Sidney Wheatley papers.

Collection

Identifier: MSS-Archives-89/23

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The papers in this collection reflect Wheatley's long involvement in the New Zealand Dairy Factories and Related Trades Employees' Industrial Union of Workers as the Auckland Branch and National Secretary and his participation in a range of related organisations.

The papers which include minutes, correspondence, publications and newspaper clippings have been divided in to nine series, reflecting their arrangement when they were deposited and Weatley's involvement in different organisations. There is some overlap between the series and some files contain materials relevant to more than one organisation.

Dates

1930 - 1983

Creator

Wheatley, Sidney (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

PARTLY RESTRICTED: see inventory for restrictions on specific folders.

Biographical / Historical

Sidney Ivan (Sid) Wheatley (1911-1984) was a prominent member of the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union. His first association with the Union was while working in a dairy factory in Te Awamutu. During the Second World War Wheatley served in Pacific with the Royal New Zealand Air Force. At the end of the war he returned to the dairy industry, working at the Ambury milk bottling plant in Epsom, Auckland.

Wheatley became the National Secretary of the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union in 1951, a position he would hold, except for a short period in the mid 1950s, until 1978. From 1960 to 1974 he was also the Secretary of the Union's Auckland Branch. During the 1960s Wheatly was responsible for the New Zealand Dairy Workers Union becoming an affiliated member of the International Union of Food Workers(IUF) and was for a number of years the organisation's senior representative in the Pacific region. Wheatley was also member of the National Executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour between 1974 to 1978.

At the time of the United Kingdom's entry into the EEC, Wheatley was sponsored and briefed by the NZ Dairy Board and the Government to represent New Zealand's position in Europe.

In 1979 Wheatley was awarded an O.B.E. for services to trade union and community affairs.

Wheatley married to Janet Elizabeth Fowlds in April 1938, the couple had four children. Sidney died in 1984 and Janet in 1988.

Extent

2.5 metres (21 boxes, 2 scrapbooks.)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Physical Location

In off site storage. Expect delay of 12-24 hours from time of order.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by Sidney Wheatley, per Bert Roth ca 1984.

Related Materials

New Zealand Dairy Factories & Related Trades Employees Industrial Union of Workers, Auckland Branch minute books, MSS & Archives D-28 and Auckland Milkroundsmen's Industrial Union of Workers minute books MSS & Archives D-29.