• Title
  John Reibey Atkinson - commonplace book used as diary and shared letterbook, 1840-1847, also used as diary by cousin James Thomson, 1852-1855
• Creator
  John Reibey Atkinson
• Call number
  MLMSS 7106/Box 1X
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  Sept.1840 - June 1855
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  414100
• Issue Copy
  Microfilm : Issue CY 4199
  
• Physical Description
  0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)
  Textual Records - (manuscript)
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  John Reibey Atkinson and James Thomson were grandsons of Mary Reibey, the convict who became a highly successful business woman and trader in the first half of the 19th century.
  John Reibey Atkinson (1826-1854) was the first child of Mary Reibey's sixth child, Jane Penelope, and her husband John Atkinson.
  James Thomson (1824-1899) was the second child and eldest son of Mary Reibey's fifth child, Eliza, and her husband Thomas Thomson.
  The Atkinson family moved from Sydney to Tasmania when John Reibey Atkinson was still a child. For a brief period, possibly from the late 1840s, until 1852, John Reibey Atkinson and James Thomson worked together on the 800 acre Reibey property, Burrier, on the Shoalhaven River.
  Atkinson sold out his interest to his cousin James Thomson in 1852 and returned to Launceston to marry. He died two years later.
• Scope and Content
  Sept. 1840; The volume was presented to John Reibey Atkinson by his father John Atkinson (d. 1893). It is inscribed on the inside front cover: John Reibey Atkinson from his Papa September 1840'.
  Apr. 1841 - Aug. 1842; Diary of John Reibey Atkinson, written in a clear copperplate hand, comprising only 6 folios, 4 of which have been sliced out. Includes a long quotation which first appeared in an American newspaper titled 'Death Warrant of Christ'.
  Nov. 1852 - Dec. 1854, 31 May - 30 June 1855; Diary of James Thomson, recording his business activities in connection with running and maintaining the property, Burrier, after Atkinson's departure. The entries are succinct and matter of fact, noting activities such as harvesting and charring of wheat, stores, supplies, wages paid, stock including racehorses, etc. On 2 June 1854 he writes: '...received letter from Jane acquainting me with the death of poor John Atkinson.' One of the last entries, on 5 June 1855, reads: 'Heard of my Grandmothers death and started for Sydney.' [Mary Reibey died 30 May 1855, in Sydney].
  1841, Dec. 1846 - Oct. 1847; Letterbook in Atkinson's hand, beginning at the back of the volume (19 pages). The inside front cover is inscribed 'John R. Atkinson Launceston V D Land'; another annotation reads: 'January 1842 I am yours truly, John R. Atkinson'. The letterbook commences with the rules of the Launceston Cricket Club: 'At a Meeting of the Launceston Cricket Club - Septr. 11th 1841 - The following rules were nominally agreed to...'. The letterbook proper follows, with copies of letters mostly sent by Atkinson, some by Thomson and some by both men. Letters, usually summarised, are addressed to Mary Reibey, Miss C. Innes [probably Celia Long Innes, a cousin], Mrs Eliza Thomson [James' mother], A. S. Palmer in Launceston, John Atkinson [John Reibey's father], J. H. Williams, Eliza A. [possibly Eliza Atkinson, sister and cousin], Mrs Atkinson [John Reibey's mother], Mr or Mrs Benham, C. Pulham [sent on behalf of both Thomson and Atkinson], Captain Innes [an uncle and Reibey's son in law] and others. The letters report on activities and problems on the property, seek advice from Mary Reibey, and generally provide an outline of the running of Burrier.
• General note
  
  Digital order no:Album ID : 823929
• Creator/Author/Artist
  Thomson, James
  
• Name
  Launceston Cricket Club
  Reibey, Mary, 1777-1855
  
• Subject
  Cricket--Tasmania--Clubs.
  Farmers--New South Wales--Correspondence--19th century.
  Farmers--New South Wales--Diaries--19th century.
  
• Place
  Burrier (N.S.W.)
  Shoalhaven River (N.S.W.)
  
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE3155627

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