Manuscript notebook listing ship's letters carried from Sydney to England and Ireland

MLMSS 11852

fonds

approximately 1812-1818

9585078

0.03 metres of textual material, (1 folder)

Australia’s postal service is considered to have started when the colonial government officially appointed its first Postmaster, Isaac Nichols (1770-1819) in April 1809. Before the colonial administration started to control postal services, mail was usually passed on by ad hoc arrangements made between transporters, storekeepers and settlers. These arrangements were flexible and depended on cooperation of the country people. Nichols took charge of all mail arriving by ship in what was then called the Colony of New South Wales, advertising in the Sydney Gazette the names of those who had received mail. People would collect their mail from Nichol’s home on George Street by paying the fixed price of a shilling per letter, with parcels costing more depending on their weight. High ranking members of the community received personal deliveries from Nichols.

In 1825, the NSW Legislative Council passed the first postal Act giving the government control of the colony’s postal services.
Isaac Nichols, was Australia’s first postmaster and in charge of the Colony’s mail during the period this notebook was created. Nichols (1770 -1819) was farmer, shipowner, public servant who was sentenced to seven years transportation in 1790 and arrived in NSW 1791. His conduct and abilities impressed first Governor John Hunter then Governor Macquarie and after his sentence expired he was able to prosper in business, being granted land to farm, a spirit licsence and establishing a shipyard. Nichols also held several other positions in the colony aside from first Postmaster, including principal superintendent of convicts. Charley Jeffreys, who captained the Kangaroo, a ship that manuscript notes in the logbook suggest may have been used to deliver the letters in this notebook. Jeffreys (1782 -1826) was captain of HM Colonial brig Kangaroo which transported goods, convicts, and passengers on behalf of the colonial government from England to Port Jackson between 1811-1817.
Thomas Hassall, Australia’s first ordained Anglican minister, who may have travelled on the ship that ultimately delivered the letters in this notebook. Hassall (1794 -1868) came to the young colony of New South Wales with his missionary parents, Rowland and Elizabeth Hassall, in 1798. As a young man in 1813 he established the first ‘Sunday Schools’ in Australia, teaching the children of the colony reading, writing, maths and the Christian faith. He returned to England on the Kangaroo in 1817 to gain his M.A. and train to be an Anglican clergyman before returning to Australia in 1822.
Reference: Library acquisition file

Sold by Berkelouw Books in 2007

Manuscript notebook in unknown hand listing ship’s letters carried from Sydney to England and Ireland, c.1812-1818. The log or register of approximately 400 letters includes dates, addresses and names of senders and recipients, and information about how and when the letters were delivered. This indicates the log book was carried on board ship as a register of postal delivery.
The author is unknown, but possibly Isaac Nichols, who was Australia’s first postmaster and in charge of the Colony’s mail during this period. Thomas Hassall, Australia’s first ordained Anglican minister, may also be the author. Hassall travelled to England on the ship Kangaroo in 1817, which may have delivered the letters in this notebook.
Notes inside the log book indicate the ship carrying these letters sailed from Australia in mid-1817, was in Batavia in September, called at St. Helena in mid-December, and reached England in February 1818. According to the register of shipping arrivals and departures in Sydney during 1817, there is a strong possibility that the ship was either the H.M. Brig Kangaroo, the Fame or the Lord Melville.
The notebook references correspondence of some early colonial administrators and religious leaders, including Admiral Bligh, Admiral Hunter, Rev. Richard Johnson and Rev. Samuel Marsden.

Out of copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales