Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. New South Wales Branch - Further records, 1883-192-

MLMSS 7540

fonds

1883-192-

422826

Microfilm : Letters received, 1883 - June 1885).
Microfilm : Letters received, June - Dec. 1885).
Microfilm : Letters received, 1886-1890).
Microfilm : CY 4890, frames 1-581 (MLMSS 7540/9: Scientific papers, 1884-1896)

9 boxes - 1.44 Meters
Textual Records - (manuscript)
Textual Records - (typescript)
Textual Records - (printed)

The Geographical Society of Australasia was inaugurated at a meeting in Sydney on 22 June 1883. Later that year branches were formed in Victoria and Queensland. In July 1886 the society became the Royal Geographical Society of Australasia. The Society's principal objective was to encourage exploration in Australia and surrounding islands, especially New Guinea. The NSW branch's new constitution in 1886 widened its scope to encourage interest in scientific, commercial, educational and historical aspects of geography. The Society sponsored several important expeditions, most notably the New Guinea Exploration Expedition in 1885. During the 1890s its activities were severely restricted by the economic depression. The NSW branch ceased to function by the early 1920s, although the organisation continued in other states.

1889-1891; Minutes and rough minutes of the Administrative Council and general meetings (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
1883-1894; Miscellaneous papers of the Administrative Council. Includes papers concerning the founding of the organisation, Antarctic exploration committees and visit by H.M. Stanley (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
Dec. 1884; Minutes of Australian Geographical Conference (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
1884-1925; Lists of members, 1884, 1888; list of members of New Guinea Exploration Committee; membership certificate NSW branch 1892, Qld branch 1925 (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
1883-1892; Financial papers and accounts. Includes lists of members' subscriptions; 'list of instruments under Capt. Everill's charge in the Society's Rooms Jan. 13 1886' (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
1884-1891; Examples of stationery (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)
1888-1918; Lists of books and publications received and sent (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/1)

CORRESPONDENCE, 1883-1920
Note on correspondence: Correspondence comprises letters received by the Society, 1883-1917, with a few copies of letters sent. Most incoming letters were numbered sequentially by the secretary. This was not always done immediately so that some appear later than expected in the sequence. The numbered sequence in this collection begins at 101, May 1884. Some numbers are missing, and some letters were removed from the sequence by the secretary or another office bearer and placed in special bundles, eg those dealing with the New Guinea expedition. However, many letters relevant to special issues were left in the main sequence. The special bundles are described at the end of the numbered and chronological sequences.

1883-June 1885; Letters received, 1883 to June 1885. Includes letters from interstate branches, applications to join the Society's New Guinea expedition and preparations for the expedition including obtaining a ship. Correspondents include Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller, J.H. Maiden, Sir Edward Strickland, A.C. Macdonald, Clement Wragge, Ernest Giles, Rev. James Chalmers, E.S. Ramsay, Alex Morton, John F. Mann, J.W. Haacke, Henry Forbes and Lawrence Hargrave. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/2: Issue microfilm copy CY 4673)
June - Dec. 1885; Letters received, June to Dec. 1885. Most letters concern the New Guinea expedition. Includes progress reports from expedition members H.C. Everill, R.G. Creagh, J.W. Haacke and James Shaw; rumours of a massacre and proposals for a relief expedition; arrangements with Henry Forbes; accounts for expenditure. Correspondents include Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller, H.C. Everill, E.P. Ramsay, Alex Morton, Lawrence Hargrave, John F. Mann, J.H. Maiden, Ernest Favenc and Sir Peter Scratchley. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/3: Issue microfilm CY 4674)
1886; Letters received, 1886. Most letters are dated January to March 1886. Includes letters concerning material collected in New Guinea, the Society's debts for the expedition and letter from Harry Stockdale concerning a proposed expedition to the Kimberley region. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/4: Issue microfilm CY 4675)
1887; Letters received, May to November 1887. Includes letter from Lieut. Sigmund Israel offering his services as an explorer; letter from Ernest Favenc concerning a proposed expedition to Western Australia; letters from the Society soliciting support for an expedition by Theodore Bevan and letter from Henry Forbes concerning the non-arrival of orchids from New Guinea. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/4: Issue microfilm CY 4675)
1888; Letters received, 1888. Includes letters from J.H. Maiden and Lieut. Sigmund Israel, and notice of meeting of the Bevan New Guinea Exploration Committee. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/4: Issue microfilm CY 4675)
1889; Letters received, Jan. to Aug. 1889. Includes applications to join an expedition led by Arthur Vogan. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/4: Issue microfilm CY 4675)
1890; Letters received, 1890. Includes papers concerning offer by Sir Thomas Elder to sponsor an expedition, telegram from Sir William Macgregor on the Fly River and unfinished paper on the Cuyos Archipelago by Julian Tenison-Woods, forwarded to the Society after his death (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/4: iisue microfilm CY 4675)
1891; Letters received, 1891. Includes letter from Baron Ferdinand Von Mueller concerning Antarctic exploration and list of subscribers to a luncheon for the visit by H.M. Stanley. Correspondents include Edward Merewether and Philip Gidley King the younger. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1892; Letters received, 1892. Correspondents include Edward Merewether, George Collingridge and Lady Miklouho-Maclay. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1893; Letters received, 1893. Includes letters concerning the collapse of the banks. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1894; Letters received, 1894. Includes letters concerning publication exchanges and the death of Edward Merewether. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1895; Letters received, 1895. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1896; Letters received, 1896. Includes letter from P.W. Pears, Ingham, Qld, concerning his ascent of Mount Lindsay in 1872. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1897; Letters received, 1897. Includes letter from Carsten Egeberg Borchgrevink concerning his Antarctic expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1898; Letters received, 1898. Includes letters concerning coral drilling at Funafuti, Fiji and Borchgrevink's British Antarctic Expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/5)
1899; Letters received, 1899. Includes brief report on coral drilling at Lizard Island, Queensland. (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
1900-1917; Letters received, 1900-1917 (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
undated; Undated letters and notes, ca. 1885 to 1920 (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)

CORRESPONDENCE - SPECIAL BUNDLES, 1883-1907
1883; Letters of application to join New Guinea expedition. Applicants include J.H. Shaw and James Park Thomson (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
1883-1885, 1907; Various letters and papers mainly concerning preparations for the New Guinea expedition. Includes paper by leader Capt. Charles Everill titled 'Organization of New Guinea Exploration Party' (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
1885; Various letters and papers mainly concerning preparations for the New Guinea expedition. Includes paper by leader Capt. Charles Everill titled 'Organization of New Guinea Exploration Party' (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
1885; Letters of application to join the New Guinea expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/6)
1885; Letters (4) concerning membership of the New Guinea expedition. Comprises successful applications by Capt. Charles Everill and Walter W. Froggatt, application by S. O'Donoghue and letter from Rev. James Chalmers declining an invitation to join (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1885; 'Miscellaneous papers re New Guinea'. Includes copies of agreements between the Society and expedition members, insurance papers, accounts and lists of equipment (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1885-1899; 'Notes of journies etc etc'. Includes report by A. Hastings W. Senior on New Guinea expedition, 1885; letter from J.F. Mann concerning the fate of the Leichhardt expedition, 17 Oct. 1899; correspondence with J.H. Carruthers, Minister for Lands, concerning Borchgrevink's Antarctic exploration, 17 Sept. 1896, and coral boring at Funafuti, 20 Jan. 1898 (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1885-1888; Records concerning the publication of papers from the New Guinea expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
undated; map showing the Maclay Coast of New Guinea, with envelope addressed to Lady Maclay (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1885-1887; Papers concerning the Society's dispute with Henry O. Forbes over his part in the New Guinea expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1886-1888; Newscuttings, many concerning the Bevan expedition to New Guinea. Also includes newspaper reports of Society meetings (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/7)
1887-1888; 'New Guinea Mr. Bevan F.G.S. Expedition meeting Aug. 5th 1887'. Folder concerning Theodore Bevan's New Guinea expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1888; Report of the Exploratory Committee concerning the 1885 New Guinea expedition. 4 manuscript copies, including one copy supplied to the Government Printer (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1887-1890; 'Correspondence re Mr A J Vogan's expedition trip to "Sandringham" station Queensland'. Includes letters received from Vogan and letter from W. Field of Sandringham station criticising Vogan's behaviour (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1890; Papers concerning the Antarctic Exploration Expedition (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1885, 1893-1895; Papers concerning a dispute between the NSW and Queensland branches over statements in the Journal of the Manchester Geographical Society, 1891, about the founding of the Queensland branch (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1893-1901; Correspondence concerning publications, especially those exchanged with other institutions (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1896; Correspondence concerning sending a congratulatory message to Fridtjof Nansen after his successful expedition to the North Pole (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)
1905; Biography of William Harry Tietkens and letters by him (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/8)

SCIENTIFIC PAPERS, 1884-1896
Manuscripts of papers read at the Society's meetings. Most were subsequently printed in the Society's Transactions. Includes papers by E.E. Brett, R. Brew, Capt. Campbell, Capt. J.B. Carpenter, E. Du Faur, Walter W. Froggatt, Frederick B. Gipps, Richard Helms, P.W. Pears, Harry Stockdale, Theodore Soderberg, Dr Ten-Cate and A.J. Vogan (Call No.: MLMSS 7540/9)

Author/Artist entries:
Bevan, Theodore F. (Theodore Francis), b. 1860
Borchgrevink, C. E. (Carsten E.), 1864-1934
Brett, E. E.
Brew, R.
Carpenter, John Bolton
Carruthers, J. H. (Joseph Hector), 1857-1932
Chalmers, James, 1841-1901
Collingridge, George, 1847-1931
Creagh, R. Gethin
Du Faur, Eccleston, b. 1832
Everill, H. C. (Henry Charles)
Favenc, Ernest, 1846-1908
Forbes, Henry O. (Henry Ogg), 1851-1932
Froggatt, Walter W. (Walter Wilson), 1858-1937
Giles, Ernest, 1835-1897
Gipps, F. B.
Haacke, J. W.
Hargrave, Lawrence, 1850-1915
Helms, Richard
King, Philip Gidley, 1817-1904
Macdonald, A. C. (Alexander Cameron), 1828-1917
Macgregor, William, Sir, 1846-1919
Maiden, J. H. (Joseph Henry), 1859-1925
Mann, John F. (John Frederick), 1819-1907
Merewether, Edward Christopher, 1820-1893
Morton, Alexander, 1855?-1907
Mueller, Ferdinand, Baron von, 1825-1896
Pears, P. W.
Ramsay, E. P. (Edward Pierson), 1842-1916
Scratchley, Peter, Sir, 1835-1885
Senior, A. Hastings W.
Shaw, James H.
Soderberg, Theodore
Stockdale, Harry, ca. 1841-1919
Strickland, Edward, Sir, 1821-1889
Tenison-Woods, J. E. (Julian Edmund), 1832-1889
Thomson, J. P. (James Park), 1854-1941
Tietkens, William Henry, 1844-1933
Vogan, A. J. (Arthur James), 1859-1948
Wragge, Clement L. (Clement Lindley), 1852-1922

This collection was formerly located at MLMSS 2134 and MLMSS 2134 ADD-ON 397
Further collections of the Society's records are listed in the manuscripts card catalogues available in the Mitchell Library Reading Room.
A photograph of S.A. Loxton from this collection is located in the Small Pictures File