John Ferguson papers mainly concerning Angus and Robertson, George Robertson, and the Robertson and Ferguson families, ca. 1838-1953

MLMSS 8404

fonds

ca. 1838-1953

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Cartographic Materials, Drawings, Photographs, Clippings, Ephemera

412399

0.92 metres of textual material (4 boxes)

George Robertson started work at a Sydney bookshop in 1882. David Angus joined the store but decided to branch out on his own, and opened his own store in 1884. In 1886 George Robertson and David Angus co-founded Angus & Robertson.

Rebecca Wiley was George Robertson's secretary and personal assistant from about 1890 until Robertson's death in 1933.

Bessie Robertson (daughter of George) married the Reverend John Ferguson in 1906.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

BOX 1
Wages book for Angus & Robertson staff from 1 January 1894 to 1902 - plain notebook in green cloth slipcover, with slipcase stamped 'First Salary Book Angus and Robertson Ltd.'

Folder 1
Small watercolour by L. Corbett; assorted page, cover and illustration proofs; etching of George Robertson by Gayfield Shaw; proofs of C.E.W. Bean's preface to the war history with note by George Robertson that a reference to him and Shenstone would be cut out of the printed volume, ca. 1910-1932

Folder 2
Typescript of 'Notes in reply to twenty criticisms of the life of Archpriest Therry' by Professor Ernest Scott; original pen drawing of David Scott Mitchell by Walter Syer 'An impression in the doorway of A&R's June 93'; letter to George from Norman Lindsay describing the origins of 'The Magic Pudding'; Angus & Robertson prospectus; D. M Angus's Monthly List (September 1885); carbon copy typescript of Henry Lawson's 'The Auld Shop and the New' and 'The Scots'; manuscript plan of the general cemetery at Blackheath by E. A. Harris (1886); copy of the will of Alexander Turnbull, ca. 1885-1922

Folder 3
Photographs including signed photograph of Earl Beauchamp, 1930; photograph of George Gordon McCrae on his 92nd birthday; copy of photograph of David Unaipon; Fred Wymark, ca. 1905; Angus & Robertson shopfronts, ca. 1905-1930

Folder 4
Correspondence including George Robertson's letter of "8th Mch 1885 to the other Gr" [annotation by Robertson]; letters from J. L. Angus following the death of David Angus, and reply from Robertson (not posted); typed copies of a series of letters between Robertson, Arthur Jose, C.E.W. Bean, George Swinburne, and T.G. Tucker; copy of letter from Rudyard Kipling about Paterson's 'Man from Snowy River'; computer printout of copies of correspondence between members of the Bruce family and relatives in the United States and Australia, 1880-1892, ca. 1838-1927

Folder 5
Christmas cards, including hand coloured print from Maunds 'Botanic Garden' (1/2), two original etchings by Gayfield Shaw, 1926 and 1930; ca. 1926-1933

Folder 6
Typescript and photocopies of personal history of Henry Lawson and George Robertson, as typed by Dorothea Wege, 23 June 1943

BOX 2
Scrapbook containing letters, cards, and cables from Dame Clara Butt, her daughter Joy Cross, and her secretary Mona Wade; letters from Eris O'Brien; press cuttings; handwritten notes apparently written by Henry Lawson; two letters from Rose Lindsay; envelope containing a chemist's prescription originally for Dame Clara Butt, and a note from the chemist, Hallam Ltd, to Rebecca Wiley; photographs of Clara Butt, Eris O'Brien, Rose Lindsay, George Robertson, and others, ca. 1900-1951

Folder 1
Artificial flower; copy of Appendix to an Unwritten History by H.G. Hodges, inscribed to Miss Wiley, with a letter from Eris O'Brien to Rebecca Wiley commenting on the booklet, and a newspaper clipping; correspondence between Angus & Robertson and Rebecca Wiley while she was living in California, 1946-1948; proofs and illustrations from The Pen Drawings of Norman Lindsay, and a signed title section of the book; copy of Sikaiana or Stewart Island, by H. MacQuarrie; typescript of Francis Webb's Leichhardt in Pantomime, signed by the author; typed copy of Rebecca Wiley's resignation letter from Angus & Robertson; and other letters, newspaper clippings, etc., ca. 1924-1953

Folder 2
Photographs including Ellen Terry, Nellie Stewart, Earl Hopetoun, the Prince of Wales, George Robertson, and Rebecca Wiley; newspaper clippings; correspondence; 'two special autographs'; and the Catholic Weekly, ca. 1899-1948

Folder 3
Three brief notes from David Scott Mitchell to George Robertson, and correspondence between George Robertson and Rose Scott, H.C.L. Anderson, W.H. Ifould, and Robert Scot Skirving; two copies of Rose Scott's speech at the unveiling of her portrait in 1922; typescript 'References to Government Gazettes'; newspaper clippings on David Scott Mitchell, his death, and the Mitchell Library, etc., ca. 1894-1926

Folder 4
Photographic prints of letters from James MacLehose to George Robertson, 18 September 1877, 20 March 188, 8 October 1885; photographic print of memorandum from C.T. Clarke of George Robertson & Co. to George Robertson, 13 February 1882; original and 2 photographic prints of letter from James MacLehose junior to George Robertson, 16 April 1886

BOX 3
Folder 1
Carbon copy of typescript of James Tyrrell's 'The House of Angus and Robertson: A Record of Fifty Years, 1886-1936', 1936

Folder 2
Two bundles of letters written by Bessie Robertson (later Mrs John A. Ferguson) to her mother, during Bessie's voyage to Europe and visit to Scotland with her aunt Nellie Robertson, 1905-1906

Folder 3
Correspondence between Eva Robertson (wife of George), Douglas Robertson (son of George), Bessie Ferguson (daughter of George), Charles Wilson, and Marie Yeamann, 1933-1935

Folder 4
Souvenirs collected by Bessie Robertson during her tour in 1905, including diary, maps, postcards, books of scenes, and theatrical programs

BOX 4
Certificate from the Australian Museum appointing George Robertson as an honorary correspondent of the museum, 14 May 1926; Certificate from the British Empire Exhibition of 1925, acknowledging Angus & Robertson's participation; Australian Rhyme Sheets; photograph of two bushmen, 1931; copy of David Low's portrait of George Robertson

Copyright status:: In copyright - This collection has multiple rights owners
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2011-2012

Contents list available