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Bird painting of a 'Black Cap Honeyeater' by Alfred May, otherwise known as Alf, who was the son of William May and lived most of his life on the property at Sandford to which he came with his family in 1874. The orchard on the property enjoyed a very good reputation, successfully exporting to London. Alf contributed to the hard work this entailed. He still found time to devote himself to other pursuits and discovered a very real artistic talent as can be seen in the examples of his bird paintings. Private Collection.

Bird painting of a 'Sooty Oystercatcher or Black Redbill' by Alfred May, otherwise known as Alf, who was the son of William May and lived most of his life on the property at Sandford to which he came with his family in 1874. The orchard on the property enjoyed a very good reputation, successfully exporting to London. Alf contributed to the hard work this entailed. He still found time to devote himself to other pursuits and discovered a very real artistic talent as can be seen in the examples of his bird paintings.Private collection.

Correspondence between Ferdinand von Mueller, Director of the Melbourne Botanical Gardens and Dr. George Fordyce Story, Tasmania. Story supplied Mueller with plants and in return Mueller gave him information about them. From Cotton Family Papers C7/72 - 85......Please note, the first letter: "Letter von Mueller to Story, 1867" has been previously transcribed and published in: "Regardfully Yours: Selected Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, vol II: 1860 - 1875" edited by R. W Home, A.M Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M Sinkora and J. H Vogit, p. 412 (UTAS Library reference: Science QK 31. M75 A4 1998 vol. 2). Letters transcribed by Sarah Clarkson, University of Tasmania.

Answers to Mr Ling Roth's questions about some of the supposed customs of the Tasmanian Aborigines by James Backhouse Walker. The headings are headstools, stone axes,mummifying dead persons, eating fish, canoes, catamarans, swimming and diving and religious ideas. W9/C4/1(26)

Letter from James Backhouse to Dr.George Story telling him how to keep plants alive for the journey from Tasmania to England. He also asks that the Friends deal 'tenderly' in the discipline matter of Abraham.

Notebook containing mainly gardening notes and information about the weather and its effect on health. Many notes about the cultivation of tulips and lists of seeds received from James Backhouse in 1835 which he collected in NSW and Norfolk Island. From Cotton Family Papers C7/101

Letters from Thomas Cotton in London to George Story including a copy of a letter from Sir W.J. Hooker of Kew Gardens who has received some seeds from Story via Cotton. He wishes to correspond with Story and obtain dried specimens of Tasmanian plants which would be valuable for his son's proposed publication Flora Tasmania. A second letter is about seeds Story sent to James Backhouse in Yorkshire.

Draft of a letter dated 13 May 1899 from James Backhouse Walker to Roth which discusses among other things the Aboriginal use of fire sticks and the Spectator's erroneous belief that they couldn't make fire.

George Washington Walker's certificate from the Hobart Meeting House (including Sarah Benson Walker) giving their blessing to his missions in Van Diemen's Land, New Holland, South Africa and elsewhere.

Concerns the struggles of Ann Benson Mather with her soul, illness and death in the family, emigration to VDL and a little about living there. Methodist rather than Quaker sensibilities. Married to Robert Mather and mother of Sarah who married George Washington Walker.

James Backhouse Walker's reminiscences of life in Hobart from the 1840s to the 1860s offering fascinating descriptions of Hobart buildings and life during that time.

Letters from Ann Mather to her husband Robert. She was in Lauderdale and he was setting up a business in Hobart Town.

Music score and Aboriginal words of 'Song of the Aborigines' arranged by Mrs. Logan. Henry LLoyd violinist, High Street West Parhran, Victoria. Private Deposit W9/C4/1(54)

William Lewis May, otherwise known as Lewis, was born in 1861 in South Australia, the eldest son of William and Mary May (nee Cotton) and together with the rest of his family created a fine orchard and homes in Sandford. He had many interests such as Egyptology, botany and gardening and traced the genealogical history of his own family. However it is for his shell collections that he is best known.For many years he concentrated on the study of shells amassing one of the best collections of English shells outside England and one of the best collections of Australian and Tasmanian shells in the world. He created exquisite drawings of shells which were published to illustrate his book on the subject. He also painted Tasmanian wildflowers and birds and found time to be Clerk of Monthly Meeting for 15 years, was on the Standing Committee of the Society and on the Committee of the Friends' High School.

Sarah Benson Walker's (nee Mather) notebook contains directions for collecting and preserving plants in foreign countries for a herbarium, for collecting zoological specimens and for collecting geological and mineralogical specimens for the British Museum.

Report sent to George Washington Walker in a letter from Threlkeld congratulating Walker on his recent marriage to Sarah Benson Mather. In the report he objects to the scientific assessment of aborigines because it denies the potential influence of God on their lives. Threlkeld is 'very much grieved at our want of spiritual success amongst the few remaining Aborigines'.

Pledge of total abstinence signed by Augustus Carp of the Dr. Syntax Hotel. The pledge is authorised by the Van Diemen's Land Total Abstinence Society of which George Washington Walker is the registrar.

A letter from Thomas Sharp, doctor to Francis Cotton, containing medical advice for Cotton who was too ill to travel to Hobart to see Sharp.

Letter from James Backhouse Walker to his granddaughter Linna Robey.

Phrenology report in 1856 by A.S. Hamilton on Francis Cotton who assumed the name William Thompson and the dress of a 'seafaring man ... so as to prevent if possible, any personal knowledge or bias through an oral report.'

Thank you letters for gifts of stirrups and a bit, from Howard and Edith Cotton, children of John Cotton, to 'Grandpa' (presumably Francis Cotton senior).

Poem on printed sheet for Sarah Benson Mather which has 'She was the fiancee of Edward O. Cotton and died on the day they were to be married' written on it. Photographs of E.O. Cotton and S.B. Mather. DX19/138(i), DX19/266(3)(4)

Letter from John and Elizabeth Franklin written from Bristol, dated 25th September 1852 asking for George Washington Walker's help in having their grandchild returned to them in England in the care of Captain Warwick, on the ship " Eliza" after her mother (Mrs Ferris) on a ticket of leave committed attempted murder in Melbourne.

Research by Edward Milligan into the history of Francis and Anna Maria Cotton's exclusion (disownment) from the Society of Friends entitled 'Notes from London Meeting (Devonshire House and Southwark) on Francis and Anna Maria Cotton'. The envelope is marked 'sealed until January 1989' with a note from the donor Nancie Hewitt 'to be put under seal for 15 years or until death of Margie Robey whichever is the sooner'.

Letter from M. D'Emden to George Washington Walker on 21 November 1836 asking for a loan of sixty pounds.

Part of an architectural drawing, possibly of the first Friends meeting house.

Francis Cotton's personal account of God's goodness to him, including his upbringing and his readmission to the Friends during Backhouse and Walker's mission.

Letter dated 22 June 1850 from Hamilton to George Washington Walker about the prospect of making tweed in Hobart.

Society for the Suppression of Vice subscription list, 1842.

Letter from the Finance Committee of the Total Abstinence Society to J.B. Mather and George Bell. It accuses George Washington Walker of misusing the Society's funds and then slandering it. On the outside of the letter under the heading 'Records of a Slanderer and an Ingrate' is a statement that it is a lie put about by Mather 'a man whom above most in the colony George Washington Walker has sought to befriend'.

Petition to the Legislative Council not to repeal an Act regulating the sale of alcohol and a letter concerning it from George Washington Walker to William Barnett. He wanted Barnett to get up a similar petition in his district, the Huon. In it he says the petitioners must understand what they sign, be adult (or old enough to understand) and male.

Thank-you letter to George Washington Walker expressing that 'such men as yourself ought to hold public office'. Senders signature hard to decipher.

Alfred May, otherwise known as Alf, was the son of William May and lived most of his life on the property at Sandford to which he came with his family in 1874. The orchard on the property enjoyed a very good reputation, successfully exporting to London. Alf contributed to the hard work this entailed. He still found time to devote himself to other pursuits and discovered a very real artistic talent as can be seen in the examples of his bird paintings. Private Collection.

A series of letters written in 1880 firstly from Isabella Walker to her mother Sarah regarding her engagement to Tom Crosby. Sarah gives her consent despite being unhappy because Tom is not a Friend. Charles Crosby writes to Sarah about Tom's character, Sarah replies and there are more letters from Sarah to Tom, a note from Sarah to James Backhouse Walker and Tom's reply to Sarah mentioning a promise to Isabella not to drink.

James Backhouse Walker's Diary for 1859 when he was 17 and the year his father died. Includes descriptions of New Year's celebrations, his appointment at the Hobart Savings Bank, and his plans for his daily routines sometimes missed through "sloth". Walker Collection W9/C3(5b)

Letters from Sarah Benson Walker to Cecilia Hunter asking to be given a table that her dead son Joe had made and Cecilia's reply.

Sarah Walker's letter to her cousin Charles Benson in which she tells him why the family emigrated and how her children have fared in Tasmania.

Sarah Benson Walker was the daughter of Methodists, Robert and Ann Mather, who joined the Quakers in 1834. That same year Sarah agreed to marry George Washinton Walker, despite once referring to him and James Backhouse as those 'pesky Quakers'. Sarah had ten children and served on Jane's Franklin's visiting committee to the Cascades Female Factory, and regularly participated in Monthly Meetings. Photograph titled Sarah Benson Walker's Dress - is Sarah Walker's grey Quaker dress (held by Society of Friends' Meeting House Collection). Photograph titled Detail of Handsewn Lining of dress - is a detailed close up of the dress' lining (held by Society of Friends' Meeting House Collection). Photograph titled Detail of Smocked front of dress - is a detailed close up of the smocking on the front of the dress (held by Society of Friends' Meeting House Collection). Biographical Text Source: Quaker Life in Tasmania: The First Hundred Years. Michael Bennett, University of Tasmania Library, 2007, p. 19.

George Washington Walker's journal of his voyage from South Africa to Van Diemen's Land and marriage to Sarah Benson Walker. Private Deposit W9/A2 (16)

Sarah Benson Walker was the daughter of Methodists, Robert and Ann Mather, who joined the Quakers in 1834. That same year Sarah agreed to marry George Washinton Walker, despite once referring to him and James Backhouse as those 'pesky Quakers'. Sarah had ten children and served on Jane's Franklin's visiting committee to the Cascades Female Factory, and regularly participated in Monthly Meetings. Photograph titled Sarah Benson Walker's shawl - is Sarah's shawl (held by Society of Friends' Meeting House Collection). Biographical Text Source: Quaker Life in Tasmania: The First Hundred Years. Michael Bennett, University of Tasmania Library, 2007, p. 19.

Letter to Reverend Clarke, former religious instructor to the aborigines on Flinders Island, from George Washington Walker. Walker wants Clarke to make his knowledge of the aborigines' 'capacity for improvement' more widely known.

Original Essays on Convict Discipline by Captain Alexander Maconochie, 1837, with observations addressed to Captain Maconochie on his proposed system of Convict Discipline by J. Backhouse and G.W. Walker, handwritten by the same person. These books about Maconochie do not refer to this source : J Barry, Alexander Maconochie of Norfolk Island:N Morris, Maconochie's Gentleman : J Clay, Maconochie's experiment. Private Deposit W10

James Backhouse's notes on writers on the subject of Tasmanian Aborigines including G.A. Robinson, Thirkell, R.H. Davies and James Scott, Milligan, Dove, Calder, Kelly, Backhouse, Bonwick, H.M.Hull, the French navigators Labillardiere and Peron, and the artists Thomas Bock and Duterreau.

'Notes on the Tasmanian aborigines by Mr. Edward Octavius Cotton of Kelvedon, near Swansea, East Coast of Tasmania' apparently in James Backhouse Walker's hand. It is among his research notes about the aborigines and explains how they made fire, and visited Maria Island using logs as transport. W9/C4/1 (11)

Sarah Benson Walker was the daughter of Methodists, Robert and Ann Mather, who joined the Quakers in 1834. That same year Sarah agreed to marry George Washinton Walker, despite once referring to him and James Backhouse as those 'pesky Quakers'. Sarah had ten children and served on Jane's Franklin's visiting committee to the Cascades Female Factory, and regularly participated in Monthly Meetings. Photograph titled Quaker Grey Crockery - is a part of the Quaker grey crockery set belonging to George Washington Walker and his wife Sarah (held by Society of Friends' Meeting House Collection). Biographical Text Source: Quaker Life in Tasmania: The First Hundred Years. Michael Bennett, University of Tasmania Library, 2007, p. 19.

A letter from Sarah Benson Walker thanking her niece Esther Robey for her gift of new shoes (held by University of Tasmania Library, Special and Rare Materials Collections). Biographical Text Source: Quaker Life in Tasmania: The First Hundred Years. Michael Bennett, University of Tasmania Library, 2007, p. 19.

Handwritten history of the Walker family by James Backhouse Walker in 1897. Written on the blank pages of a volume of the New Testament. Long Primer written on verso of frontispiece. Other branches of the Walker family included: Benson, Crawford, Mather families. This volume was kindly donated to the University of Tasmania Library Special and Rare Materials Collections by Mr B. B. (Jim) Walker and Mr. George Benson Walker. These notes were used by Peter Benson Walker when he wrote: All that we inherit : being family memorials of the Walkers and Mathers of Hobart, and the reminiscences and memories of James Backhouse Walker, and Sarah Benson Walker, the wife of George Washington Walker, banker, both of early Hobart Town, Van Diemen's Land / compiled and narrated by Peter Benson Walker. Hobart : J. Walch & Sons, 1968.

Photograph titled Mary Augusta Walker (1856 - 1952) - is of Mary wearing her mother's Quaker Dress

Letter from Jane Franklin to George Washington Walker inviting himself and Mrs Walker to the opening of the, soon to be completed, museum 'Ancanthe'. The museum, and about 500 acres of land, was entrusted to five members of the Tasmanian Society for a future college, the proceeds of the land to be used to maintain the museum and form a native arboretum. Membership requirements of the Society are outlined, being a combination of submission of a paper to the journal, a Tasmanian natural history object to the museum or a book to the library with connections to any of the Australian Colonies. Mention is made of the selection of articles from the tables at Government House prior to the sale, by Mrs Walker and some other ladies of the Tasmanian Society, one of which she is offering to her as a memorial to their association. The inscription in Latin and English on the cornerstone of the Museum is written at the end of the letter. The card with an engraving of Ancanthe, by the convict artist Thomas Bock, was given by Lady Franklin to those attending the opening of 'Ancanthe'. The inscription on the back by George Washington Walker reads, 'Presented by Lady Franklin on the eve of her departure from V. D. Land along with a token of remembrance to my wife, 25/10 mo. 1843. GWW' This card accompanied a vase given by Lady Franklin to Mrs. G. W. Walker. W9/A1/11

Sarah Benson Walker was the daughter of Methodists, Robert and Ann Mather, who joined the Quakers in 1934. That same year Sarah agreed to marry George Washinton Walker, despite once referring to him and James Backhouse as those 'pesky Quakers'. Sarah had ten children and served on Jane's Franklin's visiting committee to the Cascades Female Factory, and regularly participated in Monthly Meetings. Photograph titled Bakery bill for the Walker family, 1883 - is a bill for the Walker family from a Liverpool Street Bakery (held by University of Tasmania Library, Special and Rare Materials Collections). Biographical Text Source: Quaker Life in Tasmania: The First Hundred Years. Michael Bennett, University of Tasmania Library, 2007, p. 19.