Guide to the Papers of John Dunmore Lang

MS 3267

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator: John Dunmore Lang
Title: Papers of John Dunmore Lang
Date Range: 1823-1893
Collection Number: MS 3267
Extent: 2.76 metres (12 archive boxes + 1 large folio box)
Language of Materials: English
Repository: National Library of Australia

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the material covers the period from Lang's arrival in Australia in 1823 to his death in 1878. About two thirds of the collection consists of correspondence on such areas as family letters, education, immigration, and the Scots Church. As well as the general correspondence, the collection includes sermons, lectures, speeches, accounts and receipts for the years 1830-1890, newspaper clippings, cards, invitations and pictorial material.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2624418) for the access conditions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Dunmore Lang, National Library of Australia, MS 3267, [box number and series and/or file number]'.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Lang Papers came to the National Library with the Sir John Alexander Ferguson Collection.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in chronological order with undated letters last.

Biographical Note

John Dunmore Lang, the son of William Lang and his wife, Mary Dunmore, was born in Greenock Scotland on 25 August 1799. He was educated at Largs and at the age of 12 entered Glasgow University, finishing an Arts course in 1815 and a Master of Arts in 1820. In 1820 he received from the presbytery of Irvine his licence to preach; he was ordained a Minister in September 1822 and obtained his Doctor of Divinity in 1825.

Lang sailed from Leith in "Andromeda" on 14 October, 1822, to establish Presbyterianism in Australia. He arrived in Sydney in May 1823 and soon gathered a congregation. He also set to work to obtain subscriptions to build a church, and the foundation stone of Scots Church was laid on 1 July 1824.

Lang made several voyages to England in order to encourage emigration and in 1831 for example he returned with 140 emigrants, chiefly Scottish mechanics and their families. On this voyage he also married his cousin Wilhelmina Mackie at the Cape of Good Hope.

From 1843-1847 he represented Port Phillip in the new Legislative Council; from 1850-1851 he represented Sydney; 1854-1856 Stanley (Moreton Bay); and from 1859-1869 West Sydney.

During his political career his interest in education never flagged; he opened the Australian College in Sydney in 1832. He also fought for the discontinuation of transportation and he defeated, mainly by ridicule, W.C. Wentworth's attempt to create an Australian peerage. Lang fought for responsible government, the separation of Victoria from New South Wales, a liberal franchise, land reform, triennial parliaments, postal reform and the abolition of state aid to religion. The most important of his many writings was his book, first published in 1834, entitled An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales.

In 1872, Lang's 50th year as a Minister, he was elected moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales.

Lang died in Sydney on 8 August 1878 and was survived by his wife, a son and two daughters; seven other children had died earlier.

Item Descriptions

Series 1. Letters 1823-1893 - Box 1-3

This series is comprised solely of letters arranged in chronological order with undated letters placed last. It includes: draft replies from Lang; letters of introduction; donations to the Presbyterian Church; contributions of books, bibles and pamphlets sent to and by, Lang; invitations; family letters; bills; petitions; matters relating to the synod; and letters on such topics as missionary work; ministers in the colony; discovery of gold; building of churches; health matters in various parts of the colony.

Series 2. Letters from Presbyterian Ministers 1851-1878 - Box 4

The series comprises letters placed in chronological order with undated items placed last. It includes letters to Mrs Lang on the death of her son William; material regarding church matters such as marriages, resignation of a minister, church committee meetings. Correspondents include: Charles Stewart, Patrick Fitzgerald, John Guild, Thomas Moore.

Series 3. Education - Box 4

This series consists only of letters arranged chronologically with undated letters last. Topics include: admission of children to orphanage schools; supply of school requisites to public schools such as Church Hill; salary for teachers; outline of buildings and contents of Jamieson Street school.

Series 4. Immigration and Convicts - Box 4

The series contains letters arranged in chronological order with undated material placed last. Correspondence comes from potential emigrants; ministers giving particulars of those on their way; people wanting information on buying land, procuring passages, conditions of emigration. Many letters refer to Lang's advertisement in the "British Banner", publicising the Cooksland Colonisation Co. to send emigrants to Australia to cultivate cotton.

The series also contains letters regarding convicts. They are concerned with such matters as: provisions per person; their conditions and prospects; the cost of their maintenance; and the benefits derived from their labour.

Series 5. Correspondence with Governmental Bodies - Box 4

Consists of letters, and government documents, arranged in chronological order with undated items placed last.

Letters are concerned with such areas as: the purchase of land; requests for aid with employment; estimates to build roads etc.; compensation for flood damage. They come from such bodies as the Colonial Secretary's office; Sydney Infirmary; Town Clerk's Office; Department of Lands; Department of Public Works.

Official documents include: certificates of marriage; application for passage to Australia; certificate from the University of Aberdeen; and birth certificates.

Series 6. Scots Church - Box 4

This series includes original documents relating to the establishment of the Scots Church in 1823 and following years. It consists of letters, photographs and pamphlets contained in a book. It includes such details as: the estimates to build the Church; Andrew and William Lang's offer to build the walls and ceiling of the Church; subscribers names and donations Lang being deposed from the office of Holy Ministry in 1842; a pamphlet about the "Monstrous Proceedings of the Synod of Australia in 1842"; death certificate of John D. Lang; and material on the centenary celebrations of 1922.

Series 7. Miscellaneous Correspondence - Box 5-9

The series consists of correspondence dating from 1800 to 1923 with undated material placed last. The correspondence is mainly with John D. Lang but it also includes material to and from Mrs Lang and the children. It includes such items as thank you notes; sympathy notes when the children are ill; letters on Lang's pamphlets and books; material concerned with the Synod, petitions, election congratulations, enquiries for people in Scotland, renting of premises; draft replies and so on. About one quarter of the items are undated.

Series 8. Theses, Dissertations Written by Lang While at Glasgow University - Box 10

The series consists of material as stated above. The majority is undated. Lang's essays are on such matters as: measuring the power of gravity; account of the four elementary principles of optics; on the character and conduct of Christ improved as an argument for the Divine authority of the Christian dispensation; and a lengthy work on the illustration of the prophecies which support the Divine authority of the Mosaic Dispensation.

Series 9. Legal Documents - Box 10

The series consists of documents placed in chronological order with undated material last. It contains such items as : Isabella Lang's and Peter MacKenzies marriage certificate; contracts; court cases as between A'Beckett and Dr Lang; consent of marriage of under aged; report on the death of John Thom and so on.

Series 10. Church Documents - Box 10

The series consists of letters and documents placed in chronological order with undated items placed last. The material relates to such matters as: addresses of communicants of the Scots Church; subscriptions for the erection of the Presbyterian Church in Wellington; pamphlet advertising a grand bazaar and fancy sale; a voting form to elect Presbyterian Moderator; and a copy of the Free Church of Scotland Monthly.

Series 11. Family Documents - Box 10

This series consists of correspondence chiefly by Mrs Lang and the children and secondly by John D. Lang. Undated items are placed last.

Material is concerned mainly with family travels and events. Included is a copy of a school report and a telegram on the death of George Lang.

Series 12. Sermons - Box 10

The series contains sermons preached by Lang from 1822 onwards. However most are undated. They are concerned with different chapters of the bible such as Matthew 8, Chapter 14 Verse 17, The Cure of Peter's wife's mother.

Series 13. Lectures, Speeches, Notes - Box 10

The series consists of letters from the year 1873 and undated speeches which are placed last.

The letters are concerned with such material as petitions and requests for patronage. Lectures and speeches vary from such topics as a Lecture on Elijah the Prophet to material on Australian Federation and a speech at the anniversary of the Free Church of England.

Series 14. Accounts and Receipts - Box 10

The series contains accounts and receipts for the period 1830 to 1890. They refer to such areas as printing costs; chapel collections and expenses; subscriptions; receipts and payments, and statements of expenses.

Series 15. Minutes of Meetings - Box 11

The series consists of minutes dating from 1843 to 1871. They are concerned with such bodies as: the Australian College Debating Society; Committee of Management of the Scots Church; Board of Directors of Moreton Bay Immigration and Land Company and the Synod of Australia.

Series 16. Parliamentary Papers, Petitions, Pamphlets - Box 11

The series contains material dating from 1832 to 1888 with undated items placed last.

Topics referred to include: petition on the arbitrary destruction of John Spencer's property; Presbyterian College Bill; Act to incorporate St. Andrew's College within the University of Sydney; office bearers and committee of the House Visiting and Relief Society; and Lang memorial speeches by Lord Carrington and Sir Henry Parkes.

Series 17. Invitations, Visitor's Cards, Tickets - Box 11

The series consists of cards dating from 1847 to 1876 with undated items last. The cards relate to such matters as: an invitation to laying the foundation stone of St John's College; lecture by J.D. Lang front seat; invitation to a picnic at Chowder Bay; card stating Charles Kinsela Cabinet and Chair maker and undertaker; invitation to government house; tea meeting for the departure of Rev. T. Neilson for New Hebrides and A.H. Levi for China; and a card for the London Poultry and Game Establishment, Elizabeth St., Sydney.

Series 18. References, Certificates of Baptism - Box 11

Series includes letters and certificates dating from 1810 to 1876 with undated items last. Certificates include birth, marriage and baptism items and a discharge certificate from the Army. Letters are concerned primarily with character references, and includes a progress report from the High School Mechanics Institution Liverpool.

Series 19. Newspaper Cuttings - Box 12

The series consists of paper clippings from 1823 to 1903 with undated material placed last. The bulk comes from colonial newspapers and is concerned with : Lang's letters to various papers; clippings on such matters as the Presbyterian Church of Eastern Australia; Journal of a trip from the Gilbert to Townsville via Valley of Herbert and the, Coast; St. Andrew's College; Scots Church and so on.

Also includes two cuttings albums, 1843-c. 1978, containing newspaper clippings from colonial newspapers relating to Lang & his interests, together with a small number of printed items. Both volumes bear annotations from Lang's secretary (?). Also included are two handwritten items: an 1856 petition relating to the NSW/Old boundary, & a recommendation by Lang for the establishment of a Mariner's Church, Williams Town [SIC], Victoria, [c. 1862]. Added 7 December 2000.

Series 20. Pictorial Materials, Maps - Box 12

The series consists of photographs of J.D. Lang, Mrs Lang, Mary Lang and Isabella and several unknown faces. A large portrait of J.D. Lang is also included. A few maps showing Cooksland; view of West Maitland (in colour); Dubbo area; and Waikato District are arranged after the photographs.

Series 21. Miscellaneous Notes - Box 12

The series contains undated notes and a work entitled the First Voyage to England from New South Wales.

There is also a folder containing a typed copy of: Origins and commencement of missionary operations in the South Seas, 1875; and a written document entitled Nation Mythology.

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