Skip to main content

Home

Main navigation

  • Explore the collection
    • Search the collection: RecordSearch
      • What's in the collection
      • Defence and war service records
      • First Australians
      • Immigration and citizenship
      • Cabinet
      • Intelligence and security
      • Prime ministers
      • Search for people
      • Visit our other websites
      • #ArchivesAtHome
      • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
      • Getting started
      • What's in the collection
      • Using the collection
      • International movement records
      • Research centres
      • Research guides
      • Research grants and scholarships
      • Research agents
      • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
      • School visits
      • Learning resources
      • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
      • Getting started
      • Building trust in the public record
      • Public release schedule
      • Ask for advice
      • Information governance
      • Build data interoperability
      • Check-up survey
      • Legislation
      • Manage information assets
      • GAIN Australia
      • Standards
      • Metadata
      • Records authorities
      • Learning and skills
      • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
      • Events and exhibitions
      • Research centres
      • Our locations
      • Cafe Constitution
      • Venue hire
      • Contact us
  • About us
      • What we do
      • Support us
      • Employment
      • Who we are
      • Partnerships
      • Volunteer
      • Our services
      • Members
      • Media and publications
      • Contact us
  • Toggle search
  • Toggle menu

Offscreen Menu

Menu

MAIN MENU

  • Explore the collection
    • What's in the collection
    • Defence and war service records
    • First Australians
    • Immigration and citizenship
    • Cabinet
    • Intelligence and security
    • Prime ministers
    • Search for people
    • Visit our other websites
    • #ArchivesAtHome
    • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
    • Getting started
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • International movement records
    • Research centres
    • Research guides
    • Research grants and scholarships
    • Research agents
    • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
    • School visits
    • Learning resources
    • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
    • Getting started
    • Building trust in the public record
    • Public release schedule
    • Ask for advice
    • Information governance
    • Build data interoperability
    • Check-up survey
    • Legislation
    • Manage information assets
    • GAIN Australia
    • Standards
    • Metadata
    • Records authorities
    • Learning and skills
    • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
    • Cafe Constitution
    • Venue hire
    • Contact us
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Support us
    • Employment
    • Who we are
    • Partnerships
    • Volunteer
    • Our services
    • Members
    • Media and publications
    • Contact us

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died.

Some records include terms and views that are not appropriate today. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives.

Portrait of John Curtin

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Explore the collection
  3. Australia's prime ministers
  4. John Curtin
  5. John Curtin: records

John Curtin: records

This page lists significant records for John Curtin held by the National Archives and other institutions.

John Curtin was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1941 to 1945.

National Archives' records

Our collection includes records from John Curtin's time as prime minister and member of parliament.

This is a selection of records from our collection, including Commonwealth records and Curtin’s personal papers (CP 258).

  • Copies of photographs of John Curtin, 1938-44 (series M1422)
  • Tape recordings of wartime speeches made by John Curtin, 1939-44 (series M1219)
  • Mr Curtin's broadcast talks over the national network, 1940-43 (SP112/1, 31/3/5)
  • Prime Minister – Press messages – Hon. J Curtin, 1941 (A461, S4/1/12)
  • Curtin, John - Declaration of War on Japan (audio tapes), 1941 (C102, 1552510)
  • Mr Curtin's speeches 1941 – [press cuttings], 1941-42 (A5954, 1931/1)
  • Exchange of cablegrams between Mr Churchill and Mr Curtin after outbreak of war with Japan, 1941-42 (A5954, 581/17)
  • Prime Minister – Rt Hon. J Curtin, 1941-45 (A461, R4/1/12)
  • Photographs relating to John Curtin's term as Prime Minister, 1941-45 (series M1218)
  • Correspondence of John Curtin as Prime Minister – alphabetical series, 1941-44 (series M1415)
  • Correspondence of John Curtin as Prime Minister – special subject series, 1941-44 (series M1416)
  • Reports and conference papers maintained by John Curtin as Prime Minister, 1941-45 (series M2319)
  • Portrait of Rt Hon. John Curtin by Cav A Dattilo-Rubbo, 1941-47 (A463, 1965/1998)
  • Federal Election, 1943, 1942-44 (SP286/16, 5)
  • Booklet - 12 months Labour Rule: What the Government led by Rt Hon. John Curtin has accomplished, 1943 (MP956/2, 1078)
  • Books and journals – John Curtin – Australian, 1943 (SP109/3, 323/26)
  • Biography of Prime Minister Mr John Curtin by Mr A Chester, 1943 (SP112/1, 352/53/2)
  • Post-war reconstruction – Mr Curtin's proposal for Empire Council. UK comment on British/Commonwealth relations, 1943-44 (A989, 1943/735/150/4)
  • Australia and the war – Statement by the Prime Minister of Australia, Mr John Curtin, 1944 (A5954, 667/4)
  • Mr Curtin's statement on international affairs – review of war situation [book notes relating to manuscript], 1944 (A5954, 826/23)
  • Death of the Rt Hon. John Curtin PC MP, 1945 (A1066, PI45/88)
  • The passing of John Curtin, 1945 (SP286/16, 13)
  • Successor to Mr Curtin as Leader of the Labor Party [press cuttings], 1945 (5954, 2207/3)
  • Death of the Prime Minister John Curtin [press cuttings], 1945-47 (A5954, 2207/2)

Research guide

For details of the records on John Curtin and Elsie Curtin held by the National Archives and other institutions, you can use John Curtin: guide to archives of Australia's prime ministers.

In this section: John Curtin

  • Fast facts
  • Timeline
  • Before office
  • Elections
  • During office
  • After office
  • Partner
  • Key people
  • Records

Records at other institutions

These institutions also hold records on John Curtin.

Australian organisations

Australian Capital Territory

  • Australian National University Archives, Canberra
  • Australian War Memorial, Canberra
  • National Film and Sound Archive, Canberra
  • National Library of Australia, Canberra
  • Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Canberra

New South Wales

  • Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
  • State Library of New South Wales, Sydney
  • University of New England and Regional Archives, Armidale

Queensland

  • John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland, Brisbane

South Australia

  • Flinders University Library, Adelaide

Victoria

  • State Library of Victoria, Melbourne
  • University of Melbourne Archives, Melbourne

Western Australia

  • John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library, Perth
  • JS Battye Library of West Australian History, Perth
  • University of Western Australia, Perth

International organisations

United Kingdom

  • British Library, London
  • Churchill Archives Centre, Cambridge
  • Labour History Archive and Study Centre, Manchester

Canada

  • Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa

United States

  • National Archives and Records Administration, Maryland

Want some help?

Our research tips and guides could help you find what you need

Help with your research

Explore Prime Ministers

Portrait of Arthur Fadden

Arthur Fadden

1941–1941

Portrait of Francis Forde.

Francis Forde

1945–1945

Ben Chifley portrait

Ben Chifley

1945–1949

Old Parliament House, Canberra

All prime ministers

Explore the stories of each prime minister's time in office through official and personal records held by the National Archives.

Acknowledgement of Country

National Archives of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging.

Connect with us

  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • YouTube YouTube
  • Instagram Instagram

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site map

  • Contact us

    • +61 2 6212 3600
    • archives@naa.gov.au
    • ABN: 36 889 228 992
  • For researchers

    • RecordSearch
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • Ask us a question about our records
    • Getting started with your research
    • Research guides
    • Grants and scholarships
    • Our other websites
  • For government

    • Agency Service Centre
    • Check-up survey
    • Building trust in the public record policy
    • Getting started with information management
    • Information governance
    • Records authorities

    For students & teachers

    • School programs
    • Plan a school visit
    • Competitions and special programs
    • Learning resources
  • Shop

    • Browse our products

    Visit us

    • Admission to the Archives is free
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
  • About us

    • What we do
    • Our organisation
    • Our services
    • Our history
    • Partnerships
    • Work for us
National Archives of Australia
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of information
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
National Archives of Australia