Identity area
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- 1822-1841 (Creation)
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Extent and medium
20 documents + 2 photocopies
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Name of creator
Biographical history
George Meredith (1777-1856), settler, was born on 13 February 1777 near Birmingham, England, the fourth son of John Meredith and his wife Sally, née Turner; his father was a prominent barrister and solicitor and descended from the ancient Amerydeth family of Devon and Wales. In 1796 Meredith was commissioned second lieutenant in the marines and later served in the West Indies, at the blockade of Ferrol in Spain and on the Mediterranean Station. At Alexandria in 1803 he made a daring ascent of Pompey's Pillar, a granite column 180 feet (55 m) high, to fasten the Union Jack in place of a French cap-of-liberty placed there by Napoleon's forces. In 1805 when recruiting in Berkshire he met and married Sarah, the daughter of H. W. Hicks. Next year he retired on half-pay and commenced farming at Newbury; later the family move to Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, and farmed there until 1819 when the post-war rural depression stimulated his interest in emigration. He then had two boys and three girls, the eldest being 13. For more information see : http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/meredith-george-2449
Name of creator
Biographical history
Second wife of George Meredith and mother to :• Henry (1821-1836) • John (1822-1909) • Maria (1822-1882) • Edwin (1827-1907) • Clara (1828-1904) • Fanny (1831-1910) • Rosina (1833-1858)
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Deposited by Mrs W V G Johnson Queensland 1962 & 1964 .
Also donated separately in May 2006 by Ian and Caroline Mackersey of Auckland New Zealand, photocopy of 'Memoir
of the late George Meredith' by his son, Edwin Meredith
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letters from George Meredith to his wife, Mary, his "confidant", from Hobart: journey from Hobart, stay at Jericho, Dickons & cattle (1822); John's folly, Gregson, Archer, Oyster Bay, law case, land grant, John to receive £100 for Mary, garden, fruit trees, prospects not as good as expected, privations for family, China silk to distribute [to children] according to "good behaviour list", discipline of family (1822-3); business, politics, bushranger Tilley etc. (2 Apr. 1825, Mar., Apr.1833); family: F. Champion requested sanction to pay addresses to daughter Sarah, G.M. asked wife to draft reply from a mother's point of view (28 Apr. 1825); bushrangers (1826); brickmaking (ND 1830s); "Billy Austin affair" (12 Feb. 1832); girls keeping house for George Meredith in town and hope Mrs Meredith would come to town to install them in their new residence (4 Sept 1832), Sarah and Miss Bell bridesmaids (8 Mar. 1833); Mary Meredith's "domestic complaints" but she was head of the house even if 2 of the daughters were married (30 Mar. 1833); Henry and John in town to get trousers, "dear little Fanny's" illness (3 Apr. 1833); garden, Charles to advise on farm in G.M.'s absence; friends and business associates: Dickons, Emmett, Gregson (pledged reformation of his habits, 3 Apr. 1833, got Scotch governess for his children, ND.), Poynter, Boyes; interview with Col. Arthur (ND.); Bryant: wife to Hobart, children to Orphan School (ND.). G.M. from Sydney: Mr Oxley, Major Goulburn (28 Mar. 1823). From Mary M.: the farm, merino flock, fat stock in prime condition (6 Mar. 1823 & ND.); expecting the Misses Hammond, schooner seen, men in custody in George Town, may yet recover the little gun, letter from Governor about grant, tender for stores (ND. ?1825).
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Available for research
Conditions governing reproduction
This material is made available for personal research and study purposes under the University of Tasmania Standard Copyright Licence. For any further use permission should be obtained from the copyright owners. For assistance please contact Special.Collections@utas.edu.au
When reusing this material, please cite the reference number and provide the following acknowledgement:
“Courtesy of the UTAS Library Special & Rare Collections”
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Finding aids
Original inventory and descriptive notes can be found at :https://eprints.utas.edu.au/22693/1/G4-meredith-papers.pdf
Existence and location of originals
Other Meredith papers which remained at Cambria until it was sold were deposited in the Archives Office of Tasmania (State Archves) by Miss Violet Mace in 1965 (including some which had previously been lent to the University). The Meredith (Mace) papers include further family correspondence similar to the Meredith (Johnson) papers and also include papers relating to the property, house plans, accounts, etc.
They also include Hammond/Grant papers relating to J.M. Hammond's property and Maria Hammond. NG123 MEREDITH FAMILY
A few odd papers were given to the Royal Society of Tasmania by various members of the family.
These include three letters of Louisa Ann (Twamley) Meredith (RS.33), a memoranda book of George
Meredith 1821 (RS.34) and two letters of George Meredith (RS.34,35).
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Dates of creation revision deletion
HE Jan 2018