Guide to the Papers of Denis Freney, 1961-1995
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Collection context
Summary
- Collection number:
- MS 9535
- Creator:
- Denis Freney and McKnight, David, Dr.
- Extent:
- (21 boxes)
- Language:
- English
- Preferred citation:
- Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Denis Freney, National Library of Australia, MS 9535, [ series and/or folder number]'.
- Availability:
- Available
- Access conditions:
- Part available for research; part permission required for research. Not for loan.
Background
- Content Summary:
-
The collection comprises correspondence, notebooks, brochures, flyers, journal articles, memorabilia, newscuttings, pamphlets, photographs, press releases, reports and research material. They document Freney's career and activities as a teacher, political activist, journalist and writer. The papers particularly relate to Freney's involvement in the Campaign for an Independent East Timor as well as independence campaigns in New Caledonia and Vanuatu. Other topics include the Nugan Hand Bank and crime and corruption in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s.
Correspondents include Abilio Araujo, Julie Ann Ellis, José Ramos Horta, Brian Manning, Warwick Neilly, Michel Pablo, Chris Santos and Barak Sope. File 1 in Series 3 contains further correspondence by José Ramos Horta which has been given to Freney.
- Biographical Note:
-
Denis Freney was born in Sydney in September 1936 and grew up in the suburbs of Sans Souci and Harbord. He attended North Sydney Boys High School (1948-52) where he gained his Leaving Certificate. He then studied at the University of Sydney (1953-55) gaining his Bachelor of Arts. This was followed by a Diploma of Education (1956).
At the age of sixteen Freney joined the Australian Labor Party and then later at Sydney University joined the Communist Party of Australia. He became disenchanted with the party after the denunciation of Stalin by Khruschev in 1956 and the Soviet invasion of Hungary. He then joined the Trotskyist movement.
He began teaching in 1957, first at Balgowlah High School and then later in Cessnock. In 1960 he left Australia for Europe. During this time he visited many countries and made contact with members of Communist Parties and the Trotskyist movement. He visited South Africa in 1961-62 and then travelled to Algeria in 1963-65 to work with the Algerian Press Service and with Michel Pablo, a member of the Trotskyist Fourth International and an adviser to the new government.
In 1968 Freney returned to Australia where he helped organise many demonstrations against the war in Vietnam. In 1971 he was instrumental in organising the massive campaign against the Springbok rugby tour which ended sporting contacts with South Africa. This was followed by his involvement in the Campaign for an Independent East Timor and the independence struggles in New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
During the 1970s he also wrote one of the first articles in Australia reporting the emergence of the militant gay liberation movement in New York. A short time later he publicly acknowledged his own sexuality and became one of the early activists in the gay movement in Australia.
Freney was a journalist and sub-editor for Tribune, the magazine of the Communist Party of Australia in 1970-76 and again in 1980-91. He was also editor of East Timor News in 1976-79 and editor of Seli Hoo (a monthly magazine on the Vanuatu and New Caledonian independence movement) in 1977-79.
Following his fiftieth birthday in September 1986 Freney decided to write his autobiography. A map of days was published in 1991. This was followed by Larry Death, a political thriller, which was also published in 1991. Freney died from cancer in September 1995.
- Provenance:
-
The collection was donated to the Library by David McKnight in six instalments in 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001.
- Arrangement:
-
The six instalments have been amalgamated and arranged into seven series. Where possible, the original arrangement of the papers and file titles have been preserved by the Library.
Indexed terms
- Names:
- McKnight, David, Dr.
Access and use
- Conditions Governing Access:
- Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn16004).
- 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 Denis Freney, National Library of Australia, MS 9535, [ series and/or folder number]'.
- Location of this collection:
-
Parkes PlaceCanberra ACT 2600, Australia
- Contact: