Guide to the Papers of John Dunmore Lang, 1823-1893

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Summary

Collection number:
MS 3267
Creator:
John Dunmore Lang
Extent:
2.76 metres and (12 archive boxes + 1 large folio box)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Dunmore Lang, National Library of Australia, MS 3267, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Availability:
Available
Access conditions:
Available for research. Not for loan.

Background

Content Summary:
The bulk of the material covers the period from Lang's arrival in Australia in 1823 to his death in 1878. About two thirds of the collection consists of correspondence on such areas as family letters, education, immigration, and the Scots Church. As well as the general correspondence, the collection includes sermons, lectures, speeches, accounts and receipts for the years 1830-1890, newspaper clippings, cards, invitations and pictorial material.
Biographical Note:

John Dunmore Lang, the son of William Lang and his wife, Mary Dunmore, was born in Greenock Scotland on 25 August 1799. He was educated at Largs and at the age of 12 entered Glasgow University, finishing an Arts course in 1815 and a Master of Arts in 1820. In 1820 he received from the presbytery of Irvine his licence to preach; he was ordained a Minister in September 1822 and obtained his Doctor of Divinity in 1825.

Lang sailed from Leith in "Andromeda" on 14 October, 1822, to establish Presbyterianism in Australia. He arrived in Sydney in May 1823 and soon gathered a congregation. He also set to work to obtain subscriptions to build a church, and the foundation stone of Scots Church was laid on 1 July 1824.

Lang made several voyages to England in order to encourage emigration and in 1831 for example he returned with 140 emigrants, chiefly Scottish mechanics and their families. On this voyage he also married his cousin Wilhelmina Mackie at the Cape of Good Hope.

From 1843-1847 he represented Port Phillip in the new Legislative Council; from 1850-1851 he represented Sydney; 1854-1856 Stanley (Moreton Bay); and from 1859-1869 West Sydney.

During his political career his interest in education never flagged; he opened the Australian College in Sydney in 1832. He also fought for the discontinuation of transportation and he defeated, mainly by ridicule, W.C. Wentworth's attempt to create an Australian peerage. Lang fought for responsible government, the separation of Victoria from New South Wales, a liberal franchise, land reform, triennial parliaments, postal reform and the abolition of state aid to religion. The most important of his many writings was his book, first published in 1834, entitled An Historical and Statistical Account of New South Wales.

In 1872, Lang's 50th year as a Minister, he was elected moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in New South Wales.

Lang died in Sydney on 8 August 1878 and was survived by his wife, a son and two daughters; seven other children had died earlier.

Immediate Source of Acquisition:

The Lang Papers came to the National Library with the Sir John Alexander Ferguson Collection.

Arrangement:

The collection is arranged in chronological order with undated letters last.

Indexed terms

Names:
John Dunmore Lang

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2624418) for the access conditions.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Preferred citation:
Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of John Dunmore Lang, National Library of Australia, MS 3267, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact:
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