Letters received by the Ranken family, 1841-1846

MLMSS 10153

fonds

1841-1846

9612053

0.01 metres of textual material (1 folder) - manuscript

George Ranken (1793-1860), was born in Scotland and arrived in Hobart in 1821. The following year he moved to Sydney and received a grant of land in the Bathurst district. In the 1830s he enlarged his estate by buying ‘Saltram’ (also in the Bathurst district) and obtaining additional grants. He sailed for Scotland in 1838 but a disastrous drought in the colony necessitated his return in 1841. He brought with him five German vine-dressers and good vine cuttings. He also grew hops and for a time produced wine and beer as well as running sheep and cattle.

James Walker (1785-1856), a half pay naval officer, arrived Sydney in 1823. He received 2000 acres at Wallerawang near Bathurst in 1824 and settled there. His station became a major stopover for those headed between Sydney and the farming areas beyond Mudgee and for those travelling between Sydney and Bathurst. In 1836 Charles Darwin stayed overnight at Wallerawang and it was there, on the banks of Coxs River, that he famously encountered a platypus.

Reference:
Library correspondence file

From a Sydney collection acquired at a philatelic sale.

Comprises six manuscript letters received by members of the Ranken family. Four of the letters were written by prominent pastoralist and grazier James Walker to George Ranken. In them he discusses the 'toils and troubles and disappointments' of life on the land - diseased sheep, lack of water, discipline of convict labour, wool and beef prices, and severe winters. Walker also commiserates with Ranken on the death of his son and enthuses about the advantages of a rail service to the district without much hope if it ever being established. Also included are two letters addressed to Mrs Ranken in 1941. One is from Maria Street (wife of pastoralist John Street) welcoming her back from England the other is from Isabella Gorman consoling her on the death of her daughter Agnes.

Item 1: Letter from Maria Street, 'Woodlands', Bathurst, to Mrs Ranken, Messrs Walkers, Fort Street, Sydney, 29 June 1941
Item 2: Letter from James Walker, Sydney, to George Ranken, Bathurst, 9 August 1941
Item 3: Letter from Isabella Gorman, Macquarie Place, Sydney, to Mrs Ranken, 'Saltram', Bathurst, 15 October 1941
Item 4: Letter from James Walker, Sydney, to George Ranken, Bathurst, 1843 (franking only)
Item 5: Letter from James Walker, 'Wallerowang' [Wallerawang], Hartley, to George Ranken, 'Saltram', Bathurst, 6 August 1843
Item 6: Letter from James Walker, 'Wallerowang' [Wallerawang], Hartley, to George Ranken, 'Saltram', Bathurst, 28 August 1846

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed: Authors have been deceased for more than 50 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Letters have remnants of wax seals