Guide to the Journal of Arthur Bowes Smyth (as filmed by the AJCP), 1787-1789

Summary

Collection number:

M933

Creator:

Smyth, Arthur Bowes

Extent:

1 item

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-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-987654321)

Availability:

Available

Access conditions:

Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:

Describes the voyage of the First Fleet, Smyth's stay in Australia and his return voyage via Tahiti and China. Details are given of treatment of the women convicts during the voyage and events in the first three months of the new colony, including comments on the behaviour of convicts and marines, encounters with the Indigenous Australians and the fauna and flora of the mainland, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. Contains detailed lists of the ship's company, officers stationed in N.S.W., female convicts aboard the Lady Penrhyn together with a list of children on board.

Biographical / Historical:

Arthur Bowes Smyth (1750-1790), the son of a surgeon, was born in Tolleshunt D'Arcy, Essex. He practised as a surgeon in his home town at least between 1778 and 1783. In March 1787 he was appointed surgeon to the ship's company on the Lady Penhryn, one of the transports in the First Fleet, which carried 101 female convicts to New South Wales. He took charge of the prisoners on the ship when the convicts' surgeon fell ill at Tenerife. The Lady Penrhyn arrived at Botany Bay on 20 January 1788 and left the colony on 5 May 1788. During his brief stay, Smyth (who at this time was known as Arthur Bowes) collected natural history specimens and made some of the first sketches of Australian fauna, including a kangaroo and an emu. On the long voyage back to England, he visited Lord Howe Island, Tahiti, Macao, Canton and St Helena. He died a few months after his return.

Related

Existence and Location of Copies:

The original AJCP microfilm of the records filmed from this collection is available at the National Library of Australia [https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2239183] as well as other institutions holding AJCP microfilm.

Existence and Location of Originals:

The copy filmed by the AJCP was originally filmed at the British Library, 96 Euston Road, London. For more information see Journal of Arthur Bowes Smyth (http://searcharchives.bl.uk/IAMS_VU2:IAMS032-002104405). It was aquired by the British Library in 1953.

In addition to this copy, two others are known:

The original journal of Bowes Smyth is held by the National Library of Australia (Reference: MS 4568). The journal was purchased by the National Library of Australia in 1970. For more information see: Journal of Arthur Bowes Smyth at the National Library of Australia (https://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1837771). For a digitised copy see: Arthur Bowes Smyth at the National Library of Australia.

A 'fair copy', complied ca 1790 is held by the Mitchell Library (http://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110316318?_ga=2.148263095.1078143634.1539228278-1132199829.1532646375). It was aquired in 1915.

There are only slight textual differences between the three manuscripts, but the two copies have a number of drawings which are not in the original.The copy in the Mitchell Library was reproduced in Paul Fidlon and R.J. Ryan, eds. The journal of Arthur Bowes-Smyth: surgeon, Lady Penhryn, 1787-1789, Sydney, Australian Documents Library, 1979.

Conditions Governing Access:

Available for access.

Conditions Governing Use:

Readers wishing to publish or reproduce documents should seek permission, in the first instance, from the British Library. For more information visit: How I use the images I order?-The British Library [https://www.bl.uk/help/how-can-i-use-the-images-i-order].

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-23 September 1770, British Library Add. MS 27885 (AJCP ref: http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-987654321)

Location of this collection:

National Library of Australia

Parkes Place

Canberra ACT 2600, Australia

Contact:

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