MS 8255

Papers of George Henry Briggs (1897-1987)



Scope and Content Note

Creator: George Henry Briggs

Title: Papers

Date range: 1924-83

Reference number: MS 8255

Extent: 14 cm (1 box)

Administrative Information

Access: Available for reference

Provenance: The collection was donated to the Library by Dr Barbara Briggs, via the Australian Science Archives Project, in April 1991.

The collection comprises personal and business correspondence and photographs. They include copies of letters sent by William Briggs (father) to his father in England (1868-77), correspondence relating to the National Standards Laboratory CSIR (1938-39), correspondence pertaining to Briggs’ work for the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (1946-47), and correspondence concerning his retirement dinner (1958).

Arrangement: The papers were described and arranged by officers of the Australian Science Archives Project.


Biographical note

1893 Born 23rd March in Concord, Sydney, N.S.W.
Fort Street Boys’ High School (Secondary education)

– 1916 University of Sydney (B.Sc.)

1918 – 1927 University of Sydney (Demonstrator and Lecturer in Physics)
Married Edna Dorothy Sayce

1925 – 1926 University of Cambridge (Ph. D. studying at the Cavendish Laboratory with E. Rutherford)

1928 – 1939 University of Sydney (Assistant Professor of Physics under Professor Madsen)

1937 University of Sydney (D.Sc.)

1939 – 1945 Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (C.S.I.R.), Physics Section, National Standards Laboratory (Officer-in-charge)

1945 – 1958 C.S.I.R. / Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (C.S.I.R.O.), Division of Physics (Chief)

1946 – 1947 Atomic Energy Commission, United Nations, New York, U.S.A. (Scientific Advisor to the Australian representative)

1950 – 1952 Institute of Physics, Australian Branch (President)

1950 – 1958 National Standards Commission

1953 Proposal by Briggs to form independent Australian Institute of Physics rejected

1958 Retirement from C.S.I.R.O.

1962 Adoption of Briggs’ proposal for Australian Institute of Physics and Briggs made Honorary Fellow

1987 Died 24th July, aged 94


Series List

Series

1 Personal Biographical, 1868-77

2 Correspondence, 1924-35

3 Correspondence, 1938-39

4 Correspondence, 1946-47

5 Correspondence, 1958

6 Photographs, 1924-83


Series Description

Series 1 Personal biographical, 1868-77

Folder

1/1 Family History 1868-77

[Photocopies of two letters from William Briggs (father of George) to his parents, probably in Britain]

Series 2 Correspondence, 1924-35

Folder

2/1 Cavendish Laboratory 1924-35

[Correspondence with E. Rutherford (13 letters) and J. D. Cockcroft (one letter), Cavendish Laboratory Cambridge. Photocopies of originals donated by Briggs to Cambridge University Library in 1982]

Series 3 Correspondence, 1938-39

Folder

3/1 National Standards Laboratory CSIR 1938-39

[Correspondence with D. Rivett, R.S. Wallace, M.L. Oliphant and C.D. Ellis concerning Briggs’ appointment to National Standards Laboratory of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research]

Series 4 Correspondence, 1946-47

Folder

4/1 United Nations Atomic Energy Commission 1946

[Correspondence with E. Briggs during visit to USA and Canada as scientific advisor to H. V. Evatt at the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission]

4/2 United Nations Atomic Energy Commission 1947

[Correspondence with E. Briggs during second period in USA as scientific advisor to P.M.C. Hasluck at the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission]

4/3 United Nations Atomic Energy Commission 1947

[Correspondence with A.E.V. Richardson, Chief Executive Officer CSIR, and J.J. Dedman, Minister-in-charge of Scientific and Industrial Research, concerning Atomic Energy Commission. Also includes copies of the three reports made by Briggs]

Series 5 Correspondence, 1958

Folder

5/1 Retirement 1958

[Correspondence concerning retirement dinner for Briggs, December 1958]

5/2 Retirement 1958

[Photocopies of previous file]

Series 6 Photographs, 1924-83

Folder

6/1 Photographs 1924-83

[Two enlarged copies of black and white passport photographs of George and Edna Briggs, 1924; black and white portrait of Briggs, 1958; colour slide of

George and Edna Briggs with Alison Wright (granddaughter), 1980; colour slide of George and Edna Briggs with Margaret Wright (daughter), 1983; photocopy of letter from Barbara Briggs concerning photographs]


Index

Briggs, B 6/1

Briggs, E 4/1, 4/2, 6/1

Briggs, W 1/1

Cavendish Laboratory 2/1

Cockcroft, J. D. 2/1

C.S.I.R.O./C.S.I.R. 3/1, 4/3, 5/1, 5/2

Dedman, J. J. 4/3

Ellis, C. D. 3/1

Evatt, H. V. 4/1

Hasluck, P.M.C. 4/2

Oliphant, M. L. 3/1

Richardson, A.E.V. 4/3

Rivett, D. 3/1

Rutherford, E. 2/1

United Nations Atomic Energy Commission 4/1, 4/2, 4/3

Wallace, R. S. 3/1

June 1991
Retyped September 2001