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.

 

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/

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.

Vera Deacon Regional History Fund

Launch of the Vera Deacon Regional History Fund

At a ceremony held on the 1st February 2008 at Newcastle Town Hall, Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO Governor of New South Wales officially launched the University Foundation’s Vera Deacon Regional History Fund.

The purpose of this fund is to support and encourage regional history through the acquisition, preservation and study of valuable regional historical archival resources.

The Fund was set up in order to recognise and build on the generous donations provided by Stockton resident, author and historian, Vera Deacon.

Vera has contributed over $19,000 of her own funds since 2001 to Cultural Collections in the University Library allowing Archives staff to conserve and catalogue a rich variety of historical materials.

This fund would enable this work to continue, to uncover, preserve and safeguard this region’s important archives and documentary heritage for future generations.

Our history holds the keys to our future, without our archives and the knowledge and wisdom they impart to us, we cannot effectively meet the challenges of the future. Our history enables us to see who we were, who we are, and who we intend to be.

Projects which are currently supported by the Fund include
-the organisation and cataloguing of the late Associate Professor John Turner’s personal papers
-research work into our early colonial and convict history conducted by the University of Newcastle’s Coal River Working Party
-the preservation and cataloguing of other valuable historical material from the Hunter and Central Coast regions.

About Vera Deacon

An original resident of Moscheto Island (now part of Kooragang Island) Mrs Vera Deacon became acquainted with the University Archives during her research work into the history of the Islands of Newcastle, especially her childhood home; Moscheto (or Mosquito Island). Later moving from Sydney to Stockton she became involved in her local community joining the Stockton Historical Society and the Booklovers group that regularly met in Cooks Hill Books. The latter organisation consisted of a number of University of Newcastle academics and staff including the late Professor Godfrey Tanner. A friendship grew and following the death of Professor Tanner, she made her first donation to Cultural Collections to have the published papers of the late Professor collated. This was then succeeded by a steady stream of cash donations to Cultural Collections to have the papers of the late Merv Copley accessioned as well. She as continued to this day to make donations to accession the University’s archival holdings relating to labour history and environmental themes.

Throughout her life she has been involved in a variety of social and political movements; she has written works of local history and fiction, and she is a supporter, volunteer and benefactor to a range of organisations from the Hunter Wetlands Centre to Aboriginal Scholarships at the University of Newcastle. She is not a woman of substantial independent means but has a big heart, a strong sense of civic responsibility, and a passion for history. Her support so far has enabled the processing and preservation of the following outstanding local regional history collections.

Thanks to Vera Cultural Collections were able to complete the accessioning of the massive Mervyn Copley Collection which included over 348 boxes of his news clipping files and 86 boxes of his diaries and autobiographical writings. In addition a number of other collections that arrived through Merv Copley were also accessioned including those of the South Maitland Mines Rescue Station 1925-1984 (9 boxes), Hunter Regional Council for Social Development, 1973-1977 (30 boxes) and Chamber of Manufacturers of New South Wales, 1925-1983 (47 bound items).

Vera’s generosity has also allowed us to accession the papers of the late Ernest Hartup, a fisherman of Hexham, (Date Range of materials deposited: 1933-1998); the Federated Moulders’ (Metals) Union of Australia – Newcastle Branch (1928-1983) , Bob Power Papers including the famous Les Darcy files (1907-2003), Newcastle Workers Co-operative Club (1945-1997) The Parks & Playgrounds Movement (1958-2004), and the Cardiff Rail Workshop (Date Range: 1982-1993).

This has been a great achievement and we are very pleased to have this valuable local research material accessioned at last thanks to this brilliant benefactor.

The Stone Book

ABC Newcastle (Newcastle)
Day Shift – 20/11/2007 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Interviewees: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University

Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses a mysterious stone book donated to the University of Newcastle in 2003. Click the images below for various views of the object.

Broadcast Notes

In 2003 a mysterious stone book was donated to The University of Newcastle and it has kept us guessing as to its origin and purpose.

The book is approximately 8.5cms by 7cms by 2.5cms and carved from medium grain sandstone. The stone book was donated to the University by staff member Robert Stephens, who donated the book after viewing a collection of ancient artefacts from Roman Britain in the library.

The stone artefact had been passed down from his grandfather to his father and on to him. His understanding was that prior to the age of printing, when books were rare, these stone books were carried by people to church.

In February 2003 there was an exhibition of such stone books at the Gallery Lombardi. The owner stated that “many of the stone books are dated late 1800s/early 1900s and have the words “Bible” or “Holy Bible” carved in them and a few are inscribed with names. I understand that these were carved as memorials to departed loved ones. Some are crude while others are beautifully carved and inlaid. All are representations of a closed book – never to be opened.”

A local necrogeographer (i.e., graveyard expert) believes that this sort of object is not in keeping with the Victorian period. The Victorian period sought to place a more optimistic approach to funerary symbolism, this object is more illustrative of the Georgian era and its memento mori.

Our retired Rare Book Librarian Elizabeth Guilford suggested that it could possibly be a Christian amulet of sorts and that it was possibly a stone missal that acted as a substitute for the bible, was possibly blessed by a priest, and that could then take the place of a holy bible as spiritual protection for someone who couldn’t read. This object is also the topic of a story by the author Alan Garner entitled The Stone Book where a young girl from a mining community is given such a stone bible (with a fossil inside) to carry to church by her father.

A cursory glance over the various interpretations of “stone books” garnered the following insights. As a symbol in the paintings of Bosch a ‘closed book’ represents ‘the futility of knowledge in dealing with human stupidity’. In Christian symbolism a ‘book’ most commonly represents the Bible. If open, it portrays truth or revelation, if closed, ‘it may be presumed to contain the names of the elect, and so may symbolize the Last Judgment and the inheritance of the saints’. We also learn that ”The book is the physical representation of knowledge and wisdom. It is the container of intellect; open books depict the book of life, learning, and the spirit of wisdom. Closed book is in the hands of God, Divine Mystery.’

Having viewed the stone book, the British Museum’s Early Christian/Byzantine curator could not recognise a period or culture that used such an article, stating “there are no comparable objects within our collection.”

So far our research has suggested two possible explanations for the stone book.

It could have been a stone missal that acted as a substitute for a bible. It was possibly blessed by a priest and then took the place of a Holy Bible as spiritual protection for someone who couldn’t read.

Or, it may have been a memorial for the dead. Just as a person’s life is said to be written in a ‘book of life’, meaning that as you live your life your book is written with the events, in death your book has come to an end and is closed. The closed book could be a memorial of one’s life.

I was contacted by one other local family that had a similar item passed down through their family. Their grandfather was a stone mason and they believed it had something to do with a ‘test’ of some sort.

It is very interesting that stone carvings and decorations on churches were the methods employed to educate and enlighten people into the stories of the bible, given that they couldn’t read the stories themselves. This gave rise to expression that churches were ‘stone bibles’. Given that it is clear that as literacy has improved, so has the decline in ornate sculpture that tells a story. I also thought of those works that came out at the turn of the century relating to the hidden wisdom housed within the dimensions of the pyramid and this idea that stone masons had been enlisted in some unspoken communication with the populace. These little stone books could be a memento of a silent and descriptive past passed down through the generations.

Stone Books From Across Time and the World

Caroline Kenner’s Stone Book

The most charming story that came my way was from Caroline Kenner in the United States. It relates to a dramatic incident that occurred in western Missouri during the Civil War era, not far from Kansas City, in a small town called Carrollton. I offer it below with her kind permission:

“Gionni’s mysterious book also made me think about this: I own a little stone book, carved of pale marble, with a wreath around my great-grandmother’s name on one side and the date 1861 on the other side. A row of hearts runs down the spine. The carvings and the “pages” were gilded but have gone a greenish black with time. Although much younger than Gionni’s book, it has an interesting story: My great-great-grandfather defended a man accused of murder, and protected him from the death penalty, although the man received a life sentence. He was so happy to be alive, he carved a set of little stone books for his lawyer’s four daughters as a thank-you gift. I am the great-granddaughter of the eldest daughter, and I still have her little stone book.”

Here are images of the stone book, with kind permission of Caroline Kenner:

Ian Evan’s Stone Book

A local researcher into the use of ritual objects in houses as a protection again magic and witchcraft, Mr Ian Evans, has also kindly sent us an image of a stone book in the form of a bible discovered in a fireplace in a house in South Australia. Other weird objects found concealed in homes overseas include heart shapes cut from felt, nail clippings and magic symbols written on the ceilings of bedrooms, and hallways with smoke from candles. “All my Australian finds are also pretty odd to be honest, but I’d have to nominate a marble bible as being my single oddest item,” Evans said. “It’s of the type found in graveyards. This small bible [sculpture] was found behind a firegrate in a house where it had been carefully placed on its side. It weighed 2.4 kilograms and it was obviously was no accident being there.

Alan Garner’s Stone Book

We have been greatly honored to present Alan Garner’s stone book. Mr Garner wrote the highly acclaimed The Stone Book Quartet. He writes:

“The stone book I wrote about exists and is in my possession. The book is so exact a copy of a tooled leather binding that, held correctly, it is credible up to within a yard. There are four shallow circles on the front, which will have been where a brass cross was set, but that’s missing. It also has a number of random ‘slashes’ around where the cross would have been. These I have interpreted as wear marks made by the book’s having been used as a convenient stone for sharpening a small tool. However, if the books served a protective, apotropaic purpose it could be that the marks were a deliberate attack by an ill-wisher. The subject of spiritual protection and aggression is a big one in this country, covering many centuries and many forms. ” And, “Now that I look closely at the scan, I don’t believe my earlier interpretation of “tool sharpening marks”. They are something different, and postdate the removal of the cross.”

Photograph courtesy of Mr Alan Garner

Jim Downie’s Stone Book

I am currently accessioning the papers of Mr Jim Downie, local living treasure, retired businessman, Rotarian and Mayfield resident. His grandfather was William Ferrier(1853-1916), a stone mason whose specialty was working in marble. He was Clerk of Works for the building of Sydney’s Central Station among many other notable buildings including Gladesville and Callan Park Asylums, The Mutual Fire Insurance Offices, St Mary’s Cathedral and the A.J.S. Bank. Curious, I asked Jim whether he had a small stone book passed down his family, and he surprisingly said ‘yes’. His grandfather had fashioned these stone books for all the children as Christmas presents. They were also gilded in gold leaf. I will photograph this book this weekend.

Jim’s Stone Book

An online correspondent has sent us his images of a stone book recently purchased. We thank him for sending through his images for researchers on this site. Jim writes:

“I [happen] to have one of these mysterious stone books, it takes the form of a bible that has a cross carved on the front and a similar binding type carving to the first book on this web page.

The book is approximately 8cm x 5cm x 1.7cm.

Un-believably I bought it on ebay some months ago and although I had no idea about the book itself I knew I had to have it. The person I bought it from couldn’t give me any information about it but said she thought it was Egyptian Marble?

When I received the book I then started to do a little research and couldn’t find anything until I eventually found this site a couple of weeks ago. I will take some pictures and send them to the email address that is listed on comment 6.

Regards
JIm”

Walter De Jonghe’s Stone Book

Email received 5th October 2011 8.36PM

To Whom It May Concern,

I am De Jonghe Walter from Belgium? I wrote to you before about the stone book I found in Belgium. Look up the article about this please. Due to circumstances I can only send you now the photo’s of the stone book.

Best regards,
Walter

Sunday, 21 June, 2009 at 11:55 pm

The Stone Book,
I am Walter living in Kruibeke a village nearby Antwerp in Belgium. As a yuong boy of 14 (now 62) a walked the borders of the river Schelde by my village. The water had wached away the sand, and with other things this book of stone came to the surfice. As I was collecting antiek given to me by both my grandparends I always had this item in my collection. Did not know wath it was, but it give me a feeling.it was something special. The front of this book as a cross upside down, as they use in the church of desiple Petrus. On the smale side is written( but you kan see much later and is different) “key of heave” (see the fourth image of the spine below) . I am verry pleased to find this webside, now I know there are more of those books! Sorry for my poor Englisch writting, give you my greethings, Walter

Conclusion

David Thomas Ansted in his work “The Great Stone Book of Nature” (Philadelphia: George Childs, 1863) says that Nature is akin to a Library. To him the “Great Stone Book” is the science of Geology, where the vast knowledge of the Earth lies, waiting for “careful personal observation and an acquaintance with the language of nature.”

Whatever its original purpose, our stone book has us intrigued and it is a welcome addition to our Collection.

Gionni Di Gravio
Halloween 2007 and beyond

Donation of significant work on the Hunter wine industry

Recently, the University Library was very fortunate to receive an extremely generous donation of one of the most important foundation works relating to the wine industry in the Hunter Valley: James Busby (1830) A manual of plain directions for planting and cultivating vineyards and for making wine in New South Wales. Sydney: R. Mansfield.

This is a first edition, made particularly valuable in that it is inscribed by the author (right).

The donor wishes to remain anonymous, but the University Library is most grateful to Hordern House Rare Books for facilitating the donation.

We will be preparing a display and a section on our website relating to this exciting donation and will announce this via the blog when it is ready.