Kenafick Collection

This collection spans Kenneth Kenafick’s personal and professional life from 1938–1974. It includes correspondence, diaries, radio scripts, subject files and extensive material from socialist, pacifist and peace organisations in Australia and overseas. There is also election material from the 1950s and publications ranging from political pamphlets to poetry and local history.

Government and politics

Key items in the collection

Much of the printed material donated by Kenafick was not retained as it duplicated material already held, and the remainder was absorbed into the general collection. It includes pamphlets, leaflets, serials and in particular publications issued by socialist, communist, anti-communist and peace organisations in both Australia and overseas. In addition, there is a good deal of election material dating from the 1950s and runs of several newspapers, including the Loxton News (1967–75). Other publications included poetry, literary criticism and local history.

Extending from 1938 to 1974, the papers of Kenafick are extensive and include:

correspondence
diaries (1947–71)
radio scripts
manuscript notes and drafts
subject files
minute books
newspaper cuttings
leaflets and pamphlets
other printed ephemera.

There are extensive records relating to:

the League for Freedom and World Friendship (1943–60)
the Anti-Conscription Council of Victoria
the Australian and New Zealand Congress for International Peace and Disarmament
the Australian Peace Council
various socialist and pacifist organisations.

There are also papers on education, including scripts for school broadcasts.

About Kenneth Kenafick

Kenneth Joseph Kenafick (1904–1982) was born in Norseman, Western Australia. He graduated from the University of Western Australia and Melbourne Teachers’ College, later teaching at high schools, higher elementary schools and correspondence schools in Victoria.

Literary work

As a young man, Kenafick wrote poetry and a novel. Three volumes of his poems were published by Thomas Lothian between 1935 and 1939 under the pseudonym James Kennedy.

Political and union involvement

Kenafick was an active member of the Australian Labor Party and the Victorian Teachers’ Union. From 1943 to 1946, he served as secretary of the No Conscription Campaign, founded by Maurice Blackburn. He later became secretary of its successor organisation, the League for Freedom (later the League for Freedom and World Friendship).

Published works

Kenafick authored several works, including:

Later life

After retiring in 1968, Kenafick moved from Melbourne to Loxton, South Australia, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Background to the collection

Kenafick began donating manuscripts, pamphlets, leaflets and serials in 1952 and numerous instalments were received in the next 25 years. They included not only older material, but Victorian election leaflets and other printed ephemera that he collected in the streets of Melbourne. He presented substantial collections of publications and papers in 1965–66 and 1975–76. Following his death in 1982, further papers were received from his executors.

The printed material in the Kenafick Collection is mainly integrated in the Australian and general collections, although some of it can be found in the papers of Kenafick.

The manuscripts and personal papers are held in the Manuscripts collection. They occupy 86 boxes. Use the finding aid. It should, however, be noted that it covers only part of the collection, as boxes 8–62 have not been listed.