York Collection

The York Collection contains about 140 oral history interviews, the majority for his Maltese-Australian and Polish-Australian folklore and social history projects. It also includes personal papers of York plus papers of the historian Michael Cigler, as well as a large quantity of Maltese newspapers, student newspapers, radical pamphlets and ephemera.

Europe Migration and immigration

Key items in the collection

This collection hosts a range of formats, including:

The Barry York Collection contains a large quantity of Maltese newspapers, student newspapers, radical pamphlets and printed ephemera. The newspapers and journals include:

Malta Review (1986–87)
Midnight Cry (1983–85)
Times of Malta (1986).

Manuscripts

York acquired two collections of papers, which he subsequently placed in the Library:

Papers of Michael J. Cigler, 1966-1988 (MS 8235)
Papers of the Czech-born historian and editor Michael Cigler (1923–1990) consisting of correspondence, drafts of Australia: A Land of Immigrants (1985) and other books and articles, newspaper cuttings and papers concerning the Ethnic Heritage Series.
Papers of Douglas Grant, 1918-1988 (MS 9058)
These papers, compiled by Michael Cigler, focus on Douglas Grant (1885–1951), an Indigenous Australian who served in the Australian Imperial Forces during World War I. The collection contains correspondence, articles, and newspaper clippings.

Personal papers

York’s personal papers (1973–2000) include drafts of his theses, books, and articles; correspondence; research notes; book reviews; job applications; newspaper clippings; and printed ephemera. They also feature extensive records from the Prisoners' Action Committee (Victoria) and the Victorian Association of Peace Studies.

The Barry York Collection includes approximately 220 oral history interviews, covering a wide range of topics and communities:

Maltese-Australian Folklore and Social History Project
This is the largest component, featuring 77 interviews (303 reels) conducted between 1984 and 1998. Interviews were primarily recorded in Melbourne, with some in Sydney, Canberra, Mackay, Broken Hill, and other locations.

Most interviewees were post-World War II Maltese migrants, though some represent earlier 20th-century arrivals.
They include individuals from diverse backgrounds, such as politicians, diplomats, professionals, labourers, and housewives.
Notable interviewees include John Aquilina, Eddie Micaleff, Monica Attard, Joe Galea, and York’s parents, Loreto and Olive York.

Polish-Australian Oral History Project
This series consists of 49 interviews recorded between 1996 and 2007.

Most participants arrived in Australia between 1947 and 1952 and discuss life in Poland, wartime experiences in camps, migration journeys, and settlement in Australia.
Key locations include Melbourne, Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Adelaide, and Hobart.
Notable participants include Bill Stefaniak, Lech Paszkowski, Anna Wierzbicka, and Jerzy Zubrzycki.

Smaller Interview Groups
York also recorded interviews with:

Migration experts, including W.D. Borrie, Michael Cigler, Edward Duyker, and James Jupp
Trade union leaders like Ted Bull and John Halfpenny, and unionists recalling Norman Gallagher
Wrestlers such as Jack Dealy, Alick Jackomos, and Mario Milano
Retired ACT Transport employees

Additionally, the Library holds York’s interviews with former Australian parliamentarians for the Museum of Australian Democracy and recordings from other oral history projects.

The collection contains over 100 photographs of Maltese-Australians, some of them taken by York and the rest that he acquired from other sources.

About Barry York

Early life and education

Barry York was born in 1951 in London to a Maltese father who served as an airman and an English mother. In 1954, his family migrated to Melbourne, where he grew up in the suburb of Brunswick. He later attended La Trobe University, where he became deeply involved in student politics.

Activism and academic journey

In 1971, York's participation in a blockade of a University Council meeting led to his exclusion from the university, alongside seven other students. The following year, he and two other students were imprisoned in Pentridge Gaol for contempt of court. After their release—secured through the intervention of the university—York completed his Arts degree.

He went on to teach in schools across Victoria and New South Wales. From 1981 to 1988, he pursued postgraduate studies at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales, ultimately earning a doctorate.

Career

In 1989, York joined the Centre for Immigration and Multicultural Studies at The Australian National University (ANU), where he worked as a research fellow from 1991 to 1996. He later served as a research fellow at Victoria University of Technology in Melbourne from 1997 to 1999. In 2000, York began working as a historian with the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House, a role he held until his retirement in 2016.

Contributions to scholarship

York has authored several books, including:

In addition to these works, York has written scholarly articles and monographs on Australian immigration, with a focus on Maltese migration. He has also contributed feature articles to the Canberra Times and Maltese-Australian newspapers.

Association with the National Library of Australia

York has maintained a long-standing connection with the National Library of Australia since 1987. He has worked as an oral history interviewer and contributed regularly to National Library of Australian News and other publications. His collaborative projects include:

In 1997, York was a Harold White Fellow at the National Library, further underscoring his significant contributions to documenting Australia's multicultural and migration histories.

Background to the collection

In 1981, York donated a collection of student and radical newspapers to the Library, with additional printed material received between 1987 and 1994.

The first oral history recordings by York were received in 1988, with regular additions to the collection made almost every year until 2019.

York donated Michael Cigler's papers in 1991 and Douglas Grant's papers in 1997.

His personal papers were acquired through gifts or purchases in several instalments between 1987 and 2000.

The newspapers, journals, pamphlets and other printed items in the Barry York Collection have been integrated in the Australian, Newspapers and general collections.

The oral history recordings and transcripts are held in various locations of the Oral History Collection. They have been catalogued individually. Some of the recordings are held under restricted access.

The photographs are held in the Pictures Collection. They are filed under various subject headings, including 'Maltese in Australia'.

The papers of Michael Cigler and Douglas Grant are held in the Manuscripts Collection. The Cigler papers (MS 8235) occupy 9 boxes and the Grant papers (MS 9058) are in 3 folders.

The personal papers of York are also held in the Manuscripts Collection (MS 6947). They are under restricted access. Use the Barry York finding aid. The instalments received in 1999–2008 have not yet been processed.