Occasional book or Journal of Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Fox, 1816-ca 1840

MLMSS 10197

fonds

1816-ca 1840

Textual Records, Drawings

9607341

0.20 metres of textual material and drawings (1 box) - manuscript; pen, ink, watercolour - 23.5 x 20 cm.

Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Fox of Foxlands at St. Mary Church, Devon, was a distinguished soldier of the 30th Regiment who served as a Captain in the Peninsular War under Wellington, being present at the defence of both Cadiz and Tarifa. He then served nearly 11 years in the East Indies, during which tim he was domiciled for a time in India.

In the 18th and 19th centuries people often copied out passages from books and other sources they wished to remember in a personal journal or 'occasional book'. It was in essence a compilation of information that interested the creator and might contain quotations, extracts, letters, poems, drawings, recipes etc. Each occasional book was unique to its creator's particular interests.

Reference:
Library correspondence file.

Purchased by vendor from Burchall’s, Stationers, 133 New Bond Street, London.

53 full page pencil or watercolour drawings, 52 pages of written text in Fox’s hand, some blank leaves, in a handsome volume bound in full red straight grain morocco, lightly worn surface, labelled on spine in gilt ‘Journal’. Some leaves have been tipped or pasted into the volume.

Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Fox’s occasional book works towards the centre from both ends. It commences with pencil drawings of Axmouth and Seaton in England, ca 1816. These are followed by appromimately 40 either pencil, pencil and wash or watercolour drawings of life in India made between 1817 and 1824 while Fox was stationed there. In 1824 he returned to England and made a further 11 pencil drawings illustrating the voyage. The major part of the book concerns emigration and sheep farming in New South Wales and includes detailed accounts about sheep husbandry.

His occasional book includes detailed accounts about sheep husbandry taken principally from William Charles Wentworth’s writings followed by extracts from Peter Cunningham’s 1827 book 'Two Years in Australia' under the headings 'Sheep', 'Cattle', 'Wool', 'Emigration' and 'Convicts'. There are also extracts from articles relating to the proposed colony on the Swan River [Victoria] followed by a first draft of a letter to the Secretary of the New Zealand Association in London concerning the pros and cons of colonising New Zealand.

In a second draft, addressed to 'The Honorary Secretary of the Colonial Society', Fox states that he has 'seen a plan for establishing a new colony in Australasia to be called Victoria' and that he has heard of a proposed Bill to colonise New Zealand. A final draft written in pencil to the 'Editor of the Naval & Military' is concerned with the possibility of officers being able to sell their commissions to fund their passage to New Zealand as settlers.

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