First Fleet collection of journals, correspondence and drawings, 1774-1803, held in the Mitchell and Dixson Libraries.

fonds

1774-1803

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Manuscript Cartographic Materials, Watercolours, Drawings

413053

The First Fleet, consisting of 11 vessels, was the largest single contingent of ships to sail into the Pacific Ocean. Its purpose was to found a convict settlement on the east coast of Australia, at Botany Bay.
The First Fleet sailed from England on 13 May 1787, carrying more than 1,500 people, and arrived at Botany Bay eight months later, on 18 January 1788. Governor Arthur Phillip rejected Botany Bay choosing instead Port Jackson, to the north, as the sight for the new colony; they arrived on 26 January 1788. The Fleet consisted of two naval escorts, HMS Supply and the flagship HMS Sirius, carrying the Governor; six convict transports, the Alexander, Charlotte, Friendship, Lady Penrhyn, Prince of Wales and the Scarborough; and three storeships the Borrowdale, Fishburn and Golden Grove.

JOURNALS
Arranged alphabetically by writer's name

COLLECTION 01
Arthur Bowes-Smyth, illustrated journal, 1787-1789

COLLECTION 02
William Bradley, illustrated journal, 1791-1792, compiled 1802+

COLLECTION 03
Ralph Clark - journal, 1787-1792

COLLECTION 04
John Easty - journal, 1786-1793

COLLECTION 05
John Hunter - journal, 1787-1791

COLLECTION 06 vols 1 and 2
Philip Gidley King - private journal, 1786-1792
Private journal, in two volumes, Vol. 1, 1786-1789 ; Vol. 2 , 1789-17 April 1790, with additional material, 1790-1792

COLLECTION 07
Philip Gidley King - fair copy of journal, 1786-1790; compiled 1790

COLLECTION 08
Jacob Nagle - memoir, 1775-1802; compiled 1829

COLLECTION 09
James Scott - journal, 1787-1792

COLLECTION 10
George Bouchier Worgan - letter written to his brother Richard Worgan, 12 - 18 June 1788.
Includes journal fragment kept by George on a voyage to New South Wales with the First Fleet on board HMS Sirius, 20 January 1788 - 11 July 1788

LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE
Arranged alphabetically by writer's name

COLLECTION 11
Blackburn family - letters written by David Blackburn, 1779

COLLECTION 12
David Blackburn - letters written to Richard Knight, 12 July 1788, 19 March 1791

COLLECTION 13
John Campbell - letter written to his parents, 9 August 1789

COLLECTION 14
Ralph Clark - letterbook, 1787-1791

COLLECTION 15
Joseph Lepaute Dagelet - Letter to William Dawes, 3 March 1788

COLLECTION 16
Lord Ducie, Francis Reynolds Morton - letters received from Captain James Campbell, 12 July 1788, October 1788

COLLECTION 17
Fowell family, and others - letters written by Newton Fowell, 1786-1790

COLLECTION 18
Rev. Richard Johnson - letters written to Henry Fricker, 1787-1797; with associated papers

COLLECTION 19
Arthur Phillip - letter written to the Marquis of Lansdowne, 3 July 1788

COLLECTION 20
Letter from John and Elizabeth Russell to Mrs Mary Fogewell, Totness, Devon, 10 July 1788

COLLECTION 21
Henry Waterhouse - letters written to his father William Waterhouse, 1788-1801

DRAWINGS
Arranged alphabetically by artist's name, or compiler's name

COLLECTION 22
Richard Pulteney - natural history illustrations of Australian flora & fauna, 1790s

COLLECTION 23
George Raper, and unknown artist - Australian fishes, 1774-1794

COLLECTION 24
George Raper - Australian flowers, 1787-1799

COLLECTION 25
Album of watercolour drawings of Australian natural history, owned by Robert Anderson Seton, ca.1800

COLLECTION 26
Sydney Bird painter - collection of Australian bird illustrations from the 1790s

COLLECTION 27
Unknown artist/s - drawings of birds chiefly from Australia, 1791-1792

COLLECTION 28
Botanical drawings of Australian plants, ca. late eigtheenth century

COLLECTION 29
King Parrot, attributed to the Sydney Bird Painter
1790s

This selection comprises ten of the eleven known First Fleet journals, including two versions of Philip Gidley King's journal; and correspondence and artworks of First Fleeters.