'Australasia', a narrative poem by an unknown author, 1823?

MLMSS 7486

fonds

1823?

442572

Microfilm : MLMSS 7486)

1 folder - 0.01 Meters
Textual Records - (manuscript)

The author is unknown, but is possibly a member of the Ryland, Daly, Gore and Wynyard families. The poem was included in an auction in Montreal of the papers of the Ryland family which included papers of other related families. Both Sir Dominick Daly and H.W. Ryland were highly placed in the civil service of Quebec. Daly was a son-in-law of the influential Colonel Ralph Gore of Barrowmount. Gore was an old military comrade of George Wynyard, both having served in the 33rd Regiment of Foot at Cape Breton. Members of the Wynyard family were also prominent in the early history of Australia and New Zealand, most notably Edward Buckley Wynyard (1788-1864) who was the commanding officer of the British Forces in New South Wales, Van Diemen's Land and New Zealand. Robert Henry Wynyard (1802-1864) participated in the Maori Wars and was temporary Governor of New Zealand, 1854-1855. -- Source of information : The Grisly Wife Bookshop catalogue.

A manuscript fair copy of a narrative poem of 314 lines on 12 quarto pages, unsigned and undated. The poem describes the discovery and progress of Australia and New Zealand.

The poem has the same title and theme as that of two published poems: Winthrop Mackworth Praed, 'Australasia : a poem which obtained the Chancellor's Medal at the Cambridge Commencement, July 1823' (pub. Cambridge, 1823); and William Charles Wentworth, 'Australasia : a poem written for the Chancellor's Medal at the Cambridge Commencement, July 1823' (pub. Sydney, 1823). This poem may be an entry written for the same competition.
The paper bears the 'post horn in a shield' watermark of Charles Wilmott