James Lawrence Stapleton papers

This item contains personal papers associated with James Stapleton and his wife Euthene Lebreton Stapleton (nee Grosser):

• 'Qualifying Certificate' awarded to James Stapleton from the Education Department of South Australia, 1917.
• copy of birth details of James Stapleton, 1925.
• extract from the birth certificate of Euthene Grosser, 1931.
• marriage certificate of Euthene Stapleton, 1935.
• 5 telegrams conveying messages of congratulations on the marriage of James Stapleton to Euthene Grosser, 1935.
• Certificate of Discharge' from the Volunteer Defense Corps, Australian Defense Corps, for S 67474 Sergeant James Lawrence Stapleton, 1946. Stapleton served from 1942-1945.
• copy of a letter from Jas. (James) L. Stapleton to Mr. David Rowbotham thanking him for a copy of  the poem “Morse Code at Barrow Creek”, 1968. The poem refers to the death of James Stapleton’s grandfather.
• copy of the will of James Stapleton, 1971.
• will of Euthene Stapleton, 1971.
• legal document granting Peter James Stapleton power of attorney over his mother Euthene Stapleton, 1977.
• death certificate of Euthene Stapleton, 1983.
• letter mentioning Jim, Euthene and Peter, author unknown.

This material was collected by James and Euthene Stapleton.

This item contains professional papers associated with James Stapleton:

• letter to James Stapleton about the activities of the archivist at the Public Library of Queensland, 1968.
• letter to James Stapleton from Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen on his retirement from the Public Library of Queensland, 1970.

This material was collected by James Stapleton.

This item contains publications associated with James Stapleton:

• select issues of the Staff Gazette of the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia, 1921-1925.
• leaflet titled 'Bifaced stone implements from South-Eastern South Australia' by P. de S. Stapleton, from Records of the South Australian Museum, Vol. VIII, No. 2, June 30th, 1945.
• extract from 'Notes from the Brisbane Public Library' - No.45. 4QR. 23rd April. 1954. 10 p.m. by Jas. (James) L. Stapleton.

Percy de S. Stapleton (Percy Stapleton) was the father of State Librarian James L. Stapleton.

This material was collected by James Stapleton.

This item contains a photograph album containing black and white photographs (and some postcards) of:

• Brisbane buildings including Brisbane Public Hospital, Brisbane City Hall, an elevated view of Roma Street Railway Station, Brisbane Dental Hospital and the Canberra Hotel.
• Brisbane bridges including the Storey Bridge, Grey Street Bridge and Victoria Bridge.
• Brisbane CBD war memorials.
• Yeronga Park Infants' School (kindergarten), the kindergarten Peter Stapleton attended (son of James and Euthene Stapleton).
• the Glasshouse Mountains.
• a Maleny street view.
• Caboolture homes.
• butter factories at Maleny and Caboolture.
• the Brisbane end of the Hornibrook Highway.
• rainforest, Curtis Falls, hotel and zoo at Tamborine.
• aeroplanes.
• a newspaper clipping showing people picnicking and resting in Queen's Park, in front of the Public Library of Queensland, 159 William Street, Brisbane CBD.
• views and kiosk at the Mt Coot-tha lookout.
• Peter exploring Kalinga Park.
• scenery and family on a trip to the coast south of Brisbane including Burleigh Heads, Elephant Rock (Currumbin) and Point Danger.
• photos of Brisbane city and other areas during a boat cruise to Moreton Bay.
• Aunt Doris and Peter at the Brisbane Show.

The photograph album has a black cover and most of the photographs are labelled. The photograph album contains a small amount of other material.

The photograph album belonged to Miss Doris Grosser, sister of Euthene Stapleton (nee Grosser). Photographs were taken during a trip Miss Grosser made to visit her sister between 1947-1949. Euthene and James Stapleton moved to Brisbane in 1947.

This item contains a photograph album containing black and white photographs relating to James Stapleton's time with the Public Library of Queensland in the 1950s.

The Public Library of Queensland during this time was situated at 159 William Street, Brisbane CBD (now referred to as the Old State Library building).

Photographs document:

• exterior views of the Public Library of Queensland, 159 William Street.
• portraits of James Stapleton.
• interior views of reading rooms.
• library staff at work.
• collection items and storage.

There is also a photograph of a sailing boat build on plans and specifications provided by the library's Lending Service.

Some of the photographs were taken at other locations. James Stapleton travelled around Queensland to effort to promote libraries (Information taken from: Australian Dictionary of Biography, viewed 22 November 2023).

The album has a green cover and a black spine. It includes loose photographs. It is not known who compiled the album. The creator of many of the photographs is unknown, some were created by commercial photographers.

This item contains loose photographs:

• various colour and black and white portraits of James Stapleton aged 21, 42, 50 and older.
• black and white class group photograph of Euthene Stapleton and other classmates at primary school.
• black and white portraits of Euthene Stapleton's parents and Aunts Flo and Elsie.
• black and white portraits of Euthene Stapleton as a young lady.
• black and white photographs of Eugene and James Stapleton on their motorbikes.
• holiday snaps of James Stapleton and another in the snow, 1963. These photographs are accompanied by a letter.
• black and white portraits of James Stapleton inspecting books in the Public Library of South Australia, 1932.
• colour transparencies and slides of Victorian artist Lindsay Edward's mural on the outside of the extension to the Old State Library Building, 159 William Street, Brisbane CBD, from 1958-1959.
• black and white photograph of a crane in front of the Old State Library Building, 159 William Street, Brisbane CBD, 1965.
• black and white photograph of the reading room of the John Oxley Memorial Library, George Street, Brisbane CBD, 1965.
• black and white photographs of James Stapleton at functions, including the Library Association Conference, Adelaide, in 1957 and on his retirement in 1970.

The photographs were collected by James and Euthene Stapleton. The creator of many of the photographs is unknown, some were taken by professional photographers.

This item contains a photograph album of photographs, photographic postcards and newspaper clippings primarily about James Stapleton's grandfather, but also his father:

• colour and black and white photographs, colour slides and colour negatives of a short tombstone marking the burial location of James Lorenzo Stapleton, stationmaster of Barrow Creek Telegraph Station, who died from a spear attack by Aboriginal Australians in 1874. The tombstone is located less than a quarter of a mile from Barrow Creek Station.
• colour and black and white photographs of a taller memorial for James Lorenzo Stapleton located in West Terrace Cemetery, South Australia.
• black and white photographic postcards of Barrow Creek Telegraph Station.
• reproductions of original photographic portraits of James Lorenzo Stapleton, before 1859 and in 1864.
• colour photograph of Jim (James) Stapleton standing by the grave of his grandfather, James Lorenzo Stapleton.
• newspaper clippings that describe Percy Stapleton's efforts growing tobacco at Mount Gambier. Percy was the telegraph operator of Mount Gambier.
• newspaper clipping that documents the story of the spear attack on James Lorenzo Stapleton, shows the West Terrace Cemetery memorial for James Lorenzo Stapleton and describes Percy Stapleton's interests which include Aboriginal Australian implements.
• newspaper clipping that describes wireless telegraphy.

Some of the photographs were taken during a trip State Librarian James L. Stapleton took to Barrow Creek Telegraph Station where his grandfather James Lorenzo Stapleton was stationmaster.

Percy Stapleton (Percy de S. Stapleton) was the father of State Librarian James L. Stapleton.

This album has been rehoused.

This item contains newspaper clippings about libraries in South Australia and Queensland during James Stapleton’s career, with some articles featuring James Stapleton.

The scrapbook is in a large green album with a black spine, it includes loose clippings.

The compiler of the scrapbook is unknown.

This item contains a diary written by Euthene Stapleton (nee Grosser).

It includes weekend and holiday activities. Newspaper clippings on a variety of subjects are pasted on the inside covers.

The diary is in a black exercise book.

This item contains a diary written by Euthene Stapleton (nee Grosser) up to the week before she married James (Jim) Stapleton.

It includes weekend and holiday activities. It contains loose newspaper clippings and a clipping pasted to the back inside cover.

The diary is in a black exercise book.

This item contains a diary written by Euthene Stapleton (nee Grosser) mostly about their son Peter’s infancy.

The diary is in a hardcover book with red binding, the cover reads 'No. 2 Diary for Govt. Departments. South Australia'.

Peter Stapleton was born on the 26 June 1942.