Letter from William Fanning to William Leslie in Aberdeenshire, 6 May 1847

MLMSS 10265

fonds

6 May 1847

9583905

0.03 metres of textual material (1 folder) - manuscript

William Fanning (1816-1887) arrived in Sydney about 1842 and set up as a merchant importing teas from China and wine and spirits. Some three years later he acquired pastoral interests in the Wellington Valley. About this time he became involved in the financial affairs of William Leslie’s son, Patrick. who had arrived in 1835, to be followed by his brothers Walter and George a few years later. Patrick managed 'Collaroi', a sheep station owned by his uncle Walter Davidson near Cassilis before travelling overland in 1840 to the unexplored Darling Downs. With Walter he took up land there which became Canning Downs and Toolburra stations. The Leslies were the first settlers on the Darling Downs but the task of developing their property during a time of depression proved too difficult and despite trying to come to some arrangement with Davidson, to whom he was indebted, Patrick was ruined financially by 1844. A prolonged dispute ensued over Patrick’s debts which also involved Stuart Donaldson (later first premier of New South Wales) and the Leslies in Scotland.
References:
Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 2 (1967) & vol. 4 (1972), and Library correspondence file.

Collection of Captain T.G.S. Ward since 1965 or 1970; and then in a private Sydney collection.

Letter from William Fanning to William Leslie in Aberdeenshire, 6 May 1847. Three and a half pages, 25.2 x 20.2 cm, address panel with postal stamps, laid paper watermarked ‘Moinier’s Patent’, two small holes otherwise condition very good. Includes additional notes by collector Captain T.G.S. Ward.

Out of copyright: Author(s) died more than 70 years ago
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales