HMSS 0120 A D Ross Papers

ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collections

HMSS 0120 A D ROSS PAPERS 

Scope and Content Notes 

Call Number HMSS 0120
Collection A D Ross Papers
Date Range 1970-2001
Quantity 0.53m (3 manuscript boxes)
Access Conditions open
Copying Conditions with attribution
Related Collections HMSS 049 Barbara Ross Papers; HMSS 0195 Tate Ski Club Records
 

Alfred Douglas Ross (1924-2002) was born in Bloxwich, Staffordshire, England, served in the Indian Army during World War 2, then completed a Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree at Oxford before working for OXFAM. He married Barbara Price in 1955 and migrated to Australia in 1957. He worked in Canberra, first with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics and then with Treasury in the Financial and Economic Policy Section. Doug was awarded an OAM in 1985 for his services to the public service and the Professional Officers Association.

Doug’s interests were exceptionally broad, including religion, philately, book collecting and Urdu, but his real love was for the natural environment. He was especially keen on birds and checked almost daily on the birds in the Parliamentary Triangle where he worked. Holidays at the South Coast, and weekly visits to the Jerrabomberra Wetlands provided further opportunities for bird watching, as his frequent articles and observations in Canberra Bird Notes attest. He was active in the administration of the Canberra Ornithologists Group (COG) and was granted Life Membership in 1989.

He was the principal architect of early moves to gain preservation status for the Jerrabomberra Wetlands, and his meticulous records did much to support the successful establishment of the Jerrabomberra Wetland Nature Park. He was also a member of the Tate Ski Club.

The collection consists of papers relating to philately, ornithology, the environment, the Roman Catholic church in Canberra, and a wide variety of social, economic and political interests. The journals and newsletters have been incorporated into the library’s serials collection.

Box List


BOX
NO.

DESCRIPTION

QUANTITY

DATE RANGE

1

PHILATELY

·         Philatelic Society of Canberra – Members’ Handbook

·         Philatelic Society of Canberra – Annual reports and financial statements, 1984, 1996/1997 – 2000/2001

·         Exhibition catalogues for 9th and 10th National Philatelic Conventions, Canberra, 1996-1998

·         Philatelic Society of Canberra – Certificates awarded to Doug Ross, 1970-1994

·         Membership certificates for Victorian philatelic societies

1 file

1970 – 2001

 

 

 

 

1

CANBERRA ORNITHOLOGISTS GROUP (COG)

·         COG draft constitution, incorporation documents, COG membership brochure, 1986-1987

·         Papers relating to the survey for the ACT Bird Atlas, 1986-1989

1 file

1986 – 1989

 

 

 

 

1

TATE SKI CLUB

Handbook 1986, minutes of Annual General meetings 1982, 1983, 1990, correspondence 1981-1982

1 folder

1981 – 1990

 

 

 

 

1

JERRABOMBERRA WETLANDS WORKING PAPERS

1 bundle

1983 – 1991

 

 

 

 

1

CANBERRA: WHAT SORT OF CITY?

Planning conference; includes papers, background material, newscuttings on Canberra planning after the conference

1 folder

1987

 

 

 

 

1

SAMUEL GRIFFITH SOCIETY

Doug was a member of the Society from December 1995 to about 1999. Papers include correspondence, contact list, speeches and conference papers

1 folder

1995 – 1999

 

 

 

 

1

LOBBY PAPERS

Doug Ross worked for many social and economic causes. His papers include submissions and responses on:

·         Mortgage interest rates on government houses, 1986

·         Preservation of Rocky Knoll, City Hill and other green spaces

·         Health, the Casino, sport, reading in schools, multiculturalism and immigration, politics, grammar, the Multi-Function Polis, euthanasia and many others

1 file

1986 – 1998

 

 

 

 

1-2

NEWSCUTTINGS

These also relate to his causes and interests, collected under the headings:

·         Biology and genetics

·         Social policy, republicanism, etc, 1991

·         Political and economic correctness

·         Political history

·         Social history

·         Religion, and Veritatis Splendor (Papal encyclical 1993)

7 files

1980s – 1990s

 

 

 

 

2-3

INVOLVEMENT WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Doug was involved mainly on the financial side as treasurer, auditor and investigator, but also on the ethical side of church affairs, in St Benedict’s Parish and for the Society of St Vincent de Paul as well as for the archdiocese generally

 

1979 – 1999

2

Integrity in Ministry - a statement of principles and standards for Catholic clergy and religious in Australia. Includes draft and final document and Doug’s comments

1 file

1999

2

Archdiocesan Assembly. Living Christian life in today’s world. Record of proceedings. Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, 29-30 May 1998. Doug attended as a nominee of St Benedict’s Parish, and his report is included

 

1998

2

Inquiries and investigations into organisations within the Church:

·         St Elizabeth of Hungary, 1993

·         St Clares College incident, 1979

·         St Benedict’s Parish, 1998

·         St Vincent de Paul - Thomas Cahill Cottage investigation, 1995

3 folders, 1 envelope

1979, 1993 – 1998

2

South Canberra and Queanbeyan Regional Council of St Vincent de Paul – audit papers

1 folder

1992 – 1996

3

Monica House

·         Financial records for the Monica House Revolving Funds 1 and 2

·         A D Ross report on the Revolving Fund, 1991-1994 and minute book of subsequent actions

·         Monica House dispute, 1996-1998

2 cash books, 1 minute book, 3 files

1991 – 1998

3

St Vincent de Paul correspondence – much of it relates to the inquiries above

1 file

1991 – 1994

3

St Vincent de Paul manuals

4 books