Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- ca. 1930-1998 (Creation)
Level of description
Collection
Extent and medium
46 boxes, 3 parcels, 2 albums
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Brian Thomas Doyle, born in Sydney on 18 January 1915 was an Australian Catholic journalist and editor. He was educated at Marist Brothers Randwick and was dux in 1932. He won the Freehill Scholarship to St John's College at the University of Sydney but the death of his father in 1929 meant he had to leave school to work and help support his family. He trained and worked with the Public Library of NSW from 1933 to 1941 and was a foundation member of the Library Association of Australia. Working by day and studying by night at the University of Sydney, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1936 and a Diploma in Public Administration in 1938. He worked as an associate editor at the Catholic weekly in Sydney in 1944 and became Editor of Brisbane's The Catholic leader in 1959, where he played a key role in interpreting the Second Vatican Council for Australian readers. From 1961, he was Managing Editor. A prodigious writer, he opposed the political use of church authority and took a stand against clerical intervention, amongst other issues such as social reform and social justice. He was the first layperson to become President of the Catholic Press Association (1966 to 1968). Doyle was also a formidable opponent of B.A. Santamaria for invoking the authority of the church for partisan political goals in the 1950s. Doyle resigned from The Catholic leader in 1981 over a directive from the Australian bishops restricting advertising content, citing concerns about journalistic independence. An active public speaker and lecturer, he closely studied the Australian political scene, particularly the Catholic Church and politics. Ill health prevented him from writing a book on the movement. He died in Brisbane on 17 September 2003, survived by his wife, Philomene Doyle (née Foster).
Repository
Archival history
Collection previously titled as: Papers, ca. 1930-1998
Collection alternatively titled as: Brian Doyle Collection.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Newspaper cuttings, drafts, transcripts of talks, correspondence, photographs and other material relating to his work as Managing Editor of the Catholic Leader in Brisbane and other activities.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Unrestricted access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Uploaded finding aid
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Selected items digitised in 2024: D000784
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Alma MMS ID
Millennium Local System Number
Libraries Australia ID
OCLC Number
Access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Doyle, Brian Thomas, 1915-2003 (Subject)
- Santamaria, B. A (Bartholomew Augustine), 1915-1998 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Migrated
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Migrated from LMS: April 2019, P.A.