Guide to the Papers of Sir William Thomas Denison (as filmed by the AJCP)
M606-M607, M671
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Online Items
Letterbook, August 1859 - August 1862 (File 1)
The bulk of the letters were written after Denison left Australia, in January 1861, and was serving as Governor of Madras. The subjects of the early despatches and letters include the military forces in New South Wales, the political situation in the colony, postal arrangements, public finances, the outbreak of hostilities in New Zealand, Denison's career prospects (1860) and his transfer to Madras. Some of his Indian letters refer to his experiences in Australia, such as his dealings with the Legislative Council in Van Diemen's Land...
Letterbook, January 1862 - December 1862 (File 2)
Copies of letters written by Denison, as Governor of Madras, to the Viceroys of India, Lord Canning and Lord Elgin, and Sir Charles Wood, the Secretary of State for India. The volume also contains an original letter from Lord Canning in Calcutta and 12 original letters from Wood...
Letterbook, December 1862 - July 1864 (File 3)
Copies of letters written by Denison, as Governor of Madras, to Sir Charles Wood, Lord Elgin, Sir Robert Napier, Sir Charles Trevelyan and Colonel R. Balfour.
Letterbook, October 1846 - August 1849 (File 4)
Unlike the other letterbooks, this volume contains reflections, notes, diary entries and records of conversations, as well as copies of some of Denison's despatches and letters. The early entries were written in London and on the voyage to Van Diemen's Land. They include occasional diary entries (Nov. 1846-Jan. 1847), a summary of the report of the House of Commons Committee on Transportation (1837), thoughts on a Legislative Council for Van Diemen's Land, an abstract of Kay's account of the public education system in Switzerland, notes on land policy and education in Van Diemen's Land and an analysis of a return on the amounts of land in the colony under cultivation...
Letterbook, December 1849 - April 1856 (File 5)
The volume contains copies of Denison's personal and confidential letters to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and letters to a wide range of correspondents in Australia and New Zealand. The subjects include the anti-transportation leagues and the proposed cessation of transportation to Van Diemen's Land, the transfer of convicts to Norfolk Island, the treatment of the Irish political prisoner W. Smith O'Brien, constitutional changes in the colonies, the 1850 Australian Constitution Bill, appointments to the Legislative Council, government and ecclesiastical appointments, economic conditions in the colony, prices and wages, public finance, land policy, agriculture, the education system and the teaching of religion in schools, the effects of the gold rushes, Van Diemen's land as a colony for immigrants with capital, the affairs of the late Charles Stanley, Denison's private secretary, collections of botanical and ornithological specimens, paintings of John Glover, the Hobart observatory, the death of the Colonial Secretary, J. Bicheno (1851), the resignation of the Chief Justice, Sir John Pedder, the proposed transfer of the Pitcairn Islanders to Norfolk Island, the possibility of a federal government (1854), Denison's move to Sydney in 1855, early impressions of New South Wales, and the establishment of responsible government...
Letterbook, September 1855 - January 1859 (File 6)
The volume contains letters from Denison (1855-57) and his wife Caroline (1855-59) to their sons Frank and William who had returned to England and were attending Eton College. The letters from Denison are copies, but many of the letters from Caroline Denison are originals and carry postmarks. Denison's letters were addressed to the 'Boys', whereas Caroline wrote separately to each of the brothers...
Letterbook, June 1856 - July 1859 (File 7)
The volume contains copies of Denison's personal and confidential letters to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and letters to a wide range of correspondents, mainly in Australia. The subjects include the inauguration of responsible government in New South Wales, the absence of political parties in the colony, the series of ministerial crises in 1856, the Donaldson, Cowper and Parker ministries, the 1858 elections, the possibility of an Australian federation, the separation of Moreton Bay from New South Wales, the alienation of vast blocks of land in Moreton Bay, the defence of the colonies, the Indian Mutiny and the despatch of Australian troops to India, honours, criminals and secondary punishment, railways, postal services, gold discoveries, the 1855-56 North Australia exploring expedition led by A.C. Gregory, German migration to Australia, Denison's knighthood, his travels in New South Wales and his visit to Norfolk Island, and the despatch of plants and other scientific collections...
Norfolk Island diaries, 1857, 1859 (File 8)
Two diaries, in a single volume, kept by Denison on his visits to Norfolk Island. The first diary (63pp) covers the period 18 September – 25 October 1857, while the second diary (35pp) extends from 16 June to 7 July 1859...
Letters from Denison to Henry Labouchere (19 letters), March 1856 - December 1857 (File 9)
Private and confidential letters sent to the Secretary of State for the Colonies at roughly monthly intervals. Among the many subjects discussed by Denison were the state of society in New South Wales, the 1856 and 1857 elections, the colony's relations with Britain, military defences, the inauguration of responsible government, the Sydney Mint, a visit to Sydney by Bishop G.A. Selwyn, the transfer of the Pitcairn Islanders to Norfolk Island, railways, the proposed separation of Moreton Bay from New South Wales, the boundary between the two colonies, parliamentary proceedings, ministerial crises, the award of the KCB to Denison, the Northern Australia Expedition, prison discipline in Britain, customs duties at the border between Victoria and New South Wales, mail services, comparisons between the Australian colonies and the United States, honours, and Denison's visit to Norfolk Island in 1857. Enclosed with the letter of 27 Oct. 1856 are letters from G.M.F. Young and Rev. G. Nobbs in Norfolk Island both acknowledging the supply of food received on the Kate Kearney and referring to potatoes received from Bishop Selwyn. Nobbs also raised the question of diocesan responsibility for Norfolk Island...