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Clarence Irving Benson was a Methodist clergyman and journalist. Appointed superintendent minister at the Wesley Church in Melbourne 1926, Benson initiated a series of popular programmes including the ‘Pleasant Sunday Afternoon’ gatherings that included Menzies as a speaker. An avid book collector, Benson was trustee (1942-46) of the Public Library and National Gallery of Victoria, chair (1946-66) of trustees of the Public Library of Victoria and deputy-chairman (1966) of the Library Council of Victoria. He was president (1938-49) of the Library Association of Victoria and chairman (1947-56) of the Free Library Service Board. The main exhibition area of the State Library of Victoria, opened in 1967, was named Irving Benson Hall.

Source

Howe, Renate. Benson, Sir Clarence Irving (1897-1980), Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. Published in hard copy 1993, accessed online 6 December 2013.