Dreadnought Association - records, 1890-1997

MLMSS 6448/Boxes 1, 3-8
MLMSS 6448/Boxes 2X, 9X-10X

fonds

1890-1997

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Photographs

153054

1.50 metres of textual material (7 boxes and 3 outsize boxes)

In response to the growing German Naval power and presence in the Pacific during the early years of the 20th century, the Lord Mayor initiated a public appeal to buy a battleship for the Royal Navy. The name of this class of battleship was Dreadnought. Within months of the fund coming into being the Federal government decided to create its own Royal Australian Navy. Part of the money which had been raised was used to promote and assist the migration of youths from Great Britain. On arrival in Sydney they were sent to government run farms at Yanco, Cowra, Arrawatta, Glen Innes, Grafton, and Wollongbar. More than half the migrants went to Scheyville near Pitt Town. At the farms agricultural skills were taught and after about three months the boys were sent to any farms in the state requesting labour. The first Dreadnought boys arrived in 1911 but was halted during the First World War, and resumed in 1921. In 1930 migration to New South Wales was stopped because of the Depression. In 1974 a Dreadnought boy named Ray Moores advertised in newspapers, calling for a reunion of boys who had come to Australia aboard the same ship. From these beginnings the Dreadnought Association grew. Over the years about 350 Dreadnought boys have been in touch with the Association, and reunions are an annual event

BOX 1
1980-1995; minutes of annual general meetings of the Dreadnought Association
1970-1996; correspondence with Government House, Sydney
1982-1984; correspondence, mainly with Sydney Cove Redevelopment Authority, concerning a commemorative plaque honouring the Dreadnought boys

BOX 2X
1911-1938; registers of apprentices at Department of Agriculture farms at Cowra, Glen Innes, Grafton and Wollongbar, New South Wales

BOX 3
1909-1910,1927,1970-1980; 'early research notes on history of the Dreadnought scheme assembled by A. E. Brawn'
1911-1914,1924-1930,1992-1996; 'notes on Dreadnought Trust records in ML', including minutes of Dreadnought Trustees meetings 1924-1930
1990-1993; 'Betty Bantow thesis and correspondence', with a television script 'The Dreadnought boy', also by Betty Bantow
1992; 'Historical context and discussion paper Scheyville, N.S.W. a report prepared for Hawkesbury City Council by Wendy Thorp'

BOX 4
1988-1990; 'Dreadnought history pamphlets'
1974-1992; 'reunions members present correspondence with Club'
1994; 'the Wollongbar reunion'
1974; 'responses to Ray Moores' initial campaign', to reunite men who had been part of the Dreadnought Scheme
1925-1927, 1992-1997; 'Dreadnought Boys careers as described in letters and pamphlets and press accounts'
'Personal history details of Dreadnought Association members received up to June 1987' (two exercise books)

BOX 5
'Dreadnought Boys personal history summaries showing main ultimate occupations, war service, families established'
'Replies to questionaires'
1922-1937, 1997; 'personal migration papers sent in by D.O.B.s'
1994-1996; 'Dreadnought Association membership applications enquiries re relatives'

BOX 6
1974-1997; 'complete list of D.O.B.A. enrolments 1974 to June 1997'
'List of Dreadnought boys who arrived in NSW betwen 1921 and 1929 and in 1939' (two copies)
Card file of Dreadnought boys 'deceased before Feb 91'
'Card file of still living members whom AEB [Arthur Brawn] stopped recording ca. Feb 1991'

BOX 7
Personal histories of Dreadnought boys including: untitled by Wilfred Henry Bennett and Ben Boddington, 'My life as a Dreadnought boy' by A.E.Brawn, 'Cooee the call of the Bush' and 'Port Moresby odyssey' by Jesse Edwin Stephen Carter, 'Eric Goyne Davies his life as told to Jeanne Christian', 'Daddy the personal account of the life of George Dewar Elder through the eyes of his eldest daughter Margaret Gibbons', Yarns of Cowra Jack' by Jack Hull, 'One of the likely lads...the memoirs of a migrant' by Norman Monsen, 'From farm boy to leading radio man' by Donald Mountfort (3 volumes), 'In Australia' by Graham Venables,'Dreadnought boy' and 'The Dreadnought story' by Bill Wilson

BOX 8
1974-1982; newsletters and annual reports of the Dreadnought Association
1993-1995; newsletters of north coast members of the Dreadnought Association
1890-1993; 'Scheyville - newspaper articles
1920s; 'Scheyville - the Government Agricultural Training Farm by W.F. Schey'

BOX 9X
1911-1988; Scrapbooks (2) of newscuttings

BOX 10X
1926-1994; photograph albums (5)

Restricted - This collection contains confidential, personal and/or culturally sensitive information: The Library requires you to sign an ‘Undertaking with regard to access’ for this collection to protect the privacy of individuals. This form will be supplied to you prior to access. Guidelines for accessing sensitive collections

See also Dreadnought Trust records, 1909-1939, including an index to names of boys, at ML A4990 - A4995 (preservation microfilm copy at CY 1165: 623 frames).