Joseph Benedict Chifley

Ben Chifley was Australia's 16th prime minister, from 13 July 1945 to 19 December 1949. He took office during the last days of World War II. His Labor government oversaw the demobilisation of Australian troops and the return to peacetime.

Chifley had worked as a railway engine-driver in Bathurst, New South Wales. He held the seat of Macquarie from 1929 to 1931, and again from 1940 to 1951.

What's in the National Archives on Joseph Benedict Chifley?

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

Personal records of Chifley

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 National Archives holds some of Ben Chifley's personal papers, including correspondence during the 1940s.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Correspondence maintained as Director of Labour Supply and Regulation, 1940	1940	M1414
	General correspondence from various political organisations and representative groups, 1945–49	1945–49	M1458
	Correspondence on particular subjects, people and events, 1943–49	1943–49	M1459
	Correspondence relating to portfolio matters, c1929–49	c1929–49	M1457
	Correspondence to and from the Prime Minister and his parliamentary office, 1945–49	1945–49	M1455

Chifley before his term as Prime Minister

Chifley served as Minister for Defence (1931–32) in the government of James Scullin. He was Treasurer (1941–42) in John Curtin's Labor government and oversaw the economic organisation of Australia's participation in World War II. He also was the Minister for Post-War Reconstruction (1942–45) and developed the plan for Australia's return to peace.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Newly elected Labor members of the 16th parliament (JH Scullin ministry), with Lyons, Chifley and Curtin in front, 1929	1929	A3560, 6125
	Deputation to the Minister for Defence (JB Chifley) about aircraft manufacture, 1931	1931	A705, 44/1/284
	Budget for 1941–42 of JB Chifley, 1941–43	1941–43	CP6/2, 4
	Housing Commission correspondence with the Minister for Post-War Reconstruction (JB Chifley), 1944	1944	A11676, HC1944/15
	Records of DB Copland, Wartime Economic Consultant, 1940–45	1940–45	CP6/2

Chifley during his term as Prime Minister

Chifley took office just four weeks before World War II ended in the Pacific. His Labor government organised Australia's recovery from the war and return to peace. He introduced projects such as the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and supported postwar immigration from Britain and Europe. He had a vision for achieving a 'golden age' which depended on expanding world trade and opening up new markets for Australian goods.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Records relating to JB Chifley's appointment to the Privy Council, 1945	1945	A2926, A33
	Radio broadcast of JB Chifley declaring peace, 1945	1945	C102, Pol31
	Records concerning JB Chifley's visit to China, 1946	1946	A4144, 317/1946
	The dollar situation – statement by JB Chifley, 1947	1947	A1203, 328/94/Aus/6
	Agenda, minutes and working papers of JB Chifley's Cabinet Sub-Committees on Investment and Employment, 1947–49	1947–49	A3307, Volume 18

Chifley after his term as Prime Minister

Chifley was the Leader of the Opposition for two years after his term as Prime Minister. The major issue in parliament during this time was Prime Minister Robert Menzies' attempt to outlaw the Communist Party in Australia. Chifley died of a heart attack 13 June 1951 in Canberra.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Audio tape of JB Chifley's statement, as Leader of the Opposition, about the war in Korea, 1950	1950	C102, Pol42
	Audio tape of JB Chifley – VOA broadcast, 1950	1950	C102, Pol43
	Audio tape of JB Chifley's election speech, 1951	1951	C102, Pol48
	Pamphlets including JB Chifley's final speech, 1951–52	1951–52	M1171, 501
	Radio presentation of a tribute by RG Menzies to JB Chifley, 1951	1951	SP369/1, M/25

Elizabeth Chifley

Elizabeth Gibson McKenzie married Ben Chifley in 1914. During the time Ben Chifley was Prime Minister, Elizabeth Chifley suffered from a chronic back condition. She found it difficult to travel from their home in Bathurst, New South Wales. Although she did not live in The Lodge full time, she travelled to Canberra for the opening of parliamentary sessions and undertook the various social activities expected of prime ministerial wives.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Movements and engagements of the Prime Minister, 1936–45	1936–45	A461, C4/1/12 Part 2
	Personal papers of Prime Minister JB Chifley, 1945	1945	M1455, 27
	Correspondence regarding domestic staff for The Lodge – parlourmaids, cooks and so on, 1940–51	1940–51	A431, 1952/796
	Press cuttings and correspondence of JB Chifley, 1945–50	1945–50	A5954, 1944/10
	Condolences of the Department of Territories following the death of JB Chifley, 1951	1951	A518, RD112/1

Significant subjects for Chifley-related research

Significant subjects for Chifley include the postwar immigration scheme, the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric scheme and his attempt to nationalise Australia's banks.

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	Records of the Prime Minister's Department regarding immigration and agreements about money for passage, 1930–45	1930–45	A461, B349/1/4 Part 2
	JB Chifley at the opening ceremony for the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric scheme, Adaminaby, 1949	1949	A11016, 821
	Correspondence of JB Chifley with Trades Hall Councils, 1948–49	1948–49	M1458, 24
	Records of the Prime Minister's Department about nationalisation of banks, 1947–49	1947–49	A461, X344/1/2
	Australian military records about emergency conditions as a result of the coal strike, 1949–50	1949–50	MP897/1, 143/1/1653

Photographic and multimedia records relating to Chifley

Collection references

	Series title	Date range	Series number
	JB Chifley as Prime Minister	1948	A1200, L11216
	JB Chifley outside Parliament House	1948	A1200, L11218
	Field Marshal Montgomery with JB Chifley, nd	nd	A1200, L20920
	Prime Minister JB Chifley greets British migrants, nd	nd	A1200, L21159
	Sound recording of a quiz – Australia versus Great Britain – featuring JB Chifley, c1947	c1947	C199, 116

Relevant research guides

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

Records of Australian prime ministers, 1901–71 (Fact Sheet 70)

Joseph Benedict Chifley (Fact Sheet 82)

Francis Michael Forde (Fact Sheet 81)

JT Lang and Lang Labor (Fact Sheet 96)

Parliamentary papers (Fact Sheet 21)

War Cabinet records (Fact Sheet 127) - Inside the War Cabinet: Directing Australia's war effort 1939–45 (out of print but available in Archives reading rooms)

Research databases

RecordSearch contains searchable descriptions of millions of items from our collection. Many of them are wholly digitised.

PhotoSearch allows you to search and browse over 110 000 photographs from our collection.