Robert Vincent Anderson collection

Folder of documents relating to Thomas Anderson Senior (1832?-1854), Thomas Garcia Anderson (1854-1935) and Johanna Anderson (nee Reeves, then Garcia, 1832?-1885):

• genealogical information and a family tree,
• photocopied newspaper clippings,
• marriage and death certificates,
• a coroners report about the death of Thomas Anderson Senior, and
• photocopied documents related to Archibald Kerr and Mary Brady (the parents of Elizabeth who married Thomas Garcia Anderson).

There is also a letter written by Thomas Garcia Anderson on 30 January 1893 regarding his name, and a photograph of him with his wife Johanna Anderson. 

Folder of material related to Uncle Bob Anderson's grandmother, Elizabeth Anderson (nee Kerr, 1859-1939), including genealogical documents, photographs and newspaper clippings.

Elizabeth was born in Ireland, the daughter of Archibald and Mary Kerr. The family immigrated to Australia in about 1862. Elizabeth married Thomas Garcia Anderson in 1881, and they had 7 children and an adopted son.

Folder of material relating to Thomas Garcia Anderson (1854-1935), including:

• genealogical documents,
• photographs of him and his wife Elizabeth,
• newspaper clippings,
• an in-memorial booklet,
• correspondence and legal bills from a maritime incident involving the vessels Dolphin and Bombala in 1908,
• pages from a typed transcript about Kangaroo Point by an unknown author, and
• an invitation to the Ceremony of the Turning of the First Sod for the Jubilee Bridge in Brisbane on 24 May 1935.

Thomas Garcia Anderson was born in 1854. When he was 6 weeks old his father, Thomas Anderson (Senior) was killed. His mother Johanna later married Captain Garcia, and Thomas also took his name.

Folder of professional papers related to the maritime career of Thomas Garcia Anderson inclusing:

• letters of reference,
• contractors certificates,
• certificates of discharge from ships and
• Maritime Guild documents.

Some of the ships mentioned are Bengal, Rob Roy, Rebecca Jane, Waitome, St Albans, Namsang, Hydra, Archer, Mystery and others.

There are also two certificates of competency awarded to Thomas Anderson from the Maritime Board of Queensland: (located in OMOSBOX 11020)

• Master of a home trade vessel, 1883
• Master of a coaster, 1894

A copy of the 38th edition of the publication 'Ainsley's Examiner in Seamanship', by Thomas L. Ainsley. It has a paper cover with a handwritten note that it belonged to Thomas Garcia Anderson in 1876. On the inner cover, the name 'G.Norman 1876' is inscribed.

Items related to the life of Thomas Anderson (1882-1945), eldest son of Thomas Garcia and Elizabeth Anderson.

There is a birth certificate, a certificate of discharge from the ship 'Kulambangra', a page of family history notes written by Uncle Bob Anderson and a school exercise book.

Note - birth certificate housed separately due to size - box 15130 O/S.

A folder of material related to the life of Charles Cecil Anderson (1885-1955), including:

• birth and death certificates,
• a school exercise book,
• school reference,
• marriage certificate of Charles Anderson to Lydia Tripcony (the granddaughter of Winyeeaba),
• photocopied newspaper articles,
• photographs of his christening, his gravestone in South Brisbane cemetery, work colleagues, with his brothers, and with sister Nita Anderson.

Charles Cecil was mostly known as Cecil and was Uncle Bob Anderson's father.

A folder of material related to the life of Nita Anderson (1890-) :

• Nursing qualification certificate 1927,
• Nursing registration papers,
• References and letters of recommendation.

There are several photographs of Nita, some in nursing uniform, others with her sisters Isabella and Joanna Anderson. 

A folder of material related to life of Cecil Charles Anderson (1924-1956), known as Charles. Charles was Uncle Bob Anderson's brother, and was killed in fighting in Malaysia in 1956.

The folder contains:

• photographs,
• documents and correspondence related to his war service, and
• correspondence and newspaper clippings related to the campaign to repatriate the remains of Charles Anderson to his country on Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island, and for the upgrade and maintenance of the war graves of Charles and his colleagues in Malaysia.

Folder of material relating to Winyeeaba, including:

• Photographs and negatives,
• Death certificate,
• Research notes relating to Winyeeaba by Delene Cuddihy, and
• Copies of articles and emails about the Passionist mission by Stefano Girola

Winyeeaba Kingal (1829?-1917) is Uncle Bob Anderson's great grandmother. She was born on Mulgumpin / Moreton Island, but was taken to New South Wales in the mid-1800s by Archbishop Polding for conversion to Christianity, and became known as Sydney Rollands. There is a letter in this folder from Uncle Bob Anderson to his family explaining the importance of Winyeeaba being referred to by her language name. She returned to Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island and had four children: Sam Rollands, Mary Rose Rollands, Evelyn Ellis and Albert Levinge.  

Photographs in this folder include one of Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island grannies Winyeeaba, Kindara, Lizzie and Mary Anne, an image of Winyeeaba's home at Moongalba, and her headstone.

A collection of loose material that has been rehoused into a grey archival photograph album. The handwritten lists (often on yellow paper) inserted between sections were written by Uncle Bob Anderson and his family while compiling the collection.

Contains photographs, documents, photocopied articles and correspondence relating to:

• Mary Rose Tripcony,
• Lydia Myee Tripcony,
• Robert Vincent Anderson,
• Evelyn Ellis,
• Sam Rollands,
• Catherine Abercrombie Buchanan,
• Thomas Martin Tripcony,
• Mary Winifred Tripcony,
• Charlotte Tripcony,
• Albert Tripcony,
• Sylvia Tripcony,
• Priscilla Tripcony,
• Ensign Vincent Tripcony,
• Paul Ambrose Tripcony,
• Veronica Tripcony, 
• Anastacia Tripcony and
• Thomas Buchanan Abercrombie Alexander Tripcony.

Also contains some photographs of horseracing at Amity Point and the Tripcony house at Cowie Bank.

An envelope of papers related to the Tripcony family:

• Birth certificate of Paul Ambrose Tripcony (born 1901)
• Death certificate of Anastasia Tripcony (died 1991)
• Folder of printed material from the World War One service and repatriation records of Evelyn Ellis (1884-1952), service number 554, supplied by the National Archives of Australia.  Evelyn Ellis was the son of Winyeeaba, and a great-uncle of Uncle Bob Anderson. He enlisted in 1916, served in France as a gunner, and was medically discharged in 1918.

A folder of correspondence and papers related to the various activities and interests of Uncle Bob Anderson:

• photocopy of the Dunwich State School admission register showing his enrolment in 1936,
• photocopy of his Form of Indenture dated 1945 and other papers related to his carpentry apprenticeship,
• invitations,
• letters of appreciation,
• correspondence with politicians on matters related to fishing, housing, stolen wages, water extraction from North Stradbroke Island and Aboriginal issues, and
• correspondence and Hansard related to the First Session of the 15th Parliament on 20 March 2001, where Uncle Bob Anderson gave the Address of Welcome.

There are also letters of introduction from organisations and politicians for various peace, union and museum-related overseas delegations.

Folder of material related to Uncle Bob's union activity. Items include:

• authorisation to act in the Bougainville Copper Agreement negotiations 1970,
• documents relating to activism at Pine Gap including the Grandparents Petition and charge sheets from his arrest,
• speech notes and material from the centenary of Brisbane's tramway strike and general strike in 2012,
• speech notes to the Workers Memorial Day in Brisbane, 27 April 2018,  
• letters of introduction for international delegations,
• speech notes,
• certificates,
• correspondence,
• autographed copy of 'On Fairness' by Sally McManus in 2019,
• 4 union officials credential cards, and
• 3 delegate passes to CFMEU conventions.

Folder of material related to the community programs and organisations Uncle Bob Anderson has been involved with including cultural awareness programs, professional development programs in schools, universities and workplaces, Sorry Day and reconciliation events, and social justice and environmental organisations. There are also speech notes and certificates of appreciation in the folder.

There is a folder of A3 certificates and posters located in OMOSBOX 11020, including:

• a certificate awarded to Uncle Bob Anderson for his 'outstanding contribution to justice' from the Christian Brothers of Oceania Province (undated), 
• Queensland Council of Unions NAIDOC Awards poster (undated),
• NAIDOC Week poster 2003,
• certificate of appreciation from Redland City Council to Uncle Bob Anderson,
• certificate of appreciation from Redland City Council to Aunty Rosie Borey, signed by Aunty Rosie,
• certificate of appreciation from the Queensland Police Service,
• certificate of appointment as Honorary Advisor to the Queensland Police Service on Indigenous Issues, and
• Life membership certificate of the Brisbane Labour History Association (2021).

Folder of correspondence, newspaper clippings, newsletters, articles and press releases featuring Uncle Bob Anderson.

Folder of publications featuring Uncle Bob Anderson in articles or on the front cover, including:

• Construction Worker, December 1997
• Protocols for consultation and negotiation with Aboriginal people, 1997
• Network news, 1998
• Newsletter of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board, April 2000
• Labor Day magazine, 2001
• Labor Herald, June 2001
• OBE...our stories, Beyond Blue, 2010
• Queensland Journal of Labour History, March 2011
• CFMEU Worker, May 2017 and May 2021

Folder of correspondence related to the appointment of Uncle Bob Anderson to a range of boards and government bodies including:

• Brisbane Indigenous Media Association,
• Queensland Museum,
• Land Tribunal,
• Indigenous Advisory Council,
• the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board, and others.

This folder also includes correspondence related to Uncle Bob Anderson's applications to become a Commissioner of Declarations and a Justice of the Peace. The material includes criminal history search material and a handwritten reference from Neville Bonner.

Folder of material related to the honours awarded to Uncle Bob Anderson including:

• Premier Awards for Queensland Seniors 1997, 
• Doctor of the University from Queensland University of Technology 2000,
• Lord Mayor's Citizen of the Year 2001,
• Medal of the Order of Australia 2001,
• Queensland Great award 2001,
• Elder of the Year 2002,
• Centenary of Federation medal 2003, and
• Queensland Museum medal 2004.

Folder of material related to museum and gallery exhibitions featuring aspects of Uncle Bob Anderson's life:

• Mil Binnung at the Redlands Museum in 2010,
• 100% Brisbane at the Museum of Brisbane in 2016,
• Singing up the Land at Redland Art Gallery in 2021, and
• Getting Equal at the North Stradbroke Island Museum on Minjerribah in 2021.

Album of photographs relating to the life of Uncle Bob Anderson, including:

• Family photos, including a Poulsen Studios portrait of five Anderson siblings in the early 1930s,
• Anderson house in Redfern Street, Annerley,
• Building Workers Industrial Union conferences 1958-1964, 
• Collinsville strike in 1967,
• Pine Gap protests in 1987,
• on a delegation to the Philippines in 1988,
• at functions with Nelson Mandela in 1990,
• with Gerry Adams in 1990,
• May Day march in Cairns in 1991 (including a photo of Denis Walker addressing the crowd),
• hosting a delegation of women from the Philippines on Minjerribah in 1993,
• addressing the Australian Council of Trade Unions congress,
• at a flag raising ceremony at Queensland Police Headquarters in 1998,
• at a 'sea of hands' event in 1998,
• Palm Sunday rallies in 1998 and 1999,
• in Cape York communities in 1999,
• family photos from the day of the OAM presentation in 2001,
• at various protests in 2001 including one against the Goss government (some photos also feature Bob Katter and Pat Dodson), 
• at the launch of his book in 2002 including speakers Aunty Margaret Iselin, Penny Tripcony, and Lord Mayor Jim Soorley,
• presentation of Brisbane 'Citizen of the Year' with Lord Mayor Jim Soorley,
• Queensland Museum Medal awards in 2004,
• May Day marches (some with Premier Peter Beattie),
• receiving an honorary doctorate from Griffith University in 2004,
• May Day in 2006 with Kim Beazley, Wayne Swan, Grace Grace and Clem Jones,
• on Mulgumpin with David Burns in 2010, and
• at the opening of the Singing up the Spirit of the Land exhibition in 2021, and others.

At the back of the album is a selection of business cards belonging to Uncle Bob Anderson from his professional career.

Two large photographs:

• Queensland branch executive of the Federated Liquor and Allied Trades Employees Union of Australia 1936-37 (features Paul Tripcony). 
• Portrait by Reina Irmer presented to Uncle Bob Anderson by State Library of Queensland Indigenous Library Services in April 2003. 

A box of ephemera collected by Uncle Bob Anderson:

• Two school child bus permits for 1940 and 1941, with 3 pennies, and
• Commemorative stamp and 50 cent coin in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum.

Union related ephemera includes:

• Federated Miscellaneous Workers Union of Australia badge,
• 'Support long service leave' badge,
• Building Workers Industrial Union of Australia badge,
• CFMEU badges, patches and membership card,
• Electrical Trades Union sticker,
• Maritime Union of Australia keyring and badge,
• Queensland Council of Unions drink coaster,
• Labor Day ribbons,
• May Day ribbons,
• KMU pin (an independent labour centre in the Philippines),
• Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT - a British Trade Union) pin,
• Centenary of the Brisbane General Strike in 2012 badge,
• Queensland Council of Unions 'solidarity forever' drink coaster,
• Hand holding wheat badge - probably related to the BWIU, and
• 2 Mr XXXX lapel pins.

Humanitarian related ephemera includes badges:

• Free the refugees,
• Hiroshima never again,
• Vietnam moratorium,
• Nelson Mandela,
• 3 relating to Russian towns and folk music,
• Aged care rights,
• No racism no war,
• Vote yes for Aborigines,
• Reconciliation its up to us, and
• AIATSIS.

There are name badges for Uncle Bob Anderson from:

• Queensland Museum,
• Griffith University,
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advisory Board,
• Cornish Association,
• CFMEU Vets, and
• an Australia Day Ambassador badge, 2007.

There is also 3 wooden plaques awarded to Uncle Bob Anderson:

• In appreciation from the Murri School in 2000,
• Queensland Police Service 'in recognition of service as an Honorary Advisor on Indigenous issues', 2005, and 
• Griffith University for 'outstanding intellectual and cultural contributions to Griffith University and the advancement of education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people', 2007.

Short documentary by David Bradbury, produced for the Australian Anti-Bases Campaign Coalition.

The film documents the protests at the Pine Gap facility near Alice Springs in 1987, including direct action planning meetings, protests at the base, Uncle Bob Anderson entering the site to present the Grandparents Petition and his subsequent arrest, interviews with Senator Jo Valentine, and vox pops with the people of Alice Springs about their attitudes to the base.

Duration : 20 minutes

Interview with Uncle Bob Anderson by an unknown interviewer, held in an office.

The interview focusses on Uncle Bob's early life, and the continuing relationship of Aboriginal people with the South Brisbane area including South Bank, the Cultural Precinct and Musgrave Park.

Uncle Bob speaks of growing up in East Brisbane and Woolloongabba, working in a bakery, greengrocer and as a storeman before getting a carpentry apprenticeship at 15 years old. He outlines his work within the trade union movement, the Trades and Labour Council and the Communist Party, particularly his work within the labour movement to promote the rights of Aboriginal people.

There are mentions of the ice skating rink near Victoria Bridge, the Cremorne Theatre, American servicemen in the area during the Second World War, the Boundary Streets, changes in the local natural environment and Aboriginal peoples ongoing connection to country.

Duration : 1 hour (approximately)

An interview with Uncle Bob Anderson by an unknown interviewer.

The discussion focusses on Uncle Bob's early life, his Aboriginal heritage, and his connections to Mulgumpin /Moreton Island and Minjerribah / North Stradbroke Island. The discussion covers language, song and dance, spiritual practices and trading among Aboriginal peoples.

He talks of interactions of Quandamooka people with Europeans, including the castaways Pamphlet, Finnegan and Parsons, rescuing survivors of the Sovereign wreck at Amity Point, providing water to Matthew Flinders, and others. The interview concludes with a message from Uncle Bob Anderson to the new generation of young people.

Duration : 43 minutes