Guide to the Papers of John Brown (as filmed by the AJCP)
M849 - M850
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Online Items
Series 1. Legal documents and agreements, 1838 - 1848
Copy of the will of Dr John Harris of Shane's Park, 22 February 1838 (File 1)
Incomplete, in handwriting of John Brown.
Copy of a pledge by the executors of the estate of John Harris to transmit to George Harris the legacies bequeathed to him and his children, with the exception of the legacy of Margaret Harris, 22 February 1841 (File 2)
In John Brown's handwriting.
Copy of a memorandum of agreement concerning the employment of Benjamin Donley by Thomas Harris, Parramatta, 6 December 1841 (File 3)
In handwriting of John Brown.
Copy of an agreement concerning the employment of James Kennedy by Thomas Harris, Robert Harris and John Brown, Shane's Park, 1 June 1843 (File 5)
In John Brown's handwriting.
Summons to John Brown to appear in Court of Requests to answer plaint of John Rea, Sydney, 21 May 1844 (File 11)
Execution against goods of John Brown in pursuance of a decision of the Court of Requests to satisfy John Rea, Sydney, 8 August 1844 (File 12)
Series 2. Diary, 2 March 1840 - 6 April 1845
Diary kept by John Brown, commencing onhis voyage to Australia and ending on his return voyage to Liverpool. Brown arrived in Adelaide in July 1840 and in the next month continued the voyage to Sydney. He spent most of the next four years in Sydney and Parramatta, but the diary also refers to visits to the Harris property at Killangan, near Yass. He left Sydney on 23 August 1844, sailing to Port Phillip and thence to Valparaiso.
Series 3. Correspondence, 1837 - 1851
Samuel Stinsin (Killangan) to John Harris (Shane's Park), 27 August 1837 (File 1)
Management of the station.
[Morton?] to John Scott, 20 November 1839 (File 2)
Encloses power of attorney to be executed by George Harris and William Harris authorising John Harris and James Fullerton to receive the rents of the Ultimo Estate and to manage the Estate.
T.D. Huntly (?) to John Brown, 30 January 1840 (File 3)
Acknowledges receipt of half the payment of his cabin passage.
W.H. Goddard (Sydney) to [Unknown], 22 August 1840 (File 4)
O'Reilly wishes to rent a cottage at Ultimo.
A. Murray (Sydney) to John, Robert and Thomas Harris, 7 October 1840 (File 5)
Requests financial assistance for J. Scott.
A. Murray (Sydney) to Rev. Thomas Dougal (Sorell, Van Diemen's Land), 24 February 1841 (File 8)
Requests he sign a release so that legacies of John Harris can be transmitted to legatees and also requests authorisation to deliver shares of stock to Thomas and Robert Harris and John Brown. (copy in John Brown's handwriting)
James Kennedy (Killangan) to Brown (Shane's Park), 24 October 1841 (File 9)
Concerning share of George Harris of John Harris's legacies. (incomplete)
[Rev. Thomas Dougal] (Sorell) to Brown, 1 December 1841 (File 10)
Share of George Harris of John Harris's legacies. (incomplete)
[Margaret Brown] (Ballymulligan) to Brown, 29 October 1841 (File 11)
Report by Robert Harris of Brown's improper conduct. (incomplete)
Thomas Harris (Parramatta) to James Kennedy, 27 April 1842 (File 14)
Lists shares forwarded for the use of the station.
Thomas Harris (Parramatta) to Margaret Brown, 17 May 1842 (File 15)
Rejects charges made against John Brown.
A. Murray (Parramatta) to Margaret Brown, 20 May 1842 (File 16)
Defends Brown's conduct since his arrival in the colony.
Brown (Parramatta) to Margaret Brown, 21 May 1842 (File 17)
Refutes her charges; counter-charges against John and Robert Harris; intends to remain until George Harris gives him power of attorney to collect his share of the estate.
Brown (Parramatta) to George Harris (Ballymulligan), 20 June 1842 (File 18)
Criticises John Harris and defends his own behaviour; letters from solicitors of John Harris directing him to remove cattle from the station or pay a rent.
Brown (Sydney) to executors of John Harris, 18 January 1843 (File 20)
Requests an account of the administration of the estate and of all monies received and paid.
David Chambers to John Harris (File 22)
Return of his cousin John Harris to Ireland; impossibility of dealing with Brown; Brown's offensive behaviour towards the executors; refers to Chambers's interview with Harris and his uncles in Moneymore; strange that the property has been left unproductive for so long when it might yield from £10,000 to £20,000 a year.
D. Chambers and Holden (Sydney) to John Harris (Magherafelt), 23 January 1843 (File 23)
Encloses bill of exchange for £98.10.0, the legacy of his uncle.
Thomas Harris (Gunning) to Brown, 25 January 1843 (File 24)
Requests he defer a meeting with executors until Harris returns to Sydney.
Thomas Harris to Brown, 6 February 1843 (File 26)
Debts; refers to suit of Robert Harris against Brown.
Brown (Parramatta) to Margaret Brown, 27 March 1843 (File 27)
Meetings with executors; their refusal to divide the Ultimo Estate.
Robert Campbell (Moneymore) to Brown, 18 March 1843 (File 28)
Death of George Harris; urges him to return to Ireland.
Brown to James Kennedy, 12 April 1843 (File 30)
Requests an account of all monies received from Brown and an account of the expenses of the stations.
James Kennedy (Killangan) to Brown, 2 May 1843 (File 31)
Affairs of the station; financial and legal difficulties.
James Kennedy (Killangan) to Brown, 6 May 1843 (File 32)
Litigation in Yass; trouble with Ultimo tenants; urges caution in proceeding against executors and requesting money urgently.
John Brown (Parramatta) to executors of John Harris, 8 May 1843 (File 33)
Requests an account of the administration of the estate.
James Kennedy (Killangan) to Brown, 30 May 1843 (File 36)
Litigation in Yass; requests funds to pay off debt on station.
Brown (Sydney) to tenants of Ultimo Estate, 30 May 1843 (File 37)
Intends to visit Ultimo cottages in July to collect rents. (copy)
Thomas Harris (Killangan) to A. Little (Parramatta), 3 July 1843 (File 41)
Market for cattle; purchase of White's station at Cunningham Creek; repair of a dray.
Brown (Parramatta) to Margaret Brown, 25 July 1843 (File 43)
Negotiations with executors; risk that case will go to Chancery; dispute with Robert Harris over Ultimo rents.
Thomas Harris (Cunninghams Creek) to Brown, 10 November 1843 (File 45)
Care of sheep; death of Stinsin's child in the bush.
Holden, Chambers and McCarthy (Sydney) to Robert Harris, Thomas Harris and John Brown, 20 December 1843 (File 46)
Encloses a memorandum on cattle belonging to the estate in 1840; requests they supply executors with returns of numbers received and disposed of.
James Kennedy (Killangan) to Brown, 18 February 1844 (File 47)
Delivery of cattle; further litigation.
George Allen (Sydney) to Brown, 24 February 1844 (File 48)
Sends a copy of a letter from the Sheriff directing Brown to attend the Court and to bring bail.
John Rea to Brown, 19 March 1844 (File 49)
A visit by Thomas Harris; Harris's dispute with Brown; claims of John and Robert Harris.
George Allen (Sydney) to Brown, 19 March 1844 (File 50)
Claims by John and Robert Harris against Brown over the rents from the Ultimo Estate and expenditure on the station.
Holden, Chambers and McCarthy (Sydney) to Brown, 20 March 1844 (File 51)
Requests on behalf of Thomas Harris payment on account of rents collected from Ultimo Estate.
Wall to Thomas Harris (Parramatta), 28 April 1844 (File 55)
Demand by Brown for payment for 114 sheep. (copy in John Brown's handwriting)
John Dillon (Sydney) to Brown, 2 May 1844 (File 58)
Requests Brown to pay two orders drawn by J. Kennedy or else face court action.
Holden, Chambers and McCarthy (Sydney) to Brown, 26 June 1844 (File 60)
Sale of cattle without consent of executors would be invalid.
Thomas Harris (Sydney) to Brown, 1 July 1844 (File 61)
Requests Brown to defend the action brought by J. Kennedy against Thomas and Robert Harris and Brown.
Thomas Harris (Parramatta) to Brown (Sydney), 2 July 1844 (File 63)
Action brought against them by Kennedy.
Henry Bourne (Sydney) to Brown (Ballymulligan), 14 December 1844 (File 64)
Brown's sudden departure; requests payment of balance of account with Allen.
Brown to George Allen, 30 June 1845 (File 65)
Rev. Robert Campbell, executor of George Harris, is sending power of attorney. (copy)
Brown (Ballymulligan) to William Charnels (Sydney), 1 January 1847 (File 66)
Power of attorney sent to Allen; cattle that belonged to George Harris; potato famine.
Brown (Ballymulligan) to William Charnels, 16 February 1847 (File 67)
Power of attorney sent to Allen.
A. Murray (Bathurst) to Margaret Brown, 30 July 1849 (File 68)
Power of attorney was invalid; Robert Harris has returned to Ireland; relatives of Dr Harris should in future confide in Murray alone.
A. Murray (Sydney) to George Harris, Samuel Crooks, Jane Crooks, John Brown and Margaret Brown, 9 December 1851 (File 69)
Acknowledges receipt of power of attorney dated 20 Sept. 1850; declines to arbitrate on John Brown's claim for compensation; transmits bills for £1900. (copy)
Series 4. Financial and other papers, 1840 - 1845
Items of interest include: Bills of exchange, receipts, lists of rents, statements of expenditure, statements of money transmitted to Ireland by John Brown (1841-1844), statement of expenditure of John Brown (1840-1845), lists of stock on stations of John Harris, and a list of tenants on Ultimo Estate (1843).