Guide to the Papers of John Brown (as filmed by AJCP), 1838-1851

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Summary

Collection number:

M849 - M850

Creator:

Brown, John

Extent:

88 items

Language:

English

Preferred citation:

Acknowledgement of use of this material should refer to the location of the original material and to the Australian Joint Copying Project.

Items from this collection should include references to the location of the original material and to the AJCP nla.obj number, which serves as the online identifier for the digital copy.

Example: M Series: Journal of Capt. James Cook, 18 February 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1234)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

The papers deal with the management of the properties of John Harris, emphasising the financial and legal aspects. Included is Brown's diary 1840-45 commencing with his departure from England for Australia and concluding with the return journey via Port Phillip and Valparaiso.

Biographical / Historical:

John Harris (1754-1839) was born at Moneymore, County Londonderry, Ireland. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh and in about 1779 he joined the Royal Navy as a ship's surgeon. In 1789 he was appointed surgeon's mate in the New South Wales Corps and he arrived in Sydney on the Surprize in 1790. In 1791 he was promoted to surgeon. Harris received a land grant at Parramatta and built the Experiment Farm Cottage. In 1800 he was appointed a magistrate, in 1801 he became the Naval Officer, and in 1803 he became deputy Judge Advocate. He was dismissed by Governor William Bligh in 1807 and subsequently took a prominent part in the Rum Rebellion. Harris left for England in 1809 where he resigned his commission. He returned to New South Wales in 1814 and settled down as one of the largest landowners in the colony. His Sydney home was Ultimo House and his main properties were at Parramatta (Harris Park) and Shane's Park at South Creek.

Harris's estate was said to be worth £150,000. He had no children and the bulk of his estate was bequeathed to his three brothers in Ireland, William, Robert and George. William sent his sons John and Thomas and Robert sent his son Robert to Sydney to look after their interests. George sent his son-in-law, John Brown, a farmer from Ballymulligan, near Moneymore. Brown was in Australia from July 1840 to September 1844, for the most part living at Experiment Farm Cottage, Parramatta. Together with Thomas Harris, he was especially concerned with the management of the Harris station at Killangan, near Yass.

George Harris died in March 1843 and his two brothers contested the claim of his three children to a third of John Harris's estate. A compromise was eventually reached in about 1852 and John Brown and his wife Margaret received legacies.

Access and use

Conditions Governing Access:: Available for Access.
Conditions Governing Use:: Many of the records digitised as part of the AJCP are still in copyright. Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the owner of the original material.