Ros Bowden - interviews with people who knew Ida Leeson, former Mitchell Librarian, 1985

MLOH 23

fonds

1985

Nonmusical Sound Recordings, Oral Histories

411776

Sound Recording : CY MLOH 23/1-5

Sound Recordings - 5 cassettes - 4hrs 30mins

Ida Emily Leeson (1885-1964), librarian, was born at Leichhardt, Sydney, daughter of Thomas Leeson, carpenter from Canada, and his Australian born wife Mary Ann, nee Emberson. Ida Leeson was educated at Leichhardt Public School and Sydney Girls' High School. She was graduated, Bachelor of Arts, from the University of Sydney in 1906. In August 1906 Ida Leeson was appointed library assistant at the Public Library of New South Wales, and in 1909 was transferred to the Mitchell Library. In 1932 she was appointed second Mitchell Librarian. In April 1944 Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Conlan secured Ida Leeson's secondment as a research officer in the Directorate of Research, where she was ranked captain, and later major in the Australian Military Forces. She was a member of A.A. Conlan's 'think-tank' which included John Kerr. Ida Leeson did not return to the Mitchell Library, officially resigning in 1946. Toward the end of the war she was appointed librarian-archivist for the School of Civil Affairs, later known as the Australian School of Pacific Administration. In 1949 Ida Leeson went to Noumea to establish the library for the South Pacific Commission, returning to Australia in 1950, where she continued to work for the commission in Sydney until 1956. Ida Leeson died in 1964.

Interviews with people who knew Ida Leeson. The interviews are mainly concerned with personal aspects of Ida Leeson's life, such as her appearance, her interaction with staff and colleagues and her relationships with friends.
1985; Interview with Jean Arnot of the Public Library of New South Wales, later the State Library of New South Wales discussing Ida Leeson and the history of the Library. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/1; CY MLOH 23/4)
1985; Interview with Alexander Dix who worked at the South Pacific Commission from 1951 to 1956. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/1)
1985; Interview with Daphne Gollan, an employee of the Public Library of New South Wales, later the State Library of New South Wales. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/2)
1985; Interview with Sir John Kerr, who was a member of the 'think-tank' at the Directorate of Research during World War II. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/3)
1985; Interview with Nancy Phelan who was at the South Pacific Commission with Ida Leeson. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/5)
1985; Interview with Wilma Conlan and her son Telford who knew Ida Leeson during her time at the Directorate of Research. (Call No.: CY MLOH 23/5)

A log of the tapes is available.