MS 8340 Papers of Gus O'Donnell
- Papers
- 1937-89
- 5.32m (38 Boxes)
- Available for reference
The O'Donnell Papers were donated to the Library by Mrs Deidre O'Donnell
under the Tax Incentives for the Arts Scheme in 1991.
Two folders of correspondence (Series 2) were donated outright in 2002
by O'Donnell's sister, Wendy Hucker.
The collection includes correspondence, photographs, drafts,
typescripts, notes, reports, minutes, cuttings and printed material.
Biographical Note Gus O'Donnell was a Patrol Officer
(1937-42), an Officer with ANGAU (1942-45) and Assistant District Officer
(1947-52) in New Guinea. He returned to Sydney in 1952.
O'Donnell was an active member of the Australian Labor Party. He
contested two East Sydney pre-selection ballots, but was not successful. He was
President of the Woollahra branch of the Australian Labor Party and a member of
the New Guinea Committee and Sub-Committee of the New South Wales Branch.
O'Donnell was Chairman of the Australian Society
of Authors (1966-85) and the Australian Copyright Council (1968-85). He was
the author of a number of publications, including a novel about New Guinea
entitled Time expired. He owned a small publishing company, Leksand
Press, in the 1970's and he was also involved in other business ventures.
Series List
- Family correspondence, 1937-49
- General correspondence, 1936-80
- Business and financial papers, 1952-63
- Published writing: Time expired, 1951-87
- Unpublished writings: 'Essay on government'. 1957-74
- Unpublished writings: 'The sorcerer', 1972-74
- Unpublished miscellaneous writings
- New Guinea: Patrol Officer, 1937-42
- Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU), 1942-89
- Australian School of Pacific Administration, 1945-47
- New Guinea: Assistant District Officer, 1947-52
- New Guinea material, 1943-66
- Australian Labor Party, 1953-87
- Summer School of the Australian Institute of Political Science, 1958
- New Guinea photographs,
- Australian Copyright Council, 1975-87
- Australian Society of Authors, 1979-84
- Leksand Press, 1967-97
- Court case
- Miscellaneous, 1914-75
Series 1 Family correspondence, 1937-49
This series contains correspondence between O'Donnell, his first
wife Leonie and his mother. O'Donnell's letters were written while he was in
New Guinea as a Patrol Officer (1937-42) and later as an Assistant District
Officer (1947-52).
Folders
1-9 Letters to Leonie, 1941-44
10-18 Letters to Leonie, 1944-45
19-20 Letters to Leonie, 1945 and n.d.
21-23 Letters from Leonie, 1941-46
24-25 Letters to mother, 1937
26-29 Family letters, 1937-49
Series 2 General correspondence, 1936-80
This series contains miscellaneous correspondence. Other
correspondence relating to specific subjects or activities can be found under
the relevant series.
Folders
1 Correspondence with Arthur Calwell and Gough Whitlam,
1960-66
2-3 Correspondence with Rex Collin, Ian Wills, and
David Stephen, 1968-72,
4 Letters and poems from Vinod Seth, 1976-77
5-6 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1936-66
7-11 Letters to the editor and newspaper clippings, 1954-89,
12 Correspondence re Time expired and radio promotion, 1967
13 Correspondence re CLF Fellowship and applications, 1966-69
14 Correspondence concerning publications of maps in
Surprise Atlas, 1979-80
15-20 Miscellaneous correspondence, including various job
applications, 1947-80
21-22 Letters relating to Papual New Guinea and to O'Donnell's book Time Expired
Series 3 Business and financial papers, 1952-63
This series contains papers relating to O'Donnell's business
ventures as well as miscellaneous financial papers.
Folders
1 Patent and advertising of "Silver Wool" 1952
2 Mining - Application for weekend-lease, 1957
3 Accounts from Australian Gas Light Company, 1963
Series 4 Published writings: Time expired, 1951-67
Folders
1-29 Correspondence, notes, drafts and typescripts, 1951
30 Time expired 1 volume published 1967
31 Time expired entry for the Herald Literary Compettion, 1956
Series 5 Unpublished Writings: Essay on Government, 1957-74
Folders
1-9 Correspondence notes and various drafts, 1957-74
Series 6 Unpublished Writings: 'The sorcerer', 1972-74
Folders
1-9 Correspondence, drafts, and typescripts, 1972-74
Series 7 Unpublished miscellaneous writings,
Folders
1 'ANGAU and after', typescript n.d.
2-3 'The chronicle of an amateur soldier': draft and typescripts
4 'Incident in Madang'
5 'Johnny had a dream'
6 'Lament for Yaluana'
7-9 'The quiet revolution'
10 'The sinner'
11 'The sinner in the square'
12 'Sydney 1952'
13-16 'Tales of New Guinea'
17 'The whistle'
18 'A garden named peace'
19-20 'Connon the King: a play: Typescript and research material, 1987
21-22 'The Prime Minister went for lunch': a play, 1987
23-27 Miscellaneous writings n.d.
Series 8 New Guinea: Patrol Officer, 1937-42
O'Donnell was a Patrol Officer in the Territory of New Guinea
(Madang) during this period. This series includes correspondence, a diary and
copies of his lecture notes.
Folders
1 Correspondence, 1940-41
2-4 Lectures
5 Roneoed material
6 Diary, 1941
Series 9 Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit (ANGAU),
1942-45
O'Donnell was working for ANGAU for three years, and maintained
a continuing interest in the organisation.
Folders
1 Typescript: recollection of the war, 1956
2 Report on the activities of ANGAU, 1942-45
3 Correspondence and diary, Jan- March 1944-45
4-8 Survey of Native Labour 1944-45
9 Public Service of the Provisional Administration of Papua
New Guinea, 946-47
10 7 Notebooks, 1943-44
11 Second Waigami Seminar, 1968
12 Correspondence with W.R. Lancaster of Australian War
Memorial, 1973
13 Correspondence, notes, circulars also Council meetings on
New Guinea Affairs, 1964-89
Series 10 Australian School of Pacific Administration,
1945-47
O'Donnell was appointed a lecturer at the Australian School of
Pacific Administration in Sydney on his return to Australia after the War.
Folders
1-9 Lecture notes and some correspondence, 1946-47
Series 11 New Guinea: Assistant District Officer, 1947-52
O'Donnell returned to New Guinea in 1947 to take up his
appointment as the Assistant District Officer in Port Moresby..
Folders
1 Correspondence mostly about seniority list and position, 1947
2 Copies of O'Donnell's letters and letters received.
Correspondent include A.A. Roberts, 1948.
3-5 Special reports to District Officer, 1948-50
6 Kokopo, New Britain,1950,. File relating to O'Donnell's request
for disciplinary action against Sub-Inspector William Albert Dix.
7 O'Donnells paper to defend two labourers (Darus and Semi)
who worked for Mr B.B. Perriman of Malapan.
8 Miscellaneous notes and reports, 1947-48
9 Resignation from the Public Service of the Territory of Papua
New Guinea,1952
Series 12 New Guinea material, 1943-66
This series contains general papers relating to New Guinea,
which remained one of O'Donnell's life-long interests.
Folders
1 Ted Fulton's report of the Gurnera area, 1943
2 Notes on native employment, 1952
3 Tax revolt - articles and newspaper cuttings, 1959-62
4 Notes for an address to the New Guinea Society of
Canberra, 1959
5 "Constitutional change in Papua and New Guinea" by
J. Lynch, 1960
6 Correspondence, notes and newspaper cuttings concerning
ritual killing near Madang, 1961
7 Correspondence and papers of the International Commission of
Jurists Conference, 1965
8 Correspondence and article on World Bank Report, 1965
9 Background paper for Papua New Guinea Education
Seminar, 1966
10 Miscellaneous correspondence and newspaper clipping, 1935-58
Series13 Australian Labor Party, 1953-87
O'Donnell was a member of the A.L.P. He was a member of the New
Guinea Committee and Sub-Committee. He contested two East Sydney pre-selection
ballots in the 1960's, but he was unsuccesful. On behalf of the A.L.P. he
conducted various courses, wrote reports and gave public lectures on New
Guinea. This series contains papers pertaining to these activities.
Folders
1-2 New Guinea Sub-Committee: correspondence, 1953-54
3 New Guinea Sub-Committee: interim Report, 1954
4 New Guinea Sub-Committee: minutes, 1954
5 New Guinea Sub Committee: annual conference, 1954
6 New Guinea Committee: minutes, 1955
7 New Guinea minutes and reports, 1959-60
8 New Guinea Committee, 1959
9 New Guinea Committee reports, 1960
10 New Guinea Committee meetings, 1960
11-13 General correspondence, 1961-62
14-15 Australian Labor Praty Conference, 1960-61
16 General minutes and reports, 1959-60
17 Australian Labor Party New Guinea Hansard speeches
18 Bligh State election, 1962
19 East Sydney-Wentworth, 1962
20-21 East Sydney, pre-selection 1963-65
23-24 Federal election, 1961, 1966, 1987
25 Waverly by-election, 1953
26-27 Waverly Branch correspondence and leaflets, 1963
28 Woollahra Branch correspondence, 1963
29 Australian Labor Party campain against privatisation, 1987
30 Broadsheets
31 Centennial Park, 1963-64
32 Industrial relations in Papua New Guinea, 1963
33 New Guinea 1961
34 New Guinea loyalty oath, 1968
35 Rabaul riot, 1961
36 Vietnam, 1966
37 Trade Unions in Papua New Guinea, 1964
38 West New Guinea, 1961-62
39 New Guinea cuttings, 1961
40 Miscellaneous pamphlets and reports, 1954-59
Series 14 Australian Institute of Political Science, 1958.
O'Donnell was invited to speak on 'Australia in New Guinea' at
the 24th Summer School of the Australian Institute of Political Science in
Canberra in 1958.
Folders
1-2 24th Summer school, 1958
3 Copy of: Statistical summary, ten years comparison
Department of Territories Canberra, 1967
Series 15 New Guinea Photographs
Folders
1-2 Snapshots of Papua Guinea natives and landscapes
3 Photographs, largely from Dr H.I. Hogbin
Series 16 Australian Copyright Council, 1975-87
O'Donnell was involved in the formation of the Australian
Copyright Council in 1968. He was the first elected Chairman and held the
position until he retired in 1985.
Folders
1-2 Correspondence and notes, 1975-77
3 Protection of Aboriginal folklores, 1976-78
4-5 Copyright Agency Ltd.: correspondence and notes, 1981-82
6 General correspondence, 1982-83
7 List of authors, 1981
8-10 Correspondence concerning O'Donnell's resignation, 1982-84
11 Circulars and newsletters, 1981-87
Series 17 Australian Society of Authors, 1979-83
O'Donnell was the chairman of the Australian Society of
Authors.
Folders
1-4 Correspondence, 1979-83
5 Memorandum and notes
6-7 Minutes of meetings, 1983-84
8-9 Committee meetings, 1983-84
Series 18 Leksand Press, 1967-87
The Leksand Press was O'Donnell's small publishing business
which operated in the early 1970's.
Folder
1 Correspondence mostly re Time expired, 1967-72
2 Correspondence re 'The best of Handy Andy', 1968-69
3 'The soccer book' manuscript and some correspondence, 1968-71
4 Correspondence with B.K. Sudham, 1970-76,
5 Correspondence with Esselte Stadium, 1984
6-9 Correspondence, manuscript and printed material of Prajub
Thirabutana, 1970-87
10-11 'Coral fish': manuscript, notebook and printed material
12 'Little things': manuscript by P.Thirabutana
13-14 Miscellaneous manuscripts, proofs and some correspondence,
1974
15 Accounts and receipts, 1973-77
Series 19 Court Case - Election boundaries
Folders
1-4 This series includes notes, cuttings and correspondence dating
from 1965-73 concerning O'Donnell's strong interest in the
Australian Constitution and in particular the subject of
parliamentary representation. His concern with electoral
boundaries and gerrymandering led him to take legal action
against the Commonwealth Electoral Officer in 1968
Series 20 Miscellaneous, 1914-75
3 Notebooks of R.A.B. Vance -and one leather bag with maps of
France and Belgium, 1915-17 (maps in folio run).
Printed material and newspapers, 1970-75
Series Box Folders
1 1 1-9
1 2 10-18
1 3 19-25
1 4 26-29
2 4 1-4
2 5 5-12
2 6 13-20
2 37 21-22
3 7 1-3
4 7 1-6
4 8 7-8
4 9 9-11
4 10 12-14
4 11 15-21
4 12 22-24
4 13 25-27
4 14 28-31
5 15 1-7
6 16 1-7
6 17 8-9
7 17 1-6
7 18 7-14
7 19 15-21
7 20 22-28
8 21 1-6
9 21 1-2
9 22 3-10
9 23 11-13
10 23 1-6
10 24 7-9
11 24 1-5
11 25 6-9
12 25 1-5
12 26 6-13
13 27 1-10
13 28 11-19
13 29 20-28
13 30 29-36
Box List
Series Box Folders
13 31 37-40
14 31 1-3
15 32 1-3
16 33 5-11
17 34 1-9
18 35 1-9
18 36 10-14
19 37 1-4
20 37 1-3
20 38 printed materal and 1 folio item
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