824687
- TitleWilliam Govett notes and sketches taken during a surveying Expedition in N. South Wales and Blue Mountains Road by William Govett on staff of Major Mitchell, Surveyor General of New South Wales, 1830-1835.
- Creator
- Call numberSAFE/A 330 (Safe 1/404)
- Level of descriptionfonds
- Date
1830-1835 - Type of material
- Reference code824687
- Issue CopyDigitised
- Physical Description0.03 metres of textual material, clippings and drawings (1 volume)
30 drawings - watercolour, pen & pencil
1 print - ADMINISTRATIVE/ BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Born in Devon, England he arrived in Sydney in the Asia in 1828. He was appointed assistant surveyor in the Surveyor-General's Department of New South Wales on 10 July 1827 at reached Sydney in the Asia and began work on T. L. Mitchell's staff. His work included surveying on the old Bathurst road, during which he discovered Govett's Leap in the Blue Mountains, which was named by Mitchell in his honour. When his career ended he returned to England in 1834. After his return to England Govett lived at Tiverton, where he wrote several articles on New South Wales which were published in the Saturday Magazine between 7 May 1836 and 2 September 1837 under the title 'Sketches of New South Wales' which were later listed for sale by G. Michelmore & Co.
Reference:
Australian Dictionary of Biography Online. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/ (accessed June 16, 2008) - Scope and ContentThis notebook with entries written in Govett’s hand provides a detailed description of times and distances of the route of the journey through the Blue Mountains and details of the terrain, including 31 drawings (tipped in) illustrating Govett’s journey. Several of the sketches appear to have been inserted at a later date, possibly by other people with several annotations on the reverse of the sketches written in pencil. At the end of the volume are two letters, one addressed to Rev Lang, Mar. 13 1873 by Dr J. Govett Smith and one received from John. D. Lang Mar. 28th 1873 concerning the naming by Sir T.L. Mitchell of Govett’s Leap in recognition of Govett’s services as a surveyor and several newscuttings collected by Govett
Most of the sketches are unsigned and undated.
Inside cover. St Audries / drawn and engraved by T. Bonnor (print)
Between pp.6-7 [Incident on road at Victoria Pass] (Ink)
Between pp. 6-7 Drawing of formica gigas. W.R.G (ink)
p. 9 [Aborigines dancing] (wc). On back is p.240 Saty Magazine June 25, 1836
Between pp.9 The black snake
Between pp. 12-13 [Surveyors camp] (monotone wash)
Between pp. 14-15 [Surveyors camp at night] (wc)
Between pp. 14-15 [View of mountains through window] (pencil)
Between pp. 18-19 [Surveyors camp, fire at bottom of tree] (wc)
p. 20 The centipede (ink)
Between pp. 20-21 [Unfinished pencil sketch of Aborigines camp] on back is p.218 4 June 1836 The Saty Magazine
Between pp.26-27 [Aborigines climbing trees] on back is p.97 10 Sept. 1836 Sat Magazine (monotone wash)
Between pp.28-29 New South Wales, Gully scene (wc)
Between pp.30-31 South Head of Hawkesbury River called by the Natives Barrenjuee [sic]. W.R.G. (wc)
Between pp. 34-35
a. Sketch of ranges between Pitt Water and Cowan (ink)
b. [General view of ranges] (ink)
c. Sketch of Mount Victoria. W. Robert Govett (ink & pencil)
Between pp. 36-37 [Aborigines fishing from a canoe] (wc)
Between pp. 48-49 A monkey or bear of N.S.Wales (wc)
p. 61 Native woman of Van Diemens Land. W.R. Govett (ink)
p. 62 [?] of the junction Bowens Creek wh. Colo River. W.R.G. (ink). Inscription in pencil on reverse `Transferred from the Lands Dept. Sydney Aug. 30, 1918
p. 63. Letter written from Mr Selkirk addressed to Mr Wright dated 30th August 1918 (Dept. of Lands) concerning sketch [p.62].
p. 65. Letter addressed to Rev. D. Lang, Mar. 13th 1873; Letter received from Rev. Lang, Mar. 28th 1873
p. 103a. [House at bottom of hills] (pencil)
p. 103b. [Forest scene] (wc)
p. 103c. [House, trees at back] (wc)
p. 104a. [Young man in uniform; head and shoulders] (pencil)
p. 104b. [Bullock cart] (ink)
p. 105a. [Two men on horseback] D’Arcy (wsh) (wc)
p. 105b. Junction of the Teralga with the Guineacor[?] Creek (wc)
p. 105c. [View of coastal area] 1829 (wc)
p. 106a. Galileo (ink & wash)
p. 106b. Newton (ink & wash) - Access Conditions
Access via appointment - Finding AidsRead the transcription here: acms.sl.nsw.gov.au/_transcript/2012/D14753/a5504.htm
- General note
Microfilm copy available at CY 422, frames 1-110
This volume is numbered in pencil pp. 5-106, with pp. 66-91, 92-97, 100-102 remaining blank. Several of the pages at the end of the volume are reversed.
An inscription on p. 99 `Teggs Pocket Almanack 1842, p.241 road itinerary understood to have been written by Sir Thomas L. Mitchell Surveyor General. p.314 Blackheath, where there is an inn. A mile or two to the North East is another cataract, discovered by Assistant Surveyor Govett, W.D. Campbell’.
Attached to pg. 5 is selected pages of a printed sale catalogue No. 16 (1930) for G. Michelmore & Co. (London), offering several original sketches by Govett. An inscription in ink beneath `This extract does not refer to the ms Vol with some original sketches bought by the late D.S. Mitchell but the vol. contains 3 original sketches which dups are offered by Michelmore, see also note, Sketch 9. On account of difference in Govett’s style and that of Rodius I feel certain that G copied R’s picture’ HW July 9, 1930.
Sketch (p.105a) of two men on horseback is signed DArcy, possibly drawn by the artist Frederick Richard D’Arcy, who was appointed a draftsman in the New South Wales Surveyor-General's Department under T. L. Mitchell.
Photocopy : CYA 330 available on open access in the Mitchell Library Reading Room
Digital order no:Album ID : 874379 - Signatures / Inscriptions
The signature of D.S. Mitchell appears on the inside covers of the album - Name
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