Harold Felix Bell papers

MLMSS 10799

fonds

Approximately 1949-1984

954592

3.6 metres of textual material (24 boxes)

Harold Felix Bell, 1921-2008, was born in Ballarat, the youngest of four boys of John and Essie May Bell. His grandfather, Alexander, had been mayor of Ballarat and an MLC in Victoria. John Bell died when Harold was eight and he left school at 16 to find that almost the only clerical position available in Ballarat was at the AMP Society and there was a competitive examination for it. He won the position and in 1938 began his career.
During World War II he served at the navy office and on the staff of the commander of the south-west Pacific. After the war Bell went back to the AMP, in Melbourne. He had finished his Bachelor of Commerce in the navy and now took a Bachelor of Arts followed by a masters of commerce at Melbourne University. In 1950 he enrolled at the London School of Economics and was transferred to the AMP's London branch. After getting his doctorate in two years, he returned to Australia and in 1953 was made the AMP's first economist, in the Sydney head office. Later, he also became economic adviser to the board.
He was a commissioner of the Australian National Railways and chairman of the indicative planning committee for the housing industry. In NSW, his government appointments included chairman of the Development Corporation of NSW and deputy-chairman of the NSW-Guangdong Economic Committee. He was president of the Swiss Australian Society and on the board of the German-Australian Chamber of Industry and Commerce. He was also one of the early supporters of the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia and later was made an honorary life trustee.
In 1977 he received the Coronation Medal, in 1979 he was made an OBE and in 1984 a distinguished development ambassador of the NSW Department of Industrial Development and Decentralisation. Also in 1984, Bell retired from the AMP but kept his seat on boards of its money market companies until they were absorbed by the new Chase AMP Bank, and he was appointed economic adviser. In 1985 he was made an AO and in 1991 received the Officer's Cross (First Class) of the Order of Merit of the German Federal Republic
Source. Andrew Bell

An extensive collection of papers mostly created by or about Dr Harold Felix Bell, economist of the AMP Society. Includes reports, addresses to meetings, conference papers, internal AMP memoranda, and significant research papers.
Box 1: Papers delivered to various institutions and bodies in Australia and elsewhere, including memoranda internal to AMP 1949 - 1966.
Box 2: Papers delivered to various institutions and bodies in Australia and elsewhere, including memoranda internal to AMP 1956 - 1966.
Box 3: Papers delivered to various institutions and bodies in Australia and elsewhere, including memoranda internal to AMP 1966 - 1985.
Box 4: Papers delivered to various institutions and bodies in Australia and elsewhere, including memoranda internal to AMP 1973 - 1979.
Box 5: Conferences and symposia, Australian and international, including reference material, 1956 - 1982.
Box 6: Conferences and symposia, Australian and international, including reference material, 1964 - 1984.
Box 7: Articles and chapters written by Dr. Bell, published in Australia and internationally, 1963 - 1985.
Box 8: Articles and chapters written by Dr. Bell, published in Australia and internationally, 1960 - 1983.
Box 9: AMP internal memoranda, external correspondence, Economist's Division newsletter and Insurance Topics 1959 - 1982.
Box 10: Addresses given, Association and Societies memberships and participation 1975 - 1992.
Box 11: Files relating to various topics including NSW Development Corporation 1976 - 1986.
Box 12: Files relating to international trips and delegations 1977 - 1982.
Box 13: Press clippings 1953 - 1965.
Box 14: Press clippings 1966 - 1974.
Box 15: Press clippings 1974 - 1983.
Box 16: Collected quotations, no dates; pocket diaries 1950 - 2007.
Box 17: Dr. Bell's theses. M.Comm 1949, PhD 1952. Photographs.
Box 18: "Insurance Topics", written by Dr. Bell and published in the Australian Financial Review under a pseudonym "Our Special Correspondent" and "Our Insurance Correspondent". (a) 1967 - 1974, (b) 1965 - 1968, 1969 - 1971.
Box 19: Attendee list, luncheons functions and addresses, Australia and international; folder concerning Dr. Bell's illness (stroke) in China and hospitalisation in Hong Kong 1984 - 1985.
Box 20: Acknowledgement and thank you letters, Australia and international, to Dr. Bell 1975 - 1980; Overseas travel records 1961 - 1982; folder about Dr. Bell's retirement and illness; post-retirement records 1982 - 2004.
Box 21: Arbitrations, expert evidence and testimonies 1977 - 1980.
Box 22: Arbitrations, expert evidence and testimonies 1977 - 1980.
Box 23: Awards and certificates, FAISA, CPA 60 years, letters of congratulations on Dr. Bell's appointment as an OBE, and a folder titled "Metal Prices 1984".
Box 24: "Insurance Topics", written by Dr. Bell and published in the Australian Financial Review under a pseudonym "Our Special Correspondent" and "Our Insurance Correspondent". (a) 1960 - 1964, (b) 1960 - 1967.

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