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931980

Title
John H. W. Pettit letters to his family in England, illustrated with sketches by the writer, 1852-1868
Creator
John H. W. Pettit
Call number
B 1418
Level of description
fonds
Date

1852-1868
Type of material
Textual Records, Cartographic Materials, Graphic Materials, Drawings, Clippings
Reference code
931980
Issue Copy
Digitised
Physical Description
0.03 metres of textual material (1 volume)
Collection history
Purchased by Maggs at Sotheby's sale, 8 May 1951
Scope and Content
The letters to his parents and sister describe the voyage out on the Atrevida September-December 1852, arrival in Melbourne and journey to Forest Creek Diggings, the tools and methods used and the life at the diggings January-June 1853. In October 1854 the writer settled at Tarraville where he was first employed as superintendent of works connected with Roads and Bridges; later he set up privately as an architect-builder-land surveyor, etc. until September 1856 when he was appointed Assistant Surveyor in the Survey Department in which capacity he selected and cut up a new line of road to the Omeo diggings and laid out townships. In August 1860 the Department terminated the services of all Assistant Surveyors and Pettit found employment building bridge sections for the Road Engineer until May 1862 when he again set up privately. Letters from October 1854 to September 1856 give some information on the people, social life, opossum and kangaroo hunting, mustering cattle, etc., those after 1856 mainly describe the country, methods of work and life led. A detailed description of surveying instruments required for bush work is given on pages 182-189, 198-200, 204-205. Pettit's gold licence, and various newscuttings are included. Some letters are written on various numbers of the Newsletter of Australasia, 1860-1862.

Vocabularies of the Omeo, Worradyeree and Gippsland tribes ca. 1859 and a list of names of places, rivers, etc. in the language of various unnamed tribes in Gippsland ca. 1857 are on pages 148-161.

Reference:
Sotheby Catalogue 1951 item 387
Language
Australian languages, Ngarigu / Ngarigo language S46, Wiradjuri language D10, Dharug / Darug language S64, Brabralung language S45
Copying Conditions
Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
Finding Aids
Read the transcription here: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2013/D21005/a8036.html
General note

Microfilm copy available at CY 480, frames 1 - 378

AIATSIS language code and map grid reference:
Ngarigo / Ngarigu language (S46) (NSW SJ55-04)
Wiradjuri language (D10) (NSW SI55-07)
Dharug / Daruk / Darug language (S64) (NSW SI56-05)
Brabralung language (S45) (Vic SJ55-07)
(accessed 22 October 2014)
Digital order no:Album ID : 1037028
Name
Atrevida (Ship)
Subject
Voyages and travels--19th century.
Australian letters--19th century.
Roads--Australia.
Gold mines and mining--Victoria.
Indigenous peoples.
Rediscovering Indigenous Languages Project, 2011-
Australian languages--Victoria--Vocabulary.
Place
England
Melbourne (Vic.)
Forest Creek (Vic.)
Gippsland (Vic.)
Exhibited in

Living Language: Country, Culture, Community - State Library of New South Wales (13 July - 17 November, 2019). Applies to: pp. 149-150
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