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Reserve Bank of AustraliaRBA Museum

Series Guide: Bank Governors & Senior Personnel

Main

Collection summaryBank Governors & Senior Personnel is a continuous (open ended) series of personal letters, diaries, speeches and other forms of correspondence created or received by the Bank’s governors and by some members of the Bank’s senior staff and executive. The records begin with Sir Denison Miller, who was the Bank’s first Governor and was appointed to that role in 1912.

As the early records were created at a time when there was no official Bank archives or formal records system, the series represents those records that have survived and been accessioned into the archives. Many of the early records were retained by the incumbent or their family on retirement. Some have made their way back to the Bank through the gifting of records by family members.

The Bank Governors & Senior Personnel records are generally maintained outside of the Bank’s central records systems until the staff member’s retirement, after which they are transferred to the Bank’s archives for accessioning. While the series originally included the records of all significant staff members, such as Sir Leslie Melville, who was the Bank’s first economist, and Sir Robert Gibson, the Chairman of the Commonwealth Bank Board, the series is now generally used for the papers of the Bank’s governors only.

Description of series

Scope

Records in this series commence with the appointment of Denison Miller as the first Governor of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia in 1912. The records span the Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the Reserve Bank of Australia as a continuous series. Some records pre or postdate an individual’s service with the Bank but were captured as part of their personal papers. For example, Denison Miller’s papers date from 1876, with these earlier records donated to the Bank by Miller’s family.

Records captured include biographical information, appointment books, index cards, speeches and addresses, personal papers and letters, official and semi-official correspondence and appointment diaries.

Of particular interest are records relating to the depression of the 1930s, the war time history of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, records relating to the Australian Financial System Review (Martin Report) and the Committee of Inquiry into the Australian Financial System (Campbell Committee). In addition, other Bank-related material includes records regarding overseas visits, conferences and meetings with Bank staff and government, correspondence with artists and designers regarding work for the Head Office building and liaison with departments and branches of the Bank, including the Bank’s London Office.

On a more personal note, the records contain invitations from organisations and community groups to functions and fundraising events, congratulatory messages relating to appointments and honours, and chronological and alphabetical files of personal correspondence with friends, family, the public and other acquaintances.

Biographical/historical notes

The series includes the papers of all the Bank’s governors from 1912, the records of some of the Bank’s deputy governors (many of whom went on to become Bank governor), the records of some of the Bank’s senior personnel who held various roles at the Bank, and the papers of individuals who held positions on the Bank’s Board (for example Sir Robert Gibson) and includes the records of the following individuals:

Hugh Traill Armitage; Donald Badger; Thomas Bartley; Jack Breden; Stan Bryson; Des Cleary; Herbert (HC) Coombs: Allan Elvery; Bernie Fraser; John Garland; Lyndhurst Giblin; Robert Gibson; Robert (Bob) Johnston; Austin Holmes; Grahame Keep; James Kell; Harold Knight; Harvey Longmuir; Athol Lewis; Ian Macfarlane; James Mallyon; Albert McPherson; Lance McWatters; Leslie Melville; Denison Miller; Charles Mobbs; Don Parr; John Phillips; Mervyn John Phillips; Claude Reading; Ernest Richardson; Ernest Riddle; Leonard Rusden; Donald Sanders; John Scott; Harry Sheehan; Glenn Stevens; William Wilcock; John Wright.

The following Bank Governors & Senior Personnel records were released in September 2021:

Sir Denison Samuel King Miller, KCMG
James Kell
Sir Ernest Cooper Riddle
Sir Henry (Harry) Sheehan, KBE
Hugh Traill Armitage, CMG
Sir Leslie Melville
Sir Robert Gibson

Sir Denison Miller, James Kell, Sir Ernest Riddle, Sir Harry Sheehan and Hugh Traill Armitage were all governors of the Commonwealth Bank. Sir Leslie Melville was the Commonwealth Bank’s first economist and a Board member, and held various senior roles in Australia and overseas. Sir Robert Gibson was a Chairman of the Commonwealth Bank Board.

Arrangement description

The majority of records are arranged using an alpha/numeric numbering system, with the alpha prefix being the initials of the individual (for example, Denison Miller has been accessioned as GDM (with the “G” standing for “Governors & Senior Personnel”, and the “DM” for Denison Miller). The letter “G” is used as a prefix for all records in the series.

The system then generally follows a year and running number system (for example GDM-23-10 is the 10th file in the year 1923), with other variations used from time to time (for example an alpha code, indicating the type of records captured (e.g., DS for Daily Sheets, in place of the year).

The records were managed using a manual process until total conversion to the Bank’s electronic records system in the 2000s, after which the numbering system changed to a yearly prefix with a system generated running number.

The records do not always cover the whole date range of an individual’s service at the Bank. For example, James Kell was employed at the Bank from 1912 until his retirement in 1927, but the records in this series only cover the years 1922–1923. Further correspondence can often be found in other records, for example the London Letters series.

The records released in September 2021 are as follows:

Denison Miller

Denison Miller - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GDM-12-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Pre-Commonwealth Bank Papers	1895–1912
GDM-12-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Appointment as Governor	1912
GDM-13-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Applications for Employment in the Bank's Service	1912–1913
GDM-14-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Staff Appointments	1912–1914
GDM-18-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - General	1916–1918
GDM-18-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Invitations - June - July 1918	1918
GDM-18-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Invitations - July - September 1918	1918
GDM-18-4	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Reports of Visits and Interviews	1918
GDM-18-5	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Governor to Deputy Governor - Letters	1918
GDM-18-6	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Deputy Governor to Governor - Letters	1918
GDM-18-7	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Illuminated Address	1918
GDM-19-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Head Office Premises - Inspections - 1915 to 1919	1915–1919
GDM-20-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Knighthood - Congratulatory Messages - 3 May to 3 June 1920	1920
GDM-20-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Knighthood - Congratulatory Messages - 3 June 1920	1920
GDM-20-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Knighthood - Congratulatory Messages - 4 to 7 June 1920	1920
GDM-20-4	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Knighthood - Congratulatory Messages - Replies	1920
GDM-20-5	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - 1917 to 1920	1917–1920
GDM-21-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - General Matters - 1912 - 1921	1912–1921
GDM-21-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - War Service Homes, Soldier Settlement, Repatriation	1916–1921
GDM-21-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Reappointment as Governor	1918–1921
GDM-21-4	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - 1921	1921
GDM-21-5	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Donations to Charities, etc. and Memberships - 1914 to 1921	1914–1921
GDM-22-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Knighthood - Congratulatory Messages - 1920 to 1922	1920–1922
GDM-22-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - November 1921 to March 1922	1921–1922
GDM-22-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - April to August 1922	1922
GDM-23-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - General Matters - 1921 - 1923	1921–1923
GDM-23-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Bankers and Businessmen Overseas	1915–1923
GDM-23-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Biographical Notes, Club Membership, Family Matters	1909–1923
GDM-23-4	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Governor General and State Governors	1913–1923
GDM-23-5	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Prime Minister and Treasury	1916–1923
GDM-23-6	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Donations to Charities, etc. and Membership - 1922 to 1923	1922–1923
GDM-23-7	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - September 1922 to June 1923	1922–1923
GDM-23-8	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Invitations to Functions and Replies - February to June 1923	1923
GDM-23-9	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Head Office Premises - Inspections - 1919 to 1923	1919–1923
GDM-23-10	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Death	1923
SA-70-57	RI 5-2 Commonwealth / Reserve Bank History - Personalities - Miller, Denison (Sir)	1969

Denison Miller - Commissions

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GDM-C-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Commissions - Appointment - Governor Commonwealth Bank of Australia - dated 29/05/1912 - Appointment commenced 1 June 1912	1912
GDM-C-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Commissions - Re-appointment - Governor Commonwealth Bank of Australia - dated 30/05/1919 - Appointment commenced 1 June 1919	1919

Denison Miller - Diaries

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GDM-D	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Diaries - Accountant, Bank of New South Wales	1876–1908

Denison Miller - Private Press Cutting Book - Index

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GDM-P	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Private Press Cutting Book - Index	1911–1924

James Kell

James Kell - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GJK-22-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - James Kell - Correspondence with Solicitor - General - Duties and Responsibilities of Deputy Governor	1922
GJK-23-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - James Kell - Correspondence with Treasurer	1923

Ernest Riddle

Ernest Riddle - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GER-23-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Ernest Riddle - Memorandum - The Scope of the Bank's Business - 1923	1923
GER-31-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Ernest Riddle - Semi-Official Correspondence	1927–1931

Harry Sheehan

Harry Sheehan - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GHS-39-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - National Debt Commission - Minutes and Agenda - 1938 - 1939	1938–1939
GHS-40-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - National Debt Commission - Minutes and Agenda - 1940	1940
GHS-41-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - Death	1941

Harry Sheehan - Press Cuttings

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GHS-P	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - Press Cuttings	1938–1941

Hugh Traill Armitage

Hugh Traill Armitage - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GHA-23-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Memorandum – Scope of Functions of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.	1923
GHA-41-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - National Debt Commission - Minutes & Agenda – 36th meeting held 3/3/1941 & 37th meeting held 18/8/1941	1941
GHA-48-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Semi-Official Correspondence – Senior Bank Officials	1945–1948
ST-PR-2	Staff Department - Officers' Personnel Records - Armitage, H.T. - 1912-1963	1912–1963

Hugh Traill Armitage - Draft Biography

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GHA-A-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Draft Biography - Notations	1963

Hugh Traill Armitage - Passports

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GHA-P	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Passport – Issued 31 January 1922	1922

Leslie Melville

Leslie Melville - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GGM-33-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - Senator H. Colebatch	1933
GGM-35-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - "Monetary Policy and the Depression" - Notes and Memoranda - C. 1935	1935
GGM-35-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - Professor E.O.G. Shann	1932–1935
GGM-37-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - Royal Commission on Banking - Correspondence with J.G. Phillips	1936–1937
GGM-55-1-A	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - "The Unstable State"	1955
GGM-55-1-B	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - "The Unstable State"	1955
GGM-65-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Galfreid Melville - Commissions - Re-appointment - Member Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia - dated 06/07/1965 - Appointment commenced 23 August 1965	1965

Robert Gibson

Robert Gibson - General Correspondence

Accession Number	Description	Date Range
GRG-26-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Rural Credits Department - Establishment	1925–1926
GRG-31-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Redemption of Government Securities held by State Savings Banks	1931
GRG-31-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Savings Banks - Suggested Amalgamation of all Australian Savings Banks	1931
GRG-31-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Staff - Reduction in Status - Appeal of Thomas Henry Slatyer	1928–1931
GRG-33-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Board Members Correspondence	1927–1933
GRG-33-2	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Executive Committee Meetings	1926–1933
GRG-33-3	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - General	1925–1933
GRG-33-4	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Amalgamation	1931–1933
GRG-33-5	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Governor / Chairman - Correspondence	1925–1933
GRG-33-6	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Western Australian Government Savings Bank - Amalgamation	1930–1933
GRG-34-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Bronze Busts	1934–1935
GRG-35-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Biography Proposed	1934–1935
GRG-47-1	GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Private Papers	1924–1979
SA-70-56	RI 5-2 Commonwealth / Reserve Bank History - Personalities - Gibson, Sir Robert	1969

In addition to the records above, there are also a number of collection items associated with each person. See each individual Research Guide for a listing of these items.

Files & Documents

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Private Papers

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Biography Proposed

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Western Australian Government Savings Bank - Amalgamation

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Governor / Chairman - Correspondence

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Government Savings Bank of New South Wales - Amalgamation

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - General

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Executive Committee Meetings

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Board Members Correspondence

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Savings Banks - Suggested Amalgamation of all Australian Savings Banks

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Redemption of Government Securities held by State Savings Banks

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Robert Gibson - Rural Credits Department - Establishment

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - James Kell - Correspondence with Treasurer

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - James Kell - Correspondence with Solicitor - General - Duties and Responsibilities of Deputy Governor

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - Death

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - National Debt Commission - Minutes and Agenda - 1940

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Harry Sheehan - National Debt Commission - Minutes and Agenda - 1938 - 1939

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Passport – Issued 31 January 1922

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage – Draft Biography – Notations

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Semi-Official Correspondence – Senior Bank Officials

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - National Debt Commission – Minutes & Agenda – 36th meeting held 3/3/1941 & 37th meeting held 18/8/1941

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Hugh Traill Armitage - Memorandum – Scope of Functions of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Leslie Melville - "The Unstable State"

Research Guides

Research Guide: Sir Denison Samuel King Miller KCMG

Research Guide: James Kell

Research Guide: Sir Ernest Cooper Riddle KBE

Research Guide: Sir Henry John (Harry) Sheehan KBE

Research Guide: Hugh Traill Armitage CMG

Research Guide: Sir Leslie Melville KBE

Research Guide: Sir Robert Gibson GBE

Research Guide: First World War

Booklets & Pamphlets

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Visit Overseas - Illuminated Address

Handwritten

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Diaries - Accountant, Bank of New South Wales

Bound

GOVERNORS & SENIOR PERSONNEL - Denison Miller - Private Press Cutting Book - Index

Series Guides

Series Guide: London Letters

Former Deputy Governor Don Sanders and former Governors Dr Nugget Coombs, Sir Harold Knight and Bob Johnston at Deputy Governor Sir John Phillips’ final Board meeting, 7 April 1992, RBA Archives, PN-010432

Information

Search within this series Series numberC5727Series titleBank Governors & Senior PersonnelContents dates1876 – (open ended)Creator1912 – 14 January 1960 Commonwealth Bank of Australia Extent1,207 records (current total - ongoing)Location of physical itemsReserve Bank of Australia, 65 Martin Place, SydneyPhysical formatFiles, loose papers, bound volumes, booklets and index cardsLanguageEnglishAccess63 of the 1,207 records in this series are available on Unreserved. To access records not available on Unreserved, contact the Archives. Access to the physical records may only be provided by archivists on-site in the Research Room. For more information, please contact the Archives.

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