Guide to the Papers of Sir Saul Samuel
M875
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2018
Collection Summary
- Creator
- Samuel, Saul, Sir
- Title
- Papers of Sir Saul Samuel (as filmed by AJCP)
- Date Range
- 1837 - 1900
- Collection Number
- M875
- Extent
- 237 items
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- Australian Joint Copying Project
- Sponsor
- The Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP) online portal was created with the assistance of the Australian Public Service Modernisation Fund, 2017-2020. The National Library of Australia gratefully acknowledges the contribution of the other foundation AJCP partners, the State Library of New South Wales and The National Archives of the UK, and all other organisations which supported the work of the AJCP, the world's most extensive collaborative copying project, operating from 1948 to 1997.
Introduction
Scope and Contents
The correspondence has been arranged chronologically, with letters from Charles Cowper, Lord Belmore, Sir Henry Parkes and the Samuel Family separated into distinct groups. Most of the correspondence with Charles Cowper is dated 1870 and relates to Samuel's resignation from the Executive Council. The letters from Lord Belmore are dated 1868-85, with many written 1868-72, when he was Governor of New South Wales. The largest group contains letters from a number of correspondents dealing with personal matters and official business such as appointments, securing loans and relations with the Colonial Office.
There are also letters from Sir Henry Parkes 1872-90, and letters to and from members of Samuel's family.
Conditions Governing Access
Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use
Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.
Preferred Citation
Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.
Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.
Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)
Archival History
Filmed at the private residence of Sir Jon Samuel, Surrey, as part of the Australian Joint Copying Project, 1973 (AJCP Reel: 875). Original microfilm digitised as part of the NLA AJCP Online Delivery Project, 2017-2020.
Existence and Location of Originals
The private residence of Sir Jon Samuel. Surrey, England.
Existence and Location of Copies
The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn711572] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.
Finding-aid Notes
This finding aid is a revised online version of the original finding aid prepared by the Australian Joint Copying Project (AJCP), published by the National Library of Australia in 2018. The original AJCP finding aids were unpublished typescripts or photocopies available from libraries that held copies of the original microfilm.
Dates used in this finding aid refer to the date range of the records selected for filming rather than to the date range of the Series or Files.
Subjects
Bathurst, NSW; Cowper, Sir Charles; Great Britain: Colonial Office; Lowry-Corry, Somerset R., 4th Earl of Belmore; 4th Earl of Belmore; Mercantile firms; New South Wales: politics and government; New South Wales; Parkes, Sir Henry; Politicians: Australia; Samuel Family; Samuel, Sir Saul
Bibliography
Originally cited in Australian Joint Copying Project Handbook. Part 8: Miscellaneous (M) Series. Third Edition, published 1998. Entry 403, p155.
Biographical / Historical
Sir Saul Samuel (1820-1900), 1st Baronet, was born in London. His father died before he was born and in 1832 he accompanied his mother to New South Wales, where his uncle and his brother were already living. He was educated at Sydney College and in 1837 he joined the Sydney counting-house of his uncles. With his brother Lewis, he later formed the Sydney mercantile company of L. & S. Samuel and in time became a director of several companies based in Bathurst.
Samuel was the first Jewish parliamentarian and the first Jewish minister of the Crown in New South Wales. He represented the counties of Roxburgh and Wellington in the Legislative Council in 1854-56. In the Legislative Assembly he represented Orange in 1859-60, Wellington in 1862-69 and Orange in 1869-72. He returned to the Legislative Council in 1872. In 1865-66 and 1868-70 Samuel was Colonial Treasurer in the ministries led by Charles Cowper and John Robertson. He was postmaster-general in the ministries led by Henry Parkes in 1872-75, 1877 and 1878-80.
In 1880 Samuel was appointed Agent-General for New South Wales in London. In this post he worked closely with the Colonial Office and, in particular, undertook negotiations on behalf of the New South Wales Government for loans and improved mail services. He also encouraged assisted migration to New South Wales. He represented the colony at the 1887 Imperial Conference and was involved in the planning of several international exhibitions.
Samuel retired in 1897 but continued to live in England until his death. He had married Henrietta Goldsmith-Levien in 1857. She died in 1864 and in 1877 he married Sarah Isaacs. He was knighted in 1882 and was made a baronet in 1898.
Item Descriptions
Series 1. Correspondence of Charles Cowper and Saul Samuel, 1865 - 1870
1 itemCorrespondence between Samuel and Charles Cowper, Premier of New South Wales in 1856, 1857-59, 1861-6, 1865-66 and 1870. The letters refer to the possibility of Samuel joining the Government (1865), the ministry formed by James Martin (1866), the resignation of Cowper's last ministry (1870), the coal question, Lord Belmore, John Robertson and James Martin.(11 letters)
Series 2. Letters of Lord Belmore to Saul Samuel, 1868 - 1885
1 itemLetters written by Lord Belmore, the Governor of New South Wales in 1868-72, to Samuel, mostly in his capacity as Treasurer in the governments led by Charles Cowper and John Robertson. The letters deal with many subjects, including meetings of the Executive Council, supplementary estimates, railway expenditure, expenses incurred by the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh (1869-70), customs duties, Belmore's travelling expenses, unauthorised expenditures, the Supply Bill (1870), the issue of debentures, defences of Sydney, silver coinage, the Stores Valuation Board, Samuel's resignation from the Executive Council (1871), the Navigation Bill (1872) and the Marine Board Bill (1871-72). The last four dated letters were written at Castle Coole, Enniskillen, Ireland, and refer to Samuel's visit to Ireland in 1873 and the appointment of Lord Carrington as Governor of New South Wales in 1885.(61 letters)
Series 3. General correspondence, 1837 - 1873
26 items
Correspondence between John Walker (Sydney) and L. & S. Samuel referring to stock and stations in the districts of Bligh and Wellington (copies), 1837 - 1851 (File)
G.N. FitzRoy (Sydney) to Samuel, 10 May 1852 (File)
Petition of William Ruttor; Racing at Homebush; Gossip.
M. O'Connor (Bathurst) to Samuel, 8 September 1856 (File)
Has enrolled Samuel as a member of the Bathurst Local Improvement Association; Evidence of Samuel's popularity.
W.M. Manning (Sydney) to Samuel, 24 November 1857 (File)
Legacy duty; University of Sydney's debt to Samuel.
Sir William Denison (Sydney) to Samuel, 8 December 1853 (File)
A protest by the Deputy Master of the Mint against Denison altering the Estimates; Possible Imperial control of the Mint.
William Forster (Sydney) to Samuel, 22 November 1860 (File)
Hopes Samuel is not considering withdrawing from politics.
Electors of Wellington to Samuel, 4 April 1863 (File)
Thanks Samuel for guarding the interests of his constituency.
Sir John Young (Sydney) to Samuel, 4 January 1866 (File)
Regrets circumstances leading to Samuel's relinquishment of office.
Electors of Orange to Samuel, 15 November 1869 (File)
Requests Samuel to stand at the coming election.
Edward Deas Thomson (Barham) to Samuel, 11 June 1870 (File)
Scheme for the extinction of the deficit debt; Need to limit the duration of the Stamp Act; Recourse should not be had to direct taxation.
Henry Parkes to Samuel, 26 November 1872 (File)
Appoints Samuel to the Commission to Collect Exhibits for the International Exhibition of Selected Specimens of Art and Industry in London in 1873.
Henry Parkes to Samuel, 5 December 1872 (File)
Appoints Samuel as Postmaster-General of New South Wales. (printed)
Convention between New South Wales and Victoria to receive Customs Duties (printed), May 1873 (File)
Series 4. General correspondence, 1873 - 1900
170 items
Contract between Postmasters General of New South Wales and New Zealand with Hayden Hall (Sydney) and Paul Forbes (London) for a mail service between San Francisco and the colonies (printed, 11pp), 27 November 1873 (File)
Capt. George S. Nares, 14 May 1874 (File)
Order to carry a line of soundings towards Cook's Strait in connection with the telegraphic cable between New South Wales and New Zealand.
Sir Hercules Robinson (Sydney) to Samuel, 28 July 1874 (File)
Forwards despatch regarding appointment of Samuel as C.M.G.
Colonial Secretary's Department (Sydney) to Samuel, 5 September 1875 (File)
Dates of his appointment as a magistrate.
Minute of the Postmaster General on the subject of the future arrangements for the Australasian Mail Services (printed), 22 April 1879 (File)
Sir Henry Parkes (Sydney) to Samuel, 6 January 1880 (File)
Offers Samuel a seat on the Commission to secure New South Wales representation at the International Exhibition in Melbourne.
Sir Hercules Robinson (Sydney) to Samuel, 19 September 1880 (File)
Congratulations on his appointment as Agent-General.
Lord Kimberley (London) to Samuel, February 1882 (File)
Presentation of album and painting to Queen Victoria; proposed fishery exhibition. (4 letters)
William B. Dalley (Sydney) to Samuel, n.d. (File)
Governor should not be withdrawn before the end of the year. (telegram)
C. Cox (Chancellor of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, Downing Street) to Samuel, 24 May 1882 - 26 May 1882 (File)
Advises Samuel of his K.M.C.G. with Samuel's reply.
Lucy Tait (Croydon) to Samuel, 14 September 1882 (File)
Acknowledges photographs of New South Wales.
H. Brand (House of Commons) to E. Ashley, 7 August 1883 (File)
Admission of Agents General to House of Commons. (copy)
Cardinal S. Simeoni (Rome) to Samuel, 17 October 1883 (File)
Acknowledges letter of sympathy to the Pope on the death of M. Roger Vaughan.
Sir Henry Ponsonby (Balmoral) to Samuel, 10 November 1883 (File)
Two letters. Acknowledges photographs of statues in Sydney sent to Queen Victoria.
Francis Knollys (London) to Samuel, 24 July 1884 (File)
Invites Samuel to be a member of the Royal Commission to carry out an Indian and Colonial Exhibition in London in 1886.
Duke of Manchester (Kimbolton Castle) to Samuel, November 1884 (File)
Hawkins Hill Gold Mine at Hill End. (2 letters)
Lord Sherbrooke to Samuel, 23 January 1885 (File)
Requests decipherment of a letter about property in Australia.
William B. Dalley (Sydney) to Samuel, 3 February 1885 (File)
Possibility of Duke of Manchester being Governor of New South Wales. (telegram)
Samuel to Alexander Stuart, 4 February 1885 (File)
British Government accepts offer of a contingent.
Sir Robert Herbert to Samuel, 6 March 1885 (File)
Lord Carrington to be the new Governor of New South Wales.
H.W. Just (Colonial Office) to Samuel, 9 April 1885 (File)
Lord Derby accepts an invitation to meet Lord Carrington.
Ralph Thompson (War Office) to Samuel, 26 June 1885 (File)
Lord Hartington requests that Samuel does not telegraph his Government about the Sudan Contingent.
W.H. Smith (London) to Samuel, 19 February 1886 (File)
Hopes to have a conversation about emigration.
George Baden-Powell (House of Commons) to Samuel, 5 March 1886 (File)
Representation of the Australian colonies in the House of Commons.
Philip Cunliffe-Owen to Samuel, 2 April 1886 (File)
Invites Samuel to be on a committee concerning the Colonial and Indian Exhibition.
Philip Cunliffe-Owen to Samuel, April 1886 (File)
Opening ceremony of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition; silver medals for secretaries of various colonial agencies. (4 letters)
Sir Francis Knollys to Samuel, 13 May 1886 (File)
Prince of Wales will attend an Australian cricketers' match.
Comptroller, Marlborough House, to Samuel, 2 June 1886 (File)
Prince of Wales will accept a case of Australian apples.
Sir Henry Ponsonby (Balmoral) to Samuel, 24 October 1886 (File)
The Queen will accept further gifts.
Sir Francis Knollys to Samuel, 30 December 1886 (File)
Representation of the colonies on a committee to consider the future government of the Imperial Institute.
Lord Oxenbridge to Samuel, 18 March 1887 (File)
Interest of a friend in joining the New South Wales Constabulary
Chancery of the Order of St Michael and St George. Tickets to a banquet, with a memorandum, 16 April 1887 (File)
Lord Carnarvon to Samuel, 12 July 1887 (File)
Acknowledges a box of Australian books before he leaves for Australia.
Sir Daniel Cooper to Samuel, 20 January 1888 (File)
Developments since Samuel's departure from London.
Sir Francis Knollys to Samuel, 9 April 1889 (File)
Asks that thanks of Prince of Wales be passed on to Sir Henry Parkes.
Sir George Macleay (Italy) to Samuel, 27 April 1889 (File)
A matter relating to William Macleay and Lord Knutsford.
Geoffrey Eagar (Treasury, Sydney) to Samuel, 25 July 1889 (File)
Thanks for help in floating a loan.
John Dawson & Son (Sydney) to Samuel, 27 January 1890 (File)
Lady Samuel's marriage settlement and the Liverpool property.
William McMillan (Sydney) to Samuel, 12 May 1890 (File)
Policy in relation to the banks; question of the term of office for the Agent-General; praises Samuel.
Marlborough House to Samuel, 22 November 1890 (File)
Contribution of New South Wales Government to the fund for establishing the Imperial Institute.
Lord Carrington (Wycombe Abbey) to Samuel, 14 January 1891 (File)
Invitation to meet the Prince of Wales.
Johnson, Minter, Simpson & Co. (Sydney) to Samuel, 3 May 1892 - 6 May 1892 (File)
Samuel's bill of costs.
Robert Meade (Colonial Office) to Samuel, 7 February 1893 (File)
Choice of new governor of New South Wales.
Sir Frederick Abel (Imperial Institute) to Samuel, 19 June 1893 (File)
Invitation to the Goldsmiths Hall.
John See (Sydney) to Samuel, 22 November 1893 (File)
Premature announcement of the New South Wales loan.
Sir Hercules Robinson to Samuel, 6 September 1894 (File)
Introduces Major Edward Bourke; he cannot understand why Parkes is not Premier of New South Wales.
Richard O'Connor (Moss Vale) to Samuel, 26 January 1894 (File)
Samuel's retirement from office; government of George Reid.
Samuel to New South Wales Government, 14 February 1897 (File)
A battery offered by New South Wales to the British Government. (telegram)
Edward Wingfield (Colonial Office) to Samuel, 11 October 1897 (File)
Appreciation of Samuel's work as Agent-General.
C.P. Lucas (Colonial Office) to Samuel, 16 October 1897 (File)
Wishes Samuel well in his retirement.
Letters of congratulations to Samuel on his baronetcy, January 1898 (File)
The writers are Frederick Dangar, Sir Robert Herbert, R. Mackay (Post Office), I.C. Lamb (Post Office), E.S. Haulder, J. Whittaker Ellis, Sir Charles Dilke, Lord Knutsford, Sir George Baden-Powell, C.E. Fryer, John Anderson (Colonial Office), B.S. Gurneys (?), Ethel Hedderwick, A.W. Norman, Joseph Chamberlain, R.A. Joseph, Sir Charles Nicholson and Sir Edward Hutton. (18 letters and 4 telegrams)
Series 5. Letters from Sir Henry Parkes, 1872 - 1890
6 itemsSeries 7. Miscellaneous Correspondence
14 items
Lady Belmore (Moss Vale, Enniskillen): Samuel's offer to send ferns from Sydney; photographs (2 letters), 4 Dec 1873; 21 Nov 1870 (File)
Walter Hely-Hutchinson: Thakambou intends to visit Liverpool to inspect Samuel's establishment, 8 Dec (File)
Lord Onslow: requests meeting with Agents-General; thanks for photographs of New South Wales scenery (2 letters) (File)