The Cumming records were received from Dr B. Clark, Aeronautical Research Laboratories, on 21/10/1993 for deposit in the La Trobe Collection.

Cumming was a Research Scientist at the Aeronautical Research Laboratories (ARL) Melbourne 1941-1955 and a member of the Human Engineering Research Group at ARL 1956-1966 conducting research on human factors in aviation. Later he was Director of the Caulfield Institute of Technology 1979-1982 and was then a visiting Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at the University of Melbourne 1983-1986.

Several of the Cumming files contain records of J.R. Baxter, Senior Scientific Officer in the Human Engineering Group, Aeronautical Research Laboratories.

Successor to the the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's Division of Aeronautics, the ARL conducted research in the field of aeronautics with specific responsibility for defence research. It was one of a group of laboratories under the Chief Scientist, Department of Supply. L.P. Coombes was first Chief Superintendent (to 1964), T.F.C. Lawrence the second (1965 - 1967).
In 1994 the ARL was amalgamated with the Materials Research Laboratory to form the Aeronautical and Maritime Research Laboratory (AMRL), Defence Science Technology Organisation (DSTO).