ACT Heritage Library Manuscript Collection
HMSS 0318 Sir Walter Hankinson Presentation Album
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Call Number |
HMSS 0318 |
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Collection |
Sir Walter Hankinson Presentation Album |
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Date Range |
1936 |
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Quantity |
0.09m (1 manuscript box) |
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Access Conditions |
open |
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Copying conditions |
with attribution |
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Related Collections |
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British official and diplomat, Walter Crossfield Hankinson entered the Colonial Office in 1920 and transferred to the Dominions Office in 1925. He was appointed acting Representative in Australia of His Majesty's Government in 1931-1932 and 1935-1936. He was Deputy and acting High Commissioner in Australia from 1943-1947, High Commissioner in Ceylon, 1948-1951, and Ambassador to Ireland from 1951-1955. Lady Sheila Hankinson was the daughter of Australian historian, Dr Frederick Watson. Watson published A Brief History of Canberra, in 1927 and served for a short time on the Federal Capital Commission.
Walter and Sheila married on 23 April 1936 at the Church of St John the Baptist, in the Canberra suburb of Reid. Walter was made OBE in 1948 prior to taking up a position as High Commissioner to Ceylon. In retirement, Sir Walter and Lady Hankinson returned to Australia, settling in the Canberra suburb of Deakin. Sheila died on 27 June 1981. Walter died in 1984.
A collection of personal papers of Sir Walter and Lady Hankinson are at the National Library of Australia, MS 9941.
This leather bound presentation folio of 18 black and white photographs of Canberra, ca 1936, is attached to pale blue boards with printed captions and the cover title in gilt cursive lettering reads ‘Canberra’.
The folio was presented to Hankinson at a gathering in his honour in the Prime Minister’s room on Thursday 26 March 1936. The Prime Minister, Joe Lyons, made the presentation on behalf of the Ministry. In addition to Cabinet Ministers, others present were the British High Commissioner (Sir Geoffrey Whiskard), the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Colonel Bell), leader of the Opposition (Mr. Curtin) and Mr W.F. Leishing.
The folio was signed by fourteen of those present:
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Signature |
Name and link to further information |
Position at time of presentation |
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J.A. Lyons |
Prime Minister |
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Archdale Parkhill |
Minister for Defence |
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R.G. Casey |
Treasurer |
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W.M. Hughes |
Minister for Health and Repatriation |
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H.V.C. Thorby |
minister without portfolio in charge of War Service Homes |
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John Curtin |
Leader of the Opposition |
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H.S. Gullett |
minister without portfolio directing negotiations for Trade Treaties |
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J.A.J. Hunter |
minister without portfolio assisting the ministers for repatriation and the interior |
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Geo. J. Bell |
Speaker in the House of Representatives |
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G.F. Pearce |
Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Territories |
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A.J. McLachlan |
Minister in charge of development of Scientific and Industrial Research |
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Thos. C. Brennan |
minister without portfolio assisting the Minister for Commerce |
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T.W. White |
Minister for Trade and Customs |
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T. Paterson |
Minister for the Interior |
The images in the folio are of :
· Parliament House, Canberra
· House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra
· Senate Chamber, Parliament House, Canberra
· King’s Hall, Parliament House, Canberra
· Institute of Anatomy, Canberra
· Courtyard, Parliament House, Canberra
· Government House, Canberra
· Flowering Plums, Yarralumla Nursery, Canberra
· Cotter River Dam, Canberra
· Australian Forestry School, Canberra
· View from Mount Ainslie, Canberra
· View from Red Hill, Canberra
· View on Mount Stromlo, Canberra
· Parliament House from Mount Ainslie, Canberra
· Hotel Canberra and Commonwealth Avenue, Canberra
· Parliament House Grounds and Trees, Canberra
· City Shops, Canberra
· Street Scene, Ainslie, Canberra