Summary heading

A6232: Photographic record of Exhibits 141 and 153 (CRS A6201) and CRS A6205 before conservation work undertaken.

Function and purpose

The records of the Royal Commission on Espionage (RCE) were in the custody of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet until 1984. In the late 1970s, an archivist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) was engaged to properly catalogue and index these records. As a result of this work, the then Australian Archives was asked in 1982 to undertake conservation work on the records prior to their transfer into archival custody. 

This series consists of a photographic record of Exhibits 141 and 153 (from CRS A6201) and CRS A6205 documenting the original packaging of these items before conservation work was undertaken on them by the then Australian Archives. The record was made by Australian Archives conservators to enable future users of the records to reconstruct how they were originally housed within the records of the Royal Commission on Espionage (RCE).

Exhibits 141 and 153 comprise rolls of negative film containing a photographic copy of the documents Vladimir Petrov handed over to the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) at the time of his defection (Exhibits A – J) The documents were initially photographed by ASIO, then the New South Wales Police. CRS A6205 consists of a ‘mock up’ of a proposed publication "The Moscow Papers".  

Using the series

The prints that make up items in this series were made from two rolls of film taken by the Australian Archives’ conservators:

• Roll 1 (frames 1-37) – a photographic record of Exhibits 141 and 153
• Roll 2 (frames 1 – 16) – a photographic record of Exhibits 141 and 153 as well as CRS A6205.

The titles of each item refer to the particular roll of negatives that the prints were made from.

Physical characteristics

Items 1 and 2 consist of the rolls of negative film made by the Australian Archives’ conservators. The other items consist of black and white prints measuring approximately 20.5 cm x 25 cm, as well as proof sheets. These have been housed in plastic sleaves, on which information identifying the roll and frame have been recorded.  

System of arrangement and control

This series is controlled by a single number system, with a range of control symbols from 1 – 8. 

Relationships with other records

This series should be seen as part of a sub-set of RCE series created as a result of the Archives’ conservation work. These series are: CRS A6228. CRS A6229. CRS A6230, CRS A6231, CRS A6232, CRS A6233 and CRS A6234.

The original packaging for Exhibits 141 and 153 has been preserved and can be found in CRS A6228. 

Series history

After being made by the Archives’ conservators, these negatives and photographs given to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. They were transferred to the Archives in 1984 with the Royal Commission’s records, and originally formed part of Accession AA1984/345.

Arrangement and description work was undertaken on this series in July 2005 as part of a broader Collection Development project for records associated with the Royal Commission on Espionage. As a result of this work, the series registration was updated and all items registered at item level in RecordSearch. The series note was also re-written.