Australian Collection

Collection of loose prints measuring 202 x 254 mm., by various photographers. As part of the preparation of the Commonwealth in Focus Exhibition held in Brisbane in December 1982, a letter was sent in January 1982 to Commonwealth High Commissioners in London seeking their help in the supply of material relating to their countries. At the request of the Australian High Commission, the Australian Information Service in Canberra sent ninety black and white prints and fifty colour slides. Three of the prints were used in the exhibition and listed in the published catalogue 'Commonwealth in Focus' (1982); they were H 19: Australian Federal Conference 1890, H 21: Inauguration of the Commonwealth of Australia 1901 and M 44: Opening of Federal Parliament in Canberra by the Duke of York 1927. Some are modern copies of historical photographs (1-9), but most taken in the 1970s and early 1980s and show various aspects of the country's social and economic life. Most have full descriptive captions on the backs, with the names of photographers. The prints are grouped under broad categories as follows:
1-8 Historical events and anniversaries
9-12 Federal Parliament
13-17 Defence
18-32 Cities and towns
33-35 Pastoral
36-45 Industry
46-49 Finance and commerce
50-54 Research
55-56 Communications
57-66 Transport
67-70 Education
71-74 Health
75-77 Sport and recreation
78-87 People

Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Includes index.

A catalogue of the collection can be found on ArchiveSearch.

Three of these prints can be found in 'Commonwealth in focus: 130 years of photographic history' (1982), Sydney: International Cultural Corporation of Australia.

This collection level description was entered by WS using information from the original typescript catalogue.

Various