Sam Everingham papers, compiled 2006-2008, relating to, and with the papers of, Gordon Barton, 1939-2007

MLMSS 8614/Boxes 1-4
MLMSS 8614/Box 5X

fonds

1939-2007

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Clippings, Photographs

897000

0.65 metres of textual material (4 boxes, 1 outsize box), some files include photographs

Sam Everingham is an Australian author whose first book, Wild Ride – The Rise & Fall of Cobb & Co, was published in 2007. His second book, Gordon Barton : Australia's Maverick Entrepreneur, was published two years later. In researching this biography, Everingham collected a variety of Barton's original papers including private and public correspondence, company papers and personal documents. Everingham was given these papers by Barton's son Geoffrey, who shared a residence with his father in Italy during Barton's later years.

Gordon Barton was born in 1929 in Surabaya, Java, the son of George Page Barton and Antoinette Marie Hubertha (Kitty) Barton and younger brother of Andrew Basil Barton. From 1939 he was educated at Sydney Church of England Grammar School and from 1947-1953 he attended Sydney University, graduating simultaneously with three degrees: Arts, Law and Economics.

While at university, Barton established a small trucking business which developed into IPEC (Interstate Parcel Express Company), later to become one of Australia's largest transport companies. Barton's business interests were not limited to transport, and throughout his life he became involved in a number of businesses including merchant banking, hotels, casinos and book publishing. He helped to found several newspapers including Nation Review and the Sunday Observer.

Barton became well known for his opposition to Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, forming the Liberal Reform Group in 1966, later to become the Australia Party, precursor to The Australian Democrats.

In 1979 Barton established IPEC in Europe, where he spent most of his later life. However, within a decade he was forced to sell his European businesses to make up for losses incurred by his Australian companies.

Barton married Yvonne Hand in 1957, with whom he had two children, Lucinda (Cindie) and Geoffrey (Tigger). Some time after Yvonne's death in 1969, Barton met Mary Ellen Ayrton, who became his de facto wife; the relationship broke down by 1992.

Barton died in 2005 in Spain where he was living with, and being cared for, by his daughter.

References:
Library correspondence file
Compiled from the collection

This collection comprises a selection of Gordon Barton's personal and business papers, supplemented by Sam Everingham's correspondence and research material for his biography. Their names have been abbreviated to GB and SE in the following listing.

BOX 1
‘1 Barton Childhood’, 1939-1947, including GB school report Term III, 1943, letter from Gordon and Kitty Barton; research material

‘2 Letters University / School 1946-52 From GB’, 1946-1950, including letters sent by GB to father

‘3a Barton University Period’, 1949-2006, including letter received by GB from Professor H.W. Arndt; curriculum vitae; newscuttings; issue of The New Liberal, 1950; research material

‘3b Job Applications 1952/53’, 1952-1953, including letters received by GB from, among others, Barristers’ Admission Board, the Australian National University, Canberra University College, the University of Sydney, and the Commonwealth Public Service Board ; GB references and curriculum vitae

‘4 Letters to GB from Father mostly 1953-1957 / Mother’, 1953-1957, being letters received by GB from parents

‘5 Letters from GB to Father/Mother → 1953-’, 1953-1957, including letters sent by GB to parents

‘6 Barton - IPEC/Trucking 1953-79’, 1950-2006, including GB correspondence with parents; documents relating to Ivory & Barton (Transport) Pty Ltd and Ivory & Barton (Investment) Pty Ltd; research material and emails received by SE from Jim Staples

BOX 2
‘7 Letters from Vonnie 1955-58’, 1955-195[8], being letters received by GB from Yvonne Barton (nee Hand)

‘8 1955-1960 Barton’s Friends’, 1953-1972 including letters received by GB from, among others, Marion Manton and Ken Minogue

‘9 IPEC Air’, 1964-1979, including newscuttings; GB commemoration of 1st anniversary of IPEC; GB notes relating to air freight service; issues of Tiger Rag – IPEC staff magazine,1966; GB correspondence with Prime Minister Robert Menzies; GB notes of interview with Minister for Civil Aviation, R.W.C. Swartz, 3 Mar. 1966; letters received by GB from IPEC

’10 Barton – Vietnam’, 1966-1969, including letters received by GB relating to the Liberal Reform Group; telegram and letter received by GB from Prime Minister, Harold Holt; newscuttings; material relating to Liberal Reform Group and the Vietnam War

‘11 Liberal Reform Victoria’, 1966-1967, including letters received by GB from Liberal Reform Group, Victorian Branch

‘12 Gordon Barton – Politics’, 1966-2005, including GB speech relating to Liberal Reform, 22 Nov. 1966; issue Liberal Reform newsletter, May 1967; letters received by GB from, among others, Ken Thomas; newscuttings; material relating to Liberal Reform, the Australian Reform Movement and the Australia Party; letter received by GB from Senator R.J.D. Turnbull, 17 Sept. 1969; research material

‘13 Barton – Newspapers’, 1967- 199?, including letters received by GB from Mark Tier; newscuttings relating to the Sunday Observer; first issue of The Living Daylights, 16 Oct. 1973; extract from Michael Cannon’s unpublished autobiography, 199?; research material

‘14 Francis James’, 1966-1999, including newscuttings relating to Francis James’ Chinese imprisonment; letter received by GB from Wilfred Burchett, 25 Oct. 1970; letters received by Mary Ellen Ayrton from Francis James; letters sent by GB to Frances Knight

‘15 B. I. Group’, 1967-1972, including GB notes relating to “The B.I.G. Men”; letters received by GB from C.R. Chapman and from C.W. Russell; research material

BOX 3
‘16. Bartons Women’, 195-? – 2007, including funeral oration by GB for Yvonne Barton, 1969?; handwritten memoir of Gordon Barton by Rosemary O’Grady 2007; copy of letter from Rosemary O’Grady to SE, 2007; letters to GB from Liz Weeding and ‘Alison’; letters of professional reference relating to Liz Weeding, 1978

‘17. Abortion Clinics’, 1969 -200-?, including minutes of meetings and reports of the Preterm Foundation 1976; newscuttings, memoir of GB by Brian Edwards (200-?), research material

‘18. Federal Hotels’, 1968-1983, including Annual reports 1968, 1969, 1970; financial statements 1983; ‘Feasibility Study, Alice Springs Hotel/Casino Complex’ 1979, company correspondence, newscuttings, research material

‘19. Political Policy & Periodicals’, 1970 – 1974?, including papers relating to the Australia Party: Ballot paper (1970); Taxation reform policy (197-); issue of ‘Reform’ periodical , 10th Aug. 1970; Annual convention program 1974; Press officer’s annual report 1974; N.S.W. Convenor’s report 1974, copies of newscuttings, research material

’20. Angus & Robertson’, 1970-1981, including letters received by GB from Paul Hamlyn, 1972, and Richard Walsh, 1981; newscuttings, research material

’21. Kitty + George Barton – Other Material’, 1946-1975, including passport of Mary Ellen Ayrton, 1973; postcards sent by GB to his mother, 196?-1972; letters of professional reference relating to George Page Barton, 1946; War gratuity entitlement of Andrew Basil Barton (brother), 1947; death certificates of George Page Barton, 1968; Yvonne Claire Barton, 1969; Antoinette Marie Hubertha Barton (mother), 1975

’22. Antimony Nickel’, 1971-72, including copies of Australian Mutual Growth Fund/Tjuringa Securities correspondence (1971), copies of press clippings, research

’23. Bligh St’, 1973-80, including research material and press clippings relating to 25 Bligh St, Sydney, (IPEC office space)

’24. Speeches/Papers by GB’, 1967 – 2000 including typescript copies of speeches given by GB: University of Adelaide regarding Vietnam War, 1967; Royal Institute of Public Administration Annual Conference, Adelaide relating to role of government 1978; papers by GB titled: ‘Money problems in Australia’, 19--?, ‘The Saga of the UN’s Alphabetical Soup : Submission to the Join Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade UN Sub-committee…’, 2000, ‘The results of individual and corporate decisions’ in ‘Architecture in Australia’ (periodical), Aug. 1971, copy of facsimile to GB from Parliament House, Canberra, relating to United Nations Sub-committee, 1999?

’25. Peter Janson’, 1975-199-, including press clippings; letter received by GB from Peter Janson and Jackie Baroda, 1975

’26. Tjuringa’, 1964-1979, including ‘Tjurina – Ipec Group Policy’, 1974-1975, letters received by GB, 1974-1976, from his accountant amongst others; copies of GB correspondence with Treasurer Frank Crean, 1974; copies of letters from GB to Prime Minister Gough Whitlam, 1974; copies of company and stock exchange papers, 1973-1983, newscuttings, research material.

’27. Barton interviews’, 1973-2005, including newscuttings, research material.

’28. Tiger Line’, 1977-1979, including GB correspondence with Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, Victorian, New South Wales and Tasmanian Premiers, state and federal ministers; publicity schedule for GB by Mary Ellen Ayrton, 1978; GB press release, 1978; GB research material; newscuttings

BOX 4
’29. Barton – Creative crazies’, typescript memoir of John Cummings aka ‘Cynthia’, research material

’30. Ipec Europe 1979-1983’, 1978-2006, including IPEC company correspondence; GB correspondence with Ian Sayer and John Konstas, among others; ‘House Rules’ for ‘House Of Barton’ in Ophmert, Netherlands (198-?); typescript memoir of Jon Sedgwick, 2006, and Derek Watt, 200-?; newscuttings

’31. IPEC Annual Reports’, including newscuttings; company correspondence; minutes of meetings, 1980; IPEC annual reports, 1983, 1984; TAL Holdings Limited Annual Report 1988

’32. Henry Morgan Agreement + Norman Lawrence’, 1983-1994, including copies of legal agreements and financial reports relating to sale of Skypak to TNT, letters sent to Mary Ellen Ayrton from GB, 1991; GB correspondence with Norman Lawrence, 1993-1994

’33. Barton TNT reports – To Abeles from Abeles, IECC’, 1984-1990, including GB correspondence with Peter Abeles, 1984-1991, and Fred Millar, 1985-1991, among others; report on TNT/Skypak by GB, 1985, newscuttings

’34. Red Telephone Company’ ca. 1988, including letter sent by GB, research material

’35. Worldpaper’ – ca. 1991, including GB correspondence with Crocker Snow, research material

’36. Europe 1979 – Personal/Family’, 1991-2000, letters sent by GB to Cindie Barton aka Rabbit (daughter)

’37. 1990’s Transport Dreams – TNT Potential Purchase’, 1991-1994, GB correspondence with John Konstas, 1994, among others; other correspondence relating to TNT

’38 Italy 1992, General Corres w. Friends’ 1992-2000, including GB correspondence with Francis James, 1992, Jonathan Aitken, 1994, among others; letter sent by GB to The Economist, 1994; letters received by GB from Mary Ellen Ayrton 1992-1996, John Hirshman, 1994, James Wolfensohn, 1999 among others; newscuttings, GB memoir relating to Peter Janson

‘39 Corres GB – Mary Ellen’, 1994-2000, see BOX 5.

’40 Price Fixing’, ca. 1994, including newscuttings, research material

‘41 IMX Correspondence’, 1994-2000, being letters sent by GB to Mr Mireskandari, 4th Mar. 1994, among others

‘42 Gordon Barton – Autobiographical’, 199-?, being typescript memoirs by GB

‘43 Anne Coombs Correspondence 1994’, 1994-1995, being GB correspondence with Anne Coombs; letter sent by GB to Janet Coombes, 15th Mar. 1994

BOX 5X (RESTRICTED)
‘39 Corres GB – Mary Ellen’, 1994-2000, including GB correspondence with Mary Ellen Ayrton, letters received by GB from Marion Manton, listing of furniture and values in $Aud, newscuttings relating to Mary Ellen Ayrton

Sam Everingham arranged this collection into files which he titled and numbered

Partly restricted: Applies to MLMSS 8614/Box 5 Correspondence between George Barton and Mary Ellen Ayrton.

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