Diary of a trip to Australia 1897

However, his range was evidently wider than the diary alone would indicate. A pencil and wash view of Melbourne from the Yarra bank is among a small body of papers accompanying the volume held by the Library. Van Sommer seems to have lacked confidence as an artist for he often talks of being unable to decide on a subject, of attempting something but finding it too difficult, or of being unable to finish. He tired easily and ill health may have affected his ability to bring his work to a satisfactory conclusion.

The brothers received an invitation to visit the pastoralist Niel Black at his property in the Western District. On New Year's Eve they travelled by boat to Geelong, spent a few days there, and then went on by train to Colac. From there, they travelled by coach, arriving at Mount Noorat on 6 January This visit proved to be the highlight of their Australian holiday. The good food and fresh air of the country helped William to put on weight and gain strength.

While James went out horse riding and kangaroo shooting with Black's sons, Niel and Steuart, William stayed close to the house and engaged in quieter pursuits. In his neat hand, he labelled the younger Niel Black's egg collection and sketched in his diary. In the afternoon I made a sketch of the house and country from a little way up the hill behind. Some subjects defeated him.

Guide to the Diaries and travel guides of John Edward Hodgkin

The Van Sommers began their return journey to Melbourne on 17 January. They toured Tasmania and spent a pleasant few days with the O'Connor family at Connorville, View page. Alexander Goodall, also in delicate health, was not so fortunate, although he made the most of his short life. Born in Mortlake in Western Victoria in , he documented his life in a series of four distinctive diaries held by the Library, covering the years —, , and Goodall left school in to work at the Post and Telegraph Office, firstly in Mortlake, then in Rochester and Geelong.

He contracted tuberculosis and married his nurse, Marguerite Helene Favarger, in Geelong in October Just five months later, he succumbed to the disease and died in Bendigo on 28 February The volume for — appears to be the first he wrote. It begins with an account of his life up to that date, particularly after he left home to work in Rochester.

His strong ties to his family in Mortlake are evident throughout the diaries. He left the town in for a warmer climate when his lungs began to cause trouble. He was unhappy in Rochester at first: This part of the volume is not illustrated at all. The more practised a diarist he became, the more Goodall represented his experiences in visual form.

In the later diaries, comic portraits and scenes from his busy life are interwoven with the text. He attended lectures and participated in debates at St Paul's Church Union in Geelong, read a good deal, and looked for his father's long lost relatives in the English post office directories at the Public Library in Melbourne. He drew pictures of the books he was reading with author and title on the front cover.

He attended night school to learn book keeping and depicted himself sitting studiously at his desk. On the lighter side, he enjoyed playing cards, watching football matches and entertaining friends. Late in , he acquired a bicycle and the diary for shows him cycling long distances on his days off, sometimes as far as the family home in Mortlake.

1. Found at these bookshops!
2. Evelyn Louise Nicholson.
3. Diaries and travel guides of John Edward Hodgkin;
4. Diary of a trip to Australia 1897.
5. Illustrated diaries in the Australian Manuscripts Collection - No 58 Spring - La Trobe Journal?
6. Portrait of a Chair: A Novel.

In his quieter moments, though, the illustrations cease and the volumes end with a few pages of reflections on the year that has passed, particularly as it has affected himself and his family. He expresses regret at having to finish the volume which has been his close companion for so long. Diary keeping was so important to him that it seems likely that he continued after However, the whereabouts of any later volumes are unknown. These are some of the most delightful illustrated diaries held in the Australian View page.

William Van Sommer would surely have applauded our efforts to improve the catalogue. Knowledgeable staff will always be needed to acquire, arrange, describe, and conduct research on collections of rare and original material. The more comprehensive and widely available the catalogue becomes, however, the more researchers will be able to help themselves to the information contained in those collections.

Appendix Illustrated diaries in the Australian Manuscripts Collection. Diaries, 1 May —4 November Original ms; photographs; printed ephemera and press cuttings. Original ms; pen and ink sketches. Original ms; photographs; printed ephemera; pen and ink, pencil and watercolour sketches.

Diary of a trip to New Zealand, 10 January [March] Original ms; pencil, watercolour, and pen and ink and wash sketches.

No 58 Spring 1996

A good deal of our time in Sydney was spent in various offices, re tickets, steamers, luggage etc, also we presented all the letters of introduction we brought. He also called on Mr Knox which he returned, finding me in. It is a huge building. We went up in the lift to the top, passing floor after floor, some empty, some full of huge bales of "dumped" wool.

Statham shewed us the machinery where this was done, also the engine rooms where the amonia freezing process causes the engines to be covered with snow. In several places a valve causes one side to be covered with snow, while the other is so hot you could not bear your hand on it. There is a huge store, where the sheep are frozen, after being run in along a rail at a certain height above the floor.

It was a brilliantly fine day, the water blue, and enough clouds to make effective shadows on the more distant hills. The effects at sunset are lovely, especially as the features one could dispense with, such as the numbers of villas that spoil the appearance of some of the most beautiful bays--are then veiled in a mysterious golden light.

She had not got into her house yet, but wanted us to come there on our return.

Diary of a trip to Australia

She deprecated our going to the Corlettes, as she said we should not be comfortable, however we were, in an Australian way. As a punishment poor Charlie got bitten by the Corlettes's horse "Charlie", a whaler of uncertain temper. At the Corlettes, as in most Australian houses, you are drinking some hot beverage or other all day long--viz 7 times. Tregarthen Lady Manning's daughter, with whom she was staying in Rose Bay. Co the "Eurimbla" leaving on Saturday at 2 p. Tregarthen's, Pater's old House "Lindsay" in a lovely position with garden down to the water's edge.

There are houses all the way to Rose Bay, now.

Hamilton Turner at Rockhampton, both also in Dalgettys n. Moore is the head of the Shaw Savill Dept. In the morning we had gone to a little opal shop where I bought four, and also plunged in the way of being photographed at the celebrated Crown Studios. Coogee is a small place with a big House belonging to the Cardinal, a large number of provision shops and--the Ocean Beach, a sandy shore where we sat and watched the sea as long as we dared.

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We were very happy, sitting in the half darkness, watching the numberless lights reflected in the water, especially so, as the next day we would really be off and near the end of our long journey. He has most excellent quarters, a large airy flat, the top Storey of the Bank of N. Saturday morning was spent in going to say good bye to Mr. The faithful Thomas was awaiting us with a pile of letters, among others a note from Lady Manning begging us to come or not, just as suited us best. We thought it the only chance of seeing her, so depositing some of our luggage at the Bank we drove straight to Macleay Street, where we met with a warm welcome.

I went out with Charlie after breakfast, and brought back the letters from the Bank. I answered as many as I could. The news from home was delightful to get: It quite cheered me up, we had been so long without news. We both like him so much. In the afternoon we went with Lady M. In the evening we dined with Knoxes. It was all done at last and taken on board our ship the "Monowai". Project Gutenberg Australia a treasure-trove of literature treasure found hidden with no evidence of ownership.