ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collections
HMSS 0480 Gale Family Papers
| Call Number | HMSS 0480 |
|---|---|
| Collection | Gale Family Papers |
| Date Range | 1800s-2015 |
| Quantity | 1.65 m (6 manuscript boxes, 1 photo box) |
| Access Conditions | open |
| Copying Conditions | with attribution |
| Related Collections |
John Bowen Ross Gale held the lease of Huntly, on the Uriarra Road, for 60 years and was known for his philanthropy, the garden Heritage listed he created, the many public and social events held there, his land care credentials, support and involvement with the National Trust, Bush Fire Brigade and many other local causes.
Raymond Arthur (RA) Gale, uncle of John Gale, was the original lessee of Huntly. He had no children so he brought John to work at, then take over the running of Huntly. See background to the RA Gale Foundation in the Consolo history. The foundation continues today, based in Sydney, the Chairman being Clive Austin, John’s solicitor and friend.
Huntly was threatened in the major Canberra bushfires of 2003.
Visitors' books in the collection contain signatures s of visitors from the surrounding rural community, Canberra, Sydney and overseas. The two books have a few markers to highlight some of special interest – such as Prince Charles (went riding on Huntly with John, as a schoolboy), diplomats, government officials, Prime Ministers from around the Commonwealth attending the 1981 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and the 2004 Commonwealth Royal Agricultural Conference delegates.
Between the leaves of the Visitors’ Books were kept a number of VIP letters of appreciation, a few business cards, and other documents, such as orders of service from the funerals of friends.
John sponsored an Indian student to study in Australia, who lived briefly at Huntly, then moved into Canberra.
| Box Number | Description | Quantity | Date Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Huntly public events
| 1 folder | 1980-2010 |
| 1 | Huntly CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting)
| 1 plastic sleeve | 1981 |
| 1 | Huntly/John
| 1 folder | 1971-2005 |
| 1 | John Gale – OBE
| 1 envelope | 1981 |
| 1 | Huntly
| 1 plastic bag | 1956-2015 |
| 1 | John – miscellaneous letters (to and from), invitations and papers etc. | 1 file | 1977-2004 |
| 2 | Huntly/John – parties for birthdays
| 1 folder, 1 photo album album, 1 visitors book, 1 ring bound folder | 1994, 1996 |
| 2 | John Huntly – Media 2 x National Trust articles about John’s life, contributions, history etc. | 2 magazines | 2011, 2012 |
| 2 | Transcript of Interview: John Gale re the history of the family company “Consolo” | 1 ring bound booklet | March 2010 |
| 2 | Huntly & Garden
| 1 folder | 1992-2002 |
| 2 | Huntly Bushfires 2003
| 1 folder | 2003 |
| 3 | Huntly
letters relating to donation of paintings to NERAM | 1 ring bound folder | February 2016 |
| 3 | John –travel papers relating to 3 trips to India
| 1 folder | Circa mid 1980s |
| 3 | John – death - last months (living in David Harper House, Goodwin nursing care
| 1 folder | October 2016 |
| 3 | John travel
| 7 passports, 2 page travel list, 10 travel diaries | 1963-2014 |
| 4 | John travel - travel diaries | 25 travel diaries | 1978-1980s, 2000-2014 |
| 5 | John travel - travel diaries | 12 travel diaries | 1963-1973 |
| 5 | Gale family history
| 13 books | 1800s |
| 6 | Gale family history - large presentation folder presented to John Gale by Margaret and Peter Mapperson of Moss Vale, owners of house originally built by John’s grandfather CC Gale (Charles Clarence Gale) known as 'Moss Glen'. Folder contains:
| 1 presentation folder | TBA |
| 6 | Raymond Arthur (RA) Gale Foundation
| 1 file | 1969-1985 |
| 6 |
| 1 file | circa 1950, 1966, 1971, 2002, 2003, 2007 |
| 6 | 2 sets of Huntly postcards by Nitsia Lionis (photographer) produced for a fundraiser | 2 envelopes | circa 2007 |
| 6 | A set of empty envelopes that once contained letters between CC Gale and Isobel Ross | 1 set of empty envelopes bound with string | 1800s |
| 7 | Photo album - The Gale Family Collection by Margaret and Peter Mapperson of Moss Vale | 1 album | 1875-1950 |
| 7 | Photo album - Sculpture Exhibition at Huntly Evocations of the Garden (photographer unknown)
| 1 album | 04/11/1989-19/11/1989 |
| 7 | 3 x books of images:
| 1 Mac photobook, 2 albums | 2002 |