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The Memoirs of Sir Walter Crocker, 1902-1975

 Fonds
Reference Code: GBR/0014/CRKR

Scope and Contents

An unpublished volume of Crocker's memoirs covering his life up to retirement.

Dates

  • Creation: 1902 - 1975

Conditions Governing Access

The collection was embargoed by Sir Walter until 1995 and is now open for consultation by researchers using Churchill Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge.

Biographical / Historical

Walter Russell Crocker was born on 25 March 1902, the eldest son of Robert Crocker and Alma Bray. In 1951 he married Claire Ward, with whom he had two sons. He was educated at the University of Adelaide, Balliol College, Oxford and Stanford University in the United States.

Crocker's diplomatic career began when he entered the Colonial Administrative Service (Nigeria) in 1930, he transferred to the League of Nations in 1934, and then to the International Labour Organisation. Crocker served in the Second World War, then joined the United Nations Secretariat as Chief of the Africa Section (1946-49) then became Professor of International Relations at the Australian National University (1949-52). Crocker was High Commissioner for Australia to India (1952-55); Ambassador of Australia to Indonesia (1955-57); High Commissioner to Canada (1957-58); High Commissioner for Australia to India and Ambassador to Nepal (1958-62); Ambassador of Australia to the Netherlands and Belgium (1962-65); Ambassador to Ethiopia and High Commissioner to Kenya and Uganda (1965-67); Ambassador to Italy (1967-70) and Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia (1973-82). Crocker retired in the 1970s and died in 2002.

Crocker's publications included "The Japanese Population Problem" (1931); "Nigeria" (1936); "On Governing Colonies" (1946); "Self-Government for the Colonies" (1949); "Can the United Nations Succeed?" (1951); "The Race Question as a factor in International Relations" (1955); "Nehru" (1965); "Australian Ambassador" (1971); "Memoirs" (1981) and "Sir Thomas Playford" (1983).

Extent

1 volume(s)

Language of Materials

English

Other Finding Aids

Copies of the catalogue are available for consultation in the Reading Room at Churchill Archives Centre and at the National Register of Archives in London.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The memoirs were deposited at Churchill Archives Centre by Crocker in 1979.

Related Materials

The papers of Walter Crocker are held at the University of Adelaide Library, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia. For further information see http://www.library.adelaide.edu.au/ual/special/crocker.html.

General

This collection level description and catalogue were prepared by Natalie Adams of Churchill Archives Centre in February 2004 using information from "Who Was Who" (A & C Black).

Originator(s)

Crocker, Sir Walter Russell, 1902-2002, Knight, Australian diplomat

Date
2004-02-24 13:47:10+00:00
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Churchill Archives Centre Repository

Contact:
Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill College
Cambridge Cambridgeshire CB3 0DS United Kingdom
+44 (0)1223 336087