Guide to the Records held by the Linnean Society of London (as filmed by the AJCP)
M596-M597
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: 2019
Online Items
Series. Archives of the Linnean Society, 1806 - 1871
Letters received from Sir Joseph Banks 1806, James E. Bicheno 1821, Joshua Brookes 1823, Robert Brown 1821, John Lewis 1836 concerning specimens collected by Alexander Collie, Dr John Lhotsky 1839 on a biographical sketch of Ferdinand Bauer, Sir John Eardley-Wilmot 1846 and Rev. William Woolls 1860.
Sir Joseph Banks to Alexander McLeay, 23 May 1806 (File)
Sends diplomas of Comte de Lacepede and Georges Cuvier.
James Bicheno (Newbury) to Robert Brown, 26 April 1871 (File)
Subscription to a bust of Sir Joseph Banks by Francis Chantrey.
Robert Brown (London) to Alexander McLeay, 20 April 1821 (File)
Thanks for resolution of Council concerning his duties; value of rental of house at Soho Square.
J. Green (London) to ?, 1 August 1825 (File)
Encroachment of a wall between his property and that of late Sir Joseph Banks at Soho Square.
John Lewis and John Roe (Swan River) to Secretary, 29 August 1836 (File)
Cask of botanical specimens bequeathed to the Society by Alexander Collie.
Franz Bauer (Kew) to John Lhotsky, 17 March 1839 (File)
Lhotsky's biographical sketch of Ferdinand Bauer.
Series. Macleay Correspondence, 1805 - 1859
Most of the correspondence is with Sir George Macleay and his father Alexander Macleay and concerns the social conditions and people of New South Wales as well as botanical studies. Letters from Rev. James Backhouse 1837 and 1843, Sir Joseph Banks 1805-18, Bishop Frederick Barker 1856, Edward Barnard 1824, Capt. Biden 1825, Jean Bory de St Vincent 1825, Vice-Admiral Sir Courtenay Boyle 1825, Robert Brown 1840, Rev. William Buckland 1843 forwarding a report by Professor Owen, Charles Campbell 1846, Rev. W.B. Clarke 1843-52, Allan Cunningham 1827, Charles Darwin 1839 introducing Syms Carrington, Sir William Denison 1855, William H. Fitton 1825 and 1842, G.W.S. Gethethjarte 1844, Sir George Gipps 1846 accepting Macleay's resignation as Speaker in the Legislative Council, Dr J.E. Gray 1841, 1844, Thomas C. Harrington 1842-59 including testimonials from Sir Ralph Darling, Rev. C.J. Hoare 1829 introducing Archdeacon W.G. Broughton, Sir James Everard Home 1825, Sir William Hooker and J.D. Hooker 1816-45, G. Howitt 1844, T.H. Huxley 1850, J. Innes 1825, David Jones 1857, Robert L. King 1857, P.P. King (n.d.), William Lithgow 1859, Robert Lowe, Duncan Macarthur 1825, John Macarthur (n.d.), Mrs Alexander Macleay (n.d. and 1837) discussing the estate and social events in Sydney, William Sharp Macleay to Shuckard 1839, 1845, F.J. McCrae 1846, J.A.I. Pancher 1853, Sir William Parry 1833, Sir James Clark Ross 1844, Phillip S. Sims 1841, Sir John Sinclair 1825, A. Smith 1843, J. de C. Sowerby 1847, Sir Alfred Stephen 1846, Admiral Sir James Stirling 1834-35, Samuel Wilson 1841, and miscellanea including accounts and plan of cabins of the ship Duncan Dunbar.
Rev. James Backhouse (Hobart) to Alexander McLeay (Sydney), 22 August 1837 (File)
Specimens of eucalyptus of Van Diemen's Land; recollections of his visit to Sydney.
Sir Joseph Banks (Revesby, London) to Alexander McLeay (Transport Board), 1805 - 1818 (File)
Imprisonment of M. Journeau; orange trees from Malta; forwards letters; transport of sheep from Cadiz. (6 letters).
Bishop Frederick Barker (Sydney) to William S. Macleay, 14 March 1856 (File)
Sends a circular on a school for clergymen's daughters.
Edward Barnard (London) to Alexander McLeay, 25 December 1824 (File)
Conditions in Sydney; a house belonging to Major Frederick Goulburn.
C. Biden (Gravesend) to Alexander McLeay, 9 April 1825 (File)
Appointment of Rose as assistant surgeon on Princess Charlotte.
Jean Baptiste Bory de St-Vincent (Paris) to (Alexander McLeay), 2 May 1825 (File)
Collecting of natural history objects in Australia. (in French)
Courtenay Boyle (Navy Office) to Alexander McLeay, 8 January 1825 (File)
Possible offer of a position on the Navy Board; urges Macleay to accept New South Wales appointment.
Robert Brown to Alexander McLeay, 16 January 1840 (File)
Recommends John Lyell and Marsh travelling to Sydney; engraving of portrait of McLeay.
Robert Brown to William S. Macleay, 20 January 1840 (File)
Macleay's accident on his passage to Sydney; his father's portrait; Marsh, nephew of Sir Benjamin Brodie; seeks additions to collection of New Zealand plants.
Rev. John Buckland (Oxford) to William S. Macleay, 26 January 1843 (File)
Forwards a report by Richard Owen on mastodon remains sent by Sir Thomas Mitchell from Darling Downs; encloses letter from W.J. Broderip.
W.J. Broderip (London) to Rev. J. Buckland, 23 January 1843 (File)
Box of bones received from New Zealand; 'greatest zoological discovery of our time'; paper by Prof. Richard Owen.
Charles Campbell (Duntroon) to Alexander McLeay, 13 May 1846 (File)
Death of Campbell's father; his friendship with McLeay.
Rev. W.B. Clarke (Parramatta) to William S. Macleay, 1843 - 1852 (File)
Coal formation in Australia; believes Australia contains an inexhaustible supply of coal; survey of coal resources in Newcastle area; fish fossils; new form of cephalopod; Sir Roderick Murchison; gold discoveries. (6 letters)
Allan Cunningham (Sydney) to ?, 1827 (File)
Sighting of rare orchid in grounds of cottage of W.C. Wentworth; packet for Robert Brown.
Charles Darwin (London) to William S. Macleay, 29 May 1839 (File)
Introduces Syms Covington, emigrant to Sydney, who was Darwin's servant on HMS Beagle and prepared his specimens.
Sir William Denison (Sydney) to William S. Macleay, 7 August 1855 (File)
Examination and critique of a gun.
William H. Fitton (London) to ?, 26 November 1842 (File)
Possible emigration; geological specimens from Capt. George Grey in South Australia; views of Richard Owen on fossil bones.
William H. Fitton to (Alexander McLeay), 22 July 1825 (File)
Best wishes for New South Wales appointment; geological specimens needed by Geological Society.
G.W. Sandels Gethethjarte (Sydney) to William S. Macleay, 27 February 1844 (File)
Sends sketch of a Mexican insect; meeting of Australian Subscription Library; malicious intentions behind proposed innovations.
Sir George Gipps (Sydney) to Alexander McLeay, 20 May 1846 (File)
Acknowledges his resignation as Speaker of Legislative Council.
John E. Gray (London) to William S. Macleay, 18 June 1841 (File)
Introduces Dr Pratt emigrating to Sydney; interest in New Holland insects; staff changes at British Museum; Robert Brown; purchase of John Gould's collection of New Holland mammalia and selection of birds and reptiles.
Testimonials in favour of Thomas C. Harington of the New Zealand Company, 1842 - 1843 (File)
The contributors include Sir Ralph Darling, Sir William Parry, Rev. William Cowper, Rev. Thomas H. Scott, John H. Plunkett and William Wemyss. (printed, 14pp)
Rev. Charles J. Hoare (Godstone) to Alexander McLeay, 11 April 1839 (File)
Introduces Archdeacon William G. Broughton; divisions in the Anglican Church.
Sir Everard Home (Sydney) to ?, 1 July 1845 (File)
HMS North Star detained in Sydney before proceeding to New Zealand and China; strong opposition to Capt. Robert Fitzroy in New Zealand.
Sir Everard Home (London) to William S. Macleay, 1825 (File)
Natural history and anatomy of kangaroo; for years no specimens have been forwarded to Colonial Office; need for a female specimen.
Sir William J. Hooker (London, Halesworth, Glasgow, Yarmouth) to Alexander McLeay, 1818 - 1845 (File)
Introduces American botanist Booth; possible appointment of Sweeting as medical officer in Sydney; Hooker's interest in a position in the British Museum or at Cambridge (1821-22); East Indies plants; introduces Allan Cunningham; Sydney Botanic Gardens; Gardens should be put on same footing as those at Ceylon; claims of Kidd and Ludwig Leichhardt. (13 letters)
Godfrey Howitt (Melbourne) to ?, 29 July 1844 (File)
Lists 187 plants found in the immediate vicinity of Melbourne. (7pp)
Thomas H. Huxley to William S. Macleay, 25 December 1850 (File)
Voyage from Australia to England; visit to island of Fayal (Azores); paper sent to Linnean Society; Sir John Herschel; search for employment.
J. Innes to Alexander McLeay, 18 February 1825 (File)
Recommends his son George Innes at Bathurst; stock losses through depredations of Australian Aboriginals.
Robert L. King (Parramatta) to (William S. Macleay), 31 December 1857 (File)
Resignation from Australian Museum; his work on eucalyptus; Ferdinand Von Mueller's system of classification.
William Lithgow to William S. Macleay, 31 January 1859 (File)
Seeks pamphlet by Charles de Montalembert.
Robert Lowe to (William S. Macleay) (File)
Termination of Lowe's connection with The Times; arrangements about a house in George Street, Sydney. (incomplete)
Duncan Macarthur (Deal) to Alexander McLeay, 7 January 1825 (File)
McLeay's appointment as Colonial Secretary.
Duncan Macarthur to Alexander McLeay, 14 February 1825 (File)
Information about sheep that McLeay proposes to take to New South Wales; Sir Thomas Mantel.
John Macarthur to (Alexander McLeay) (File)
Land owned by emancipists; a condition of residence would exclude undesirable emancipists.
Elizabeth McLeay (Sydney) to William S. Macleay, 1827 (File)
Illness of Alexander McLeay; purchase of 13,000 acres near Sydney; overseers; visit by HMS Rainbow; death of Sir James Brisbane; Alexander McLeay preoccupied with government business.
William E. Shuckard (London) to William S. Macleay (Portsmouth), 1 October 1838 (File)
Publication of a monograph; geographical descriptions of some genera of hymenoptera. (2 letters)
William S. Macleay (Sydney) to William E. Shuckard, 20 June 1839 (File)
Species collected by Alexander McLeay and named by Leech. (draft)
William S. Macleay (Sydney) to James Macarthur (File)
Preparation of address to Sir George Gipps; Lord Glenelg. (draft)
F.J. McCrae (Sydney) to Alexander McLeay, 22 February 1846 (File)
Recommends a sea voyage for John McLeay.
J.A.I. Pancher (Papeete) to William S. Macleay, 25 July 1853 (File)
Acknowledges box of plants for botanic gardens; botanical studies. (in French)
Sir William Parry (Port Stephens) to Alexander McLeay, 1 July 1833 - 1 August 1833 (File)
Petitions from Hunter River district on laws to control convicts; Parry will never agree to join any faction. (2 letters)
Philip Sime (?) to ?, 9 August 1841 (File)
His article in Sydney Herald on voyage of Capt. J.C. Ross; has dealt lightly with Walker.
Sir John Sinclair (Edinburgh) to Alexander McLeay, 30 January 1825 (File)
Mcleay's appointment to New South Wales; colony's great staple should be wine; silver rabbit of Lincolnshire and Carlisle codlin apples would be assets.
A. Smith to ?, 22 October 1843 (File)
Introduces Dr Dawson proceeding to Sydney to replace Dr Thompson.
J. de C. Sowerby (London) to Alexander McLeay, 11 August 1847 (File)
Botanic gardens at Regents Park; family news; receipt of Australian fossils by Geological Society; interest of W.S. Macleay in botanic gardens in Sydney.
Capt. James Stirling to Alexander McLeay, 2 December 1834 (File)
Stirling's visit to England; unable to secure much money from Treasury; progress of Swan River colony; vast area suited to sheep farming; cheap prices.
Capt. James Stirling (Perth) to Alexander McLeay, 20 March 1835 (File)
Grant of land near Bathurst made in 1828; inquires about measures to secure full title; possible sale of a stallion.
Samuel Wilson (Tahiti) to D. Poole, 9 December 1841 (File)
Researches on traditions and history of Polynesian Islands.
List of shareholders, 31 December 1842 (File)
Including Alexander Berry, John Blaxland, John Betts, R. Tertius Campbell, S.A. Donaldson, P.W. Flower, Sir John Jamison, William S. Macleay, Sir William Parry and Capt. Henry Rous.
Invoices issued by Donaldson & Co. to William S. Macleay, 1 November 1856 - 1 June 1857 (File)
Invoices issued by Donaldson and Co. to William S. Macleay, Nov. 1856-June 1857, T.W. Foster (Sydney), 23 July 1858 and Edward Solomon, 16 Jan. 1856
Series. William Swainson Correspondence, 1816 - 1840
Letters from Sir Joseph Banks 1816-19, Andrew Bloxam 1825-26, J. Bunting 1840 and D. Coates 1840 concerning missionary work in New Zealand, Allan Cunningham 1821-31, Richard Cunningham 1833, James Drummond 1837, T.J. Ewing 1837, John Gould 1830-37, Sir William Hooker 1816-39, T.J. Lempriere 1829-39, and a manuscript entitled 'On the Botany of Tahiti' (1870).
Swainson to Sir Joseph Banks, 20 November 1816 (File)
Proposed journey to Brazil; seeks instructions on method of sending home living plants.
Andrew Bloxam (Valparaiso) to Swainson (Warwick, Rugby), September 1825 - April 1826 (File)
Visit to Sandwich Islands; birds unique to the islands; shells; narrow escape from death on Galapagos Islands; thanks for books; shells and birds from HMS Blossom; birds of Warwickshire; visit to Oxford Museum. (6 letters)
J. Bunting to Swainson, 21 April 1840 (File)
New Zealand missionaries; procurement of bells for native congregation at Hokianga.
Allan Cunningham (Sydney) to Swainson (London), 25 May 1821 (File)
Engagement with Lieut. Phillip P. King on HMS Mermaid; offers to send insects; inland journey with John Oxley in 1817.
References to some species of Australian birds forwarded to W. Swainson, 30 November 1831 (File)
(2pp)
Richard Cunningham (Sydney) to Swainson, 9 November 1833 (File)
Collecting insects for Swainson; preparation for trip to New Zealand; John Lhotsky.
John Gould (London) to Swainson, 12 December 1830 (File)
Collection of Australian birds; study of generic character of birds...
William J. Hooker (Halesworth, Glasgow) to Swainson, 1816 - 1839 (File)
Thanks for Mediterranean lichens; list of Mediterranean plants; Swainson's exotic conchology; Royal Society of Scotland; possibility of a position for Swainson in British Museum; humming birds; lithography; herbarium; Swainson's Brazilian plants; Carl von Martius's Nova Guinea; Swainson's work on conchology; John Swainson in West Indies; Grigory Langsdorff; James Drummond; Sir William Jardine; proposed expedition to Antarctic (1839); appointment of Joseph Hooker as the naturalist; Swainson's intention of emigrating to New Zealand; Allan Cunningham. (21 letters)
Thomas J. Lempriere (Macquarie Harbour, Van Diemen's Land) to Swainson, 23 January 1829 (File)
Swainson's The Naturalist's Guide; animals, birds, fishes, insects, moss and lichens in Van Diemen's Land.
Thomas J. Lempriere (Hobart) to Swainson, 6 May 1830 (File)
Forwards animals; penal settlement at Macquarie Harbour.
Thomas J. Lempriere to Swainson, 6 August 1830 (File)
Despatch of specimens; establishment of Philosophical Society in Hobart; platypus.
Alexander McLeay (London) to Swainson, 1816 - 1822 (File)
Plants from Sicily; Swainson's voyage to Brazil (1816); collecting of insects in Scotland; Swainson's work in Brazil; acquisition of publications for Linnean Society; misunderstanding between Swainson and Dixon in Rio de Janeiro. (8 letters)
Swainson to Alexander McLeay, February 1822 - March 1822 (File)
Aspersions on his character by Dixon and Curtis. (2 letters, copies)...
William S. Macleay (London, Havana) to Swainson, 1818 - 1838 (File)
Swainson's return to England (1818); Macleay's study of entomology; Rev. John Fleming; Swainson's bereavement; possible visit to West Indies (1837). (5 letters)
Swainson to William S. Macleay, July 1830 (File)
Macleay's reply to Dr Fleming's criticisms; urges him to show greater moderation in future; Macleay's talents.
Manuscript, 1870 (File)
On the botany of Tahiti, found in William Swainson's papers and sent to the Linnean Society by the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1870. (19pp.)
John Richardson (Chatham, Gosport) to Swainson, 1830 - 1840 (File)
William Hooker's dealings with James Drummond; proposal for a popular account of discoveries in Arctic America; large collection of Australian birds, reptiles and fishes belonging to Dr Stevenson; Swainson's arrangement of fishes; proceedings of Geological Society; slow progress on paper on Australian fish; Thomas Lempriere. (4 letters)
Series. Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1792 - 1856
Includes: William Archer drawings of Tasmanian orchideae 1848-56; James Backhouse 'An Enumeration of Plants Noticed on Visits to Moreton Bay and Lake Macquarie in 1836' (39 p.) and a draft list of Australian plants; Sir Joseph Banks 'Hints on the Subject of Gardening Suggested to the Gentlemen who Attend the Embassy to China' (1792); Ferdinand Bauer letters to his brother 1802-04 and drawing; two letters from General Thomas Hardwick to Sir Joseph Banks, Sir William Hooker 'Prince of Wales Island Flora'; George Suttor 'Notes on the Forest Trees of Australia' 1843.
Subseries. General Thomas Hardwicke, 1816 - 1817
General Thomas Hardwicke (Calcutta) to Sir Joseph Banks, 15 May 1816 (File)
Appointment of James Hare to the botanical gardens in Calcutta; his relations with Nathaniel Wallich; Hardwicke's hopes of rambling in Java; natural history acquisitions in Malacca; new species of tapir; quotes extract from paper by William Farquhar; bird of paradise from Amboyna; wild cow or buffalo from Celebes. (13pp)
Series. Papers of Alfred Wallace, 1855 - 1861
Alfred R. Wallace journals 1856-61, notebooks 1855-59, and list of Australian birds.
Subseries. Journals of Alfred Wallace in the East Indies, 1856 - 1861
Volume 1, June 1856 - 9 March 1857 (File)
The entries cover Wallace's travels in Baly (Bali), Lombock (Lombok), Macassar (Makassar, Celebes ie Sulawesi), Ke (Kai) Island and the Arru (Aru) Islands. (entries 1-68)
Volume 2, 13 March 1857 - 1 March 1858 (File)
The entries cover Wallace's travels in the Arru Islands, Makassar, the Kaisa Islands (Sulawesi), Timor, Banda Island (Banda Besar), Amboyna (Ambon), Ternate and Gilolo (Halmahera). (entries 69-128)
Volume 3, 25 March 1858 - October 1859 (File)
The entries cover Wallace's travels in Ternate, Makian (Machian) Island, Ganeh (Gani, South Halmahera), Dorey (New Guinea ie Irian Jaya), Batchian (Bacan) Island, Ternate, Gilolo, Tidore Island, March (Mare) Island, Motir (Moti) Island, the Kaioa Islands, Batchian Island, Ternate, Amboyna, Banda Island, Timor, Semao (Semau) Island, Menada (Sulawesi) and Amboyna. (entries 129-92)
Volume 4, 29 October 1859 - 10 May 1861 (File)
The entries cover Wallace's travels in Ceram (Seram) Island, the Gorong Islands, Kilwaru (Kiliwara) Island, Ceram Island, the Mesmon Islands (Jef Doif Islands), Waigiou Island (Irian Jaya), Gam Island (Irian Jaya), Giliolo, Kaioa Island, Ternate, Timor, Banda Island, Amboyna and Bouru Island. (entries 193-245)
Subseries. Notebooks of Alfred Wallace in the East Indies, 1855 - 1859
Notebook 1 (File)
Notebook containing a list of birds, giving the name of the bird, the reference in John Gould's Birds of Australia, whether the bird was in Wallace's Collection, and the locality and comments. There is an index in the front of the notebook. (101pp)
Series. Society for Promoting Natural History, 1789 - 1797
Includes: minutes of meeting 14 December 1795 and transcription of a letter from Capt. W. Paterson 1794; part of a letter from Norfolk Island 1790.
Minute book, no. 2, 1789 - 1797 (File)
Copy of a letter from Capt. William Paterson (Norfolk Island), 23 Aug. 1790. The letter refers to the wreck of the HMS Sirius, the transfer of command at Norfolk Island from Lieut. Philip G. King to Major Robert Ross, the shortage of provisions, rations, and birds on the island.
Minutes of meeting, 14 December 1795 (File)
The minutes refer to a letter from Capt. William Paterson (Sydney) to William Forsyth, 2 May 1794. The attached letter refers to Paterson's return from Norfolk Island, his collection of specimens, seeds and shells; an expedition to discover the source of the Hawkesbury and Grose Rivers; the colony's narrow escape from starvation, the purchase of cattle and stores from the East Indies, and the arrival of the Daedalus with a letter from Archibald Menzies in the northern Pacific Ocean. Attached to the letter is a return of land cleared for cultivation in New South Wales, 25 April 1794. (4pp)