Lionel Gilbert papers and correspondence, ca. 1946-1976

MLMSS 8271

fonds

ca. 1946-1976

Textual Records, Ephemera

413772

0.17 metres of textual material (1 box)

Lionel Arthur James Gilbert was born at Burwood, Sydney in 1924. He was educated at Burwood Primary School, Homebush and Fort Street High Schools, and trained to be a school teacher at Sydney Teachers' College (1942-43). In 1943 he joined the R.A.A.F (1943-46) as a radar operator.

Following his war service he taught secondary courses at Nabiac Central School (1946-54), became Deputy Headmaster of Wauchope Primary School (1955-60), then was promoted to Headmaster at Rocky River Primary School near Uralla.

In 1963 he was awarded his B.A. degree with First Class Honours. He proceeded to study for a PhD degree which was awarded to him in 1972 for his thesis on Botanical History. In July 1963 Lionel Gilbert was appointed Lecturer in History and Curator, Museum of Education at Armidale Teachers' College. During the next 21 years he expanded the Education Museum and designed courses in Local and Applied History for internal and external students.

He was Honorary Curator of the Armidale City Council's Folk Museum (1962-1982). He joined the Town Clerk in making representations to the NSW Department of Education for the successful "Annexation" of Hillgrove School to provide necessary accommodation for the Museum.

Since 1948 his publications have included many papers in natural history, genealogical, local history and bibliographic journals, articles for the Australian Dictionary of Biography, in addition to detailed studies of graveyard monuments. Dr. Gilbert was elected a Fellow of the Society of Australian Genealogists in 1955, a Fellow of the Royal Australian Historical Society (1977), Fellow of the Federation of Australian Historical Societies (2007). In 1972 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to the U. K. to study ways in which museums contributed to general education. In 1995 Dr. Gilbert was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, (OAM) and in 2008 the University of New England honoured him by awarding him an Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree. He is a patron of the Australian National Museum of Education.

Reference:
'Dr. Lionel Gilbert OAM', Australian College of Educators http://austcolled.com.au/article/dr-lionel-gilbert-oam accessed online 20 February 2012

Papers and correspondence, being mainly letters received, many with explanatory notes attached about the writer. Covering topics including museums, botany, naturalists, steam trains, bottle making, photographs, publications, William Flint, and particularly William Carron (1821-1876).

Folder 1
Letters from Margaret Dalrymple-Hay, Bruce MacDonald, Jack Richardson, Mona Webster, Tom Faint, Keast Burke, ca. 1955-1966

Folder 2
Letters, mainly from T. Y. Harris, Emily Noble Moore (nee Carron, 1870-1964), Annie Mabel Pryce (nee Carron, 1875-1966), and Ian Pryce (son of Annie Mabel), primarily concerning William Carron, 1946-1966

Folder 3
Letters, mainly from Alf Gray, Mitchell Librarians (including Phyllis Mander Jones), the Australian Museum, Mary Quick, and James Jervis, 1948-1976

Folder 4
Papers, invitation, and correspondence, from the Public Library of Victoria, Public Library of South Australia, Mitchell Library, historical societies, Edgar Beale, C. H. Bertie, etc., 1948-1970

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