Berendsen, Carl - Memoirs

Fonds — Folder: MSS B488 R 1-5

Identifier: bere

Staff Only

Dates

1953c-1955c

Access and use

Access is freely available within the J.C.Beaglehole Room for research and private study. For any use beyond this, please contact the J.C.Beaglehole Room (jcbeaglehole.room@vuw.ac.nz) in the first instance.

Biographical / Historical

Sir Carl Berendsen (1890-1973) was a senior public servant and diplomat.

He came to New Zealand from Australia at the age of ten with his family, attended Gore District High School and joined the public service (Dept. of Education) in 1906. In 1914 he graduated LLB, and in 1916 Master of Laws, from Victoria University College.

He served as Imperial Affairs Officer, as New Zealand's first Secretary of External Affairs, and as Head of the Prime Minister's Department. He held positions as High Commissioner in Australia (1943-1944), as New Zealand Minister and then Ambassador to the United States (1944-1952), and as Permanent Delegate to the United Nations.

He married Nellie Ellis Brown (d. 1983).

Please see the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography entry at for full details: McGibbon, Ian. 'Berendsen, Carl August 1890 - 1973'. Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, updated 22 June 2007 URL: https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies.

The only papers in this collection are a partial set of memoirs.

Sir Carl Berendsen's personal correspondence is held at the Alexander Turnbull Library.