Political papers comprising correspondence on naval, financial and colonial matters, including appointments, proposals for settlements in New Zealand, land grants, and activities of Henty Family in Van Diemen's Land. Correspondents include Lord Bathurst, R. Therry and Thomas Henty.
Autobiographical account of life in Mexico, Scotland, England and New South Wales, and manuscripts of The Physical and Historical Geography of Australia and Walks on Deck and Rambles on Shore during a Voyage of Circumnavigation of the Globe.
The material filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project includes: letters covering Meryon's schooling, English lessons, reading, his interest in a naval career, the death of his mother, his naval service, attendance at the Naval School at Brest, friends, his life at Toulon, experiences in the navy, travels including to New Zealand, financial difficulties, training and artwork, ideas for a novel, experiences during the 1848 Paris revolution, his illnesses and internment at the asylum at Charenton St Maurice (1858-59) and various sketches.
The papers all date from Goderich's second period at the Colonial Office. They mainly contain requests for appointments in the Australian colonies. Correspondents include Sir Richard Bourke, Ralph Darling, Judge John Stephen and Capt. W. Windeyer.
Selections from papers mainly relating to Bentham's interest in penal reform, his opposition to the transportation of convicts to Botany Bay, and his unsuccessful attempts over many years to persuade the Government to adopt his scheme of penitentiary houses (panopticons).
Letters written from Australia and Java, to his mother Ellen Woodbury (later Ellen Lloyd). They contain news of life in Australia, gold diggings in Victoria, establishment of photographic business in Melbourne, travels in Java, and photographs of East Indies.