Guide to the Letters of John G. Petingale (as filmed by the AJCP)

Biographical notes on John G. Petingale (File 1)

Petingale (Sydney) to his father George Petingale, 12 January 1834 (File 2)

Describes voyage from London on Lonoch; impressions of Hobart; decision to move to Sydney; employed by Captain John Coghill as superintendent of his farms at Kirkham. (copy)

Petingale (Sydney) to Alexander Birnie? (London), 14 January 1834 (File 3)

Thanks for letters of introduction to A. Kemp at Hobart, P. Jones in Sydney and Sir Edward Parry at Port Stephens; employment with Capt. John Coghill; hopes to be independent within year or two. (copy)

Petingale (Auckland) to his sisters, 24 December 1850 (File 4)

Details: lack of news from England; his move to New Zealand in 1847; settled 70 miles north of Auckland with profitable herd of cattle and orchard with great variety of fruit and berries; relations with Maoris; their qualities; refers to brothers in America. (copy)

Petingale (Whangarei) to his sister Bessie, 21 June 1855 (File 5)

Discusses: Father's ill-health; plans to visit England; increase in value of his property; transfer of storekeeping to a French immigrant from Mauritius; produce of his orchard; possibility of exporting fruit to other colonies; difficulty of finding good servants; healthy climate; suggests Bessie come to New Zealand as his housekeeper. (copy)

Petingale (Sydney) to Bessie, 20 March 1860 (File 6)

Discusses his imminent departure for England on Walter Hood; possibility of retiring to England. (copy)

Petingale (Auckland) to his sister Eliza, 30 April 1863 (File 7)

Discusses: conflict with Maoris caused by Imperial ministers and their legislative experiments; Bishop G.A. Selwyn and the missionaries have deluded charitable public at home; expects to spend winter in Sydney. (copy)

Petingale (London) to his sister, 9 August 1860 (File 8)

Details his plans to leave London in six weeks; how he is tired of sight-seeing and wretched weather. (copy)

Petingale (Melbourne) to his sister, 15 December 1860 (File 9)

Details: arrival in Melbourne; imminent departure for Auckland; reports of chaos in New Zealand. (original + copy)

Petingale (Auckland) to his sister, 6 August 1861 (File 10)

Death of their father; war in New Zealand. (original)

Petingale (Auckland) to Eliza, 8 February 1862 (File 11)

Discusses: Petingale's dislike of Fulmodeston, Norfolk; letter from brother in America; move of Eliza and Bessie to Thorpe Hamlet; suggests they visit Europe. (original)

Petingale (Auckland) to Eliza, 5 October 1862 (File 12)

Discusses: the effect of American Civil War on their brothers; situation in New Zealand; possibility of moving to Australia; influenza attacks; his attachment to agricultural pursuits. (original)

Petingale (Auckland) to Eliza, 1 December 1862 (File 13)

Details: imbecility of Imperial Government in bribing and making concessions to Maori rebels; seeks news from England. (original)

Petingale (Auckland) to Eliza, c. 30 April 1863 (File 14)

Original of item 7.

Petingale (Auckland) to his sister Jane, 2 March 1863 (File 15)

Discusses: Jane's illness; Bishop G.A. Selwyn and missionaries looked on with suspicion by both Europeans and Maoris; treatment of Selwyn in Taranaki; visit of Maori delegation to England. (original, incomplete)

Petingale (Auckland) to Eliza, 2 March 1864 (File 16)

Thanks for newspapers; hopes of revisiting England; news of brothers in America; mutual friends. (original)

Petingale (London) to his sister, 9 August 1860 (File 17)

Original of item 8. The letter is dated 9 August 1869 while the copy is dated 9 August 1860. As Petingale was definitely in England in 1860, this date seems more likely.