A passport belonging to a former Prime Minister who served as the Member for Parramatta more than a century ago is being put up for auction.
When viewed through the lens of the 21st century, the passport used by Sir Joseph Cook as Minister for the Navy (1918-19), was a model of institutionalised misogyny. There is no better example than the pages showing the photographs and signatures of the ‘Bearer’ and the ‘Wife’.
Clearly, no self-respecting government of that era would have considered women as being interested in or capable of holding a position as important as a senior diplomat.
“It would be more than 50 years before Australia appointed its first ambassador,” said Charles Leski, lead auctioneer of Leski Auctions, which is selling the passport together with an illuminated, leather-bound folio presented to Cook in 1913 by his supporters in the federal electorate of Parramatta.
“The passport and the bearer are significant landmarks in Australia’s political and diplomatic history. While Sir Joseph was a former Prime Minister of Australia (1913-14), his status was elevated internationally as one of only two Australians, the other being Prime Minister Billy Hughes, who signed the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which reshaped the post-war map of the world.
“It was on this passport that Sir Joseph travelled to London for the Imperial War Conference in 1918 before heading to France for the signing.”
The passport bears Sir Joseph Cook’s photograph and signature, as well as endorsements, handstamps, dates and manuscript entries. These record the many times that Cook travelled to London and France for working sessions and signing ceremonies.
Cook is considered the first Member for Parramatta, then a vastly different electorate with larger boundaries, serving from 1901 until 1921.
The passport is expected to fetch between $3000 and $5000 when it goes under the hammer on May 24 and 25.
Details of the auction can be found at http://www.leski.com.au.
Troy Dodds is Parra News' Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia’s leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.