Manuscript logbook by midshipman Alexander Dickson of HMS Plantagenet under the command of former First Fleet officer William Bradley, 1807-1808

MLMSS 9942

fonds

1382349

0.16 metres of textual material (1 box) - 16.4 x 11.5 cm - manuscript

William Bradley (1758–13 March 1833) was a British naval officer and cartographer who was one of the officers who participated in the First Fleet to Australia. During this expedition, Bradley undertook extensive surveys and became one of the first of the settlers to establish relations with the Aborigines, with whom he struck up a dialogue and whose customs and nature he studied extensively. On arrival he joined John Hunter on his ship Sirius, in extensive survey operations along the Sydney harbour coastline, and later, on a further expedition was shipwrecked at Norfolk Island for eleven months.

During the Napoleonic Wars Bradley took command of the ship of the line HMS Plantagenet, on convoy and blockade (of the French fleet) duties in the channel. He had to give up this command to his first lieutenant, probably in 1809, owing to 'the unsettled state of [his] mind', but in 1810 was appointed to the impress service at Cowes and on 22 September 1812 was promoted rear admiral of the Blue and superannuated. In later years he suffered from mental illness and was arrested and sent in to exile for an attempted fraud on the postal authorities.

There is no information directly available on midshipman Alexander Dickson.

References: Compiled from the collection

An autographed leather bound logbook of the proceedings on board HMS Plantagenet, 8th August 1807 - 29th February 1808, under the command of Captain William Bradley. Includes 105 leaves, a title-page decorated by the author, an engraved portrait of Sidney Smith tipped-in the front, a blind-stamped crest on title and bookplate, and a folding engraved map of Europe by John Lodge tipped-in at end.
The logbook forms an immediate record of the British navy at war and as the Plantagenet was one of nine ships to form the Lisbon blockade it offers particular insight into this event during the Napoleonic wars. It details weather, daily movements, supplies, and the names of vessels joining and departing the blockade. The log is also a primary source connected with the naval career of William Bradley, whose earlier journals documenting the First Fleet and his work on the coasts and Aborigines of the Sydney area which include surveys, charts, personal observations and sketches, and are all of high historical significance.

Copyright status:: In copyright
Research & study copies allowed: Author has been deceased for more than 50 years
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales