The material filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project includes: Typescript copy of part of Loch's autobiography written in the 1890s and covering the years 1848-53 which describes his first visit to Australia and New Zealand in 1852-53; Diary 1884-86 kept by Emma Southgate, a maid of Lady Loch, describing the voyage to Australia on the Coptic; life at Government House Melbourne; and visits to Sydney, Adelaide.
The main part of the collection is 'Notes on My Life' 23 November 1848-2 July 1924, being detailed recollections of his life and the history of his family. There is also a small journal written in 1860, when he was 12; a newspaper cutting about his brother E.D. Hodgson; a pencil sketch of Head Station, Eton Vale 1841; and a printed map, with manuscript additions, of part of the Balonne and Dawson River basins of south-east Queensland, given by Ludwig Leichhardt to Sir Arthur Hodgson.
Diary September 1880-January 1881, kept while Pearson was a passenger aboard the Lady Jocelyn, travelling from Portsmouth to Auckland, and June-August 1881 on his return trip to England on the SS Chimborazo. The journal gives a detailed account of shipboard life, including domestic arrangements and entertainment arranged by the passengers. Pearson gives brief descriptions of Auckland and Melbourne. A typescript of the diary is included transcribed by Pearson's son.
Diary kept by Holmes on the journey to Australia on board the Earl Granville 13 December 1880-14 April 1881, and eight letters to his parents in Cambridge. The letters refer to life in Australia and family news. Also includes education certificate and memoriam for James Hall.
Written in a Lett's diary, it begins with Pettet's journey from Melbourne to Adelaide and Western Australia (exact port unknown). The diary continues along the Western Australian coast and onto Yeda Station, a Kimberley Pastoral Company property on the Fitzroy River, for shearing. His time at the station is covered, including an incident with some of the locals.
The first part of the diary (pp 1-50), dating from 24 October 1844 to 17 August 1845, contains entries of varying length recording Carter's departure from Portsmouth on the General Hewett, the weather and the seas, sighting of La Palma (Canary Islands), church services, incidents involving the crew and passengers, sighting of other ships, fishing and shooting, sightings of flying fish, albacore, whales, albatrosses and petrels, the funeral of a young woman passenger, the sighting of South West Cape of Van Diemen's Land, and the arrival at Port Jackson (9 February 1845). The subsequent entries cover Carter's brief stay in Sydney, meetings with his uncle and friends, his impressions of the town, his voyage to Broulee on the south coast, a visit to the home of John Hawdon, and a journey to the Monaro.
The material filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project includes: letters from Barlee to his brother, the Rev. William Barlee of Norwich; 61 letters written from British Honduras May 1877-August 1882, and three from Trinidad June-August 1884; 39 letters were written in England, September 1882-May 1884; notebook January-August 1884. Subjects covered include minor references to Australia, business interests, British politics, family matters and his work and travels in the colonies.
The collection features a 1924 diary kept by Rose Quong on a voyage from Melbourne to London and her early months in England, together with programs, cuttings, photographs and a letter from Basil Dean. Some of the cuttings refer to the play, 'The circle of chalk'. Amongst the photographs is a group photograph featuring Rose Quong with Ellen Terry and Laurence Olivier.