James Chalmers - papers concerning Robert Louis Stevenson and his family, 1893-1899, undated

MLMSS 7256/Box 1X

fonds

1893-1899

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs

430481

Microfilm : MLMSS 7256)

0.16 metres of textual material (1 outsize box)

James Chalmers (1860?-1920) was born in Scotland. After settling in Sydney he became manager of the Civil Service Co-operative Society of NSW Ltd., a position he held for twenty years. During the 1890s he developed a business relationship with Robert Louis Stevenson and his family who were living in Samoa which ripened into a deep friendship. In 1908 he was appointed managing director of Farmer and Co. Ltd Ltd.
Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of 'Treasure Island', 'Kidnapped' and 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde', was born in Edinburgh in 1850. In 1889 he settled in Samoa with his wife Fanny and her son Lloyd Osbourne. They were later joined by her daughter Isobel Strong. Stevenson visited Sydney four times, twice in 1890, again in 1891 when he met his mother who had come out from Scotland to visit him and finally in 1893. He died in 1894 after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage.

A. Letters and notes written to James Chalmers by Robert Louis Stevenson, his stepdaughter Isobel Strong and his stepson Lloyd Osbourne and letters written to Mrs Chalmers by Stevenson's mother Margaret Stevenson. The majority of the letters come from the period when Stevenson and his family lived in Samoa and mainly concern business matters, family news and life in Samoa. The remainder were written after Stevenson's death from Scotland, Santa Barbara, USA and France.
1. Five letters and three fragments received from Robert Louis Stevenson, 14 August 1892-4 June 1894, undated. Two of the letters are signed by Stevenson but dictated to Isobel Strong and in her handwriting. One of these also incorporates an undated letter from Isobel Strong. Also included is an envelope from the Oxford Hotel, Sydney addressed in Stevenson's hand to Mr and Mrs Chalmers.
2. Six letters received from Isobel Strong, 27 December 1893-24 January 1894, undated. Also included is a black & white photograph showing the garden of Isobel Strong's house at Santa Barbara.
3. Two letters received from Lloyd Osbourne, July 1899, undated.
4. Four letters received by Mrs Chalmers from Margaret Stevenson, 7 July [1894]- 10 August 1896, undated. Also includes an undated fragment and three bereavement envelopes in Mrs Stevenson's hand.
B. 'Christmas at Sea', a poem by Stevenson printed as a Christmas card by Marcus Ward and Co. Limited, undated. 'Christmas at Sea' was first published in Dec. 1888 and in 1903 was published as a Christmas card.
C. Photographs
1. Copyprint of original photograph of Robert Louis Stevenson.
2. Copyprint of original photograph: 'Arrival of goods from Civil Service Cooperative Society of N.S. Wales at Vailima, Upolu, Samoa. Lloyd Osbourne, R.L. Stevenson, Joe Strong, 1892'. The original is inscribed in Stevenson's hand 'James Chalmers Esq. from Robert Louis Stevenson'. Also in the photograph are two Samoans and behind Stevenson is his pony 'Jack'. (Another copy of this photograph is reproduced in 'With Stevenson in Samoa' by H.J. Moors, T. Fisher Unwin, London, 1910)
3. Copyprint of original watercolour of a Samoan(?) beach by Isobel Strong. The original is inscribed 'To Mr. Chalmers with Christmas Greetings from his friends at Vailima Samoa Nov. 25th 1896' and signed 'Teuila', Isobel Strong's Samoan name.
4. Copyprint of an original note in Samoan from Robert Louis Stevenson to James Chalmers, 11 June 1892.

A description of the contents of each letter is available from the Manuscripts Section.