Finding aid to the memoirs of Carl Berendsen bere Finding aid prepared by Nicola Frean

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 J C Beaglehole Room, Victoria University of Wellington Library
P O Box 3438 Wellington, 6140 +64 4 4635681 Email JCBeaglehole-Room@vuw.ac.nz
2011-04-14 This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2011-04-14T13:19+1200 Finding aid is written in English Memoirs of Carl Berendsen bere J C Beaglehole Room, Victoria University of Wellington Library 0.01 Linear meters 1953c-1955c Berendsen, C.A., Sir, (Carl August), 1890-1973 Berendsen, Ian, fl.1988 Biographical/Historical note

Sir Carl Berendsen (1890-1973) was a senior public servant and diplomat.

He came to New Zealand at the age of ten with his family, attended Gore District High School and joined the public service (Dept. of Education) in 1906. In 1914 he graduated LLB, and in 1916 Master of Laws, from Victoria University College.

He served as Imperial Affairs Officer, as New Zealand's first Secretary of External Affairs, and as Head of the Prime Minister's Department. He held positions as High Commissioner in Australia (1943-1944), as New Zealand Minister and then Ambassador to the United States (1944-1952), and as Permanent Delegate to the United Nations.

He married Nellie Ellis Brown (d. 1983).

Please see the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography entry at for full details: McGibbon, Ian. 'Berendsen, Carl August 1890 - 1973'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007 URL: http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/.

The only papers in this collection are a partial set of memoirs.

 Berendsen, C.A., Sir, (Carl August), 1890-1973 Berendsen, Ian, fl.1988 Collected archives International affairs NRAM: The Community Archive entry Memoirs 1 5.0 Volume(s) 1953c - 1955c, covers reminiscences from c1891-1952 13 cm, 5 Clip binders Berendsen, C.A., Sir, (Carl August), 1890-1973 Scope and Contents note

This is a typescript version, edited by Ian Berendsen, son of Sir Carl, from original papers written c. 1953-1955. There are five volumes.

 1. Cover title: 'Childhood and early manhood; 1890-1926' BERE00001 c1953-1957 2. Cover title: 'Diplomatic apprenticeship; New Zealand High Commissioner in Australia; 1926-1944' BERE00002 3. Cover title: 'New Zealand Minister and Ambassador to the United States of America; Permanent Delegate to the United Nations; 1944-1952' BERE00003 4. Cover title: 'Personalities in New Zealand and Australia' BERE00004 Scope and Contents note

Chapter headings: I: Introduction - Seddon; Massey; Bell; Coates II: Ward and Forbes III: Savage IV: Fraser V: Holland; Families of New Zealand Prime Ministers VI: Nash VII: Freyberg VIII: Jordan (p. 1 missing) IX: Allen; Wilford; Parr; Sidey; Downie Stewart X: Semple; Skinner; Nordmeyer; Moohan; Langstone; Lee; Roberts; Walsh XI: Ngata; Buck; Thomson XII: Stout; Myers; O'Leary; Barrowclough; Condliffe; Hunter; Natzka; Basham Personalities I have met in Australia. XIII: - Introduction, Australian Prime Ministers: Hughes; Bruce; Scullin; Lyons; Curtin; Chifley; Menzies. XIV: Evatt XV: McKell; Casey; Dixon; Eggleston; Makin; Spender; Forgan Smith; Ward; Calwell; Collings XVI: Fadden; Hasluck; Earle Page; Dame Enid Lyons; McEwen; Hodgson; Copland; Essington Lewis; Clark XVII: Blamey; Mrs Jessie Street; Miss Marjorie Lawrence; Nott

 5. Cover title: 'Personalities in the United States of America [only partly transcribed]' BERE00005 Scope and Contents note

Chapter headings: I: Introduction; Roosevelt II: Eleanor Roosevelt III: Harry S. Truman IV: Bess Truman; Margaret Truman; Hoover; Eisenhower V: Stimson; Hull; Stettinius; Byrnes; Marshall; Acheson; Dulles VI: MacArthur VII [missing] VIII [incomplete[: Connally; Vandenberg IX: [incomplete] Bloom