Guide to the Papers of Admiral John Lort Stokes (as filmed by the AJCP), 1804-1878

 

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Collection context

Summary

Collection number:
M3051-M3054
Creator:
Stokes, John Lort, Admiral, (1812-1885)
Extent:
49 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:
Not for loan
Access conditions:
Available for reference.

Background

Content Summary:
Logs, letter-books, correspondence and other papers concerning voyages of HMS Beagle, HMS Acheron and HMS Havannah. They refer to surveys of Northern Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. Correspondents include E.J. Eyre, P.P. King and J.S. Roe.
Biographical / Historical:

John Lort Stokes (1812-1885) was the second son of Henry Stokes of Scotchwell, Prembrokeshire. He entered the navy in 1824 as a 1st class volunteer in Prince Regent. In October 1825 he was appointed midshipman to Beagle. He served in Beagle for 18 years, surveying in South American and Australian waters under Stokes, Fitzroy and Wickham. When Clement Wickham (1798-1864) was invalided in March 1841 during the Australian Survey, Stokes took command and completed the mission. During the voyage, considerable additions to the knowledge of the North West Coast, of Torres Straits and the Arafura Sea were made, while the first adequate survey of the Bass Straits was also completed.

He married, first in 1841 Fanny Jane Marlay of Port Philip, daughter of Major Marlay of the 82nd Regiment. They had a daughter, Fanny Ann. Fanny Stokes died in 1848 and Stokes married Louisa Partridge (nee French).

Stokes remained unemployed from the return of Beagle in 1843 until promoted Captain in 1846 and given the command of the steam vessel Acheron, surveying New Zealand. The task had apparently been postponed on account of the Maori War, since the papers include instructions from the Hydrographer to A.B.Usborne, dated 1843. The survey lasted to 1851 when Stokes was recalled. It was expedited by use of a steamer, which appears to have been an experiment.

Stokes was again unemployed, although he appears to have accepted the leadership of an expedition into the interior of Australia in about 1854 which did not proceed.

His last employment was in the English Channel Survey, 1859 to 1863. He was promoted rear admiral in 1864, vice admiral 1871 and admiral 1877. He died on 11 June 1885 at his house, Scotchwell House, Haverfordwest.

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.
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)

Location of this collection:
Parkes Place
Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
Contact: