THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Series Two: The Papers of Sir Joseph Banks, 1743-1820

Part 4: Correspondence and Papers relating to
Voyages of Discovery, 1768-1820, from the State Library of New South Wales

The first three parts of this series made available the British Library’s rich holdings relating to Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820). These included not only the largest surviving collection of his correspondence, but also original narratives of the expeditions of Anson, Cook, Flinders, Franklin, Park, Vancouver and others.

This fourth part offers complete coverage of Sir Joseph Banks’ papers from the State Library of New South Wales, together with further materials concerning Voyages of Discovery, 1768-1820. Highlights of the collection are:

 - The Endeavour Journal of Joseph Banks, 25 August 1768 - 12 July 1771
  - Papers concerning Banks’ preparations for the second Pacific voyage, including details of provisions, and Banks’ draft of a letter to the Earl of Sandwich (37 pages in total) concerning his decision not to go on the second voyage.
  - Letters from James Cook and Charles Clerke to Banks concerning the second Pacific voyage in HM ships Resolution and Adventure, 1772-1775, and the third Pacific voyage in HM ships Resolution and Discovery, 1776-1779.
  - Letters between Banks and the multitude of gardeners and collectors that he despatched around the globe to collect plants and specimens for him. This includes correspondence with David Burton, 1790-1794, George Caley, 1795-1814 , Peter Good, 1794, Francis Masson, 1776-1805, Christopher Smith, 1795-1801, and William Wright, c1782-1793, as well as Banks’ "Rules for Collecting and preserving Specimens of plants" and various plant and specimen lists.
  - Correspondence concerning the outfitting of HMS Porpoise for a voyage to Australia.
  - Correspondence concerning the social and economic development of Australia, including proposals for transporting convicts, plans to excavate coal in New South Wales, applications for free passage, and letters from William Kent, Arthur Phillip, John Hunter, William Bligh and Lachlan Macquarie.
  - Records of the first (mutinous) and second (successful) Breadfruit voyages of William Bligh aboard HMS Bounty. These include the Log of HMS Bounty and Bligh’s own handwritten account of the mutiny and his epic voyage in the launch, written for Banks
  - Papers concerning the voyage of Vancouver and Menzies to the West coast of America aboard the Chatham and Discovery, 1791-1795.
  - Records of the voyages of Matthew Flinders, 1800-1808, with letters about his imprisonment on the Isle de France, accounts of the wrecks of the Cato and Porpoise, and much on the voyage of HMS Investigator (including the ship’s log - 2 volumes).
  - Papers concerning the discovery of Pitcairn Island and the Bounty mutineers, 1808-1815.

Other items include Banks’ Journal of an excursion to Chatham, Rochester, Sheerness and Sheppey, Jan-Mar 1767; Banks’ Journal of a tour in Holland, Feb-Mar 1773; papers concerning the publication by Comte Louis de Lauraguais of Banks’ abstract account of the Endeavour voyage, 1772; correspondence between Banks and Bligh while the latter was commander of HM ships Calcutta, Director, Glutton, Irresistable and Warrior; papers concerning the publication of the account of Lord Macartney’s Embassy to China, 1792; general correspondence of Sir Joseph Banks, 1773-1819; papers written by Banks; records concerning his Lincolnshire Estates; and letters of Sarah Sophia Banks, 1773-4 & 1779, and Lady Dorothea Banks, 1817-1822.

The papers are drawn from the collections of both the Mitchell and Dixson Libraries, held at the State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. The Mitchell Library is based on the personal collection of books, maps, and manuscripts of David Scott Mitchell, relating to Australia and the Pacific, and was bequeathed to the State Library of New South Wales in 1907. The Dixson Library is based on the smaller personal collection of Sir William Dixson, bequeathed to the people of New South Wales in 1959. Together they form the Australian Research Collections at the State Library of New South Wales, and total 9,000 linear metres of manuscripts, over a million pictures and photographs, hundreds of thousands of maps, and more than half a million printed items.

All of the items reproduced here are unique manuscript materials held by State Library of New South Wales. They were identified through a thorough survey of the Australian Research Collections carried out by the Library in the early 1990’s. This is the first time that they have been made available in a comprehensive microfilm publication.

This material provides an important complement to the Banks papers covered in Parts 1-3 of this series. It sheds light on many of Banks’ projects and activities and is especially strong for the three voyages of Captain Cook and early Pacific exploration; Banks’ botanical interests - gathering plant specimens from all over the world and pioneering the translocation of fruits and crops to different regions; and the settlement and colonial government of Australia. As such it is a valuable source for exploration, discovery and empire and world history.

As President of the Royal Society, 1778-1820, patron of exploration, and agricultural and industrial pioneer, Sir Joseph Banks (1743-1820) is a key figure in eighteenth and nineteenth century science. Access to his papers will enable scholars to discover much about the institutions, personalities and scientific breakthroughs of his time.