Bennett Family Films
Collection
The collection is comprised of 20 reels of compiled 16 mm home movie films, mostly shot between the 1956 and 1978 by Brisbane barrister Sir Arnold Lucas Bennett QC. The movies depict family life (sometimes in humorous short films), holidays and recreation around Queensland, scenes of Brisbane and surrounds, significant events in Brisbane (such as 1974 floods, a royal visit, sporting fixtures) and interstate and overseas travel. A considerable amount of footage is filmed at the Bennett family home 'Fairthorpe' on Coronation Drive, Auchenflower and at the family's Tamborine Mountain property. The collection also includes a 16 mm print of the documentary film 'A song of air' directed by Sir Arnold's daughter Merilee Bennett in which she examines her relationship with her father through his home movies. In 1988 the documentary was included in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes Film Festival. A VHS version of the film is also held in the State Library of Queensland collection.
Sir Arnold Lucas Bennett QC (1908-1983), barrister, was born on 12 November 1908 at Toowoomba, Queensland and was educated at Toowoomba and Brisbane Grammar schools. He graduated from University of Queensland in 1931 and completed the Barrister's Board examinations in 1932. Soon after he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice. He married Marjory Williams in 1934 and had two daughters and two sons before her death in 1942. Following military service during World War Two he returned to his legal practice. In 1944 he married Nancy Mellor and they were to have three daughters and a son. Sir Arnold was president of the Bar Association of Queensland (1957-1959) as well as chairman of the Incorporated Council of Law Reporting for the State of Queensland (1957-1972) and of the Barristers' Board (1957-1979). He was an active member of the Rotary Club, serving as president in 1959 and district governor in 1972-1973. A devoted Methodist Sunday school superintendent for over thirty years, he was also a total abstainer. In 1956 he purchased a Bolex film camera and for the next two decades avidly documented his family life. Sir Arnold died on 30 January 1983. (Australian Dictionary of Biography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bennett-sir-arnold-lucas-12193 viewed 25/08/2016)
In copyright.