Guide to the Collections of the Royal Commonwealth Society (as filmed by the AJCP)

Series. Public Schools Empire Tours Record, 1927 - 1939

Includes: New Zealand 1929-1930; Australia 1929-1930; New Zealand 1933; Australia 1936; New Zealand 1938. Additional material was filmed relating to South Africa, East Africa, Canada, the West Indies, the East Indies, British Guinea, and India.

Series. Manuscript entitled 'Colonies in their commercial relation to the Mother Country', (c. 70p.), 1870

Note on Australian bishops (1p.), c.1847 (File)

Notes on transportation of convicts to the colonies (10p.), 1847 - 1849 (File)

Series. Letters of E.J. Harding, Secretary of Royal Commission on Natural Resources, Trade and Legislation of Dominions, to his parents and sister, January 1913 - April 1914

Selected pages pp. 31-213; The letters describe the visits of the Royal Commission to Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane, Toowoomba, Newcastle, Condobolin, Queanbeyan, Lockhart, Dunedin, Wellington, Auckland, Rotorua, and Pago Pago.

They refer to hearings of the Commission, meetings with politicians, social activities, sport, galleries, libraries, the landscape, the site of Canberra, Sir Gerald Strickland, A.E. Solomon, J. McGowen, C.E.W. Bean, D. Campbell, Prof. H.B. Allen, W.F. Massey, Sir Joseph Ward and F.H.D. Bell.

Series. Letters acknowledging receipt of copies of the R.C.S. Biography Catalogue, 18 April 1962 - 12 May 1962

Includes a letter from R.G. Menzies (18 April 1962) and a letter from K. Holyoake (12 May 1962).

Series. Three albums of cuttings, letters and leaflets relating to Imperial migration, 1910 - 1914

There is correspondence with High Commissioners, Dominion Governments, Labour exchanges and emigration societies. Many of the papers refer to migration to and economic conditions in Australia and New Zealand and in particular 'the Sedgwick Boys', who were brought out to New Zealand by Sedgwick in 1911 and apprenticed to farmers.

Series 6. Cables between Dominions Office and Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and Irish Governments, February 1929 - September 1929

Concerning amalgamation of cable and wireless companies.

Series 10. Minutes of Sub-committee on Australian negotiations of Imperial Communications Advisory Committee, May 1930 - July 1930

Series 30. File of correspondence, cables and other papers of Imperial Communications Advisory Committee concerning Australia, 1942 - 1944

The correspondents include J. Curtin, S.M. Bruce, D. McVey, V. Duffy, L.B. Fanning and Sir Edward Wilshaw and the subjects include the formation of a new communications company, negotiations on the reduction of cable rates between the United States and the Dominions, the 1942 Commonwealth Telegraph Conference, negotiations with Cable and Wireless, the visits of Sir Ernest Fisk to England in 1943, and meetings of the Commonwealth Communications Council.

Series 36. Correspondence concerning criticisms by Cable and Wireless of the reconstitution of the Imperial Communications Advisory Committee, February 1944 - April 1944

Especially the requirement that members should be resident in their respective countries rather than London.

Fiji, 1882-1884; 1895-1902; 1902-1903 (File 1-3)

Tasmania and additional material, 1914 - 1922 (File 6)

Tasmanian content (1921-1922)Additional material filmed, subjects include: World War 1, German Naval forces, Falkland islands, and cricket.(1914-1915)

Tasmania and additional material, 1920 - 1921 (File 9)

Additional material filmed, subjects include; Russia, South Shetlands whaling.

Articles in Argus on Pacific labour trade, 1874 (File 13)

Obituaries of Peter Murdoch and George B. Murdoch, 16 November 1871 - 1907 (File 1-9)

Obituaries of Peter Murdoch (Glasgow Herald, 16 November 1871) and George B. Murdoch (Proceedings of Institution of Civil Engineers, 1906-1907.)

Income and expenditure account of Emu Plains Agricultural Establishment, December 1923 - December 1924 (File 10)

Copies of correspondence between Peter Murdoch, Sir Thomas Brisbane and Colonel G. Arthur, 1822 - 1825 (File 11)

Concerning Murdoch's financial loss due to unemployment in Van Diemen's Land in 1825, his recall to Sydney owing to an investigation into the Emu Plains Establishment, and his survey of his activities.

Journal of Commissioners for Survey and Valuation of Crown Lands in Van Diemen's Land, April 1826 - December 1826 (File 12)

Copy of letter written in Glasgow on convict system in Van Diemen's Land, 29 May 1830 (File 13)

Will of Peter Murdoch, Hobart, 30 January 1837 (File 14)

Notes made by Peter Murdoch, 1838 (File 15)

On male and female convicts for Molesworth Committee.

Two letters from George B. Murdoch to his father, 1860 - 1861 (File 26-45)

Concerning possibility of entering New Zealand Survey Department.

Plans, specifications, contracts and Acts of Parliament concerning George B. Murdoch's engineering works in Australia, 1873 - 1889 (File 48-58)

Including memorandum by J. Whitton on proposed railway extensions to Wagga, Orange and Tamworth, 5 May 1873, plan on Waratah Collieries and Estates, October 1877, contract for railway from Young to Cowra, 30 December 1884, sketch plan for proposed labour works at Lake Illawarra 1888, plan of Mt. Morgan goldmining and homestead leases, 1888, and specifications of railway for Wingello Coal Company, 29 April 1889.

Receipts for money for shares in Australian railway companies, 1889 (File 59-61)

Series. Australian Letters, 1834 - 1835

Volume containing 6 letters, probably written to Alexander Macleay, from J.T. Gellibrand J.O. Clunie, T.P. McQueen and Sir Richard Bourke, 1834-1835. They deal with land grants, natural history, convict administration, roads, and libellous papers attacking Gellibrand.

Four reports of visits to penal settlements at Port Arthur and Norfolk Island and aboriginal settlement at Flinders Island, 1833 - 1835 (File)

Notes on Australian blue gum tree (8p.), c.1873 (File)

The writing of colonial history (14p.), 1895 (File)

Two pencil and water-colour sketches of mining scenes in Australia (File)

Lists of convicts, lists of stores and other papers concerning voyages of convict transports Barrossa (1839), Margaret (1842) and Lord Petre (1843) (File)

Letterbook, 1846 - 1854 (File)

Copies or summaries of letters written in N.S.W., Van Diemen's Land and Victoria concerning organisation of 99th Regiment, discipline and welfare. (142p.)

Two pencil sketches of Government Houses in Sydney and Hobart (File)

Minute book, 1855 - 1862 (File)

The Association was founded in March 1855 'to attend to all matters connected with those Colonies; to take steps for furthering such matters, and, more especially, to promote the passing of the several Constitution Bills; to obtain a revival of Postal Steam Communication; and to enter into correspondence, when necessary, with the different departments of Her Majesty's Government, with Members of Parliament, and others'.

Among the members were W.C. Wentworth, T. Learmouth, E. Stephens, A. Elder, F. Dutton, W. Westgarth, S. Donaldson, J. Macarthur, W. Rutledge and J. Youl.

The minutes, reports and copies of correspondence deal with emigration, naval defence, Australian federation, transportation, shipping, postal matters, coinage, and the introduction of salmon into Tasmania.

Typescript of paper entitled 'Australian stock pastures and British consumers' (17p.), 1895 (File)

Correspondence, photographs and typescripts on the portraiture of Tasman, 1961 - 1965 (File)

Manuscripts entitled 'On the land legislation of the Australian colonies' (10p.), 1872 (File)

Letter from William Westall to J.W. Croker (Admiralty), 26 June 1810 (File)

Complaining of unwillingness of Admiralty to purchase third painting of Australia from him.

Typescript entitled 'John Gardiner pioneer and overlander' (292p.), 1936 (File)

Also some manuscripts, including copy of Mary Gardiner's account of voyage from Sydney to Pt. Phillip, March 1837.

Manuscript newspaper, Fremantle Observer, no. 3, edited by C. Macaull, 19 May 1832 (File)

Typescript copy of diary, 1838 - 1851 (File)

The bulk of the diary covers the years 1838-1842. It describes the voyage from Portsmouth to Swan River in 1838 and the farming and, to a lesser extent, medical activities of Viveash at Yangedine, near York. It refers to the purchase of sheep and horses, agriculture, kangaroo hunting and Indigenous Australiansaborigines, and also to Sir James Stiring, W. Brockman, S. Moore and R.G. Meares. (229p.)

Classified list of minerals discovered in Province of South Australia to close of year. (6f.), 1844 (File)

Also includes manuscript entitled 'On the interior of South Australia' 14 December 1842 (15p.)

Papers, 1834-1844; 1852; 1908-1919; 1952 (File)

Printed and manuscript papers concerning the colonization of South Australia and Gouger's work as Colonial Secretary 1834-1844, an account printed in 1852 of the work of the Duke of Wellington for South Australia in 1834-1835, and correspondence concerning the Gouger Papers and the Old Gum Tree at Glenelg, 1908-1919, 1952.

Report on Company's farm lands (21p.), 1879 (File)

Seven manuscript maps of Adelaide, Pt. Adelaide, Yankalilla, Myponga and elsewhere, 1838 - 1868 (File)

Sketch of Encounter Bay by B.T. Finniss, 1838 (File)

Typescript copies of letters, 1838 - 1842 (File)

The letters were mostly written to her brother George Harris and describe the voyage to South Australia, reasons for emigrating, landscape, climate, Indigenous Australians, her house, printing business, court cases, prices, the execution of Indigenous Australian murderers, and J. Hindmarsh, G. Gawler, H. Fisher. An edited version of the letters was published in 1915. (135p.)

Programs of War Memorial unveilings at Brisbane, Sandgate, Toowong, Warwick and Dalby, 1922 - 1924 (File 1)

Notes on Johnsonian Club, Brisbane, November 1921 (File 2)

Cuttings and list of delegates at Imperial Press Conference, 1925 (File 3)

Typescript on Queensland and unicameral system. (File 4)

Report of discussion between E.G. Theodore and H.V. Ashley (File 5)

On possible competition for design of Queensland University.

Typescript of talk entitled 'The peoples of Palestine' (File 6)

Papers on visit by N.A.R. Pollock to Gulf country (1922), cotton growing in Queensland (1925), old plans deposited in Survey Office, sale of Brunette Downs (1926), Report of North Queensland Cooperative Bacon Co Ltd. and Atherton Tableland Pig Pool, 1922 - 1926 (File 7)

Reports by W.H. Johnson, C. Vaughan and H.C. Armstrong on production of cotton in Australia (1921), 1921 (File 8)

Also includes cutting on North Australian Worsted and Woollen Mills, and obituary of J.R.H. Lewis of Brisbane Daily Telegraph.

Goldfield reports (61p.), 1885 (File)

Reports on Etheridge Goldfield by W. Samwell (49p.), Gladstone Goldfield by A. Macarthur (7p.) and Hodgkinson Goldfield by L.E.D. Towner (5p.).

Papers on North Queensland exploration, [c. 1862] (File 1)

Including report and chart of Lieut. G.P. Heath on Pioneer River (1862) and plans of Mackay district.

Volume containing cuttings on Queensland sugar industry, 1878-1884,, 1878 - 1884 (File 2)

Taken from Queenslander, Mackay Standard, Australasian, Maryborough Chronicle, Brisbane Observer, Queensland Punch and others.

There are also reveiws of Roth's book A report on sugar industry of Queensland (1880), reports on the South Seas labour trade, notes on the costs of different types of coloured labourers (1883) and a petition from sugar producers urging immigration of Indian coolies. (1884)

Letters from James Crichton, John Crichton, Robert Crichton and Dr Pat Hill in New South Wales to James Crichton and other members of the family in Scotland, 1841 - 1848 (File 1)

The letters refer to farming, shortage of labour, wages, prices, the purchase of a run near Albury, stock and bereavements. (letter nos. 28-44)

Typescripts of letters from James Crichton, John Crichton, Robert Crichton and Dr Pat Hill in New South Wales to James Crichton and other members of the family in Scotland (File 2)

Typescript copies of letters nos. 28-44.

Manuscript copy of Governor's Instructions, 17 July 1825 (File)

Minute authorising establishment of public library, 10 October 1831 (File)

Order concerning meeting of Executive Council at Sydney, 17 March 1836 (File)

Manuscript copy of letter from J.D. Lang (Sydney) to A. Moodie, 30 January 1826 (File)

Concerning quarrel with Commissary-General Wemyss over building of Scots Church.

Journal of second expedition into interior of New South Wales (176p.), 30 May 1818 - 5 November 1818 (File)

Copies of correspondence between C.E. Greening, R. Rienits, D. Simpson and Mitchell Library, 1962 - 1981 (File 1)

Concerning biographical data on artists Richard Read (b.c.1765) and Richard Read (c.1796-1862)

Address from women of Ballarat to women of England, [c.1864] (File)

Against continued entry of convicts to Australia, signed by 1500 people.

Address to London Chamber of Commerce entitled 'Trade and resources of Victoria' (7p.)., 7 June 1898 (File)

Paper read to Royal Colonial Institute entitled 'The colony of Victoria; some of its industries' (20p.), 17 November 1896 (File)

Letter from J.P. Fawkner (Pt. Phillip ) to A. Symen, 2 May 1836 (File)

Foundation of Pt. Phillip in 1835, purchase of land by J. Batman; description of landscape; suitability for grazing; Indigenous Australians; climate; crops.

The aborigines of Tasmania (5p.), [c.1873] (File)

Three prints of Tasmanian Indigenous Australians: Wapperty, William Lanney, Truganini, 1866 (File)

Journal of a visit to the tribal districts of New Zealand (18p.), 1898 - 1899 (File)

Together with 11 water-colours and 11 photographs.

Letter from T.M. Hocken (Dunedin) to Stanley Edwards, 10 May 1890 (File)

Suggests Maori names for town of Gore.

Inventory of armour delivered from Tower of London for shipment to New Zealand, and receipt for armour and clothing with Patuone's mark, 16 July 1836 - 4 November 1837 (File)

Two water-colours of Anzac Cove and Monash Gully, Anzac, 1915 (File)

Account of Mitre Peak, Milford Sound (3p.), 1895 (File)

Early reminiscences of Auckland, 23 June 1931 (File)

Including land policy and Maori Wars (7p.).

Brightwater (Nelson), 1881 (File)

New Zealand cabbage trees (Pelorus Valley), 1881 (File)

Wakefield (Nelson), 1881 (File)

Lake Ellesmere (Banks Peninsula), 1886 (File)

Greenhithe (Auckland), 1887 (File)

King George's Sound (Albany), 1887 (File)

New Zealand cabbage trees (Auckland), 1887 (File)

Report in Maori of assembly of Maori chiefs at Otaki, 17 September 1861 (File)

Concerning the setting up of a Maori King in the Waikato area. (xerox, 12p.)

Miscellaneous Correspondence, 1965-02-09-1965-07-29;1976-09-09 (File)

Correspondents include: New Zealand High Commission, Canadian High Commission, the Royal Commonwealth Society Library and Janice B. Adams.

The primary correspondence relates to translating the Report in Maori of the assembly of Maori chiefs in September 1861. The other correspondence relates to the book collection of the Royal Commonwealth Society Library.

Painting, drawings and photographs of Maori war canoe, tattoed Maoris, 'tiki' and Maori woman (File)

Letters of George Thornhill, his brother Edward Thornhill and their cousins Cudbert and William Thornhill written in New Zealand to Henrietta Thornhill in London, 1862 - 1919 (File)

The four cousins emigrated to New Zealand in 1861-1868 and acquired a farm at Centre Hill, near Invercargill. Cudbert moved to India in 1876 but the other three remained in New Zealand, although they abandoned farming.

There are 26 letters from Edward, Cudbert and William, 1862-1878, referring to the climate, horse-breeding and training, discovery of coal and family news.

There are about 60 letters from George and his wife and daughter 1862-1919, referring to the Maori War, property disputes, sheep, fencing, labour troubles, construction of railways, the dissolution of the partnership, a visit to England in 1878, social life, marriage and its breakup, life in Invercargill and recruitment in World War I.

Three letters from E.G. Wakefield to George F. Young, 5 December 1849 - 29 December 1849 (File)

Government opposition to New Zealand Company; opposition of Lord Grey to Colonial Reformers; dissolution of Parliament. Also printed leaflet on foundation and objects of Society for Reform of Colonial Government.

Four letters from G.F. Young, member of New Zealand Association, to James Kelham, Henry St. Hall and Captain Arthur Wakefield, settlers in New Zealand, 1842 - 1846 (File)

Album of photographs of Government House, Sydney, and of South Sea cruise, 1899 (File)

Including pictures of Tonga, Samoa, and Fiji. There are also manuscript notes and a letter signed by King George II of Tonga, 18 February 1899.

Log of barque Alfred on whaling voyage from Sydney to Solomon Islands, Santa Cruz Islands and back to Sydney, 11 September 1828 - 2 June 1829 (File)

Recollections of life in Ceylon, Malaya and Samoa, where Cantrell lived. (52 p.), 1910 - 1914 (File)

Report on Gilbert and Ellice Islands, 1892 (File)

Printed with manuscript annotations, (86 p.)

Three photographs of Cook's memorial, Kealakeakua Bay, c.1896 (File)

Album of photographs taken during tour of Melanesia by Bishop H.H. Montgomery, 1892 (File)

Sketch for chart of Conflict Group, c.1899 (File)

Album of 39 photographs taken when Commodore Erskine proclaimed British Protectorate in eastern New Guinea, November 1884 (File)

Copies of letters from T.D. Riaz to J.C. Potts and Lady Madocks concerning neglected graves on Karowaqua Hill, April 1962 - June 1962 (File)

Letter from Riaz, 5 August 1965 (File)

Describing experiment in production of wheat in Fiji.

Photographs of Riaz, Sir Harry Luke and Fiji, 1940 - 1962 (File)

Three paintings of Fijian scenes, c.1963 (File)