Belfield Climate Archive Expands with New Find

Algernon Henry Belfield (1838-1922)

Late last year a old register containing a further treasure trove of scientific climate data was unearthed.

The register, belonging to leading New England pastoralist, meteorologist and astronomer Algernon Henry Belfield (1838-1922), brings to a conclusion the climate records meticulously collected at his observatory and weather recording facilities at Eversleigh Station over a period of 45 years.

The work is a testament to Algernon Belfield’s dedication to the collection of scientific climate data, and his love for the elements, the final record was taken on the 2 July 1922, only weeks before he died on the Saturday 5th August 1922.

Richard, his grandson, relates that on the Wednesday prior to his death, he had collected his mail, which was a buggy trip to Dumaresq Railway Station with his fox terrier, coming home he complained to one of his boys that he was feeling a little weary and retired to his room at Eversleigh. He passed away early Saturday morning, buried on the Sunday, therefore not disrupting the working week. An efficient man to the end.

Eversleigh Homestead

The Register was digitised by William Oates at the University of New England, and uploaded into a single PDF file by the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections. You can download the entire Register as a single PDF here:

Register of Meteorological Observations taken at Eversleigh 1908-1922 (63 MB PDF File)

To access the full climate archive click the following post relating to the original deposit of climate data records from 1877-1907:
http://uoncc.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/climate-archive-to-help-predict-extreme-weather-events/

Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist

Algernon Henry Belfield Inaugural Lecture

“A Gentleman researcher in 19th century New England”

28th February 2012

On the 28th February 2012 the University of New England (UNE) Alumni presented a public lecture on meteorologist, astronomer and pastoralist Algernon Henry Belfield entitled “A Gentleman researcher in 19th century New England”.

Professor Howard Bridgman (centre) holds one of Algernon Belfield's Climate records with Mr William Oates (left) and Richard Belfield (right)

The public lecture featured presentations from Mr Bill Oates, UNE University Archivist, Mr Richard Belfield, grandson of Algernon, and donor of the Belfield Climate Archives, and Professor Howard Bridgman, from the School of Environmental and Life Sciences, University of Newcastle.

The lecture was held in the Main Seminar Room Drummond and Smith College.

Richard Belfield pictured viewing his grandfather Algernon Belfield's climate records

Unbound Lepidoptera

Australian Lepidoptera - Plate 7

 

Recently, the University Library was very fortunate to receive a copy of what appears to be the unbound 1899 edition of A. W. Scott, Australian lepidoptera and their transformations drawn from the life. Vol. I. by Harriet and Helena Scott ; with descriptions, general and systematic by A.W. Scott.

Ms Jacqui Jools saw some of the publicity relating to our recent exhibition welcoming home the Scott Sisters’ works, and decided to offer us her copy of this very interesting edition of the work. We accepted her offer with alacrity! You can see the 9 black and white plates on our Flickr site.

We are most grateful to Ms Jools for her wonderful donation to Cultural Collections.

 

Climate archive to help predict extreme weather events

Algernon Belfield's 1882 Meteorological Observing Book for the year 1882

Click Here to View Images from the Belfield Ceremony 9th March 2011 on Flickr

Historic climate data never before used by researchers may provide the key to helping communities better prepare for extreme weather events, such as the recent Queensland floods.

The data, collected between 1877 and 1907, by a New England pastoralist, will be used by University of Newcastle researchers to map the future climate of the region.

“The Bureau of Meteorology did not start collecting detailed, official climate data in the New England area until 1961,” University meteorologist Martin Babakhan said.

Sample page from the 1882 Meteorological Observing Book

“This data could be applied to create an early warning system to help climatologists and meteorologists better predict the extreme weather events that we have seen across Australia in the last six to 12 months.

“The information is extremely detailed and will help fill significant gaps in knowledge, and when applied to computerised climate modelling, will help us better predict climate and weather events in that region.”

The research will help predict adverse and beneficial climate events for the agriculture industry, as well as for planning, development and business investment in rural and regional areas.

“Climate management is all about knowledge. With this information we can understand why and how our climate is changing and the likely impacts, which are vital to better understand the climate of tomorrow,” Mr Babakhan said.

Sample page from Belfield's 1877 Meteorological Observing Book

Sample page from Belfield's 1877 Meteorological Observation Book

The climate data, collected by astronomer and meteorologist Algernon Henry Belfield at his Eversleigh Station in the New England region, has been donated to the University of Newcastle Cultural Collections and it is also being archived by the University of New England Heritage Centre.

Mr Richad Belfield, grandson of Algernon Belfield, examining his grandfather's records

“Most families on the land have detailed historic data about weather and climate that can be used by scientists to answer important questions about our climate,” Mr Babakhan said.

“It is important that they come forward with this information to help fill the gaps in knowledge and answer these vital questions about our nation’s future.”

Researchers, climate change believers and sceptics will attend a launch of the Mapping our Climate collection at the University of Newcastle, Cultural Collections, Level 2 Auchmuty Library, Callaghan, at 10am on Wednesday 9 March.

Meteorological Observing Book(s) for the Years 1877 – 1907

Compiled by Algernon Henry Belfield (1838-1922)
Eversleigh Station New England District

Linked from this page are optimised PDFs for the 27 extant Observing Books compiled by Algernon Henry Belfield on his Eversleigh Station in the New England District.

The original books were deposited in the Heritage Centre of the University of New England by Algernon Belfield’s grandson Mr Richard Belfield.

The original booklets were digitised for Cultural Collections, University of Newcastle by William Oates, University Archivist at the Heritage Centre University of New England.

NB: Meteorological Observing Books for 1879, 1880 and 1881 are missing.
NB: Each PDF file is around 14-16MB in size. So you might wish to right mouse click on the link and select ‘save link as’ to download the file to your computer.

• Meteorological Observing Books for the years 1877-1878
• Meteorological Observing Book  for the Year 1882
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1883
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1884
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1885
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1886
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1887
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1888
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1889
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1890
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1891
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1892
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1893
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1894
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1895
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1896
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1897
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1898
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1899
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1900
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1901
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1902
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1903
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1904
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1905
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1906
• Meteorological Observing Book for the Year 1907
• Register of Meteorological Observations taken at Eversleigh 1908-1922 (63 MB PDF File) Discovered in December 2011.

Highlights of the Ceremony

RARE CLIMATE DATA HELPING PREDICT WEATHER EVENTS
NBN TELEVISION – BROADCAST 9 MARCH 2011

One farmer's observations to help others - Newcastle Herald 10 March 2011 p.14

Mapping our Climate

Algernon Henry Belfield

On the 9th March 2011 a digital copy of important climate records dating from 1877 will be deposited with the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections.

Algernon Henry Belfield (1838-1922) arrived in Australia in 1855, and was an astronomer, meteorologist and pastoralist responsible to recording 30 years of meticulous weather data at his Eversleigh Station in the New England district.

The original journals date from 1877-1907 and were originally offered to University academic Mr Martin Babakhan to be deposited here. But after consideration of their place of origin the University Archivist recommended the records be housed closer to home at the Heritage Centre University of New England (UNE) at Armidale.

UNE have kindly provided us with a digital copy of the records, and Richard Belfield (grandson of Algernon Henry Belfield) will be travelling from Armidale to Newcastle to present the University with a digital copy of his grandfather’s climate records in person.

Martin Babakhan believes that there are other local pastoral families who may have in their custody similar climate records, and may be able to provide us with similar collections for ongoing research, thus enabling our climate and environmental researchers to comprehensively map our local climate data from the historical records.

All those interested in climate research are welcome to come along.  Professor Tim Roberts, Director, Tom Farrell Institute for the Environment, Professor Howard Bridgman Conjoint Professor Editor, Air Quality and Climate Change, School of Environmental and Life Sciences and Mr Martin Babakhan from the Faculty of Science and Information Technology will speak on the day on the importance of such records to ongoing and future research.

When: Wednesday 9th March 2011 at 10 am

Where: Cultural Collections Level 2 Auchmuty Library

All Welcome.

Please RSVP archives@newcastle.edu.au

For more information:

ABC New England Radio Interviews with Mr Richard Belfield

ABC New England Radio – Sample Images from the Weather Records (1877)

Harry Pugmire – Port Stephens Artist

The Harry Pugmire Collection

Self Portrait: Harry Pugmire

The University has recently received two wonderful donations of the works of Harry Pugmire, a well-known artist from the Port Stephens area. We are most grateful to Leonie Bell and Louise Phillips for their generosity in entrusting these original works to our care.

Mrs Phillips has kindly donated numerous framed works by Harry Pugmire. These will be photographed as soon as possible and added to our online collections.

The collection donated by Leonie Bell consists of pastel works, watercolours, and pencil sketches from Mr Pugmire’s sketch books, as well as some framed works. In addition, she has given us a copy of her book from which an extract appears below, digitised images of the sketches (which are now available to all on our Flickr site), a catalogue of the works and some very useful research material.

The following information has been extracted from Leonie Bell’s book, Art of Harry Pugmire : treasure to hunt. Nabiac, N.S.W. : L. Bell, [2009].

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Harry Pugmire was, according to Art Critic Melville Hansom in the 1950s, “one of the greatest exponents of the medium of pastel within Australia.” Harry’s prolific output of work occurred between 1938 and 1970. Born in Scarborough, England on 25th December 1901, Harry arrived in Australia in 1927 as a Cabinet Maker. Harry enlisted in the A.I.F. between 1940 and 1945. His earliest dated sketches appear to place him in Queensland, but research shows that he worked with a picture framing business as framer and gilder, possibly Young and Lucas Picture Framers, Gilders etc. Foster St. Sydney, while he lived near the Presbyterian Church in Castlereagh Street. Harry’s close friendship with Alan Baker and his wife Marjorie provided many painting excursions and joint exhibitions as they were all members of the Royal Art Society.

Harry moved to Nelson Bay in the 1960s where he earned a living by the sale of his art works until his death by coronary occlusion on the 25th April, 1971 aged 69 years. At the time of his death Harry was blind in one eye, possibly due to the occupational hazard of pastel particles. In 1970 Harry executed a remarkable self portrait conveying the feelings of pending blindness, which was recently donated to the University of Newcastle by Louise Phillips.

Harry exhibited in the Wynne Prize for Landscape works in 1938 with “Old Cremorne”, 1939 with “Morning Middlehead”, 1940 with “Castle Creek”, 1952 with “Mount View”, 1953 with “West Wind”, and 1959 with “National Park.”

Alan Baker painted Harry’s portrait for the Archibald Prize in 1952 and Garrett Kingsley submitted a portrait of Harry in 1960 and both were selected.

Being a member of the Royal Art Society, Harry regularly exhibited his works with his contemporary artists: William Dobell, Norman Lindsay, Arthur Boyd and many others.

Attention needs to be directed to the many styles Harry used: hatching, cross hatching, contour drawing, simplicity of line, abstract patterns and brush work, to mention a few. His feature of form, whether trees, animals, clouds, landform or buildings provide the primary interest in the work. Some of his brief sketches show the lyricism of line with eloquent beauty. Others teach the finesse of focus, so necessary for the power of the composition. Yet the intention of some sketches is to imprint the truth of tone necessary to give space dimensionality.

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You may view the digital version of the Harry Pugmire Collection at http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157625586288114/

Viroconium

Classics scholars will be interested in our small collection of artefacts from the ancient world, which includes  items from two sites in Roman Britain, each of which is believed (by some) to be the fabled mythical location of King Arthur’s Camelot.

Artefacts from Viroconium

Artefacts from Viroconium

Artefacts from Caerleon

A Selection of Ceramic and Metal Artefacts from Viroconium

The artefacts, along with a collection of books, were donated to the University in January 2003 by the Reverend Wardlow Little and his wife. The Reverend Little is a retired teacher of Classics who taught Greek and Latin at a number of Sydney schools in the 1950s – 60s.

This “Little” Collection consists of around 120 objects, most of which represent the fruits of a 6-week archaeological dig conducted in 1960 at Viroconium (the ancient name of Wroxeter in Shropshire) and a nearby Iron Age hill-fort. Other sites in Roman Britain represented by artefacts include Caerleon (“City of the Legion”) near Newport in Southern Wales and Mawgan Porth in Cornwall. Viroconium was the fourth largest city in Roman Britain and was first settled by the Romans in AD48. Both Viroconium and Caerleon have their supporters as possible sites of King Arthur’s legendary capital, Camelot.

Iron Nail artefacts

Besides artefacts from Roman Britain, the collection also includes items from the Greek islands of Aegina and Sphacteria and the ancient city of Gournia, known as the “Pompeii of Minoan Crete”. Sphacteria was the site of a major battle of the Peloponnesian War recorded by Thucydides, where the Athenian general Demosthenes captured the Spartan forces.

Closeups Artefacts from Viroconium

Artefacts from Sphacteria and Gournia

Professor Harold Tarrant, Head of the School of Liberal Arts at the University, said that while the collection was small it was not insignificant and would be a significant teaching tool for the University’s scholars and students of Roman Britain, as well as a wonderful addition to the University’s special research collections. “We’re very interested in creating and expanding the University’s collection of such artefacts, I would encourage more donors to come forward and consider depositing their collections with the University of Newcastle, our staff and students would greatly appreciate such a gift” he said.

Professor Harold Tarrant, Head of the School of Liberal Arts with Dr Edward Bridle, Archivist and Anglo-Saxon Scholar

Artefacts from the Island of Aegina Various artefacts including Roman Red Brick

Various artefacts Wroxeter Glass artefacts

Various Metal Artefacts from Viroconium

The artefacts represent the University’s oldest examples of ancient European culture and are available for viewing in the Archives Rare Books & Special Collections Reading Room in the Auchmuty Library. All Welcome.

Gionni di Gravio

24th January 2003

Highlighting our Special Collections

The Special Collections at the University of Newcastle, Australia

At present, Cultural Collections at the University of Newcastle houses more than 32,000 volumes, many of which are very valuable and unique to Australian libraries. The existence of these Collections is largely due to the generosity of a number of benefactors as most of the items have been acquired by donation, or purchased from bequest funds. Collectively, they not only form a major resource in their own right, but also enrich our capacity to support a multitude of research programs. Some of the collections are:

• The Bishop’s Library is a collection of books dating from 1584 and was established by the second Bishop of Maitland, Dr. James Murray (1865-1909) and substantially augmented by his successor, Dr. P.V. Dwyer (1909-1931).
• The Cornell Collection is a collection of French works, part of the personal libraryof the late Emeritus Professor James Gladstone Cornell, M.A., Dip.Ed. (Melbourne), L.es L.(Paris), F.A.C.E., Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, who was Professor of French at the University of Adelaide for some twenty-five years (1944-1969).
• The Hartley Collection, comprising some 600 books donated to the Library by Professor Kelver Hartley, Foundation Professor of French. Kelver Hayward Hartley (1909-1988) was Foundation Professor of French in the University of Newcastle, holding the Chair from 1965 until his retirement at the beginning of 1969.
• The James Joyce Collection is perhaps the strongest in Australia. It was begun in the 1960s at the behest of the internationally distinguished James Joyce scholar, Professor Clive Hart.
• The Light Collection comprises 130 items purchased with Light funding. Most are first editions printed in the nineteenth century and many of the items are very rare.
• The Morpeth Collection is a collection of some 2,700 volumes from St. John’s College Morpeth, generously donated by the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle, and includes editions of major theological and philosophical works printed in the 16th-18th centuries.
• Norman Talbot’s William Morris Collection was donated in November 2004 by Dr Jean Talbot  in memory of her husband who died earlier in the year. Norman Talbot was very much a scholar of the life and work of William Morris (1834-1896). William Morris was an author, poet, artist, manufacturer, and founder of the arts and crafts movement. The Collection consists of around two to three shelves of books, the substantial portion being two complete sets of William Morris’ Collected Works; a limited edition set published between 1910 -1915 of The Collected Works of William Morris. With introductions by his daughter May Morris. London: Longmans Green and Company, 1910-1915. Limited to 1,050 numbered copies (of which 1,000 only are for sale) in twenty-four octavo volumes, and the 1966 edition.
• The Renaissance Collection consists of volumes drawn in part from the Morpeth Collection and from the existing Auchmuty Library collections, but the majority were purchased through the Reta Light Trust Fund.
• The Sparke Collection comprises family books principally of Edward Sparke (1831-1902) and his family from Maitland, including a Bible and accountancy reference aids.
• The Tanner Library is the personal collection of some 6,000 works belonging to the late Professor Godfrey Tanner (1927-2002). Containing works on texts and commentaries on Latin and Greek classics, the Classical Tradition, the Christian tradition in antiquity, histories of the ancient world, its literature and ideas – religious, philosophical, social, political – studies in the form and development of ancient languages, commentaries on texts and so on in English, French and German and much more.
• The Tomson Collection is the private library of Brian Tomson who died in 1986. He was a lecturer in the English Department teaching in the fields of Old and Middle English studies as well as being a fine chess player.

A full list of the collections is also available.

These works are not for loan, but may be viewed in our reading room. Please contact us if you are interested in using any of these works.

Windows to another time – Ralph Snowball’s Glass Negatives

Top men, Raspberry Gully, NSW, 24 June 1898

Day Shift – 19/05/2009 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist University of Newcastle

Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses the work to date on the Norm Barney Photographic Collection that was donated to the University’s Cultural Collections in June 2008. The Collection consists of around 990 glass negatives from Newcastle Photographer Ralph Snowball, and thousands more regular negatives from the Collections of Norm Barney and his friend and colleague Bert Lovett.

Broadcast Notes:

There are a number of collections of Ralph Snowball’s images throughout the region in private collections as well as public, most notable is the collection in Local Studies in Newcastle Public Library and available through Hunter Photobank.

This particular Collection of around 990 extraordinary glass slides forms part of Norm Barney’s Photographic Collection that was deposited with the University’s Cultural Collections in June 2008.

To view our progress to date and see the larger images please visit our flickr site (make sure to click the ‘all sizes’ tab:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157608912691810/

These are the largest images of this kind available online anywhere, we are proud to present these photographic masterpieces to the wider community. They are so big you can pick the the breadcrumbs out of the beards!

Wallsend Number 1 tunnel, Wallsend, NSW, 11 June 1897

Originally more than 8,000 glass negatives were stored in the cellar of Ralph Snowball’s Clarence Rd house. Most had not seen the light of day since Snowball’s death in 1925 right up until the beginning of 1989 when around the 800 or so boxes were rediscovered by Norm Barney and Bert Lovett.

Most were of two sizes: whole plate, approximately 8 1/2 x 6 1/2 in (21.6 x 16.5cm) and half plate, approximately 6 1/2mx 4 1/2 in (16.5 x 12.7 cm).

All were examined and around 2000 were subsequently dumped due to being destroyed by a combination of age and dampness. We estimate that around 5000 were donated to Newcastle City Council’s local history library.

A total of around 990 glass plates remained with Norm Barney in 44 boxes, the ‘cream of the crop’ that was kept with the family to prepare Norm Barney’s publications. Included are also some archival registers and notebooks belonging to Ralph Snowball.

“]

Municipal Baths, Newcomen Street, Newcastle, NSW, [n.d.

Over the years these were cleaned, listed, wrapped in acid-free paper, reboxed and placed in metal cupboards and eventually deposited with the University in June 2008 by the widow of the late Norm Barney, Mrs Daphne Barney.

 

Norm Barney and Bert Lovett were able to identify most of the names, dates and places with the help of the surviving notebooks, details on some of the old boxes, and Ralph Snowball’s habit of writing on some of the negatives.

In addition to the Snowball Glass Negatives (990 images), inscribed box lids (3 boxes) and notebooks (1 box) the collection also includes negatives from the private collections of Norm Barney and Bert Lovett (approx 7000 items).

John Scholey's house, Mayfield, NSW, 7 November 1900

We currently have employed a qualified conservator to document the condition of the glass negatives, clean and re-house them. A digitiser to scan the glass negatives at a minimum of 300-600 dpi and import the jpgs (or optimised image files) in to our online Flickr site, and a cataloguer to create library catalogue entries for them in the University Library’s Newcat catalogue. After this process the glass negatives will be retired into the safety and preservation of archive boxes for long term storage.

To view more of these amazing images of Newcastle and the Hunter Region please visit our flickr site (make sure to click the ‘all sizes’ tab:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157608912691810/

Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist

Media Stories

'Glimpse of an era long gone' Newcastle Herald 11 September 2010 pp 22-23

 

'Found: the lost photos' Herald Feature by Mike Scanlon 18 September 2010 p.10

'Pictures for posterity' by Jill Stowell Newcastle Herald 18 September 2010 p.18

Life of a Free Settler in 1832

Hunter Valley manuscript leaf

Day Shift -15/07/2008 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Producer: Jeanette McMahon
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University

Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses a new addition to the Collections in the form of an authentic manuscript account of a settler’s life in the Hunter Region. The manuscript which was written in early 1832 is by an as yet unknown author. His interesting (and in some instances amusing) views on women, floods, pigs, bushrangers and the legal system will be discussed.

View and read the manuscript online on flickr – Hunter Valley Manuscript c.1932

Broadcast Notes:

Where did it come from?

It was originally donated anonymously to The Tweed River Historical Society Murwillumbah Museum a few years prior to 1998. No records were kept of the transfer and part of the original manuscript was subsequently lost. In December 1998, after preliminary enquiries and due in part to the importance of the manuscript to the Hunter Region, the Society transferred the manuscript to the custodianship of the Newcastle Regional Museum who in June 2008 transferred it to the care of the University’s Cultural Collections (Archives) as a item better suited to documentary research.

What is it?

The manuscript is a portion of a larger work written by settler on the Hunter River, presumably around the Maitland district, in early 1832. There are 41 leaves of hand written text divided into sections and chapters. What has come down to us are chapters 2 sections 4 and 5; Unknown chapter sections 2 and 3; Unknown chapter sections 2,3; Chapter 3 sections 4 and 5; Chapter 4 sections 1 and 2. The order is still being ascertained with some of the leaves. The final two are badly damaged and may have originally formed part of one of the sections dealing with servants. We also know that parts of the manuscript were lost while in the  Murwillumbah Museum. There is a partial transcription which was made prior to this, and which we still need to examine to see whether it includes anything from the lost sections.

How do we know when the manuscript was written?

I can tell you with some certainty that the date at which it was penned was around February-early March 1832. The author (who only refers to himself as ‘the writer’) makes a statement relating to two steamers plying the river and the building of a third. This statement allows us to target a potential date for the manuscript. The Sophia Jane was in operation by November 1831, and the William IV was launched in the same month, but did not begin its run until the 15 February 1832. The ‘third’ being built on the Williams was the ‘Experiment’ which was not completed until May 1832. Therefore our writer penned the manuscript sometime between February and May 1832. Later on in the manuscript he makes reference to a story in the Sydney Herald about a fellow dying of cold in the bush, so this could point to the colder months in 1832. He also appears unaware of the severity of the floods in the district, especially the one in 1826 prior to his arrival in 1829. This is another clue, as another severe flood occurred on the 24 March 1832, so I would assume that he was writing just before that date, sometime around February-early March 1832.

What does it say?

The author begins with a discussion between native born people and emigrants. What he means by ‘native’ is not as we understand as ‘aboriginal people’ but white people born in the colony. He begins by describing the differences between those who emigrated here refer to themselves as ‘Sterling’ while those who are native born are known as ‘currency’. He goes on to speak about a range of topics including the nature of life  in the district, the landscape, shipping along the river, flooding, agricultural matters, female convicts and women in general, the legal system, pigs, the relationships between settlers, emancipists and free settlers (exclusives) and bushrangers.

Who is the author?

We do not know the identity of the author. Wheat we do know is that he was a free settler on the Hunter River (presumably in the Maitland district), who arrived some time around 1829. He has an amazing sense of humour, especially when talking about pigs. The section of the manuscript concerning pigs and the trouble they cause between the settlers is very funny. He talks about quality of life in New South Wales (Australia) in general terms, and breaks off into local examples based in the Maitland district. He is also an apologist for the emancipists’ cause. Who he was remains an interesting mystery.

Hopefully we might find someone out there that recognises who the author might have been, or might be inspired to search him out.

Gionni Di Gravio
University of Newcastle
July 2008

I wish to thank Mr Ron Madden (see comment below) and http://www.jenwilletts.com/Steamers.htm for information on the Steamers and when they were operating, as it greatly helps in dating this manuscript. (April 2011)

The Treasures of the Dalton Family Papers

ABC Newcastle (Newcastle)
Day Shift -13/05/2008 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Producer: Bronwen Bashford
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University

Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses a number of treasures from the Dalton Family papers including the 1866 logbook of Captain John Dalton and a prayer book memento circa 1805 from the Norfolk Island Convict Dept.

Web link: The Dalton Family Papers

Broadcast Notes:

The collection of correspondence, papers, photographs and artefacts of the Dalton family were transferred by Mrs Gwen Hamment, daughter of the late William Dalton of ‘Riversdale’ Scone (1897-1974), and grand daughter of Captain John Dalton (1833 -1912), to the University of Newcastle in June 1999. Supplementary material was deposited in March 2001.

The papers comprise a range of archival “treasures”, documents, photographs and artefacts across three generations of family members and includes diary and ship’s log books (1866-1870) and naval artefacts (1862-1913) of Captain John Dalton; illuminated addresses and certificates of schoolmaster James Dalton (c1835 – 1909); war time correspondence (1916 – 1919) and WWI photo albums of William Dalton; diary (1909 -1912) of James Dalton (1883-1917); printed works (1800-1990); family photographic albums, garments and handicrafts.

My personal favourite is the Captain John Dalton’s log book. I remember while accessioning the item and reading through the initial pages I really did feel like I was on the ship and experiencing what he was experiencing over 140 years ago. Soon in you come across a storm, the page littered with readings and calculations.

Monday 26th November 1866: have run over 200 miles under Close reefed Loss sails and a fearful beam sea rolling tremendous no sights for meridian..the Gale is still very fierce every body at work below

Then, a ‘prayer’ from William Falconer’s “The Shipwreck: A Poem” (1762):

Perhaps this Storm is sent with healing breath
From neighbouring shores to scourge and death
‘Tis ours on Thine unerring Laws to trust
With thee Great Lord whatever is is just. (The Shipwreck)

A few days later he breaks out in poetry again:

Sir the glad waters of the deep blue sea
With a soul as boundless and a heart as free
Far as the winds they bear the billows loam
We Survey our empire and behold our home.

By Thursday 29th November 1866 he has suffered a number of days of bad seas, hail squalls and storms he is feeling under the weather, but never let that stand in the way of a wonderful sense of humour:

Towards Callis rainy squally heavy tumble of a beam sea my self dreadfull cold and head ache all together make things quite (O be joyfull) no sights for time Have lost our [time] and leave Westerly winds now squalls then calm then squalls again one time next hail just for a change

But there is a sweet little cherub that sits up aloft
That cares for the life of Poor Jack.

The last two lines come from the song ‘Poor Jack’ published in the “Universal Songster or Museum of Mirth” (1834) . By the next day the storms have passed, and you can almost smell the fresh clean air of a fine day through his nostrils:

Nov. 30th the weather as took a decided change been light wind and warm fine weather but a strong southerly sea causing her to be very uneasy got a good meridian

So who was this interesting sea captain with a great sense of humour on the high seas?

John Dalton was born on 22nd October 1833 at Harpham Field House Yorkshire,   England. He was the eldest child of Thomas and Ann Dalton, farmers, who worked a small farm near Burton Agnes, Yorkshire.

His father died when the children were very young, and, owing to the family having to vacate their farm, he joined a North Sea fishing smack (or sloop) and went to work.

His son, William Dalton in Nelson’s Bay: A Facet of its History [Privately Printed by Mrs Gwen Hamment, 1990 p.35] said that he (i.e., John):

“had a long and adventurous association with the sea. As a young man, he was washed overboard in a gale in the Atlantic. He was fortunate enough to grasp a halyard flying loose from the yard arm, and was washed aboard again by the following wave. Tenacity and grit saved John on many occasions from a watery grave. This was surely shown by the fact that John never learnt to swim.”

He was a deeply religious man, and had a varied career at sea. He worked on a Danish transport during the war, and was engaged in the transportation of troops during the Crimean War and the Indian Mutiny. He served as mate on the S.S. Maitland, and, as Captain served on a number of vessels sailing between Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Ireland and Scotland.

Settling in Australia, he married Margaret Otto. They had one child, Annie, who was born on the 25th September 1881. Unfortunately, Margaret later died of smallpox. He soon remarried, his second wife being Eliza Jane Cox, who was originally hired to care for his daughter. The pair were married in Sydney on the 3rd July 1882, and had six children together. While living there, John Dalton earned a living shipping vegetables to Sydney from the farms dotted along the Hawkesbury River on the ship ‘St. Albans’. A passenger of note was the famous pioneer of aviation, Lawrence Hargrave, who sailed with him on the Hawkesbury run, studying the flights of birds.

The family moved to Port Stephens and settled at Nelson’s Bay. John was now a qualified Master Mariner and sailed the waters around Newcastle and Sydney in the steamer the”Waratah”. He also owned a number of craft, the “Ethel”, “St Albans”, “Kingsley” and the “Tahlee” at Port Stephens. With the S.S. Kingsley he pioneered the fish and oyster trade from Port Stephens to Paddy’s Markets in Sydney, also running trips to Newcastle and Port Stephens.

In 1882 he built his house “Westward Ho” on 40 acres of land at Nelson’s Bay. The property was named by his schoolmaster brother, James Dalton who was a avid fan of the author Charles Kingsley. He later acquired another property at Salt Ash called Burton Agnes in 1898.

On the 27th November 1911 he purchased a property in Stockton, but died there soon after at Pepitee Pah Private Hospital in Newcastle on the 11th August 1912. He lies buried in the Methodist portion of Sandgate Cemetery.

Convict Relic from Norfolk Island Circa 1805.

Another item is a relic of the convict era on Norfolk Island. It is a small booklet, bound in leather with the marking ‘Convict Dept’ on its front cover. On its flyleaf it reads “Norfolk Island Anglican Catholic Prisoners School No.11” It is item  A8274(iii) An Abridgment of the New Testament, consisting of Lessons composed from the Writings of the Four Evangelists: For the Use of Schools and Families. By Mrs. Trimmer. London, n.d.

We know that the new edition is dated around 1805.