While working as University Architect for the University of Queensland, the Co-Ordinator General of the Department of Public Works asked Birrell to design the campus plan for the The University College of Townsville. The College, to be an extension college of University of Queensland, was opened in February 1961. Birrell designed several of its early buildings between 1964 and 1970. The plans in this subseries are from after Birrell resigned as University of Queensland Architect. There are plans for Stages 1 and 2 of the Humanities building, including some plans by contractors or plans designed collaboratively. Stage 1 has 7 drawings. Stage 2 has 1 volume (21 drawings) and 59 architectural drawings.

The construction of Stage 5 commenced in Jan 1973 and was completed Mar 1974. This file has proposal drawings for stage five of Union College and has the Job no. C43. From the title block creator is James Birrell & Partners (Architects and Town Planners, Brisbane and Port Moresby). All are ink and pen line drawings on tracing paper. The drawings are:
[Item 1] 'Typical floor plan', Job/sheet number C43/1, 30 Jun 1970 (previously numbered A15.203).
[Item 2] 'Typical floor plan', Job/sheet number C43/1A, undated (previously numbered A15.204).
[Item 3] 'Typical floor plan', Job/sheet number C43/2, undated (previously numbered A15.205).
[Item 4] 'Plan at R.L. 62'-9"', Job/sheet number C43/2A, undated (previously numbered A15.206).
[Item 5] 'Pent House - Wardens' residence', Job/sheet number C43/3, 30 Jun 1970 (previously numbered A15.207).
[Item 6] 'Typical floor plan R.L. 74 & F.L. 83', Job/sheet number C43/4, undated (previously numbered A15.208).
[Item 7] 'Floor plan R.L. 92.00', Job/sheet number C43/5, undated (previously numbered A15.209).
[Item 8] 'Proposed furniture layout', Job/sheet number C43/6, undated (previously numbered A15.210).
[Item 9] 'Typical floor plan', Job/sheet number C43/8, 24 Jun 1971 (previously numbered A15.211).
[Item 10] 'Alternative layout', Job/sheet number C43/9, undated (previously numbered A15.212).
[Item 11] 'Floor plan', Job/sheet number C43/10, 9 Jul 1971 (previously numbered A15.213).
[Item 12] 'Double bed room lay-out', Job/sheet number C43/10, 9 Jul 1971 (previously numbered A15.214).

The Co-Ordinator General of State Works originally gave the commission for the University of Queensland Agriculture and Entomology Building (known as Hartley Teakle Building) to Fred Scorer of the firm Scorer and Scorer on 17 March 1966. After Fred Scorer's untimely death in 1966, James Birrell purchased the Scorer and Scorer firm as part of setting up his own practice. He resigned as University Architect in late March 1966. The Co-Ordinator General approved Birrell taking over the commission for the Agriculture and Entomology Building. James Birrell and Partners were the architects for the building. The site chosen for the building was to the north-west of the Great Court on the western side of Mill road. The glass houses and veterinary buildings were built. Mayne Hall, now the UQ Art Museum and the Biological Science Library and Refect were not yet built. Front Drive still ran along the front of Main Building (now Forgan Smith).

The Agriculture and Entomology Building was designed to follow the site contours, was a 'c-shaped plan' and was designed to be built in three separate stages. Each stage was designed to be complete within themselves. Stage 1 was completed in February 1969; Stage 2 in May 1970; and Stage 3 in December 1970.

The subseries consists of plans for the Agriculture and Entomology Building, Stages 1-3, on the University of Queensland St. Lucia campus. It contains preliminary drawings by James Birrell as the University Architect and Master plans by Scorer and Scorer. Stage 1 : Job B7. Stage 2 : Job B7A; Stage 3 : Job B7B. Includes: site plan, floor plans, drainage plans, elevations, sections, roof details, site works, sun control details, window details, stair details, furniture details, seminar rooms, teaching rooms, administrative rooms, staff room details, student rooms, door schedules, perspectives, preliminary plans. Engineering plans Job 3092, 3378, 3398. Electrical engineer Job 1217. Mechanical engineer Job 2040.

The Agriculture and Entomology Building was built in three stages. This file comprises three jobs for The Agriculture and Entomology Building by James Birrell & Partners (Architect) and Antony Tod & Partners (Consulting Structural Engineers). Drawings are ink line drawings on paper:
[Item 1] Sections, Drawing no. 2040-SK1, dated Oct 1966, (previously numberd A16.98);
[Item 2] '2nd floor plan : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-1, dated Sep 1969, (previously numberd A16.99);
[Item 3] 'Roof plan : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-2, dated Sep 1969, (previously numberd A16.100);
[Item 4] 'Beam details : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-3, dated Sep 1969, (previously numberd A16.101);
[Item 5] 'Plan at second floor mezzanine : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-5, dated Sep 1969, (previously numberd A16.102);
[Item 6] 'Roof over south main stairs : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-6, undated, (previously numberd A16.103);
[Item 7] 'Sections thru south fire escape & main stairs : Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Two', Drawing no. 3092-7, Sep 1969, (previously numberd A16.104);
[Item 8] 'Proposed Agriculture and Entomology Building Stage Three', 1 volume of 5 architectural drawings stapled together, Drawing no. 3398 followed by a running sheet number from 1 to 5, all dated May 1970, (previously treated as 5 separate items numbered A16.105-108, with number A16.108 duplicated)

The construction of Stage 4 commenced in December 1969 and was completed June 1972. Drawings in this file are by contractors which may also be working in collaboration with James Birrell & Partners:

[Item 1] 6 plans for Union College stage four, stapled together; one plan is only 30cm ; ink line drawing on paper; title block has James Birrell & Partners and P.R. Scott & Associates; dated Nov 1969; (previously numbered A15.198-202, with inital page unnumbered).
[Item 2] 'Elevations and details of steel windows for Union College Stage 4', ink line drawing on paper; title block has J. Connolly (Qld) as creator, drawing number 3473, March 1970 (no prior number).
[Item 3] 'Details of steel windows for the Union College Stage 4', ink line drawing on paper; title block has J. Connolly (Qld) as creator, drawing number 3474, March 1970 (no prior number).
[Item 4] 'Games room air cond', ink line drawing on paper; no title block, no drawing number, undated (no prior number).
[Items 5-7] 'Schematic sketch plans', ink line drawing on paper; no title block, no drawing numbers, undated (previously numbered A15.164-166)

5 folders of incoming and outgoing personal correspondence, some on business letterhead or written as University Architect. This file includes notes, architectural drawings, handwritten architectural table of works Birrell was involved in, photographs, reports, school results, itineraries, blueprints, taxation and medical correspondence. Most likely professional or business material in these folders has been retained as they have been regarded as more personal in nature. Decanted from large folders. Colour postcard of Centenary Pool is in first folder.

The Agriculture and Entomology Building was built in three stages. Contractors often designed their plans in consultation with James Birrell & Parnters and both names may appear on their plans. The most significant contractor in this file is P.R. Scott & Associates: all drawings by P.R. Scott & Associates are ink line drawing on paper; date from 1966 to 1969; only five drawings have the previous numbering system (A16.113-117); Items 1-28, consisting of a total of 57 plans (31 are in two volumes) for P.R. Scott & Associates.

Additional plans: [Items 29-31] Dowsett Procuts (Australia) Pty Ltd (previously numbered A16.110-112); [item 32] Wunderlick Ltd; [Item 33] Unidentified creator (no prior number); and [Item 34] Cover sheet with James Birrell & Partners, Antony Tod & Partners, P.R. Scott & Associates and Herbert A. Mitchell and Son in lower left side corner (no prior number).

The construction of Stage 4 commenced in Dec 1969 and was completed June 1972. This file has the working drawings for Job no. B66. From the title block creator is James Birrell & Partners (Architects and Town Planners). The drawings are:
[Item 1] 'Site plan', Job/sheet number B66/1, ink line drawing on paper (photocopy), dated Jul 1967 (previously numbered A15.167).
[Item 2] 'Floor plans & roof plan', Job/sheet number B66/3, ink line drawing on tracing paper, 10 Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.168).
[Item 3] 'Foundations and drainage plan', Job/sheet number B66/4, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.169).
[Item 4] 'Elevations : north west, north east', Job/sheet number B66/5, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.170).
[Item 5] 'Elevations : south west, southh east', Job/sheet number B66/6, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.171).
[Item 6] 'Site works', Job/sheet number B66/7, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.172).
[Item 7] 'Typical section through stairwell', Job/sheet number B66/8, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.173).
[Item 8] 'Various details', Job/sheet number B66/9, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.174).
[Item 9] 'Drainage layout', Job/sheet number B66/10, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.175).
[Item 10] 'Windows', Job/sheet number B66/11, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.176).
[Item 11] 'Door details', Job/sheet number B66/12, ink line drawing on paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.177).
[Item 12] 'Details : squash court, shop, kitchen, chalkboard, ducts', Job/sheet number B66/13, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.178).
[Item 13] 'Details : bathroom, toilets', Job/sheet number B66/14, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.179).
[Item 14] 'Bedroom details', Job/sheet number B66/15, ink line drawing on paper (photocopy), Oct 1969 (previously numbered A15.180).
[Item 15] 'Brickwork', Job/sheet number B66/16, ink line drawing on paper (photocopy), Oct 1969? (previously numbered A15.181).
[Item 16] 'Site drainage', Job number B66, ink line drawing on tracing paper, Sep 1970 (previously numbered A15.182).
[Item 17] 'Squash court', Job number B66, ink line drawing on tracing paper, 7 Sep 1970 (previously numbered A15.183).
[Item 18] 'Cupboard details to bed-sitters', Job/sheet number B66/16, ink line drawing on tracing paper, 13 Sep 1970 (previously numbered A15.184).

The Agriculture and Entomology Building was built in three stages. This file comprises three working drawings for Stage 3 and two other drawings. The working drawings have the job number of B7.B; are ink line drawings on tracing paper; have the title block with the client as The University of Queensland, St. Lucia for the Co-ordinator General of Public Works; have a running sequential drawing number from 1 to 3; and the architect is James Birrell and Partners. Working drawings are:

[Item 1] Plans, Sections, and Details; Job/drawing no. B7.B/W, dated 8 Oct 1970 (previously numbered A16.96);
[Item 2] Elevations, Job/drawing no. B7.B/W1, undated (previously numbered A16.37);
[Item 3] 'Elevations', Job/drawing no. B7.B/W2, undated (previously numbered A16.40).

Two additional drawing are:
[Item 4] Detail section, Location plan; ink line drawing on tracing paper; dated 29 Dec 1970 (no prior number); and
[Item 5] 'Hatch to roof in ceiling of north fire escpae : The Agriculture and Entomology Building'; ink line drawing on tracing paper; undated (no prior number)

Correspondence (incoming and outgoing) related to various building works designed by James Birrell as University Architect for the University of Queensland, and by his firm James Birrell and Partners. All of the building works are for the University of Queensland in the 1960s. Correspondence was housed in large binders that have been decanted into folders This correspondence has been arranged by the job when known and can span several years. Personal and business correspondence is included in this series.