Stanley Melbourne Bruce

Stanley Melbourne Bruce
NAA: A6180, 20/5/74/41

Stanley Melbourne Bruce was prime minister for six years (1923–29), and a member of the House of Representatives for 13 years (1918–29 and 1931–33). In 1929 he became the only prime minister to lose his seat as well as his office.

Bruce's chief contribution to Australia was as an international statesman. He was Australia's High Commissioner in London (1933–45). Bruce was also strongly involved in the League of Nations.

What's in the National Archives on Stanley Melbourne Bruce?

Personal records of Bruce
Bruce before his term as Prime Minister
Bruce during his term as Prime Minister
Bruce after his term as Prime Minister
Ethel Bruce
Significant subjects for Bruce-related research
Photographs/multimedia
Relevant research guides
Research databases

The tables below list a sample of the Archives' records about Bruce.

Personal records of Bruce

People in prominent positions often have significant personal collections of records, as well as creating records in the institutions in which they work. These personal collections are usually a mixture of official and private material and may span a number of different positions. The National Archives collects personal records from Governors-General, Prime Ministers, ministers and some judges. For more information, see Commonwealth persons.

The Archives holds a significant collection of Stanley Melbourne Bruce's personal records. They span the breadth of his career from Australian Prime Minister to international statesman.

Collection references

Correspondence between Prime Minister WM Hughes and SM Bruce, 1921–23	1921–23	A1492, 1
Correspondence between SM Bruce and RG Casey on international relations, migration agreement, imperial defence, dominion loans, trade and industry, imperial conference, League of Nations, diplomatic appointments, British and Australian politics, the British press, and so on, 1925	1925	A1420, 2
Commissions, certificates, degrees and memberships, including documents relating to federal portfolios, the position of Australian High Commissioner in London, League of Nations representation, military service and honorary doctorates of law, 1906–46	1906–1946	A1487
Gold cigarette case with diamond monogram (EA) from the Duke and Duchess of York, 1927	1927	M4254, 41
Correspondence with FL McDougall primarily concerning empire trade, preferences and marketing, 1927	1927	M111, 1927

Bruce before his term as Prime Minister

Stanley Melbourne Bruce entered federal politics in 1918 as the Member for Flinders (in Victoria). In late 1921 he took over his first portfolio as Treasurer under Prime Minister WM Hughes.

Collection references

Election pamphlet for Captain SM Bruce, Nationalist candidate for the federal seat of Flinders, 1919	1919	A1495, 1
Oaths of the 14th Commonwealth ministry (WM Hughes), 1918–23	1918–23	A5447, 26
Correspondence, gazette notices, newscuttings and historical note of the 14th Commonwealth ministry (WM Hughes), 1918–23	1918–23	A5447, 27
Papers relating to negotiations between the Nationalist Party and Country Party in 1923, 1923–57	1923–57	A1493, 1
Select documents concerning the Hughes Cabinet with an explanatory note written by SM Bruce in 1959, 1921–59	1921–59	A1494, 1

Bruce during his term as Prime Minister

Stanley Melbourne Bruce was Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs from 9 February 1923 to 22 October 1929. During this period he was also briefly Minister for Health (1927–28) and Minister for Trade and Customs (May–November 1928).

Collection references

Correspondence between SM Bruce and RG Casey on the League of Nations, international disputes and treaties, British-dominion relations, imperial conference, civil aviation, defence, Australian diplomatic arrangements, trade, visit by Duke and Duchess of York for the opening of Parliament, and so on, 1926	1926	A1420, 3
Deputation from representatives of various organisations concerning the transfer of federal government departments to Canberra and development of the city, 1929	1929	CP362/2, 54
Press cuttings concerning SM Bruce's visit to Britain for the imperial and economic conferences, 1923–24	1923–24	A14861, 1
Correspondence and notes about the Big Brother scheme promoting immigration of selected boys, 1924–28	1924–28	A436, 1945/5/2217
Papers concerning construction of the Prime Minister's residence at Canberra, 1925–31	1925–31	A1, 1930/8156

Bruce after his term as Prime Minister

Stanley Melbourne Bruce lost his seat at the defeat of his government in October 1929 but was re-elected as the member for Flinders in 1931. He briefly held the positions of Honorary Minister in London and Assistant Treasurer in the Lyons government before leaving politics in 1933 to become Australian High Commissioner to London.

Collection references

Personal and secret file of conversations reported by SM Bruce to JA Lyons, 1932–33	1932–33	A11874, 1
Papers of SM Bruce's secretary on London loans conversion discussions, 1933	1933	A11857, 64
Papers concerning British War Cabinet, ex-servicemen's organisations, dominion governments, sugar, Jewish refugees, empire exhibition, business and trade, White Star Line, wheat agreement, Australian loans in London, civil air communications, and so on, 1932–39	1932–39	M2236, 3
September war file, 1939	1939	M100, September 1939
Commemorative photograph album of the conference held at Montreux Palace, Switzerland, 1936	1936	M112, 1

Ethel Bruce

Ethel Dunlop Anderson married Stanley Melbourne Bruce in 1913. She was prime ministerial wife when the seat of federal government moved from Melbourne to Canberra on 9 May 1927. The Bruces moved into the new prime ministerial residence on 4 May 1927. Ethel Bruce thereby became the first prime ministerial wife to run The Lodge. She also accompanied SM Bruce on his official visit to London, 1923–24.

Collection references

Press cuttings concerning SM and Ethel Bruce's visit to Britain, 1923–24	1923–24	A1486, 1
File on the appointment of R Lane-Poole to supervise the furnishing of Yarralumla House and the Prime Minister's residence, 1926–27	1926–27	A6266, G1926/2359
Bell and wooden stand from HMAS Hobart presented to Ethel Bruce, 1938	1938	M4254, 18

Significant subjects for Bruce-related research

During Stanley Melbourne Bruce's period as Prime Minister, the government's agenda was dominated by issues of imperial relations, empire trade and preference, migration to Australia, the development of the national capital, and industrial relations.

Collection references

Transfer of Thursday Island to the Commonwealth, 1924	1924	A6006, 1924/06/10
Migration – Salvation Army boys, 1927	1927	CP211/2, 53/83
States Grants Act 1927	1927	A2863, 1927/4
Opening of parliament by the Duke of York, 1927	1927	A463, 1957/1056
Transfer of government and administration offices to Canberra, 1924	1924	A463, 1957/1079

Photographic and multimedia records relating to Bruce

Collection references

Gramophone records of a talk by SM Bruce on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, c1949	1949	M4254, 35
Commemorative photograph album of the conference held at Montreux Palace, Switzerland, 1936	1936	M112, 1
Photograph album containing portraits of the high commissioners for the dominions and for India and ambassadors to the Court of St James, 1937	1937	M114, 1
Photograph of SM Bruce with ECG Page at Australian National University	1958	A1200, L25029
Photograph of SM Bruce as Prime Minister, nd	nd	A1200, L11183

Relevant research guides

The National Archives has produced a number of research guides and fact sheets that may assist you with your research on Stanley Melbourne Bruce. These are available from the website and in print versions.

Viscount Stanley Melbourne Bruce (Fact Sheet 74)

Royalty and Australian society (Fact Sheet 139)

Royalty and Australian society: Records relating to the British monarchy held in Canberra (Research Guide 5)

Records of Papua New Guinea, 1883–1942 (Fact Sheet 148)

Papua New Guinea records 1883–1942: Microfilm collections (Research Guide 4)

Child migration to Australia (Fact Sheet 124)

Good British stock: Child and youth migration to Australia (Research Guide 11)

More people imperative: Immigration to Australia, 1901–39 (Research Guide 7)

Design and development of the national capital (Fact Sheet 60)

Building the provisional Parliament House (Fact Sheet 109)

Government House, Canberra (Fact Sheet 166)

Mount Stromlo Observatory (Fact Sheet 167)