Guide to the Papers of Edna Ryan, 1948-1993

Summary

Collection number:

MS 9140, MS Acc09.172

Creator:

Ryan, Edna

Extent:

6.6 metres and (44 boxes)

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

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

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:

MS 9140 comprises press clippings, subject files, diaries, notebooks, correspondence, articles, drafts of books, conference papers, submissions and publications on issues such as equal pay for women, employment conditions, child care, abortion and trade union matters. People, organisations and events mentioned include: Anne Conlon, Wendy Fatin, Wendy McCarthy, Mary Owen, Pat Richardson, Mum Shirl, Gough Whitlam, Women's Electoral Lobby, Australian Labor Party, National Foundation of Australian Women, Women's Trade Union Commission, International Women's Year Conference (1975) and National Women's Conference (1990) (43 boxes).

Biographical Note:

Edna Ryan (née Nelson), feminist and campaigner for equal pay, was born in Sydney in 1904 and died in Canberra in 1997.

One of a large family, Ryan had to leave school early to find work as a clerk, but spent many years studying at evening college. She was an early member of the Communist Party and also of the International Workers of the World but left the Communist Party after her partner, Jack Ryan, was expelled. In 1935 the Ryans joined the Labor Party. Later Edna Ryan was an early campaign manager for the future prime minister Gough Whitlam.

Ryan stood unsuccessfully for the State seat of Mosman as an ALP candidate in 1953 and was an alderman and Deputy Mayor of Fairfield Council between 1956 and 1965.

As a foundation member of the Women's Electoral Lobby in 1972, Ryan participated in campaigns to persuade the Whitlam Government to reopen the National Wage Case. In 1974 the Arbitration Commission extended to women the same minimum wages as men. In 1993 Ryan successfully lobbied the Minister for Industrial Relations, Laurie Brereton, to ensure that his legislation guaranteed women would be no worse off under enterprise bargaining.

Ryan wrote numerous articles, conference papers, submissions to government and two books, Gentle invaders (1975) and Two thirds of a man (1984).

She accepted an honorary doctorate from Sydney University in 1985 but rejected an Order of Australia, saying 'They are only giving it to me because I am old'.

Edna Ryan had three children, Julia, Lyndall and Patrick, whom she raised alone after Jack Ryan died at an early age.

Collection Retrieval Advice:

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there may be multiple Box 1s). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Provenance:

The Edna Ryan Papers were received in four consignments.

MS 9140: In January 1993 several boxes were transferred to the Library. These were once part of the collection of the now-defunct Women's Archive, which was established by the Women's Studies Unit at the Australian National University. In March 1993 and January 1995 Edna Ryan donated further material to the Library.

MS Acc09.172: This consignment was transferred in October 2009.

Arrangement:

The contents of each instalment have been processed separately. The original sequence established by the Women's Archive custodians in respect to the first instalment has been maintained. Their file numbers have been added at the end of each folder description in the following list. Because categories of material such as letters, diaries and cuttings are spread across the three instalments, a careful scan of the entire list is recommended.

Conditions Governing Access:

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn168173).

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 Edna Ryan, National Library of Australia, [class/series/file/item number]'.

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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