Guide to the Papers of Robin Gollan

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MS 9372

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Robin Gollan
Title
Papers of Robin Gollan
Date Range
1920-2005
Collection Number
MS 9372
Extent
3.11 metres (22 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

They include correspondence, lecture notes, drafts, manuscripts, typescripts, research notes, journal articles, photocopies, and notebooks relating to Gollan's long career as a history lecturer and labour historian and his interests in forest issues, the peace movement and uranium mining.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn234208).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Robin Gollan, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file number]'.

Provenance

The papers were donated to the Library by Robin (Bob) Gollan in 1994.

Papers of Anne Gollan, Robin Gollan's wife, are held at MS 9371.

Arrangement

The collection was arranged in files with titles when received by the Library. The arrangement of papers within these files and the file titles have been preserved by the Library.

Biographical Note

Who's Who in Australia 1991, Melbourne, Information Australia, 1990

DateEvent
1917Born 8 December, Woodburn, New South Wales
1940-42Teacher, NSW Department of Education
1942-45Served in the Royal Australian Air Force
1946-52Lecturer at Sydney Teachers' College
1953-76Research Fellow, Fellow, Senior Fellow, Professorial Fellow, History Department, Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University
1976-82Manning Clark Professor of Australian History, Australian National University
1982Emeritus Professor of History, Australian National University
2007Died 15 October, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory

Item Descriptions

Class MS 9372. Original Consignment

Series 1. Correspondence, 1948-94

This series consists mainly of professional correspondence relating to academic appointments, lectures and talks, requests to act as examiner for PhD candidates, references for students and requests for book reviews and journal articles. The main correspondents are universities, publishers, academic colleagues and students. The material in folders 3 -7 was originally housed in two ring binders. The material has been removed from the binders for preservation reasons and placed in folders. The correspondence in folders 3 - 5 was arranged alphabetically by surname in one of the folders.

Correspondence, 1948-50 (File 1) - Box 1 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1965-66 (File 2) - Box 1 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1976-81 (File 3-5) - Box 1 (MS 9372)
Out-letters, 1976-81 (File 6-7) - Box 1, 2 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1982-83 (File 8) - Box 2 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1984-87 (File 9-10) - Box 2 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1989-91. The file includes a paper 'Frank Anstey and the Russian revolution' by Peter Love (File 11) - Box 2 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1992-94. The file includes the following papers: 'Guns for Nauru in the Cold War' by L. J. Lewis, 'Discovering our republican heritage' by Gollan, 'Dealing with Moscow: the Comintern and the early history of the Communist Party in Australia' by Stuart Macintyre and the draft of the first chapter for a book on the Communist Party in Australia by Stuart Macintyre (File 12) - Box 2 (MS 9372)

Series 2. Lecture material, 1958-81

This series consists of prepared lectures, notes and research material for courses in Australian history.

Handwritten lecture notes for a course in Australian history at Melbourne University, 1958 (File 1-2) - Box 3 (MS 9372)
Handwritten lecture notes for a course in Australian history at the Australian National University, 1970 (File 3-4) - Box 3 (MS 9372)
Handwritten lecture notes for a course in Australian history at the Australian National University, 1976 (File 5-7) - Box 3, 4 (MS 9372)
Handwritten lecture notes for courses in Australian history at the Australian National University, 1976-80 (File 8-9) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
1890s Depression: lecture notes (File 10) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
1926 General Strike: lecture notes (File 11) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
1949 Coal Strike: lecture notes (File 12) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
1956: lecture notes (File 13) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
Equality and socialism: lecture notes (File 14) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
Ideology: lecture notes (File 15) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
Marxism: lecture notes (File 16) - Box 4 (MS 9372)
The left and labour history: lecture notes (File 17) - Box 5 (MS 9372)
Trade unions and the war, 1939-45: lecture notes (File 18) - Box 5 (MS 9372)
Working class history: lecture notes (File 19) - Box 5 (MS 9372)
Miscellaneous lecture notes including notes on radical Australia, White Australia policy and the formation of the Australian Labor Party (File 20) - Box 5 (MS 9372)
Listing of lectures for a course in Australian history at the Australian National University, 1981, lecture notes on liberalism and a select bibliography of the Great War (File 21) - Box 5 (MS 9372)

Series 3. Writings, 1955-86

This series comprises drafts, typescripts, papers, talks, and copies of journal articles written by Gollan.

Journal articles: 'The trade unions and labour parties, 1890-94', Reprinted from Historical Studies, vol 7, No 25, November 1955, 'Newcastle miners and colliery proprietors, 1860-80', Royal Australian Historical Society Journal and Proceedings, vol 45, 1959 and 'Arbitration and the sliding scale in the NSW coal industry in the eighteen-seventies' (n.d.) (File 1) - Box 6 (MS 9372)
Typescript of 'Radical and working class politics in Australia, 1850-1910' which was published as Radical and working class politics: a study of Eastern Australia, 1850-1910 in 1960 (File 2) - Box 6 (MS 9372)
Typescript of Revolutionaries and reformists, 1975 (File 3) - Box 6 (MS 9372)
Handwritten draft and typescripts with corrections of the John Curtin Memorial Lecture entitled 'The Labour Movement and equality 1890-1980', presented on the 17 November 1976. There is also correspondence with the Research School of Pacific Sciences, 1976-77, relating to the lecture (File 4-5) - Box 6, 7 (MS 9372)
'Labour, socialism and equality, an Australian case': a revised version of the John Curtin Memorial Lecture, 1976, (n.d.) (File 6) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
Galley proofs and ammendments of entries for the Australian Encyclopaedia on 'trade unionism' and 'strikes and lockouts'. There is also a letter from the Australian Encyclopaedia, 4 August 1982, relating to the entries (File 7) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
Drafts and final of a foreword for a book written by Bill Gollan, Robin Gollan's brother, August 1986. There is also correspondence between the two brothers in 1985 passing on biographical information for the foreword and a letter from Pluto Press (January 1986) declining to publish the book (File 8) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
Typescript paper 'Australian populism and nationalism - historical perspective' (n.d.) and handwritten draft 'The Australian identity' (n.d.) (File 9) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
'Australian labour history' (n.d.), 'David Campbell at war' (n.d.), 'The myth of the level playing field (n.d.) and 'Privatising the Commonwealth Bank' (n.d.) (File 10) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
Drafts and final typescript of a paper 'Meanjin's Australianism' (n.d.) (File 11) - Box 7 (MS 9372)
Obituaries for Emeritus Professor W. K. (Sir Keith) Hancock (1990) and Laurie Fitzhardinge(n.d.) (File 12) - Box 7 (MS 9372)

Series 4. Book reviews, 1953-85

This series consists of book reviews of works by Gollan and book reviews written by him on works by others.

Photocopies of book reviews of works by Gollan: Radical and working class politics: a study of Eastern Australia, 1850-1910 (1960), The coalminers of New South Wales: a history of the union 1860-1960 (1963), The Commonwealth Bank of Australia: origins and early history (1968), and Revolutionaries and reformists: Communism and the Australian Labour Movement, 1920-55 (1975) (File 1) - Box 8 (MS 9372)

The file also contains a copy of an agreement between Gollan and Allen and Unwin for the publication of Revolutionaries and reformists, 1984

Reviews of works by others (File 2-3) - Box 8 (MS 9372)

Series 5. Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1976-90

This series consists of correspondence, manuscript drafts, corrected drafts, typescripts, and biographical notes for entries for the Australian Dictionary of Biography. Gollan compiled entries for Guido Baracchi (1887-1975), James Curley (1846-1913), and Sir Denison Miller (1860-1923). An entry for Phyllis Anderson (1901-1957) was prepared by Moira Scollay, who was a research assistant for Gollan at the Australian National University.

Correspondence with the Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1976-77, biographical notes, drafts and final typescript of an entry for the ADB on Phyllis Anderson (1901-57). The entry was written by Moira Scollay, research assistant to Gollan (File 1) - Box 8 (MS 9372)
Correspondence with the Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1984-85, biographical notes, drafts and final typescript of an entry for the ADB on Sir Denison Miller, 1860-1923 (File 2) - Box 8 (MS 9372)
Correspondence with the Australian Dictionary of Biography, 1990, and Betty Roland, 1991, biographical notes, drafts and final typescript of an entry for the ADB on Guido Baracchi (1887-1975). The file also contains an obituary notice for Bill Gollan (brother), written by Gollan and two letters of condolence (File 3) - Box 8 (MS 9372)
Biographical notes, draft and final typescript of an entry for the ADB on James Curley, 1846-1913 (File 4) - Box 8 (MS 9372)

Series 6. References written by Gollan, 1969-87

This series consists of references written by Gollan for his students and professional colleagues. They mainly relate to academic postings, teaching positions or for scholarships.

References, 1969-71 (File 1) - Box 9 (MS 9372)
References, 1976-81 (File 2) - Box 9 (MS 9372)
References, 1986-87 (File 3) - Box 9 (MS 9372)

Series 7. Papers relating to the Australian National University, 1959-83

This series consists of notes, reports and discussion papers relating to the Australian National University. They cover early aspects of the university's administration and its role as a research institution. Gollan had also undertaken research and interviews for a history of the ANU.

Comments by Sir Alexander Carr-Saunders (formerly Director of the London School of Economics) on the Australian National University as a research university, 1959, and responses to these comments by Gollan and others within the Research School of Social Sciences (File 1) - Box 9 (MS 9372)
Proposal for the preparation of a guide to manuscript sources held in Great Britain and Ireland on Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, 1963-64. Gollan was Publications Officer at this time. The guide Manuscripts in the British Isles relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific was edited by Phyllis Mander Jones and published in 1972 (File 2) - Box 9 (MS 9372)
Correspondence, 1964-65, relating to staffing and administrative matters within the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University (File 3) - Box 9 (MS 9372)
'The Australian National University: history of the site plan, 1912-71', ANU, 1973 (File 4) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Presentation of an Honary LL.D to C. Hartley Grattan, University of Texas, by the Australian National University, September 1977 for his public services in promoting interest in Australia in the United States of America. The file contains biographical information about Gratton and a copy of the citation for the award written by Gollan (File 5) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Notes on discussions with Sir John Crawford, 1983, relating to the history of the Australian National University (File 6) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Chronology of events at the Australian National University taken from Council minutes and a paper 'Report to the Vice-Chancellor on a project for a history of the Australian National University' written by Gollan in October, 1983 (File 7) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Papers: 'Some recollections of early history of ANU' (1983) and 'Hancock and history at the ANU' (n.d.) (File 8) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Notes relating to the history of the Australian National University, including a manuscript draft paper 'Towards a history of the Faculty of Arts' (File 9) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Miscellaneous notes relating to a history of the Australian National University and a special issue of Australian National University News, August 1974, on H.C. Coombs (File 10) - Box 10 (MS 9372)
Draft reports prepared within the Faculty of Social Sciences, Australian National University relating to scholarships and fellowships (n.d.) (File 11) - Box 11 (MS 9372)

Series 8. Conferences and seminars, 1957-90

This series consists of copies of papers and synopsis of papers given at conferences and seminars attended by Gollan or papers written by colleagues. He was also a member of the committee responsible for the organisation of the Post-War Reconstruction Seminar, held at the Australian National University in August, 1981.

Conference of historians, Australian National University, 24-27 August 1957: roneoed notes, typescript summaries of discussions and a review of the conference (File 1) - Box 11 (MS 9372)
First Arena conference held in Melbourne, 3-5 July, 1964 to discuss the Australian professional intelligentsia. The file includes an opening speech by Gollan, the text of a session chaired by him and a review of the conference to be published in Arena (File 2) - Box 11 (MS 9372)
ANZAAS Congress, Hobart, August 1965: 'T.A. Coghlan as an historian', paper by E.C. Fry (File 3) - Box 11 (MS 9372)
Socialist Scholars Conference, Sydney University, 21-24 May, 1970: papers by Terry Irving and Baiba Berzins, Colin Mackerras, Coonie Sandford, Dennis Altman and John Playford (File 4) - Box 11 (MS 9372)
Post-War Reconstruction Seminar, Australian National University, 31 August 1981: minutes, notes and progress reports relating to the organisation of the seminar and a list of papers to be presented (File 5-6) - Box 11 (MS 9372)
Old Left and Australian Historiography Seminar, School of History, Macquarie University, North Ryde, New South Wales, 3 December 1983: program and synopsis of papers by Frank Bongiorno, Frank Cain, Mark Hearn and Beverley Kingston. The file also contains promotional flyers for Gollan's book The myth of the level playing field, 1993 (File 7) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
V. Gordon Childe Centenary Conference, University of Queensland, 23-26 September 1990: program and abstracts of papers, drafts, corrections and final of an opening address by Gollan and correspondence, 1989-90, relating to the conference (File 8) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
Maritime Strike Centenary Conference, University of Wollongong, 14 December 1990: program and synopsis of papers and the text of an after dinner address by Gollan on Eric Fry and his contribution to the Society for the Study of Labour History. There is also a listing of the papers of the Society held at the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University (File 9) - Box 12 (MS 9372)

Series 9. Other papers, 1920-91

This series consists of research notes, photocopies, journal articles and papers covering a wide range of Gollan's interests, including the peace movement, government and politics, Spanish Civil War, nuclear disarmament, forests, woodchipping, trade unions and communism. Many of the folders contain summaries of events from the daily newspapers and various journals. The series has been arranged in chronological order.

Notes and journal articles on the Sacco and Vanzetti case, 1920-70. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed for murder in the United States of America on 23 August, 1927 (File 1) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
Notes on Red Europe by Frank Anstey (1919) and notes from newspapers on the Pan Pacific Conference and Trade Unionism, 1928 (File 2) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
Notes on the Spanish Civil War including notes from newspapers, 1936-38, and from published works and photocopies from The Militant, 1936-37 (File 3) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
Miscellaneous photocopies from the Catholic Worker, 1938-45, on peace, trade unionism and communism (File 4) - Box 12 (MS 9372)
Notes from the Catholic Worker, 1938-45 including notes on trade unionism, communism, the war and social justice (File 5) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes and photocopies from Civil Liberty, 1938-45, on civil liberties in Australia (File 6) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes and photocopies from Communist Review, 1939-41, miscellaneous photocopies from the Australian Communist and the Proletarian, and a paper 'Communists in the Peace Movement, 1945-73' (n.d.) (File 7) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes and cartoons from the Bulletin, 1939-42, on communism, facism, trade unionism and the Australian political and economic situation (File 8) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Royal Australian Air Force Officer's Certificate of Service and Observer's Air Gunner's and W/T Operator's flying log book (File 9) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes and newscuttings from the Tribune, 1943-49, on communism, facism, and the Australian political and economic situation (File 10) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes from Hansard and various newspapers on doctors and medical health schemes, 1947-49 (File 11) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Notes and newscuttings from the Argus, 1949-50, on trade unions, Australian political and economic situation and foreign affairs (File 12) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Australian Peace Movement: subject file, 1949-55, consisting of notes and photocopies of leaflets and journal articles (File 13) - Box 13 (MS 9372)
Minutes of various meetings of the Queensland Trades and Labour Council, 1950-52 (File 14) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Typed extracts and photocopies from reports of the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council, 1950-57 (File 15) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1950-58, consisting of journal articles on peace initiatives and the Australian Communist Party and transcripts of interviews with Jack and Audrey Blake, Bob and Ann Gollan, Bill and Marie Gollan, and Geoff Anderson relating to the peace movement and peace initiatives within Australia between the late 40s and mid 60s (File 16) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Notes from daily newspapers , 1950-61, on strikes in Australia (File 17) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1950-65, consisting of notes and photocopies of issues of The Methodist and a photocopy of a pamphlet Exchange of letters between the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Sir Robert Menzies, K.T., C.H., Q.C., MP and the Rt. Rev. J. S. Moyes, C.M.G., and certain archbishops and bishops (File 18) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1953-64, consisting of notes and photocopies from The Anglican and the Catholic Worker (File 19) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1960-63, consisting of notes and photocopies of journal articles and reports relating to peace initiatives within Australia including the setting up of peace committees (File 20) - Box 14 (MS 9372)
Proposal by John Saville, University of Hull, England, for a Dictionary of Labour Biography, 1961 (File 21) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1964, consisting of notes, photocopies of reports and papers from the Australian Congress for International Cooperation and Disarmament (File 22) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1965-66, consisting of notes and photocopies, minutes from the inaugural meeting of the Association for International Cooperation and Disarmament (NSW), March 1965 and statements relating to the Vietnam War (File 23) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Notes and correspondence, 1966-68 relating to the Australian Society for the Study of Labour History. The main correspondent is Eric Fry who was President of the Society (File 24) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Miscellaneous notes on the peace movement and the Vietnam War, 1966-72 (File 25) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Notes and information brochures on the situation in South Africa, 1966 (File 26) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Notes on federal and state legislation, 1970-77 (File 27) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Two Australian passports (5 September 1973 and 10 April 1979) belonging to Gollan (File 28) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Research notes and photocopies relating to a visit to the La Trobe Library, Melbourne by Moira Scollay, research assistant to Gollan, December, 1974 (File 29) - Box 15 (MS 9372)
Australian Academy of the Humanities: agenda and minutes of meetings, 1976-81 and proceedings of a symposium 'Peasants in history and literature', held in Canberra, May 1981 (File 30-31) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
Papers relating to the Australian Association for Socialist Studies including minutes of the inaugural meeting, May 1977, financial statement , May 1977 June 1978, suggested constitution for the association and Certificate of Incorporation of the Association (File 32) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
Papers by Peter Worsley: 'One world or three?' (1979) and 'The practice of politics and the study of kinship' (n.d.) and journal articles and lecture notes on the Cold War, 1950-65 (File 33) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
'The movement against war and facism: 1930s forerunner of the current peace movement' : paper by Scott Poynting, Macquarie University, July 1987 (File 34) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
'The bases and the bomb' (1987), newsletters relating to uranium mining, the environment and the nuclear debate and a copy of Uranium, the joint facilities, disarmament and peace, AGPS, 1984 (File 35) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
Notes, references and journal articles on forests and woodchipping in New South Wales, 1987-89 (File 36) - Box 16 (MS 9372)
Peace: subject file, 1988-90, consisting of issues of the Australian Association for Armed Neutrality (February, April, 1988), Armed Neutrality Review (November 1988, July 1990) and Peace Dossier 10 (File 37) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Papers relating to the Left Book Club, 1988-91. Included are agenda for meetings, financial statements, information brochures and a draft of a booklet by Abe David and Ted Wheelright ' Asian capitalism and the Australian working class' to be published by the Club (File 38-39) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Paper by Stuart Macintyre 'Class against class' (n.d.) and miscellaneous issues of the National Times (9-14 December 1974 and 19-25 April 1981) (File 40) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Papers by Jack and Audrey Blake: '1949-56 - Stalinism or independence', 'Past experiences of the Communist Party and some perspectives for the left' and 'Old places revisited' (Audrey Blake) (File 41) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Various papers: 'The whig view of Australian history' by A. W. Martin, 'The Communist Party of Australia meets the Depression in New South Wales 1930-34' by Phyllis Peter and 'Men and childcare in the feminist utopia' by Ann Curthoys (File 42) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Typescript of 'Gough and Johny were lovers' by R.F. Brissenden (n.d.) (File 43) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Photocopy of notes containing recollections of the Spanish Civil War (author unknown) (n.d.) (File 44) - Box 17 (MS 9372)
Miscellaneous notes and journal articles on subjects including inflation, Australian political parties, Chinese-American relations and a paper by Dan Coward 'From public health to environmental amenity, 1870-1970 (File 45-46) - Box 18 (MS 9372)
Photocopies of bibliographies and entries from the Australian National Bibliography. The subjects covered are Australian politics and government, economics, communism, trade unions and labour history (File 47) - Box 18 (MS 9372)
Four note books containing notes, references and summaries of books on various subjects including labour and trade unionism (File 48-49) - Box 18 (MS 9372)

Series 10. Printed material, 1952-83

Printed material in the form of pamphlets, journals and booklets on various subjects including Australian literature, Australian Labor Party (1973), uranium mining and the Vietnam War (File) - Box 19 (MS 9372)

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