• Title
  Robert Towns & Co - Records, 1828-1896
• Creator
  R. Towns & Co
• Call number
  MLMSS 307
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  423002
• Issue Copy
  Microfilm : Foreign letterbook, 1846-1847).
  Microfilm : Foreign letterbook, Mar.- Nov. 1847).
  Microfilm : Foreign letterbook, 1849-1850).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, 1844-1845).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, 1845-1847).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Apr.- Dec. 1847).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Dec. 1847 - Apr. 1849).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Apr. 1849 - June 1850).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, June 1850 - Nov. 1851).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Nov. 1851 - Feb. 1853).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Feb.- Dec. 1853).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Dec. 1853 - Apr. 1855).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Apr. 1855 - Mar. 1857).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, June 1854 - Oct. 1856).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., July 1844 - Nov. 1846).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., Nov. 1846 - Nov. 1849).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., Feb. 1849 - July 1859).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., Mar. 1855 - Jan. 1865).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., Aug. 1859 - Oct. 1876).
  Microfilm : General letterbook re Robert Brooks & Co., Feb. 1865 - Jan. 1871).
  Microfilm : General letterbook, Jan. 1871 - Oct. 1876).
  
• Physical Description
  60 boxes, 25 volumes - 11 Meters
  Textual Records
  Textual Records - (printed)
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  Robert Towns (1794-1873) settled in Sydney in 1843 after trading between England and Sydney. He expanded his activities to include Melanesia, China, India and USA. In 1855 Sir Alexander Stuart became his partner; their business was named Robert Towns and Co. In the 1860s the company invested in land in North Queensland and became involved in the wool trade.
• Scope and Content
  (A). Foreign letter books, 1846-1886
  1846-1886; Letterpress books (36), include copies of business letters from Robert Towns, and Robert Towns and Co. to traders and agents worldwide, including San Francisco, Calcutta, London, Hong Kong, Manila and Batavia. (Call No.: MLMSS 307/1-35)
  (B). Colonial letter books, 1885-1888
  1885-1888; Letterpress books (74), include copies of business letters from Robert Towns and Co., Sydney, to traders and agents in Australasia, Wellington, New Zealand, and to ships' captains in the Pacific. (Call No.: MLMSS 307/36-110)
  (C). General letter books, 1844-1856
  1844-1856; Letter books include copies of business letters from Robert Towns & Co. to ships' captains and traders worldwide; to their agents Robert Brooks & Co., London; from Harran and Coleman in Townsville to traders in Sydney and Brisbane; to traders in overseas and in Australia (Call No.: MLMSS 307/111-147)
  (D). Private letter books, 1858-1873
  1858-1873; Private letterpress letter books contain copies of letters from Robert Towns to traders and agents worldwide. Some personal correspondence included. (Call No.: MLMSS 307/148-168)
  (E). Business correspondence, 1828-1896 (Call No.: 1828-1896)
  1828-1896; Business correspondence, being mainly letters to Robert Towns & Co. from business partners, mercantile agents, together with related papers (Call No.: MLMSS 307/169-203)
• Finding Aids
  View contents list - acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2007/D00007/mss307_Towns.pdf
• General note
  
  This collection was listed as part of the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW 1856-2006 Project.
  Restricted access to some MSS., owing to fragility
  Detailed contents list avaliable.
  Digital order no:Album ID : 879107
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Stuart, Alexander, 1824-1886
  Towns, Robert, 1794-1873
  Wilson, William Edward
  
• Subject
  Business records--Australia.
  Merchant ships--Australia.
  Merchants--New South Wales.
  Politicians--New South Wales--19th century.
  Real property--Queensland.
  Trading companies--New South Wales--Sydney--Archives.
  Wool industry--Australia.
  
• Exhibited in
  
  This Working Life - State Library of New South Wales (1 February - 13 June, 2004)
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE3164005

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