Lieutenant George Pulteney Malcolm journal 17 August 1834-15 July 1837, and related papers, October 1835-February 1837

MLMSS 5312

fonds

1834-1837

923769

1 box of textual material

George Pulteney Malcolm was born at Plymouth, 18 February 1814, and died in 1837. He was the elder son of Admiral Sir Pulteney Malcolm and Clementina Elphinstone, eldest daughter of the Honourable William Fullerton Elphinstone and niece of Admiral Lord Keith. Malcolm's father served with Nelson, in the war with the United States and as commander-in-chief at St Helena station. His uncles also achieved success in military and diplomatic circles, particularly in India. His maternal grandfather held a high position in the East India Company and paved the way for the success of other Elphinstones, notably Mountstuart Elphinstone, Governor of Bombay, and the thirteenth Lord Elphinstone, Governor of Madras and later Bombay. This extensive family network helped George Malcolm to travel widely and to move easily in the highest social circles

In August 1830 he joined the 7th (Royal Fusiliers) as ensign and two weeks later went as second lieutenant to the Rifle Brigade. In July 1833 he became lieutenant and in March 1834 exchanged into the 50th (The Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot joining a detachment assigned convict duty to New South Wales. He left Chatham on 17 August 1834 to board the convict transport Henry Porcher and at Sheerness witnessed the arrival of two hundred and fifty male convicts.

Malcolm spent over a year in New South Wales travelling extensively. In September 1836 he obtained leave from his Regiment to return home and continued his travels through India, Persia and Turkey where he died in 1837.

His younger brother was William Elphinstone Malcolm born in December 1817. He attended Trinity College, Cambridge, and graduated D.L.M.A. He succeeded as the surviving son in 1838.

Item 1
Account of voyage to Sydney, travels in New South Wales and in India and Persia
17 August 1834-1 January 1835, record of daily life on board the convict ship Henry Porcher, sailing from Sheerness to Sydney. Entries describe rations, floggings, deaths and illnesses, relations between military and crew and the writer's efforts to remain in good health. He keeps occupied in his private cabin studying French and mathematics, teaching the drummer boy and caring for his dogs
January 1835-September 1836, at Sydney Malcolm continues his journal as a record of occurrences worth mentioning. It includes descriptions of travels, to Windsor, the Regiment's headquarter, Parramatta, Newcastle and Camden, social functions, pastimes and military duties. He acts as juror in the Supreme Court and spends six weeks in the Hunter Valley region where he visits James Bowman at Ravensworth, the Scotts at Glendon and the Dumaresq brothers. In January 1836 he is appointed to the mounted police and accepts the position of visiting magistrate to the counties of King and Georgiana. He tours the countryside from Bathurst and, in April, leads his party in the capture of the bushranger Truman. After his resignation he rejoins his Regiment at Windsor in September. He is granted eighteen months leave and arranges his departure for Madras.

12 October 1836-15 July 1837, the final section of the journal is in a later hand 'copied from a pocket book written in pencil.' It contains descriptions of Madras, Hyderabad, Poona, Bombay, Persia and Turkey. On 13 July Malcolm sails from Trebisond in the Austrian steam boat Ferdinand

Item 2
'Account of a six week tour in the district of Hunter River, October 9th 1834 [i.e. 1835] to Nov'

Item 3
Autograph letter signed to his brother William Elphinstone Malcolm, Trinity College, Cambridge, written in Bombay, February 1837

Front endpapers inscribed and signed 'George P. Malcolm Lieut 50th Regt Henry Porcher 1834 August'

Information transferred from Manuscripts Leaf Catalogue No. 1 (5-573 C) as part of the eRecords Project, 2010-2011

Keyword subjects:
Turkey -- Description and travel
Iran -- Description and travel