Museum of Australian Democracy

  • About
  • Blog
  • Prime Ministers
  • Websites
  • Venue hire
  • Visiting
  • Whats On
  • Collection
  • Learning
  • Democracy
  • Oral Histories
  • Collections
    • McIntosh Collection
  • Topics
  • About

Oral histories on the topic 'world war two'

A placeholder image. Please update data.

Hazel Craig (1914-2013)

Born in Sydney, Hazel Craig started work in Canberra in 1934 as a member of a typists’ pool in the Prime Minister’s Department. Between 1935 and 1976, she served on the secretarial staff of five Prime Ministers: Joe Lyons, Robert Menzies, Arthur Fadden, John Curtin and Ben Chifley. She was Menzie...
Topics: A J McLachlan, Abdication (King Edward V111), Air disaster, Canberra, Alan Reid, Alexander Downer, Allen Brown, Bank nationalisation, Bankstown, Ben Chifley, Billy Hughes, Buses, Cabinet anteroom, Cabinet Room, Civic, Communist Party Dissolution Bill, Darwin, Depression 1930s, Don Rogers, Earle Page, East Block, Eileen Lenner, Eileen Lenihan, Elizabeth Chifley, Elsie Curtin, Enid Lyons, Essington Lewis, Frank Forde, Frederick Shedden, G for George campaign, Gorman House, H C Coombs, H V Evatt, Harold Cox, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Kurrajong, Ian Fitchett, Joe Lyons, John Curtin, John Latham, John Storey, Kalgoorlie, Kings Hall, London, Manuka, Marge Grosvenor, Mary Martin, Pattie Menzies, Percy Sender, Perth, Peter Heydon, Peter Isaacson, Postmaster General, Press Gallery, Prime Ministers Department, Provisional Parliament House, Rex Harrison, Richard Casey, Robert Menzies, Royal Visit 1954, Secretaries, Shorthand, Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme, Stanley Baldwin, Telephone exchange, Thelma Caswell, Transport, Typists, USA, War Cabinet, West Block, Women, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF), World War Two
Issy Wyner

Issy Wyner (1916-2008)

Issy Wyner was born at Paddington, Sydney, in 1916 and grew up in the Rozelle-Balmain area. This interview was recorded specifically for his recollections of life in working class Sydney during the 1930s Depression, as part of research and preparation for the museum’s 2007 exhibition *Scarred and...
Topics: Aborigines, Al Jolson, Albert Robbie, Anatole France, Apia Club, Bankstown, Bar Mitzvah, Bill Telford, Balmain, Cabinet-makers, Carbonetti’s (fish business), Card games, Charles Bellamour, Charles Darwin, Cinemas, Cockatoo Island, Communist International, Communist Party of Australia, Cricket, Darling Street (Balmain), Dawn Fraser, Demonstrations, Depression 1930s, Dole, Dress-makers, Drummoyne, Elkington Park Baths, England, Estonia, Evictions, Family background, Fort Street school, George Bernard Shaw, Glebe, Glebe Town Hall, H G Wells, Hebrew, Irish, Israel, Italians, Jack Sylvester, Jack Trainer, Jews, Latvia, Leichhardt Council, Leichhardt Stadium, Local government, Marrickville, Methodist Mission, Middle East, Music, New Guinea, Picnics, Police, Queen, Victoria Building, Ramsay MacDonald, Relief work, Religion, Rozelle, Russia, Schooling, Scots, Shaun O’Carroll, Socialism, South Africa, The Domain, Tivoli, Unemployed Workers Movement, Unemployment, Vaudeville, Volunteer Hotel, Waterview Street (Balmain), West Wyalong, Wheat silos, White Bay, World War Two
Jean Salisbury (1922-2014)

Jean Salisbury (1922-2014)

Jean Salisbury was appointed in 1942 as one of two Stenographer Secretaries to Frederick Shedden, the Head of War Cabinet Secretariat. She worked in the Secretariat until early 1945. Born in 1922 in Melbourne, she died in Canberra in 2014.
Topics: Accommodation, Advisory War Council, Alan Salisbury, American soldiers, Archie Wilson, Barbara Potts, Bert Port, Bicycling, Brassey House, Brisbane, Campbell (ACT), Chartered accountants, Coburg High School, Commonwealth Public Service, Commonwealth Typists Exam, Dacomb Business College, Dacomb Shorthand, Darwin (bombing), Defence Committee, Department of Air, Department of Defence, Douglas MacArthur, East Block, Essington Lewis, Frederick Shedden, Jane Price, Japan, John Curtin, Kings Cross, Marriage, Melbourne, Melbourne Town Hall, Menzies Hotel Melbourne), Nancy Turner, Note-takers, Order of Australia, Pitman’s Shorthand, Rosie Fraser, Sam Landau, Schooling, Shorthand, Singing, Spirit of Progress (train), St. John’s Church (Reid, ACT), Stenographers, Sydney, Thomas Beecham, Typists, Victoria Barracks, Vincent Quealy, VJ Day, War Cabinet, War Cabinet Secretariat, World War Two, Writers, Jean Duncan
A placeholder image. Please update data.

Nan Boyd

Nan Boyd was born in Melbourne and came to Canberra with her parents as a baby in 1926. The interview is rich in childhood and young adult memories of Canberra in the 1930s and 1940s. Her mother, Henrietta (nee Obbinson) was a pioneer in the Mothercraft movement in Canberra in the 1930s. Her fath...
Topics: Aborigines, Acton, American soldiers, Anthony Horden House, Armstrong Siddeley, Arthur Calwell, Arthur Daley, Arthur Rubinstein, Artur Schnabel, AWOL (Absent Without Leave), Baden-Powell, Balmain Crescent, Barry Lyons, Bert Dickson, Blue Moon Café, Bob Llewellyn, Brownies (Scouts), Campbell High School, Canberra, Canberra choir, Canberra Community Hospital, Canberra High School, Canberra Musical Society, Canberra Times, Canberra University College, Causeway, Charles Daley, Chicken pox, Childhood memories, Christian Science, Church of England, Cootamundra, Darling Point, Darwin, Dutch airmen, Eastlake, Elsternwick (Vic), Enid Lyons, Finnisterre Ranges, Geoff Daley, Gilbert and Sullivan, Girl Guides (Scouts), Helen Reynolds, Henrietta ‘Jessie’ Daley, Henrietta Obbinson, Hodgkin’s Disease, Horses, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Kurrajong, Housekeepers, Hyatt hotel, Interior Department, Italians, Ivan Menzies, Japanese, Joan Daley, Joe Lyons, Liversidge Street, Margaret ‘Meg’ Daley, Marjorie Dickson, Measles, Mothercraft, Musical Society, National Council of Women, New Guinea, Ormond College, Peoplescape, Pianists, Picnics, PLC (Presbyterian Ladies College), Port Moresby, Professor Allen, Provisional Parliament House, Recreation Hut, Manuka, Red Cross train, Religion, Repertory Society, Ronisch baby grand piano, Russell Hill, Scottish Church, Scouts, Second 7th Independent Company (Australian Army), Slums, St Andrew’s Presbyterian cathedral, St Christopher’s convent, Sydney Conservatorium, Ted Daley, Telopea Park school, Wally Campbell, Walter Burley Griffin Plan, Walter Gregory, Wartime (Canberra), World War Two, YWCA
Morrie Adamson

Morrie Adamson (1926-2013)

Morrie Adamson, born 1926 in Queanbeyan, NSW, worked at Old Parliament House between 1964 and 1986, initially as Secretary to the Public Works Committee and subsequently as Secretary to a number of HOR standing and select committees. He became Senior Parliamentary Officer supervising HOR Committe...
Topics: Aboriginal Affairs Committee, Aboriginal protests, Acton, ad hoc committees, Administrative and Clerical Offices, Allan Fairhall, Andrew Peacock, annex, Arthur Calwell, Arthur Higgins, Australian National University, Ayers Rock, Bauxite, beef roads (Northern Territory), Ben Chifley, Bernie Harris, Bert Kelly, Bill Brimble, Bill Stanner, Bill Wentworth, Billy O’Connor, Black Mountain tower, Bob Fulton, Bob Hawke, Bob Thompson, Bryan Harvey, Bureau of Mineral Resources, Cabinet, Cabinet Room, Camp Hill, Canberra, Canberra High School, Canberra Times, Canberra University College, Commerce degree, committee secretaries, Committee system, Committees Secretariat, Commonwealth Department of Works, Commonwealth Parliament Association, David Reid, David Smith, Democracy, Demonstrations, Department of Administrative Services, Department of Civil Aviation, Department of Territories, Dick Hillier, Don Piper, Doug Anthony, Doug Blake, Duntroon, Edgar Prowse, Environment and Conservation Committee, Felix Dittmer, Fred Chaney, George Branson, George Henry Rottenverry, George White, gold mining, Gordon Pike, Gordon Scholes, Gough Whitlam, Gove Alumina, Government printing offices, Hansard staff, Harold Holt, Harold White, Harry Jenkins, HMAS Cerberus, Hotel Acton, Hotel Canberra, House of Representatives, Ian Emerton, Jack Marshall, John Button, John Ferguson, John Gunn, John Howes, John Knight, John Langmore, John Overall, Joint Committee on the Australian Capital Territory, Joint House Department, Ken Fry, Kerry Clancy, Kingston, Len Bosman, Liberal Party, Linguists, Lionel Murphy, Malcolm Fraser, Maldon (Victoria), Manfred Cross, Manuka Swimming Pool, Margaret Reid, Max Neutze, Methodist Overseas Mission, Military service (WW2), National Capital Development Commission, National Library, National Mint, National Parks, New and Permanent Parliament House Committee, Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory, Papua New Guinea, Parliament House, Paul Hasluck, Phillip Lynch, Phillip Ruddock, President Johnson’s visit (1966), Press Gallery, Prime Minister’s Department, Program officers, Project managers, Public Accounts Committee, Public Works Committee, Queanbeyan, Ralph Hunt, Raymond Court, Records officers, Reggie Wright, Retirement, Road Safety Committee, Robert Menzies, Roy Bullock, Royal Australian Navy, Rupert Myers, Security, Senate, senior parliamentary officers, Serjeant-at-arms, Softwood and Forestry Agreement Acts, statutory committees, stonemasons, Ted Egan, Telopea Park Primary School, The Dismissal (11 November 1975), Tom Uren, Tony Lamb, Transcripts, Travels for work, Tullamarine airport, Uluru, War Cabinet, West Block, Whitlam government, William Holford, Wilson Tuckey, World War Two, Yirrkala people
Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley

Lesley Hindley (nee Hyde) speaks about her early associations with the provisional Parliament House, through working as a typist in the early 1950s to her husband Rob Chalmers’ long involvement with the Press Gallery as a journalist. Mrs. Hindley's daughter, Susan Pitt (nee Chalmers) sat in on th...
Topics: Aborigines, Adam Ingram & Son (Manuka, ACT), Air raid shelters, Alan Curtis, American servicemen (in Sydney), Archie Cameron, Arnott’s Biscuit factory, Australian Labor Party, Australian Press Services, Ballet Russes, Ballroom dancing, Barbara Brooks, Beauticians, Ben Chifley, Bill Dovey, Bill Lascott, Bill McMahon, Boarding houses, Bob Hawke, Bondi (Sydney), Brisbane Line (World War 2), Cold War, Communist Party of Australia, Daily Mirror (newspaper), David Fairbairn, Diplomats, Domestic Science, Don Whitington, Dot Moll [?], Dover Heights, High School (Sydney), Eda Hollitt, Election campaign (Labor, 1972), Family background, Faye Brooks, Federal Golf Club, Fred Coleman, George Kerr, Golf, Greg Hyde, Hairdressing college (Sydney), Harold Holt, Hastings Deering (Sydney), Havelock House, Hostels, Hotel Civic, Hugh Burn, Jack Commins, Joan Commins, John Gorton, John McEwen, Journalists, Journalists Ball (Canberra), Kevin Power, King’s Hall, Laddie Hindley, Lascott’s School of Ballroom Dancing, Lawley House, Les Love, Little Pattie, Madam Gossamer, Marcia Cain, Margaret Whitlam, Marriage, Melbourne Cup, Mick Burn, Mike Willesee, Mining engineers, Mount Isa (Qld), Narrabundah (ACT), New Norfolk (mental hospital, Tasmania), New Zealand, Peter Whitney, Press Gallery, Prime Minister’s Department, Primrose Coleman, Provisional Parliament House, Public Service Board, Ray Maley, Religion, Richard Carlton, Rob Chalmers, Robert Menzies, Ron McCawley, Rosa Hyde, Royal Canberra Golf Club, Rugby Union (North Island, New Zealand), Russia, Ruth Fairbairn, Sheila Phelan, Socialism, Susan Pitt, Sydney, Sydney High School, Tamie Fraser, Ted Cain, The Lodge, The Wellington (hotel), Wally Brooks, William Slim, World War Two, Zara Holt
Russell Schneider

Russell Schneider

Russell Schneider was born in Sydney in 1946 and grew up in Newtown. He worked as a journalist in the Press Gallery from 1968 to 1983. During that time, in 1975, he became Press Secretary to Senator Reg Withers but returned to the Press Gallery in 1978. In 1983, he became Chief Executive Officer ...
Topics: Ahmed Fakhruddin, Ainsley Gotto, Air travel, Alan Cumming Thom, Alan Ramsey, Alan Reid, Alister McMullin, Allan Barnes, Ansett Airlines, Archie Cameron, Arthur Calwell, Association of Independent Rights for Retirees, Attendants, Australian Associated Press, Australian Broadcasting Commission, Australian Democrats, Australian, Journalists Association, Australian Labor Party, Australian Medical Association, Australian National University, Australian United Press, Bill Cousins, Bill Hartley, Bill Hayden, Bob Bordino, Bob Hawke, Brian Boswell, Brian Harradine, Brian Howard, Cabinet submissions, Camdenville Primary School, Canberra, Canberra Rex, Catholicism, Civil Construction Corps, Clyde Cameron, Cocos Island, Committee on Electoral Boundaries, Committee on Securities and Exchange, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, Conscription, Copy boys, Crisis Control Centre, Daily Mirror (newspaper), Daily Telegraph (newspaper), Dale Barton, Dallas Hayden, David Barnett, David McNicoll, Democratic Labour Party, Depression (1930s), Derrick Shaw, Dismissal (November 11, 1975), Don Cameron, Double dissolution (1983), Doug Anthony, Doug Lowe, Ed Clark, Election 1972, Electoral Amendment Bill, Elsie Morgan, Enmore Boys’ High School, Eric Robinson, Evan Sutton, Executive Council, Fairfax press, Family background, Family life, Federated Ironworkers Union, Fin Crisp, Financial Review, Frank Connor, Frank Packer, Fred Brenchley, Fred Chaney, Geoff Kitney, George Crawford, George Georges, George Poyser, Gerald Stone, Germany, Gerry Willesee, Ginninderra Schoolhouse, Gough Whitlam, Graham Freudenberg, Graham Morris, Graham Richardson, Greek migrant social security fraud, Hansard, Harold Holt, Harold Young, Hazel Hawke, Herald and Weekly Times, Herbert Vere Evatt, Hilton hotel, Hospitals Contribution Fund, Hotel Ainslie, Hotel Canberra, Hotel Civic, Hotel Wellington, House of Representatives, Ian Fitchett, India, Indonesia, Industrial action (AJA), Israel, Italy, Jack Simpson, Jenny Macklin, Jim Cairns, Jim Killen, Jim McClelland, Jim Odgers, Jim Quirk, John Gorton, John Howard, John Kerr, John Overall, Journalism, Justin O’Byrne, Kathy Martin, Kay Hilvert, Kay Kersop, Keith Bradshaw, Ken Cowley, Ken May, Ken Wriedt, Kenneth May, Kep Enderby, Khemlani, Kim Beazley, King Watson, Kings Hall, Ladies Lounge, Lance Barnard, Laurie Oakes, Laurie Short, Leaks (media), Lennox Hewitt, Leo Basser, Les Love, Liberal Party, Lionel Murphy, Liquor Trades Union, Lobbyists, Magna Carta (Kings Hall), Magnus Cormack, Mal Colston, Malcolm Collis, Malcolm Fraser, Margaret Guilfoyle, Max Walsh, Medibank, Michael Moore, Michael Townley, Murwillumbah (NSW), National Capital Development Commission, Neal Blewett, Neville Bonner, New South Wales Parliament House, News Limited, Newtown (Sydney), Non-Members’ Bar, Non-Members’ Dining Room, Order of Australia, Papua New Guinea, Paris, Paul Hasluck, Paul Keating, Perth Daily (newspaper), Peter Beattie, Peter Bowers, Peter Hardacre, Peter Lawler, Peter Rae, Peter Reith, Peter Walsh, Petro Georgiou, Phil Lynch, Political Science, Politics, Press Gallery, Private Hospitals Association, Question Time, Red Hill (ACT), Refugees Club (social club), Reg Withers, Rex Connor, Richard Carlton, Robert Maher, Robert Menzies, Ron McAuliffe, Rosemary Sinclair, Royal Commission 1978 (Electoral Boundaries), Rupert Murdoch, Russia, Seamstresses, Security, Senate, Short-hand, Slums, Smoking, Social life, Sydney, Tasmania, Technology, Telecommunications, Teleprinters, Telex operators, The Age, The Colt from Kooyong (book), Tom McNeill, Tom Uren, Tom Watson, Tony Abbott, Tony Eggleton, Tony Street, Tooth’s Brewery, Trades Hall (Sydney), Trans Australia Airways (TAA), Tullamarine airport, Typecorders, Una Fraser, Vietnam War, Voluntary Health Insurance Association, Wages, Weekend Australian, Whips, William McMahon, Work conditions, Work routines, World War One, World War Two
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House

18 King George Terrace, Parkes, ACT 2600, Australia

PO Box 3934
Manuka ACT 2603

Open daily 9am—5pm

ABN: 30 620 774 963

Telephone: 02 6270 8222

Enquiries: info@moadoph.gov.au

Research library

If the museum is closed due to an emergency, call for new opening times: 1800 716 066

Visiting

  • Planning your visit
  • Access for people with disabilities
  • Venue hire
  • Café
  • School bookings
  • Group bookings
  • Zine lounge

What's On

  • Events
  • Exhibitions

Collection

  • The building
  • Highlights
  • Objects and rooms
  • Oral histories

Learning

  • Onsite schools programs
  • Prepare for your visit
  • After your visit
  • Resources
  • Competitions and challenges
  • Families

Democracy

  • Exploring democracy
  • Documenting a democracy
  • Defining democracy
  • Australian democracy

About

  • Advisory council
  • Annual Reports
  • Corporate documents
  • Employment
  • Freedom of information
  • Media

Blog

Prime Ministers

Websites

Further information

View our recruitment opportunities.

View our copyright policy.

View our privacy statement.

View our ticketing terms and conditions.

Questions about the website:
website@moadoph.gov.au

Old Parliament House is a Corporate Commonwealth Entity within the Communications and the Arts portfolio.