The Edna Ryan Papers
From the national library
Edna Ryan’s papers spanning more than fifty years are stored at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
The letters, diaries, interviews, notebooks and other documents tell the story of the social transformation of the second half of the twentieth century, and Edna Ryan’s role in achieving greater equality for women.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE
Papers
1948 – 1993
6m (43 boxes)
Available for reference
The Edna Ryan Papers were received in three consignments. In January 1993 several boxes were transferred to the Library. These were once part of the collection of the now-defunct Women’s Archive, which was established by the Women’s Studies Unit at the Australian National University.
In March 1993 and January 1995, Edna Ryan donated further material to the Library. The contents of each instalment have been processed separately. The original sequence established by the Women’s Archive custodians in respect to the first instalment has been maintained. Their file numbers have been added at the end of each folder description in the following list. Because categories of material such as letters, diaries and cuttings are spread across the three instalments, a careful scan of the entire list is recommended.
An interview conducted by Sara Dowse with Edna Ryan in 1991 is held in the Oral History Collection at TRC 2742. There is also a copy of an interview conducted by Lucy Taska in 1987 for the NSW Bicentennial Oral History Collection (TRC 2301 INT.156). In 1992 Margot Oliver made a documentary videorecording, released by the Australian Film Institute, entitled ‘Edna Ryan: a political life’.
Some of Edna Ryan’s papers are held in the Mitchell Library. These were lodged there by Ms Ryan before she moved to Canberra. See Box 9 for list of some of this material.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
“Edna Ryan (née Nelson), feminist and campaigner for equal pay, was born in Sydney in 1904 and died in Canberra in 1997.
One of a large family, Ryan had to leave school early to find work as a clerk, but spent many years studying at evening college. She was an early member of the Communist Party and also of the International Workers of the World but left the Communist Party after her partner, Jack Ryan, was expelled. In 1935 the Ryans joined the Labor Party. Later Edna Ryan was an early campaign manager for the future prime minister Gough Whitlam.
Ryan stood unsuccessfully for the State seat of Mosman as an ALP candidate in 1953 and was an alderman and Deputy Mayor of Fairfield Council between 1956 and 1965.
As a foundation member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby in 1972, Ryan participated in campaigns to persuade the Whitlam Government to reopen the National Wage Case. In 1974 the Arbitration Commission extended to women the same minimum wages as men. In 1993 Ryan successfully lobbied the Minister for Industrial Relations, Laurie Brereton, to ensure that his legislation guaranteed women would be no worse off under enterprise bargaining.
Ryan wrote numerous articles, conference papers, submissions to government and two books, “Gentle invaders” (1975) and “Two thirds of a man” (1984).
She accepted an honorary doctorate from Sydney University in 1985 but rejected an Order of Australia, saying, ‘They are only giving it to me because I am old’.
Edna Ryan had three children, Julia, Lyndall and Patrick, whom she raised alone after Jack Ryan died at an early age.
Papers Series List
Box | Folder | Instalment 21 January 1993 | – |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1A | Autobiographical Writings 1958, 1972-75 | (ms 1/1/1-160) |
| 1 | 1 | Australian Labor Party : 1948-73 (Subseries 1) | (ms 1/2/1-36) (f2) |
| 1 | 2 | Australian Labor Party: 1970;1972-76 (Sub-series 2) | (ms 1/2/37-145) (f3) |
| 1 | 3 | A.L.P.(sub-series 2) cont’d : 1976-77 | (ms 1/2/146-268) (f4) |
| 1 | 4 | Abortion: 1969-1978 | (ms 1/3/1-165) (f5) |
| 1 | 5 | Abortion: 1980-82 | (ms 1/3/166-233a) |
| 1 | 6 | Abortion (New Zealand) : 1978 | (ms 1/3/234-287) (f7) |
| 2 | 7 | Women’s Trade Union Commission. Child care | (ms 1/4/1-47) (f8) |
| 2 | 8 | Eden Park Child Care Centre | (ms 1/4/48) (f9) |
| 2 | 9 | Eden Park Submission Summary | (ms 1/4/48-49) |
| 2 | 10 | Woodbury Estate Submission | (ms 1/4/50-110a) |
| 2 | 11 | International Year of the Child | (ms 1/4/147-196) |
| 2 | 12 | Children of working mothers | (ms 1/4/198-327) |
| 2 | 13 | Eden Park – Parents working on estate | (ms 1/4/328-472) |
| 2 | 14 | Commission for adoption of child care policy Constitution of women’s TUC. | (ms 1/4/473-570) |
| 2 | 15 | WEA – Mothers’ & children’s residential schools | (ms 1/6/389-413) (f22a) |
| 3 | 16 | Trade union matters 1967-1970 | (ms 1/5/1-165) |
| 3 | 17 | Trade union matters 1970-1974 | (ms 1/5/166-353) |
| 3 | 18 | Trade union matters 1968 – 1975 | (ms 1/5/354-388) |
| 3 | 19 | Union publications 1968 – 1974 | |
| 4 | 20 | Press clippings: equal pay: Dec 1968 – July 1972 | |
| 4 | 21 | Press clippings: women: 1966-1970 | (f23) |
| 4 | 22 | Press clippings: women: 1971-1972 | (f24) |
| 4 | 23 | Press clippings: women: 1973 | (f26) |
| 5 | 24 | Newspaper clippings: women: 1973 (few 1974, 1975) | (f25) |
| 5 | 25 | Correspondence for WEL Conference 1973 | |
| 5 | 26 | Appendices for WEL Conference 1973 | |
| 5 | 27 | WEL Conference 1982 | |
| 5 | 28 | Newspaper clippings Personal correspondence, jottings on book, amendments to Social Services Act 1974 | |
| 5 | 29 | Personal correspondence 1974-76 Establishment of Children’s Commission | |
| 5 | 30 | Various newsletters and publications, women’s groups, 1971-1976 | |
| 6 | 31 | Press clippings: various women and issues: Jan-April 1976 | (f27) |
| 6 | 32 | April – December 1976 | (f28) |
| 6 | 33 | January – June 1977 | (f29) |
| 6 | 34 | July – December 1977 (+few 1978) | (f30) |
| 7 | 35 | Press Clippings: General trade union matters from 1962, 1970-71, Jan-Nov 1973 | (f31) |
| 7 | 36 | Industrial : Sept 1978 – May 1979 | (f32) |
| 7 | 37 | Industrial : Jan – March 1981 (some 1979 & ’80) | (f33) |
| 7 | 38 | Industrial: April – June 1981 | (f.34) |
| 7 | 39 | BLF : 1981 | (f22c) |
| 8 | 40 | Press clippings: Film submission | (ms 1/4/111-146) |
| 8 | 41-42 | Death duties | (ms 1/6/261-387) (f21) |
| 8 | 43-45 | Statistics (workforce) | (ms 1/6/1-260) (f20) |
| 8 | 46 | WEL, industrial law, etc | (ms 1/7/1-30)(f22b) |
Box | Folder | Instalment 17 March 1993 | – |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Pocket diaries | 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985 | |
| 9 | Desk diaries | 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1986 | |
| 9 | Notebooks | May 1980-1981 March 1981 November 1981 – June 1983 March 1983 14 March 1984 – 7 June 1985 June 1985 July – November 1985 September 1985 – April 1986 February 1986 – August 1986 October-November 1986 (Notes on tour of Greece & Israel) November 1986 (after tour notes) List of material sent to SLNSW 1986 | |
| 10 | Press clippings: | ||
| 10 | 47 | Federal election 1987 | |
| 10 | 48 | Women, social security, etc 1987 | (f1) |
| 10 | 49 | Women, society etc, June 1987 | (f2) |
| 10 | 50 | Women, society etc, May 1987 | (f3) |
| 10 | 51 | Gallery of women | |
| 10 | 52 | Women & Anglican Church 1987 (also women generally) | |
| 10 | 53 | National Wage 1988 and women’s wages | |
| 10 | 54 | Issues for women (interviews) 1988 | |
| 11 | 55 | Early papers written by Edna Ryan, 1973 – 1982 | |
| 11 | 56 | NSW Bicentennial Oral History Project – 1987 Transcript of Tapes 1 & 2 ‘One Pub’s Enough’ – A drama in three acts by Edna Ryan | |
| 11 | 57 | Miscellaneous mss and correspondence 1973 – 1987 (draft submissions) | |
| 11 | 58 | Miscellaneous: Some useful bibliographies & biographical dictionary Profiles: Wendy McCarthy Wendy Fatin Mum Shirl SMH article on Ann Summers, Sandra Yates and Jane Pratt ‘Owning a magazine’. Three papers by EMC., June 1987 ‘Reflections on Beauty and the Beast’ – Pamela Denoon Memorial Lecture delivered by Pat O’Shane, March 1990 Paper: ‘The crisis of Australian unionism’ by Haydon Manning 1990 ‘Female convict workers’ by Deborah Oxley | |
| 11 | 59 | Miscellaneous: Speech by Gough Whitlam: opening of Women & Politics Conference August 1975 National Women’s Conference, Sept/Oct 1990 | |
| 11 | 60 | Women: Employment & training (pay rates) 1982 ‘Peace by Order: the resignation of Mr Justice Higgins, President of the Commonwealth Conciliation & Arbitration Court’, Edna Ryan, 1981 Women & Unions: Pilot study by Monash Uni Union, 1979 | |
| 11 | 61 | Film Australia correspondence, 1980 – re ‘Decade’ | |
| 11 | 62 | Articles on industrial relations and feminism by P.G. McCarthy, Ann C. Villers, Desley Deacon, Gretchen Poiner, Roberta Burke, Eva Cox, Helen Leonard, Val Marsden, Don Rawson, Mary Owen and others, 1968-89 |
| 12 | 63 | Article by Susan Magarey, for Silver Jubilee Edition of Women and work, 1988 | |
| 12 | 64 | Pat Richardson, Redress Press and Mary Owen, ’86-89 Newsletter: International Women’s Day 1992 | |
| 12 | 65 | Labor Women Speak 1981, Labor Women Caucus, 1983 | |
| 12 | 66 | ANU Women’s Archives, 1981-90 | |
| 12 | 67 | Network 1982-84 | |
| 12 | 68 | Glebe Society, 1989-90 | |
| 12 | 69 | Retirement Villages | |
| 13 | 70 | Cuttings and other papers: Mary Owen correspondence. Profile on Laurie Carmichael. Working Women’s Information Service. Report on Labor Women’s Conf. Mary Owen 1982. Women and footballers. ‘Forever single’ – paper on marriage. The best companies for women – Portfolio June 1989. Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty 1990. RSI policy in Pipeline (Govt) Authority. Leigh Leigh’s murder. National Museum of Australia brochure. | |
| 13 | 71 | Examples of claims and awards | |
| 13 | 72 | Disputes re Federal and State Unions, 1974 | |
| 13 | 73 | Papers: WEL submission: Computing women’s pay in State awards. Definition and Political Survival. – Charlotte Bunch 1978. Radio Special Projects: Juliet Mitchell Series 24-27 Feb 1975. The Forgotten Presence – Lesbians Mislaid, – Dorelle Punch 1975. The State, the Law & Us. WEL Conf. Mary Gaudron, 1975. Report on Women Clerical Staff. NSW Motor Transport, 1974-1978. Papers from Marxist-Feminist Conf. Act 1977. ABC radio Guest of Honour. Malcolm Caldwell, 1975. International Rev. Marxism- Women’s Movement Revolutionary? – D. Gollan, 1975 Labor & the Family, Gough Whitlam, Leader Opposition, 1968. Emancipation of Women, E.G. Whitlam, PM 1973. Equal Pay & Equal opportunity, P.A. Riach (Monash) 1968. Women and the ALP ” ” 1974. Equal pay in Australia, – Richard Blandy (Adelaide) For work equal to that of men. – J.P. Ducker, ‘The Radical’ 1969. Employment of women in non-metropolitan areas – Frances Lovejoy 1973? | |
| 13 | 74 | Press cuttings: Industrial & Political, from Sept 1985 ‘Emancipated Women from the Orient’, 1930 ‘Arms trade’, 1986 | |
| 13 | 75 | Cuttings: Industrial, 1987 – 1991 | |
| 13 | 76 | Publications: Blueprint 1993 ACTION News 1990 NWCC News 1990, 91, 92 OSWOMEN 1990, 1992 various other newsletters | |
| 13 | 77 | Miscellaneous articles 1990s | |
| 14 | 78 | ACTU Reports March 1986 – July 1988 | |
| 79 | ACTU Agenda paper, Sept. 83 ACTU Consolidation of ACTU Policy Decisions 51-82 ACTU Working Women’s Charter: Implementation Manual No.2 – Equal Pay Humanist Viewpoints April and May 1980 Friends of TUTA Newsletter, Jan 1978 Budget Impact Statement: Women 1988-89 | ||
| 14 | 80 | Youth ’75 and ’76 + few other minor newsletters of 70s | |
| 14 | 81 | Miscellaneous correspondence and newsletters, health issues, 1990s | |
| 14 | 82-83 | Brochures | |
| 15 | 84 | Reports: Backdrop 1972 Another life 1973 The Late Achievers 1974 The Year of the Woman 1975 | |
| 15 | 85 | Reports (records of daily activities) Jan. 1987 – (pp 1-141) | |
| 15 | 86 | 1987 cont’d (pp141-225) | (f2) |
| 15 | 87 | 1989 (pp 1-147) | (f3) |
| 15 | 88 | 1989 (pp 148-229) | (f4) |
| 15 | 89 | 1989 (pp 230-288) | (f5) |
| 16 | 90 | Jan 1990 – March 1990 | (f6) |
| 16 | 91 | April – June 1990 | (f7) |
| 16 | 92 | July – August 1990 | (f8) |
| 16 | 93 | Sept – Dec 1990 | (f9) |
| 16 | 94 | Jan – March 1991 | (f10) |
| 16 | 95 | April – June 1991 | (f11) |
| 17-18 | Notebooks | ||
| 19 | Miscellaneous papers | ||
| 19 | 96 | Transcript from Shop Assistants case | |
| 19 | 97 | Personal odds and ends | |
| 19 | 98 | Letters about jobs, 1992-93 Posted copies of Overview Accounts, Enterprise Bargaining | |
| 19 | 99 | Various papers 1975-85 Labour History Society; paper by ER for seminar etc {list enclosed} | |
| 19 | 100 | Press cuttings Women Sex Discrimination Act Child care | |
| 19 | 101 | Press Cuttings: Education – from July 1993 Press cuttings and papers 1992 (women’s agenda) | |
| 20 | 102-103 | Anne Conlon Memorial Lectures, 1980-1983; 85-86 | |
| 20 | 104 | Anne Conlon Memorial Lecture Committee | |
| 20 | 105 | Resource material on NSW Industrial Arbitration, Act. 1901 | |
| 20 | 106 | Technological change | |
| 20 | 107 | Handwritten notes taken from documents dated 1901-06 in Archives Office | |
| 21 | 108 | Miscellaneous. papers – list in folder | |
| 21 | 109 | FBT and taxation | |
| 21 | 110 | Articles, including: ‘Master Builders and the beginnings of arbitration in NSW’ by Alice Coolican ‘Gender and Power cont’d’ (rough notes) ‘Do electoral systems help or hinder women’s Parliamentary representation?’ – Wilma Rule ‘Follow me – inspirations – the award’ | |
| 21 | 111 | Articles, including: ‘Fanny Furner JP 1864-1938’ – P. Richardson National wage case December 1986 Comments on Jane Inglis ‘Is WEL Snobbish?’ | |
| 21 | 112 | Australian historical cuttings, book reviews etc., explorers, painters, first government house | |
| 21 | 113 | Newspaper articles (1970s – miscellaneous) | |
| 21 | 114-115 | Letters and ms – 1970s |
| 22 | 116-117 | Periodicals: Work matters 1987-90 The Gazette (Uni of Sydney) Miscellaneous | |
| 22 | 118 | ‘Words’ – Macquarie Dictionary Society A/L etc | |
| 22 | 119 | Australian Dictionary of Biography | |
| 22 | 120 | Industrial Group Affirmative Action Wran’s policy on women Profile of Department of Supply’s cleaning service | |
| 22 | 121 | Human Rights Australia | |
| 22 | 122 | WEL Action Group Women’s Association National Foundation of Australian Women | |
| 22 | 123 | Discriminatory Provisions in NSW Industrial Awards on grounds of sex & marital status in NSW | |
| 23 | 124 | Broad Left Conference – labour politics – 1986 | |
| 23 | 125 | 1990 Election candidates – full list for H of R & Senate | |
| 23 | 126 | NZ material – articles and book extracts about women 1987-88 | |
| 23 | 127-128 | Letters 1983-1985 | |
| 23 | 129 | Political Awareness Seminars for women | |
| 23 | 130 | Waterfront – Waterside workers’ conditions (Labour History Society) | |
| 24 | 131 | Draft on Labour Day Oration 1986 | |
| 24 | 132-133 | Letters 1990 | |
| 24 | 134 | Steinem file | |
| 24 | 135-136 | La Perouse and aborigines and ‘my’ story | |
| 24 | 137 | Miscellaneous: Publishers’ Style Manual Chronology Australian History Laundry chronology File of women Library slips |
Box | Folder | Instalment 17 January 1995 | – |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 138 | Diaries, 1986-89, 1992 | |
| 25 | 139 | Address books (3) | |
| 25 | 140 | Notebook used at Archives Office of NSW | |
| 25 | 141 | Notebooks: ‘May 1987’; political notes and information | |
| 25 | 142 | Notebook of small press cuttings begun 26 June 1986 | |
| 26 | 143-144 | Diaries, notebooks, 1980s + | |
| 26 | 145-146 | Journal July – December 1991 | |
| 26 | 147 | Journal January – June 1992 | |
| 26 | 148 | Journal July – September 1992 | |
| 26 | 149 | Journal October – December 1992 | |
| 27 | 150 | Journal January – April 1993 | |
| 27 | 151 | Journal April (?) – June 1993 | |
| 27 | 152 | Journal July – September 1993 | |
| 27 | 153 | Journal October – December 1993 | |
| 27 | 154 | Personal letters 1969 + | |
| 28 | 155-156 | Letters, October 1985 – April 1986 | |
| 28 | 157 | Letters, January 1987- | |
| 28 | 158 | Letters, April 1987- | |
| 28 | 159-160 | Letters August 1987- | |
| 29 | 161 | Letters January 1988- | |
| 29 | 162-163 | Letters July 1988- | |
| 29 | 164-165 | Letters March 1989- | |
| 29 | 166 | Letters October 1989 – January 1990 | |
| 29 | 167 | Papers, etc. by ER |
| 30 | 168 | Articles, talks | |
| 30 | 169-170 | ‘Two thirds of a man’ – original photographs and correspondence | |
| 30 | 171-172 | ‘One pub’s enough’ – play | |
| 30 | 173-175 | Plays, including ‘Saving the Armenians’ | |
| 31 | 176 | Playworks | |
| 31 | 177 | File on film ‘Snakes and ladders’: notes on film | |
| 31 | 178-179 | Research material and articles | |
| 31 | 180-181 | ‘Japanese women at work’ – drafts and research material Women at work in Japan, draft by Jurka Yasuda (?) | |
| 32 | 182 | WEL and WETTANK files | |
| 32 | 183 | ER’s file: reports to WEL, letters etc. | |
| 32 | 184 | Pat Richardson’s WEL file and other writings | |
| 32 | 185-187 | Child care and children’s services: Priorities review and recommendation 1974-5 Parents and children: press clippings D. Brennan: Children’s services in Australia: the state of play – a review of Commonwealth and state polices 1972-82 (July 1982) ‘A study of work-related children’s services’ (May 1980) Early childhood: material of the Australian Early Childhood Association and the Ethnic Child care Development Unit and others | |
| 33 | 188-192 | International Women’s Year Conference, Mexico City, 1975 – papers, correspondence, clippings | |
| 34 | 193-198 | International Women’s Year Conference (cont.) | |
| 35 | 199 | National Labor Women’s Conference, 1982, Canberra: papers and cuttings | |
| 35 | 200 | Workforce matters | |
| 35 | 201-203 | General workforce material | |
| 35 | 204-205 | Workforce file and data | |
| 35 | 206 | National Wage Case, 1987 | |
| 36 | 207 | Pay equity and other issues; includes correspondence, notes, clippings and circulars | |
| 36 | 208-211 | Women’s work and equal pay: drafts and research notes | |
| 36 | 212 | Organisation of the workplace: papers and cuttings | |
| 37 | 213 | Pregnancy discrimination Inquiry Report, 1992 | |
| 37 | 214 | UN material on women | |
| 37 | 215 | ALP ticket, 1990 | |
| 37 | 216-219 | Miscellaneous papers, including ‘How we would run Australia’ | |
| 38 | 220-222 | Miscellaneous papers | |
| 38 | 223 | Miscellaneous papers, including articles of association of Preterm Foundation | |
| 38 | 224-226 | Miscellaneous papers, including ms submitted to Penguin, based on WEL newsletters | |
| 39 | 227-228 | Miscellaneous papers and cuttings | |
| 39 | 229 | Miscellaneous invitations, badges etc. | |
| 39 | 230 | Grace Removals Cards from VIPs Assorted brochures | |
| 39 | 231 | Wedding photograph |
| 40 | 232 | Assorted brochures | |
| 40 | 233 | Cuttings and references, including correspondence, papers and notes | |
| 40 | 234 | Cuttings on women | |
| 40 | 235 | Pamphlets, press releases etc. | |
| 40 | 236 | Cuttings on various issues | |
| 40 | 237 | Refractory girl (1991), Unity (1991), Women at work (1991) | |
| 40 | 238 | Books and journals | |
| 41 | 239 | Publications Record: University of Sydney Archives, 1985 Current affairs bulletin, vol. 59, no. 1, June 1982 Women at work: a review, 1975 ILO publications, 1/85, vol. 17, 1985 Virago Press. Catalogue, 1985 The Women’s Press. Catalogue, 1983 Loose in box Titles include: WEL-informed. 1990 Australian women’s employment strategy: report. 1989-90 Women in management. 1986 Maternity leave in Australia. 1988 Women and technological change. 1982 Half way to equal: report of the inquiry into equal opportunity and equal status for women in Australia. 1992 Office of the status of women: an introduction. 1989 Women and work: issues for the 1990s Directory of research on women in Australia. 1984 The ACTU: a short history. 1977 Pioneer women graduates of the University of Sydney. 1985 NWCC news. 1991 – 1993 | |
| 42 | Publications – titles include: Inkwel. 1990-91 WEL National bulletin. 1988-89 Refractory girl. 1987, 1989, 1990 Herstory of the halfway house: Women’s Liberation Halfway House Collective, Melbourne, Australia, 1974-76. The NSW women’s handbook. 1980 Women and work. 1989, 1990 | ||
| 43 | Publications – titles include: Facts on women at work in Australia. 1983 From ummm…to aha!: recognising women’s skills. 1991 The national housing strategy: framework for reform. 1991 Understanding immigration 1987 Social security journal. 1981, 1982 Women’s film and video [catalogue]. 1988 The WEL papers. 1973-4 Weaving community links: the cost benefits of telephones in maintaining the social fabric through the unpaid work of women. 1993 SWOW handbook. 1979 National Museum of Australia. Women’s political history: a guide to sources. 1992 The role of women in the economy: position paper, Australia. OECD High Level Conference on the Employment of Women. 1980 |
EDNA SPEAKS
Listen to Edna interviewed about her life in activism.
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Edna Ryan Awards supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart, the call for a First Nation's Voice enshrined in the Australian Constitution and a Makarrata Commission to oversee agreement-making and truth-telling.