey, 11 April 1910

Item 7

Lord Carrington, 22 September 1911

Item 8

Sir Samuel Way, Adelaide, 22 May 1912

Item 9-10

Lord Stamfordham, 26 February 1913

Item 11-12

Sir Samuel Way, Adelaide, 6 March 1913

Item 13

Louis Harcourt, 24 July 1913 (telegram)

Item 14

Prince Alexander of Teck, 18 July 1913

Item 15

Hall Caine, 31 October 1914

Item 16

Floyd B. Nielson, 21 May 1914

Item 17

Lord Roberts, 27 August 1914

Item 18

Lord Roberts, 29 August 1914

Item 19

Lord Tennyson, 25 February 1915

Item 20

R. M. Richard, Sydney, 19 November 1915

Item 21

Lord Stamfordham, 20 December 1915

Item 22

Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson, Melbourne, 20 December 1915

Item 23

Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson, Melbourne, 22 December 1915

Item 24

Sir Samuel Way, Adelaide, 16 December 1915

Item 25

Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson, Melbourne, 29 December 1915

Item 26

Lord Fisher, 12 January 1916

Item 27-28

General Birdwood, Dardanelles, 13 January 1916

Item 29

George Dewar, London, 19 January 1916

Item 30

Lady Helen Munro-Ferguson, Melbourne, 26 January 1916

Item 31-32

Sir Edward Hutton, 15 February 1916

Item 33

Walter H. Page, 24 June 1916

Item 34

Lord Stamfordham, 16 February 1917

Item 35

Sir Alan Anderson, 8 August 1917

Item 36

T. Griffiths, 15 September 1917

Item 37-38

Dinner menu and guest list signed by Lord Blyth, 8 October 1917

Item 39

Arthur Balfour, 6 October 1917

Item 40

Lord Stamfordham, 24 September 1917

Item 41

Breed, Abbott & Morgan, New York, 1 November 1917

Item 42

Sir George Sydenham Clark, 7 April 1918

Item 43

Walter Long, 16 May 1918

Item 44

George L. Houstoun, Cyprus, 11 June 1918

Item 45

E. W. Wallington, 10 September 1918

Item 46

Walter Long, 6 June 1918

Item 47

Margot Asquith, [n.d.]

Letters from Sir George Reid

Folder 3

Item 1

Lady Warwick, 25 June [19 ?]

Item 2

Lady Warwick, 29 June [19 ?]

Family letters

Folder 4

Item 1

Clive Reid, to parents, 24 February 1911

Item 2

Douglas Reid, to parents, [ n.d.]

Item 3

Clive Reid to parents, 24 May [n.d.]

Item 4

Clive Reid to parents, 1 July [n.d.]

Item 5

Clive Reid to mother, 16 July [n.d.]

Item 6

George Reid to Clive, 13 September 1915

Item 7-8

Douglas Reid to father, 18 June 1917

Item 9-10

Douglas Reid to Clive, 29 May 1917

Item 11

Douglas Reid to mother, 2 May 1917

Letters to Lady Reid

Folder 5

Item 1

T. Griffiths, 14 September 1918

Item 2-3

A.V. Jayne, 15 September 1918

Item 4

Leslie Charlick, 19 September 1918

Copies of letters and miscellaneous papers

Folder 6

Item 1

Prince Alexander of Teck to Reid, July 1911 (telegram)

Item 2

T. McClintock Bunbury from Murray N. O'Brien, 8 June [19 ?]

Item 3

Invitation to the memorial service for King Edward VII, 20 May 1910

Item 4-5

Sir George Reid to the Chairman of the Committee, St George's Conservative Association, 1918 (draft unsigned)

Item 6-12

Copy of a letter from General Sir William Birdwood, Dardanelles, 20 December 1915, to Lord Kitchener (7 foolscap pp, typed and initialled in pencil), reporting Anzac evacuation of the Dardanelles.

Item 12

Australian Banquet, London, index of seating, 10 March 1910

Item 13

Royal Academy of Arts. Dinner table plan, 30 April 1910

Item 14

Invitation from John Brown Co. Ltd, to the launch of HMAS Australia, 25 October 1911

Item 15

Souvenir menu, British Press Luncheon, 8 September 1913

Item 16-60

File of copy correspondence relating to dinner given by Lord Blyth in honour of Reid before his departure for America, October 1917 (38 letters) and 4 pages of thanks for ‘St Louis’ letter, January 1918

Item 61

Passport, 1915

Item 62

Portrait photograph inscribed ‘My darling wife your ever devoted George’, New York, 15 March 1918

Item 63

Photograph of Reid by R. Boake of Sydney

Objects

1

Fob Watch, Zenith 1/2 Hunter, inscribed on back J.A.F., John Arbuthnot Fisher, Baron Fisher of Kilberstone (1841-1920), (aide to Queen Victoria, 1st Sea Lord), also inside inscribed "till Hell freezes", G.H.R. & J.A.F.


Addition July 1996

Australian Politics, 1880 – November 1909

Folder 7:

The papers include a letter to Reid from Fannie Speer (22 August 1888), menu and seating plan for banquet given in 1897 by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales to the Premiers of the Colonies, and minute from Government House, Sydney, concerning the dissolution of the NSW State Parliament (11September 1899). [9 items]

Australian High Commissioner, London, December 1909 – December 1915

Folder 8:

The papers include a letter to Reid from Theodore Roosevelt (25 May 1910), an invitation to the Coronation of King George V and Queen Mary, letters and telegrams regarding an motor vehicle accident involving Reid and his children in 1911, and a letter to Reid from the Colonial Office on the occasion of his retirement from the position of Australian High Commissioner in January 1916. [25 items]

‘Retirement’, January 1916 – September 1918.

Folder 9:

Letters relating to Reid’s investiture in 1917 as a member of the Order of the British Empire and as a Knight Grand Cross (Civil Division) of the Order of the Bath. [7 items]

Folders 10-11:

Papers relating to the illness and death of Sir George Reid on 12 September 1918. They mainly comprise letters and telegrams of condolence received by Dame Flora but there are also drafts of her replies, a copy of the funeral service and copies of the in memoriam resolutions passed in the NSW and Federal Parliaments. The letters of condolence include letters from Queen Alexandra, Arthur Balfour, Lloyd George, Lord Tennyson, Andrew Fisher (the High Commissioner in London), Sir Ronald Munro Ferguson (the Australian Governor General), William Morris Hughes, and Ada Holman. [Folder 10: 91 items, Folder 11: 25 items]

Letters Patent or similar documents relating to Reid’s appointments, 1883 –1910

Folio 1:

16 letters patent or similar documents relating to Reid’s official appointments or to honours bestowed on him, 1883-1910.

Family Papers

Folder 12:

Family photographs, including two undated photographs of Sir George Reid, photographs of his children, Thelma and Douglas, dating from 1930s and 1940s, and two photographs of his grand daughter Anne Reid. [12 items]

Folder 13:

Papers relating to Reid’s immediate family, including a birth certificate and school report for Clive Reid, letter addressed to Mrs Cleaver, Reid’s daughter, newspaper clipping of notice of her wedding, Douglas Reid’s Bank of NSW bank book (1916-18) and copy of address given at the funeral of Douglas Reid. [14 items]

Folder 14:

Group of letters (1871-74) addressed to Mary Eliza Reid Syme, Sir George Reid’s younger sister, or to her husband David Syme. Includes letters from her mother Marion Reid, sister Marion Reid Ewen, brothers Mark, Hugh and George Reid, and Hugh’s wife Lizzie. Also includes one letter to George Reid from his mother Marion. [60 items]

Folder 15:

Handwritten copy of an address given to Reverend John Reid (father of Reid) at the Mariners Church, n.d., letter of administration relating to the estate of Mark Reid (18 March 1873), newspaper clipping relating to the demolition of two historic houses to be demolished to provide the approach to the Sydney Harbour Bridge. One house was once occupied by the Rev. John Reid. [3 items]

Dame Flora Reid Papers, 1877 – 1950

Folder 16:

Personal papers of Dame Flora Reid, including her British passport and letters pertaining to her appointment as a Dame Grand Cross of the British Empire. Also an invitation to and souvenir material from the opening of Parliament House, Canberra in 1927. [15 items]

Folder 17:

Dame Flora Reid’s will and material relating to her death and burial. Also correspondence and statements relating to her financial assets between 1927 and 1952.

Papers of Anne Fairbairn (née Reid) relating to family history.

Folder 18:

Research notes belonging to Anne Fairbairn (née Reid) relating to the history of the Reid Family.

Objects

2

Small navy blue leather case belonging to Dame Flora Reid, stamped with initials F.A.R. It has two keys inside on piece of black ribbon.

3

Holy Bible presented to Sir George Reid at the opening of Federal Parliament on 21 May 1901 signed ‘George’ by George, Prince of Wales, later King George V.

4

Dame Flora Reid’s Book of Common Prayer, containing a number of notes and newspaper clippings including a letter from Sir George Reid (1917) dedicating his recently published reminiscences to her.

5

Chain evening bag, gold in colour with blue glass detail on clasp.

6

Chain coin purse 9ct gold.

7

Dame Grand Cross of Order of the British Empire (1917). Cross only, no ribbon.

8

Enamelled souvenir badge marking the opening of Parliament House, Canberra, 1927.

9

Sir George Reid’s medal to mark the International Exhibition in 1911.

10

Copper printer’s plate for printing business cards, engraved ‘Lady Reid’. Plate is in its original envelope from W.C Penfold & Co Ltd, Pitt Street Sydney.


Addition April 1998

Pre 1880 material relating to Reid’s work in the Civil Service and as a Lawyer.

Folder 19:

Four letters to Reid dating from 1870s relating to essays written by Reid.

Australian Politics, 1880 – November 1909

Folder 20:

Papers including copy of oath taken by Reid on his appointment to the Privy Council (1897), letter of appointment to position of NSW Attorney-General (1899) and letters of congratulations addressed to Reid on his appointment as High Commissioner to London (1909). [10 items]

Australian High Commissioner, London, December 1909 – December 1915

Folder 21:

Copies of speeches given by Reid at functions and related letters of appreciation, report on a visit to Canada and the USA as Australian High Commissioner, itinerary for a motor tour and a note dated June 1913 from Buckingham Palace requesting Reid’s company on an inspection of HMS Australia by the Prince of Wales. There is a photograph of this event in Folder 12. [34 items]

Retirement, January 1916 – September 1918.

Folder 22:

Letters of appreciation addressed to Reid on his retirement from the position of High Commissioner for Australia. There is also material relating to the 1916 parliamentary by-election for the House of Commons seat of St George, Hanover Square which Reid stood for and won in 1916. [23 items]

Family Papers

Folder 23:

Family papers relating to Clive and Douglas Reid, sons of Sir George, two photographs of Sir George and one of his immediate family (1906), a copy of an 1855 leaflet entitled Testimonials in favor of the Rev John Reid and a memorial card marking the death of Marion Reid, Sir George’s mother (1885). [20 items]

Folder 24:

Papers and letters relating to the Syme Family including a set photocopies of letters from Reid to his sister Mary Eliza (1892-1915). [22 items]

Papers of Anne Fairbairn (née Reid) relating to family history.

Folder 25:

Research notes belonging to Anne Fairbairn (née Reid) relating to history of Reid Family.

Folder 26:

Papers from the black box including:

  • Draft of a Bill to Constitute the Commonwealth of Australia 1898 (as adopted by the Federal Convention 16 March 1898). Reid’s copy (no annotations)
  • Resolutions of meeting of Premiers to consider the Bill drafted by the Australasian National Convention, 1897-98 (1899) with annotations by Reid and signed by the six Premiers,
  • Second copy of the above, also signed by the Premiers but with no annotations.
  • NSW Legislative Assembly, Votes and Proceedings, 20 August 1896.
  • Silhouette of Reid, April 1907.
  • A number of speeches by Reid, thank you note from Queen Alexandra (20 May 1910), menus and dinner cards.

Published Material

George. H. Reid, Five free trade essays (Gordon and Gotch, Melbourne, 1875)

George. H. Reid, An Essay on New South Wales (Thomas Richards, Sydney, 1876), inscribed to Edward Deas Thomson by Reid.

Opinions of the Press [ essay on New South Wales], n.d.

Free Trade Association of NSW, Speeches delivered by George Reid and Sir Henry Parkes on the Second Reading of the Customs Duties Bill (Sydney, 1886)

Extract from Cosmos Magazine 29 December 1894 re George Reid by Mrs Charles Bright.

Punch, 27 July 1897 (Special issue)

Punch, 30 May 1899 (special issue)

Free trade and tariff reform (Angus and Robertson, Sydney), magazine, n.d.

Life, Vol 1, No 8, 15 August 1904.

King Albert’s Book, Daily Telegraph n.d. (c1914)

L. F. Crisp, George Houston Reid: Federation father, federal failure? (Canberra, 1979)

Folio 2:

Collection of newspaper clippings dating from between 1880 and 1989, relating to the Reid Family. Many of the later clippings are of articles on Reid’s political career or reviews of books relating to Reid or Federation.

Objects

11

Black metal cash box with key, which contained a number of papers which appeared to have been stored in the box for a number of years The contents of the box now form Folder 26.

12

Small commemorative medal showing Sir Robert Duff, GCMG, Governor of New South Wales in 1893-95.

Pictorial Items

Folio Box

Portrait of Rev John Reid (1800-1867) colour photocopy.

Signed photograph of Queen Alexandra.

Photograph of George Reid

Photographs of Clive Reid’s wedding in 1925, Pamela Armstrong in 1922 and Thelma in 1926

Newspaper clippings relating to Clive Reid’s wedding in 1925

Pen drawing of George Reid.

Photograph of Sir George Reid as Australian High Commissioner.


Box List

Box

Folder

1

1-10

2

11-18

3

19-26

4

Published Material

Folio Box 1

Folio 1-2 and Pictorial Material

Folio Box 2

Objects*

* Objects 1, 7-10 and 12 stored separately, see Librarian.

February 2000