John Grant - Letter to mother and sister, 2-22 May 1804

Component identifier:

Item 14

Content Summary:

20 pages, describing voyage on Coromandel (Captain Robinson). Leaves Portsmouth some time shortly before 1 January 1804. (Grant appears to have had a privileged passage, being accepted, presumably because of his education and social position, as one of the Captain's staff, and sleeping and messing in their quarters. His main function appears to have been keeping five journals for the Captain.)

He entertains ideas of joining forces with Robert Campbell - "of trying to open a connection with India". (Robert Campbell b. Scotland 1769, d. 1846 on the Limestone Plains, now Canberra).

In this letter of May 1804, Grant has presented his letters of introduction to Judge Atkins and Major Johnston. Appears to be in line for the post of secretary to Atkins, but is kept standing still until the letters from England regarding him are received by Governor King. These letters are coming on the ship Experiment carrying women convicts and due to arrive at the same time or shortly after the Coromandel. In the meantime Grant seems to have a free hand, visits Atkins freely, and continues to sleep in the ship. Mrs. Atkins thinks he might be given a free pardon in the following month. The letter was taken to Bengal by Dr. Fielding on the Mersey and fortnight after arrival in Sydney, for on forwarding through brother Samuel Grant in India.)

Immediate source of acquisition:

The collection was discovered in the vaults of Lloyd's Bank in London by Mr W.S. Hill-Reid. Mr Hill-Reid used the documents as the basis for his book John Grant's journey : a convict's story, 1803-1811 (London : Heinemann, 1957). The collection was acquired by the Library in 1957. Yvonne Cramer later used the papers for her book This beauteous, wicked place : the letters and journals of John Grant, gentleman convict. (Canberra : National Library of Australia, 2000).

Names:

Cramer, Yvonne

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