Macarthur family - realia, ca. 1746, 1801-1846

R 349

series

ca. 1746, 1801-1846

Medals, Objects

442709

Objects - 1 box - 3 locks of human hair, 8 silk samples, 1 piece of lace, 1 medal

a. Lock of hair, auburn and grey-white in colour, stored with paper bearing handwritten inscriptions, "Mrs John Macarthur's hair" [in pencil] and "The Darling Mothers Hair" [in ink]
b. Lock of human hair, dark auburn in colour. Tilted and dated from handwritten ink note on paper wrapper, "My beloved Mother / Novr. 1801-"
c. Lock of hair, ashen in colour (believed to have been auburn in colour), tied together with brown string. Titled from pencil handwritten inscription on paper wrapper, "My Mother's hair", and ink text on second paper, "My darlings hair & beloved Mothers"
d. Silk samples. Eight skeins of silk, with knot in centre, stored in old envelope with handwritten black text, "Free / Wm. Macpherson", then handwritten address in blue ink: "William Macarthur Esq., J.P. / Camden", followed by printed text, "Legislative Council Office, / Sydney, 18 Sept. 1846" [date in ink]. At the far right is a note in Miss Flower's (former staff member of the Mitchell Library) hand, "cf. with a letter from J. Beuzeville, 20.9.48"
e. Remnant of 'Reticella' style needle lace, worked in ecru-coloured linen thread, displaying feather and scroll pattern and largely comprised of buttonhole stitch. A picot-edged border is evident on two sides, whilst the other edges have been cut.
f. Medal, [bronze?], with head of male facing to the right on one side bearing text "...will Duke of Cumberland / Born ... Apr. 37" and on reverse, men on a battlefield with raised text, "Rebellion Justly Rewarded / Culloden Ap. 06 / 1746". The medal was formerly stored in an Inland Registration envelope with handwritten address, "Mrs Macarthur Onslow / Camden, Park / Camden / Nr Sydney / Australia" on front, and note on reverse, "Culloden Medal / J. Cox 10.2.1910"

f. According to a note in a former Library Officer's hand, the medalwas presented by J. Cox of Exeter, England, February 10, 1910 to Mrs E. Macarthur-Onslow, whose ancestor, John Macarthur, fought in the Scottish army at the Battle of Culloden. The medal was excavated from land in Somersetshire that was owned by Mr Cox's great grandfather. The Somersetshire Regiment had fought at Culloden. It is probable that the medal was lost by a soldier of that regiment after returning to Somersetshire. For further information, see Macarthur papers, vol. 14, p.146.