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We have now digitised virtually all the extant issues of The University News, later renamed UniNews and made them available at our Libguides site. If you were a staff member or student in the ’70s, ’80s, ’90s or ’00s, you can enjoy revisiting events, and reminiscing over past times.
Special thanks to Tom Robinson who scanned the newsletters, OCR’d and added the metadata to the PDFs.
Preserving city's rich memories Newcastle Herald 10 August 2011 p. 21
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.
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.
One farmer's observations to help others - Newcastle Herald 10 March 2011 p.14
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)
Nature Illustration
Day Shift – 18/05/2010 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University
University of Newcastle Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses the new forthcoming exhibition of Natural History Illustration works, surveying reports and early Newcastle Panoramas on display at the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections in the Auchmuty Library. This is a rich physical and online display of the University’s engaged interdisciplinary research highlighting the historic natural beauty of the Novocastrian landscape.
Broadcast Notes:
Back in September 2008 a manuscript came to light in the State Library of New South Wales containing the first recorded mention of the Aboriginal name of Nobbys as ‘Whibayganba’. In addition, the 1828 field book of Sir Thomas Mitchell, Surveyor General, contained three sketches of Newcastle drawn from the top of Fort Scratchley looking towards Nobbys, then looking towards Prospect Hill (Now Obelisk Hill), then another taken from the top of the Windmill (now Obelisk Hill) looking back towards Newcastle. These three important sketches are reproduced here:
http://coalriver.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/mitchells-1828-field-book/
The full Field book can be seen here:
1828. Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792-1855) Field Book – Port Jackson and Newcastle, 1828 (C 40) 55MB PDF (Courtesy of the State Library of New South Wales)
At the time, the Coal River Working Party immediately enlisted the assistance of Emeritus Professor John Fryer in Surveying to ask whether he could examine the survey readings and compare them with those of Australian Agricultural Company surveyor John Armstrong Survey in 1830.
We believed that this Field book would also be of interest to art historians wanting to compare the actual perspective readings with the colonial art portrayals of the township. So we also asked Dr Anne Llewellyn whether her Natural History Illustration students would be interested in ‘colouring’ Mitchell’s sketches and bring them to life.
This was a perfect opportunity to spark an interdisciplinary ‘science meets the arts’ research approach to these important historical works.
Professor Fryer asked two final Surveying Students to examine Sir Thomas Mitchell’s sketches and survey readings in order to decipher them into lay person’s terms. After a year’s work those two final year students, Mr Chris Towers and Troy Sumner, prepared a report on their findings which they presented at two seminars held on Friday 6 November 2009 (to their Surveying Colleagues), (see the following three You Tube videos from the Presentation – unfortunately we did not capture the whole seminar):
and then at a meeting of the Coal River Working Party on the 7 December 2009. (This is an edited version with the second half of the Presentation and Questions):
Dr Anne Llewellyn’s 2nd Year Natural History Illustration students researched the content of Mitchell’s sketches and together with field observations, developed a ‘reconstruction’ of Mitchell’s drawings based on the ‘now known’ plants and animals of the region. Here is a video from their Presentation before the Coal River Working Party on the 7 December 2009, and a selection of their beautiful art works with some details.
To view all the student’s artworks please see our Flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157624027355103/ and slideshow here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157624027355103/show/
The Work of Sir Thomas Mitchell examined and analysed by University of Newcastle Surveying Students Chris Towers and Troy Sumner
The Full Report and Summary prepared by Chris Towers and Troy Sumner of the University of Newcastle’ Discipline of Civil, Surveying & Environmental Engineering for the Coal River Working Party was placed on the Coal River blog here:
[Sir Thomas Mitchell 1828 Newcastle Survey Report - Full Report and Summary]
Towers, Chris and Sumner, Troy. Sir Thomas Mitchell’s Angular Observations and Field-Note Sketches of Newcastle. [12.6 MB PDF file]
Towers, Chris. Summary of Report: Sir Thomas Mitchell’s Angular Observations and Field-Note Sketches of Newcastle [896KB PDF File]
1828
Then; Newcastle in 1828 from Signal Hill (now Fort Scratchley) by Sir Thomas Mitchell
2009
Fort Scratchley Panorama by Chris Towers
1828
Then: Newcastle from the Windmill (now Obelisk Hill) (1828) by Sir Thomas Mitchell
2009
Obelisk Panorama by Chris Towers
To celebrate the achievements of this work, the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections in the Auchmuty Library has prepared an exhibition of the student’s artworks, as well as a collection of reproductions of Newcastle painted panoramas from various stages in its history, including the Mitchell 1828 sketches, to be displayed. Some of the Panoramas below have never been seen before.
T.R. Browne (1812)
Browne, T.R. (1776 – 1824). Newcastle, in New South Wales, with a distant view of Point Stephen,1812 and
View of Hunters River, near Newcastle, New South Wales, 1812. Copper Engraving.
Photographer: Bruce Turnbull. Courtesy Newcastle Region Art Gallery.
Sophia Campbell/Edward Charles Close (1818)
Campbell, Sophia, 1777-1833. Sophia Campbell Sketchbook 1818
Currently attributed to Edward Charles Close. Courtesy National Library of Australia.
Sophia Campbell/Edward Charles Close (1821)
Panorama of Newcastle 1821. Panorama of Newcastle : watercolour drawings by Edward Close – Sophia Campbell.
Courtesy State Library of New South Wales.
Sophia Campbell/Edward Charles Close (c1825)
The Panorama above is constituted of the following paintings in Sketchbook of scenes of Sydney, Broken Bay, Newcastle and region, New South Wales, 1817-1840, (Courtesy of the National Library of Australia) once attributed to Sophia Campbell, now Edward Charles Close, 1790-1866 (Thanks to Mark Metrikas for identifying this find) The individual paintings that make up this Panorama from the Sketchbook are listed in order from left to right: (1) Commandant’s house from in front of the old gaol, Newcastle, New South Wales, ca. 1828 [picture] (2) Dwellings, fenced land and the windmill on the hill, Newcastle, New South Wales, ca. 1820 [picture] (3) Barracks with Christ Church in the distance, Newcastle, New South Wales, ca. 1820 [picture] (4) Dwellings and buildings in Newcastle, New South Wales, ca. 1820 (5) View over buildings towards the signal mast and Nobby Head, Newcastle, New South Wales, ca. 1820.
John Rae (1849)
Rae, John, 1813-1900. Newcastle in 1849.
Courtesy State Library of New South Wales.
William Keene (1854)
William Keene (Examiner of Coal Mines)
Copy of Stratigraphic sketch from Nobby’s Island Newcastle to Burwood, showing coal seams and their Order of Superposition. 31 May 1854.
Photographed by Bruce Turnbull. Archives Authority Map No. SZ325 (Courtesy State Archives of NSW)
John Rae (c.1880)
Rae, John, 1813-1900. [Panoramic photograph of Newcastle, 1878-1882, possibly taken from Jesmond House] — 4 albumen photoprints
from Sketches in New South Wales in the olden time 1842 – 1859 by John Rae, M.A. / album of watercolour panoramas and photographs of watercolour sketches.
Courtesy State Library of New South Wales.
On behalf of the University’s Cultural Collections (Auchmuty Library) and the Coal River Working Party we congratulate Emeritus Professor John Fryer, Dr Anne Llewellyn and their students for their work, and the wonderful new insights it has brought to the study of our history and artistic legacy.
Gionni Di Gravio
May 2010
James Wallis - An historical account of the colony of New South Wales (1821)
Day Shift – 17/11/2009 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University
Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses a recent addition to the University’s Flickr site: Captain James Wallis’ (1785?-1858) An historical account of the colony of New South Wales and its dependent settlements : in illustration of twelve views / engraved by W. Preston from drawings taken on the spot by Captain Wallis. To which is subjoined An accurate map of Port Macquarie and the newly discovered River Hastings by J. Oxley. London : Printed for R. Ackermann by J. Moyes, 1821. The volume fetches upwards of $30,000 AUD and was photographed by Associate Professor Allan Chawner and prepared for the web by Gionni Di Gravio.
Broadcast Notes:
To access the original images click on the Flickr link here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uon/sets/72157622518218701/with/4036153878/
To access a text searchable pdf version of the whole work click here:
James Wallis – An historical account (1821) (51MB PDF Version)
Newcastle, Hunter's River, New South Wales
Plate No. V.
Is a View of Newcastle; a settlement beatifully situated on the south side of the entrance of Hunter’s River, which is sixty miles north of Sydney. From hence Sydney is supplied with coal, a good quanlity, a shaft having been lately sunk there; and also with lime, burnt from shells, and with timber of every description. About thirty miles from the sea, Hunter’s River is formed by the junction of three rivers of considerable magnitude. These take their rise from the range of mountains which extend all along the coast; the waters on the eastern side of the range running towards the sea, while those on the western side run into the interior, and are supposed to form a vast inland lake. The scenery on the banks of these rivers is very fine; some parts being low and thickly wooded, while other parts present to the view sloping banks, luxuriant herbage, and majestic trees, scattered in beautiful profusion, and assuming the appearance of a gentleman’s park in England. Black swans, pelicans, wild ducks, widgeons, and many other sorts of water fowl, are found in abundance; and the forests are thickly inhabited by kangaroos and emus; and the harbour swarms with fish. When this land is granted, it is likely to become one of the most fertile settlements in the Colony, as the soil is rich and free from floods, and the navigation good for sixty miles. The entrance to the harbour is difficult: Governor Macquarie has, however, commenced a work of magnitude, and is now occupied in erecting a pier, to extend from the main land to the island called Nobby’s, situated in the channel. This work, when completed, will, by confining the waters to one channel, deepen and perfectly secure the principal entrance. This settlement has hitherto been approprated to the reception of all those culprits who are convicted by the Courts or Magistrates of crimes committed in Sydney, or amy other part of the Colony. (pages 39-40)
Corrobboree or dance of the natives of New South Wales
Plate No. VI.
Is a View of a Corrobboree, or dance, of the natives of New South Wales. The representation of this extraordinary assemblage of savage festivity, as well as the scenery, is taken from nature. The preparation for their dance is striking and curious. They assemble in groups, and commence marking their arms, legs, and bodies, in various directions, with pipe-clay and a kind of red ochre; some of them displaying great taste at their toilet, as in the representation. Their musician, who is generally an elderly man, sings, a monotonous tune, in which they all join, skriking in regular time his shield with a club or waddy. Each dancer carries a green bough in his hand. The beauty of the scenery, the pleasing reflection of light from the fire round which they dance, the grotesque and singular appearance of the natives, and their wild notes of festivity, all form a strange and interesting contrast to any thing ever witnessed in civilised society. The women never dance; and where several tribes meet together, each tribe dances separately. All the principal figures in the foreground are from original portraits: the tall figure, laughing, on the left, is the chieftain or king of the Newcastle Tribe, called Buriejou, —a brave, expert fellow, who has lately presented Governor Macquarie with his eldest son, to be placed in the native institution, as a proof of his confidence in British humanity. (page 40)
Two Black Swans (on Reed's Mistake)
Plate No. VII.
Is a representation of two Black Swans. The View is on Reed’s Mistake, a small harbour about eighteen miles south of Newcastle. A bar across prevents vessels of any burden from entering this harbour. The scenery on this river, called by the natives Bunjarees Norah, is rich, luxuriant, and picturesque. Kangaroos are found here in abundance, as well as wild fowl: the natives are a very firnedly tribe, and excellent fishermen. (pp. 40-41)
Two Kangaroos about six miles from Newcastle
Plate No. VIII.
Is a representation of two kangaroos from nature. The scenery is six miles from Newcastle. A large lagoon, or lake, apears in the distance, which affords fish and roots for the subsistence of a very wild and savage tribe of natives. (p. 41)
View from Hunter's River
Plate No. IX.
Is a View from Hunter’s River. In the fore-ground is a group of natives; on the summit of the hill stand the Government stock-yards, and Christ Church; the first church and steeple ever erected in view of the Pacific Ocean. The situation is very commanding and from the sea is distinguishable at a considerable distance. (p. 41)
Day Shift – 18/11/2008 – 02:10 PM
Presenter: Carol Duncan
Producer: Beth McMullen
Interviewee: Gionni Di Gravio, Archivist, Newcastle University
Newcastle University Archivist Gionni Di Gravio discusses the new book from the University of Newcastle Library entitled Found Treasures.
Broadcast Notes:
The University of Newcastle Cultural Collections houses a rich diversity of books, manuscripts, photographs, artefacts, maps, plans and images. In Found Treasures we have highlighted some of the significant gems of our collection.
This rich collection of books, manuscripts, photographs, artefacts, maps, plans and images is housed by the University of Newcastle Library. These works tell stories ranging from the antiquities of Rome and the light of the Renaissance, through to our own indigenous and colonial histories. They cover books and manuscripts of aesthetic, historic and intellectual significance, as well as Newcastle and Hunter archives of the University, business, industry, hospitals, school, church and family.
In Found Treasures we have highlighted some of the significant gems of our collections. That significance may be due to historic, aesthetic or cultural factors, or it may simply be in the eye of the beholder. All the items in the collections play a part in telling stories about who we are and what has shaped us.
Some of the stories were featured in regular radio broadcasts on ABC 1233.
You can order a copy of the book by mail, telephone, or by fax. You can also purchase a copy from any of the University Libraries using credit card or cheque.
Standard Price *
AUD $24.95 per copy
Full-Time Student Price *
AUD $19.95 per copy
*All prices are inclusive of GST. All orders will attract an AUD $5.00 postage and handling fee.
Please download and complete this form, then post it to:
Found Treasures Order
Auchmuty Library
The University of Newcastle
University Drive
Callaghan NSW 2308
TelephoneTo order by telephone, please have your credit card details ready and call:
+61 (0)2 4921 5822
Please download and complete this form, then fax it to:
+61 (0)2 4921 5527
For more info:
http://www.newcastle.edu.au/service/library/treasures/index.html
Missing page 267 from lost Threlkeld manuscript
We reported back in February of this year of a lost original manuscript Journal belonging to the late Reverend Lancelot Threlkeld, missionary to the Aborigines in the Hunter Region that was uploaded to the University of Newcastle’s Virtual Sourcebook for Aboriginal Studies in the Hunter Region. This original manuscript Journal covers the period from December 1828 to circa February 1846 and its present whereabouts are unknown.
Mrs Raven, great great grand daughter of the late Reverend Threlkeld, who sent us the original digital files, recently located a number of copies of missing leaves from the manuscript which she copied and sent to us to incorporate into into the online manuscript. The missing pages are 154-161 and 267-268. There are also an additional two pages placed at the end of the digital PDF file.
She contacted us on the 21 August 2008 telling us of the mystery of the missing pages which she located in one of her regular cleanups. What is intriguing is that the pages copied were from the missing Journal! Not only that, they are missing from the original photographed copy of the Journal, which would imply that they were copied from an in tact original. She cannot recall the source of the copies.
Pages 154 – 161 inclusive (1834) relate to Elizabeth Arndell’s (LET’s mother-in-law, widow of Thomas Arndell, and Mrs Raven’s 3 x greats grandmother) application for a pension. Pages 267 and 268 include the death of Reverend Samuel Marsden in 1838. All are in L. E. Threlkeld’s handwriting.
The original Journal which covers the period from December 1828 to around February 1846 is now lost, and presumably formed part of a series of Journal diaries. It originally was in the possession of an owner in Cattai. Prior to his death, the manuscript was lent to Mrs Raven, who then lent it to the Mitchell Library who digitised the full manuscript including additional papers belonging to Mrs Raven.
Please download the updated version of the PDF file.
Threlkeld, L.E. (Lancelot Edward), 1788-1859.
[Manuscript] A Journal Kept By Lancelot Edward Threlkeld. Missionary. [87 MB PDF]
Note: The original was a huge 450MB digital file which we have managed to optimise to 87MB which is still large for most people. We recommend firstly downloading the document to your computer by right mouse-clicking on the link and then choosing ‘Save Target As’. Then, pick a location on your computer and click ‘OK’. The file will be downloaded to your computer and you can track its progress. Please bear in mind that it is a large file, and so may take some time to download depending upon your connection.
Gionni Di Gravio
University Archivist
University of Newcastle
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)
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.
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Coal River
