Guide to the Papers of J. J. Dedman, 1929-1954

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 987
Creator:
John Johnstone Dedman
Extent:
3.52 metres and (18 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of J. J. Dedman, National Library of Australia, MS 987, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Part available for research; part not available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers are concerned mainly with his years as Labor Member of the House of Representative for Corio, Victoria, 1940-1949. Included in the collection are official and semi-official correspondence, minutes, speeches, reports, press cuttings and printed material relating to his various Cabinet portfolios in the Governments of John Curtin, 1941-1945, and J. B. Chifly, 1945-1949. Much material is also included on the Banking Bills (1945 and 1947).

John Dedman represented Australia at three overseas conferences - at trades negotiations in Geneva in 1947, in Hanava, Cuda, in 1948 at the British Finance ministers Conference in London in 1949; papers from these form an important of the collection.

There is also Australian Labor Party material, reports of conference, policy statements, pamphlets and speeches for the General Elections of 1943, 1946; 1949, 1951 and 1954, all of which were contested by Dedman.

Biographical Note:
Date Event
1896 John Johnstone Dedman was born on 2nd June at Newtown Stewart, Scotland
1915-1922 While attending Edinburgh University he joined the British army, was commission by Kitchener and fought at Gallipoli, In Egypt and France. After the war he served in India.
1922-1940 Dedman migrated to Australia and became a dairy farmer in Victoria, was elected to the Upper Yarra Shire Council and was 2 years its President. Organised the Victoria Milk Producers' Association and was elected its first President in 1927. Joined ALP in 1928
1940 Elected as ALP Member for Corio in the House of Representative at a by-election a seat vacant by the appointment of R. G. Casey as first ambassador to the USA
1941-1945 Minister for War Organization and Industry
1941-1949 Ministry in charge of Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
1945-1949 Minister in charge of Commonwealth Office of Education
1945-1949 Minister for Post War Reconstruction
1946 Minister for Trade and Customs
1946 Minister for Munitions
1946 Minister for Aircraft Production
1946-1949 Minister for Defence
1948-1949 Acting Treasurer during overseas visit by J. B. Chifley
1949 Defeated at general election by Hubert Opperman
1951-1954 Unsuccessfully contested Corio at 1951 and 1954 general elections
1962 Retired to Canberra and resumed university studies. (He commenced studies at Edinburgh University in 1915 before enlisting, resumed at Melbourne University in the early 1930s, and subsequently graduated BA Honours at the Australian National University in 1966.) In 1964 he was honoured by the ANU by being awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws and was elected a member of its Council in 1966.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:

The papers were donated by Dedman in 1960.

Indexed terms

Names:
John Johnstone Dedman

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn726891).
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 J. J. Dedman, National Library of Australia, MS 987, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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