This series comprises correspondence files maintained in the Prime Minister's Office when J B (Ben) Chifley was Prime Minister (1945-49), but includes some papers relating to Chifley in his capacity as Treasurer and Acting Prime Minister during John Curtin’s final illness.

The correspondence includes reports and memoranda from political colleagues and representations from trade unions, local government authorities, returned servicemen associations, diplomatic representatives, business and professional interests, members of the general public, church organisations, women’s groups and other community organisations.

It covers a wide range of subjects, including condolences on the death of Curtin, discharges from the defence forces, pensions, war gratuities, prisoners of war, proposed rocket bomb testing in Central Australia, the appointment of W J McKell as Governor-General, petrol rationing, prices, restrictions on the purchase of vehicles, housing, immigration, deportations, elections, economic policy, industrial disputes, disposal of wartime Commonwealth property, post-war reconstruction and external relations.

Also included are some telegrams and material sent as enclosures to the correspondence, such as departmental reports, newspaper clippings, photographs, pamphlets etc, and a small number of personal letters of E W Tonkin (Private Secretary).

Replies were sent out either under Chifley’s own signature or that of one of his private secretaries (E W Tonkin, F A McLaughlin). Copies of the replies are attached to the original papers, as well as copies of correspondence to and from any government official or department called on for relevant action or advice.

The files are arranged alphabetically in eight chronological sequences, similar to the recordkeeping system used by the Prime Minister’s Office for general correspondence from the early 1930s. Some September-December 1948 correspondence appears to be missing. The name of the correspondent or, sometimes, the subject is typed on the top right hand corner of the correspondence, which is then filed alphabetically within each file. There are inconsistencies in the filing, however, eg Federated Clerks’ Union may be filed ‘F’ or under ‘C’ (Clerks Union, Federation of), Australian Journalists’ Association may be filed under ‘A’ or ‘J’.

The records were transferred to archival custody in several consignments between August 1946 and February 1950. They were controlled under accession numbers CP9/1, CP18/1, CP25/1, CP 38/1 and CP62/1, each accession comprising several bundles, until converted to series M1455 in May 1984. The original accession titles were discontinued at that time. The series title and description was further revised as part of the Prime Ministers Papers Project in May 2004.