• Title
  George Johnston letterbook, 1803-1807; includes some letters received by Johnston, 1804-1805
• Creator
  George Johnston, 1764-1823
• Call number
  SAFE/MLMSS 7199 (Safe 1/231)
  
• Level of description
  fonds
• Date
  
  1803-1807
• Type of material
  Textual Records
• Reference code
  423700
• Issue Copy
  Digitised : 2013
  
• Physical Description
  0.02 metres of textual material (1 box) - manuscript
  
• ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
  
  George Johnston, marine, sailed to New South Wales with the First Fleet. In November 1788 he was placed in charge of establishing the settlement at Rose Hill (Parramatta). He often held postions of responsibility in the colony as, for example, Governor Phillip's adjutant of orders, Governor Hunter's aide-de-camp and as commanding officer during Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson's absences from Sydney.
  In March 1804 he played a leading role in the suppression of the armed revolt by Irish convicts at Vinegar Hill (Rouse Hill).
  Johnston corresponded with Hunter after Hunter's return to England but was contemptuous of King's governorship and later Bligh's. In New South Wales he pursued his interests in natural history and farming, breeding horses and sheep.
  Johnston's correspondents include Dennis Considen, Mr Harrison, John Hunter, his patron the Duke of Northumberland, Mr Raven, John Schank, Henry Waterhouse, and some unidentified correspondents.
  George Johnston had three sons and four daughters with the convict Esther Abrahams. Their first son, George, was born in 1790. They married in 1814 at which time Esther was using the name Julian.
• Scope and Content
  7 August 1803 - January 1807; Folio letterbook in contemporary binding of course linen, 78 pp. Contains draft letters in Johnston's hand, mostly signed; and 2 letters received by Johnston from Admiral John Schank.
  7 August 1803; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 1-2)
  8 August 1803; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 2-5)
  20 July 1805; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 5-6)
  8 August 1803; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 7-8)
  1802; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 9-10)
  Undated; Letter to Admiral John Schank (Call No.: pp 11-12)
  Undated; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: p 13)
  20 July 1805; Letter to Mr Harrison (Call No.: p 14)
  1805; Letter to Dr Long (Call No.: p 15)
  1803?; Letter addressed `Dear Colonel' (Call No.: p 16)
  1803?; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 17-18)
  1803?; Letter to John Hunter (Call No.: pp 19-21)
  12 August 1804; Letter to Mr Harrison (Call No.: pp 21-23)
  12 August 1804; Letter to Henry Waterhouse (Call No.: pp 24-25)
  10 August 1804; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 26-27)
  12 August 1804; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 28-29)
  12 August 1804?; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: pp 29-30)
  12 August 1804; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 30-31)
  10 December 1804; Letter addressed to `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 32-33)
  15 December 1804; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: p 34)
  Undated; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: p 35)
  15 December 1804; Letter to Admiral John Schank (Call No.: pp 36-37)
  26 February 1805; Letter to Mr Harrison (Call No.: p 38)
  April 1805; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: p 39)
  April 1805; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: pp 40-41)
  April 1805; Letter adressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: p 42)
  September 1806; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 43-44)
  January 1807; Letter to Mr Harrison (Call No.: p 45)
  1 November 1806; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: pp 46-47)
  8 January 1805; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: p 48)
  23 July 1805; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 49-50)
  Undated; Note re. fragment of letter headed `Considens Letter' (Call No.: p 50)
  January 1807; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: p 51)
  October 1807; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: p 52)
  Undated; Letter to Johnston's sister, addressed `Madam' (Call No.: p 54)
  Undated; Letter addressed `Sir' (Call No.: p 55)
  Undated; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: p 56)
  22 May 1805; Letter to Johnston's daughter addressed `My Dearest Julia' (Call No.: p 57)
  Undated; Letter addressed `Sir' (Call No.: p 58)
  26 October 1806; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 59-60)
  ca 1805; Letter to John Hunter (Call No.: pp 61-62)
  Undated; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland beginning `I am very sorry to acquaint Your Grace ...' (Call No.: p 64)
  Undated; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 65-66)
  `January or Feby 1807'; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: pp 67-68)
  April 1803; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 69-70)
  Undated; Letter to Dennis Considen (Call No.: pp 71-72)
  Undated; Letter addressed to Mr Raven (Call No.: pp 73-74)
  April 1803; Letter addressed `Dear Sir' (Call No.: pp 75-76)
  Undated; `Memorandum for Isaac Nichols' (Call No.: p 77)
  January 1807; Letter to Admiral John Schank (Call No.: p 78)
  30 May 1804; Letter from Admiral John Schank to George Johnston, dictated to F. Grant (Call No.: Loose insert)
  15 June 1805; Letter received by George Johnston from Admiral John Schank (Call No.: Loose insert)
  ca 1806; Letter to the Duke of Northumberland (Call No.: Loose insert)
  May 1805; Diary fragment (Call No.: Loose insert)
• Finding Aids
  Read the transcription here: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2014/D06632/a482.html
• General note
  
  A later letterbook of George Johnston, 1811-1812, is located at ML C474 (microfilm copy at CY 1411; original filed at Safe 1/232).
  Microfilm available at CY 4303, frames 1 - 58
  Digital order no:Album ID : 824021
• Name
  Considen, Dennis, -1815
  Great Britain. Army. New South Wales Corps
  Hunter, John, 1737-1821
  Johnston, George, 1790-1820
  Johnston, Robert, 1792-1882
  King, Philip Gidley, 1758-1808
  Nichols, Isaac
  Northumberland, Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke, 1742-1817
  Paterson, William, 1755-1810
  Raven, William, 1756-1814
  Schank, John, 1740-1823
  Waterhouse, Henry, ca 1770-1812
  
• Subject
  Casuarina
  Convicts--New South Wales.
  Governors--New South Wales.
  Insurgency--New South Wales--Vinegar Hill--History.
  Irish--New South Wales--Vinegar Hill--History.
  Johnston, Julia, 1796?-1879
  Natural history--New South Wales.
  New South Wales--History--1788-1851.
  Rouse Hill (N.S.W.)--History.
  Vinegar Hill (N.S.W.)--History--Siege, 1804.
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Politics & Power: Bligh's Sydney Rebellion 1808
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE15401528

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