George Robertson and George Ferguson of Angus & Robertson, papers, 1882-1998

MLMSS 9703

fonds

1882-1998

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Ephemera, Photographs

1261253

1.50 metres of textual material (9 boxes), some folders contain photographs - manuscript, typescript

George Robertson was co-founder of Angus & Robertson in 1886. George Robertson's daughter Bessie married John Ferguson, author of 'Bibliography of Australia', and their son George Ferguson later became Managing Director of A&R and President of the Australian Book Publishers Association (ABPA), 1949-1971.

By descent from George Robertson to donor.

Collection includes some early A&R documents and invoices including a framed advertisement for the opening of a 'New Bookseller' in 1884. However the majority of collection relates to George Ferguson (grandson of George Robertson) - including business papers, correspondence and newscuttings relating to the running of A&R largely between 1950 and 1971, turbulent years in the company's history. Also includes George Ferguson's early school reports, exercise books and photographs, as well as material relating to Bessie Robertson and other family papers.

Box 1

Folder 1 - School reports, books, programmes and photos.

Malvern School, Hunter’s Hill. Distribution of Prizes. December 7, 1921; December 13, 1922; December 12, 1923; December 14, 1927; December 12, 1928.
Malvern School, Hunter’s Hill. Annual Sports. November 12, 1920; November 10, 1922; November 30, 1923; September 26, 1924; September 22, 1925; September 27, 1927; September 24, 1928.

Certificate annual swimming sports 1922 for George A. Ferguson.

Newspaper clippings regarding Malvern School academic and sporting successes. 1921-1923.

Associated Grammar Schools Athletic Association, 2nd Annual Swimming Carnival. March 7, 1924.

Associated Grammar Schools Amateur Athletic Association, 3rd Annual Combined Sports Meeting Programme. 20th October 1923; 8th Annual Combined Sports Meeting Programme. September 28, 1928.

School reports for George Ferguson, Girrahween School, Ambrose Street Hunters Hill. June and December 1917; June and December 1918; December 1919; Term 1, 2, and 3, 1920; Term 1, 2, and 3, 1921; Term 2 and 3, 1922; Term 1, 2 and 3, 1923; Term 1, 2 and 3, 1924; Term 1, 1925; Term 2, 1926; Term 1 and 3, 1927.

School exercise books including manuscript stories and illustrations by George Ferguson: Stories of India; Stories of Japan; Stories of Canada; Stories of Holland; Writing exercise book.

Handmade calendars consisting of school photograph and calendar for 1917; 1920; 1920; 1927; and 1 photo with missing calendar. 1917 calendar has inscription on verso, “Dear Mother with love from George”; 1920 calendar with full school photo has card attached with inscription, “To dear father and mother from Margaret, Bruce and George”.

Nine handmade gift tags or cards from George to either his mother or father. Some have added illustrations and drawings.

1 dance card dated September 1915; Story titled Kangaroo by George; clippings regarding a school dance, article on Malvern School, and Leaving Certificate results for George Ferguson, ‘The Labor Daily’, 20 January, 1926; Christmas card from Malvern School; Belgian Day grand concert, May 14, 1915; 2 letters with envelopes from George; handmade purse.

Invitations to Mr & Mrs Ferguson for the Annual Athletic Sports, November 12, 1920; November 10, 1922; November 30, 1923; September 26, 1924 and September 22, 1925; Presentation of Honour Books for December 19, 1916; December 14, 1918; December 19, 1919. Annual Speech Day December 8, 1920; December 7 [no year]; December 12 [no year].

Malvern School Old Boys’ Union Annual Dinner. Thursday 26 April, 1934.

Folder 2

Obituaries for George Ferguson, together with clippings and biographical details of his family life and career, includes a letter from Sir Robert Menzies. 1933-1998.

Folder 3

Miscellaneous correspondence, 1971-1975.

Folder 4

Correspondence concerning George Ferguson’s retirement in 1971.

Folder 5

Correspondence and telegrams of congratulations concerning the award of OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. January 1956.

Folder 6

Correspondence, 1970-1975; Travel ephemera for planes and boat for Britain and United States during 1947.

BOX 2

Folder 1

Correspondence, 1960. Mostly between George Ferguson and the London office of Angus & Robertson.

Folder 2

Correspondence, clippings, shareholder reports, magazines, 1960. Mainly concerning the Managing Directorship of Walter Burns and the appointment of the new board in December 1960.

Folder 3

Correspondence, mostly between George Ferguson and Ian Collins (Collins Publishers, London) concerning the takeover by Consolidated Press, 1961-1963.

Folder 4

Correspondence between George Ferguson and Sir William Collins, 1966; 1971.

Folder 5

Miscellaneous general correspondence, 1960-1983.

Folder 6

Letters, papers and documents for John Wiley and Sons, 1978-1984.

Folder 7

Robertson family history inquiries, ca 1971.

BOX 3

Folder 1

Newspaper clippings and copies of The Bulletin, 1955-1966.

Folder 2

Writings on the history of Angus & Robertson; speeches and presentations; 4 issues of ‘Fragment, the house magazine of Angus & Robertson and Halstead Press, 1954 and 1957; Menus for dinners at the Australian Book Publishers Association for 1950, 1955 and 1963; 2 copies of ‘Welcome home Lunch to George Ferguson, 1938’ in London.

Red bound scrapbook book containing magazine and newspaper clippings on the book trade, 1941-1946.

BOX 4

Folder 1

Correspondence between George A. Ferguson and his son John R. Ferguson, 1960-1974.

Folder 2

Manuscript copies of The House of Angus and Robertson, a record of fifty years, 1886-1936. Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1936. [By James Tyrell]. Signed by G. Ferguson; Memoirs of a Galley Slave, fifty years of proof-reading by Enid Moon.

Folder 3

Speeches, letters and presentations by George Ferguson, 1945; 1961-1967; 1979.

Folder 4

Correspondence and newspaper clippings concerning the take-over of Angus & Robertson by IPEC; together with letters concerning the resignation of George Ferguson; correspondence between George Ferguson and Sir William Collins; legal documents and papers concerning offer of shares and take-over by IPEC. 1970.

BOX 5

Folder 1

Speeches and addresses by George Ferguson on the Australian publishing industry, 1970-1974.

Folder 2

Australian Bookseller and Publisher minutes of meetings; papers and discussions; dinner menus. 1950-1975.

Folder 3

Articles and papers written by George Ferguson representing the Australian Book Publishers Association, 1970-1976.

Folder 4

Articles and papers written by George Ferguson representing the Australian Book Publishers Association, 1970-1976.

BOX 6

Folder 1

Appreciation of the situation regarding Angus & Robertson’s publishing activities as instructed in Board Minute of 15th September 1960 by G.A. Ferguson, October 1960.

Folder 2

Report on past and present activities of Halstead Press and an assessment of future opportunities by A.G. Cousins, 1960.

Folder 3

Angus & Robertson (Publishers) Pty Ltd Singapore: Progress report, August 1970; Letters and papers concerning management issues, 1960-1975.

Folder 4

Memorandums between G.A. Ferguson, L. Smith and W. Hughes; Notes on progress report by Managing Director (undated but issued on 5th September, 1960); Minutes to be placed before Board meetings; memos between staff; Statements on progress for paperback and educational books; budget proposals; Letters of resignation dated 8 June 1960 from Hugh Millar, Mark Millar and W.F. Davis; Interim report on progress of A & R since my appointment to the position of Managing Director by [W. Burns].

Folder 5

Notes on the re-organisation of Angus & Robertson, June/July 1945; Sydney Book Club, report and suggestions, 1936.

Folder 6

Newspaper clippings on Barton/IPEC takeover of Angus & Robertson, 1970-1975.
Folder 7

Correspondence between G.A. Ferguson and staff at the A & R London office, 1960-1963.

Folder 8

Correspondence between G.A. Ferguson, William Collins and E.A.J. Hyde, 1969-1970; Correspondence with London office and son, John Ferguson, 1960-1962; management papers 1946-1947; Correspondence between Angus & Robertson and A. Hayes, Manager, Social Surveys, 1959-1961.

BOX 7

Folder 1

Correspondence G.A. Ferguson with staff of A & R and other publishing firms, in Australia and London concerning Walter Burns, 1960.

Folder 2

Takeover attempt by Sir Frank Packer, Consolidated Holdings, 1961-1962.

Folder 3

Angus & Robertson papers during Barton change-over period, 1969-1970.
Published items: The Australian Printer, vol. 4 no. 4, April 1953; The Book Under Challenge, 1972; Extract from Vestes, the Australian Universities’ Review, 1963; Ideas about books and bookselling, June 1968; Australian Bookseller and Publisher, April 1976; East Asian Pacific Copyright Seminar Sydney 1976; Fragment, the house magazine of Angus & Robertson and Halstead Press, May 1955; October 1955; August 1956; May 1957; June 1959; The Endeavour Journal of Joseph Banks, volume II (launch brochure); Australian Encyclopaedia Souvenir Menu, 18 June 1958; Psychical Research, Public Service, pp. 301-316; Property 91-95 entry from old ledger July 1906 (copy).

BOX 8

Folder 1

Invoices, receipts, quotes for George Robertson of “Halstead”, Blackheath (built in 1892). 1892-1920. Includes Sydney and Blackheath merchants and tradespeople. Goods sold consist of clothes, household goods, doctors, chemists, coal deliveries, timber and hardware; household repairs by carpenters, plumbers, painters and gardeners, furniture; stationery and machinery. Included amongst the numerous providers were Anthony Hordern and Sons; Farmer & Company; David Jones; Penfolds Stationery.

Folder 2

Correspondence of Bessie Ferguson (nee Robertson), 1891 to 1937. Includes keepsakes from her children and letters from George Robertson to his son, Douglas.

Folder 3

Correspondence of George Robertson to publishers and authors; obituary newspaper clippings on George Robertson’s death; letters of sympathy on George Robertson’s death addressed to Angus & Robertson, Sydney from publishers, authors, companies and businesses across Australia and overseas; letters from family members in Scotland to George Robertson; letters to his son, Douglas; 2 portrait photographs of George Robertson (1900, London); preliminary sketches by Walter Syer of David Scott Mitchell and several other portraits from 168 Alfred Street, North Sydney, March 19, 1894. 1882 to 1933.

BOX 9

Folder 1

163 photographic postcards address to Marjorie B. Robertson; May D. Robertson; Bessie Robertson; Dorothy Ferguson. 1904-1910. Australian scenes. Messages on verso.

Folder 2

320 photographic postcards addressed to Marjorie B. Robertson and George Robertson, 1904-1907. Non-Australian scenes. Messages on verso.

Folder 3

Photographs of George Robertson, London 1900; George Robertson of Melbourne; Unknown; Samuel Mullen; David Scott Mitchell; David Mackenzie Angus; Frederick Victor Wymark; Sir William Dixson, 1922; George Robertson by Low; Mullen’s Bookshop, 1879; Mullen’s Bookshop, 1889; Angus & Robertson Bookshop 89 Castlereagh Street Sydney, ca 1895; Cnr Market and Castlereagh Streets Sydney, looking west down Market Street, ca 1900.

Photograph of Mayor John B. Hynes, acting for James M. Curley. George A. Ferguson being presented with key to city of Boston, Mass., September 1947.

Photograph of the Australian Book Publishers’ Association formation dinner, Canberra, February 18, 1950. Left to right: Sir Robert Menzies, Dame Pattie Menzies, Freddie Howe, Joyce Ferguson, Mrs Harris, George Ferguson, (rear) Ted Harris. Together with article from The Bookseller, April 8, 1950 describing the dinner, plus the menu, The First Dinner of the Australian Book Publishers’ Association, Canberra, 1950.

Photograph of Martin Matheson; George Ferguson, J. Stetson Barnes, at Wiley gathering at Ed Hamilton’s log cabin Westchester, September 1958; photograph of a fireplace [no date].

Photographic portrait taken at Specialist Publishers Exhibition (London), 3 October 1974. Left to right: George Ferguson, Lionel Leventhal, Armorel Lothian, Louis Lothian, Philip Kogan.

Folder 4

Memorandum from George Robertson, 361 George Street, Sydney to George Robertson, Watson’s Temperance Hotel, 13 February 1882. “Dear Sir, I shall be obliged if you will call on me this morning, yours faithfully, George Robertson, per C.J. Clarke”. On verso of frame, now discarded, “My first and only billet in Australia. I landed in Sydney on 12 February 1882”.

Folder 5

Framed sheet, Opening Announcement, New Bookseller’s Establishment, 110 Market Street, Sydney June 1884, by D.M. Angus.

Folder and contents arrangement by donor.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Copyright holder:: State Library of New South Wales
Research & study copies allowed:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and courtesy James Ferguson
Copyright status:: Photographs created before 1955 out of copyright.<br>Photographs created after 1955 in copyright