Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman
Sportsman, soldier, prime minister, international statesman and visionary – Stanley Melbourne Bruce (1883–1967) promoted his country’s interests on the international stage for over half a century. Robert Menzies referred to Bruce as ‘probably the outstanding Australian of our time’.
A decorated war hero, Bruce served as Australia’s eighth Prime Minister from 1923 to 1929. Bruce and his beloved wife Ethel were the first prime ministerial couple to live at The Lodge. From 1933 to 1945 Bruce was High Commissioner in London, in 1947 he became a British peer, and in 1951 the first chancellor of the Australian National University.
The National Archives' Stanley Melbourne Bruce: Prime Minister & Statesman was on display in Canberra from December 2009 to May 2010. A selection of objects and documents from the exhibition are showcased here. Click on an image to view the enlargement.
Photographs showing the installation of the Stanley Melbourne Bruce exhibition can be viewed on our Flickr site.
Explore objects from the exhibition in 3D
The National Archives’ Imaging Services team have taken multiple digital images of each object, which were then brought together to make one complete digital file. This digital file lets you explore the object from all sides. You can explore the following objects in 3D if you have QuickTime installed on your computer. Simply click and drag on the image you want to view.
Captain's red coat and trousers, 1954
Uniform of a privy councillor, 1923
Melbourne centenary china jug, 1934
The Freedom of the City of London gold casket, 1923
HMAS Hobart bell and wooden stand, 1938
View objects from the exhibition in close up
To view enlargements of these images, you will need Flash installed on your computer. Click and drag on the image to view at the desired size.
Croix de Guerre Palme, 1916
Military Cross, 1916
Viscountcy illuminated parchment, 1947
Viscountcy seal and illuminated parchment, 1947
