Collection UQFL507 - Brian Doyle Papers

Identity area

Reference code

UQFL507

Title

Brian Doyle Papers

Date(s)

  • ca. 1930-1998 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

46 boxes, 3 parcels, 2 albums

Context area

Name of creator

(1915-2003)

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).

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

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Alma MMS ID

991001939739703131

Millennium Local System Number

b27961394

Libraries Australia ID

62988435; 52797272

OCLC Number

879259318

Access points

Place access points

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.

Language(s)

Script(s)

Sources

Accession area