John S. Baker papers, 1984-1997

MLMSS 10368

fonds

1984-1997

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera

1010744

0.64 metres of textual material (4 boxes) - typescript, manuscript, printed

John Baker was leader of the Union of Postal Clerks and Telegraphists and publicity officer for the Australian Council of Salaried and Professional Associations. He was active in the trade union movement and industrial campaigns for leave and the 36 ¾ hour week with overtime on Saturdays. He was also an advocate for aboriginal land and voting rights and the union representative on the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. As well as his plays, some of which were performed, Baker wrote extensively on unionism and the industrial workforce.

Reference:
Sydney Morning Herald obituary / Daniel Brezniak, 10 Feb. 2001

BOX 1
1-2. Draft sections of proposed autobiography of John Baker and correspondence with publishers, 1992
3. Miscellaneous correspondence including letter to Patrick Dodson and Faith Bandler and letter from Kim Beazley, 1997, also press conference statement on Liberal Party cuts to the arts platform, 1987
4. “Chris”, recollections of Christopher Michael O’Sullivan on his 100th birthday, 1995; also rough notes, aphorisms, epigrams, proverbs, gags
5. University of the 3rd Age papers, correspondence and discussion notes on the course led by John Baker ‘Politics of climate and ecology’ with clippings and articles including the 1992 IPCC Supplement on Climate Change, 1995
6. Correspondence and notes regarding the Multi Arts Confederation Gosford Festival of Arts, 1994

BOX 2
1. Plague Island, performed at the Greenroom Theatre, Perth, Jan. 1984 (original typescript, 2 copies and flyer)
2. Wild Colonial Kelly (original typescript and 1 copy)
3. The Second Fire (original typescript and correspondence, 1993)
4. The Mercenaries (2 typescripts and correspondence, 1985-1986)

BOX 3
1. Treaty, Man (correspondence and 2 drafts, 1992)
2. The Blacks’ Pianos (draft typescript and clippings)
3. The Pearl Divers (correspondence and draft, 1986-1987)
4. Holt in China/ The China diaries of Harold Holt (drafts and background notes, 1989)
5. Death of a Mandarin (correspondence including letter to Henri Szeps, drafts, 1991)
6. The Last Roo (draft, correspondence on animal welfare, Animal Liberation news sheets and press releases, articles on animal experimentation, ca. 1984-1988)

BOX 4
1. Empty Brief Cases (2 typescripts with submission to The Next Stage, NIDA, 1993)
2. Big Jim (2 typescripts)
3. Ettie (typescript with article on Ettie Annie Rout 1877-1936)
4. Billie and the Anarchists (2 scripts with correspondence, 1993)
5. Miracles at Mt Penang (drafts and original script)
6. The Leviathans (correspondence including letter to Spike Milligan, clippings on Rupert Murdoch , draft, 1993)

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Research & study copies allowed:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales