Edmund Besley Court Kennedy and Alfred Allatson Turner collection

Men at the Soak, ink on paper, annotated in ink on verso by Alfred A. Turner: ‘Sketch by poor Kennedy, A.A.T [Arthur Allatson Turner]'

Three Aboriginal Heads, pencil sketch on paper, old folds, small loss on bottom left corner, in the hand of Edmund Kennedy.

Ink sketch of John [Kennedy?] likely to have been created by his brother Edmund Kennedy.

Ink and pencil sketch or caricatures of European men's heads, decorated in the centre with a red and green 'capital P'. The reverse are directions for a journey in the 'County of King' - King County was one of the original Nineteen Counties in New South Wales, taking in Crookwell, Rocky Creek Bridge, Campbell's River and other localities. The item appears to have been torn from a notebook.

Ink drawing of two gentlemen discussing finances in front of a library. It is captioned: I'm always atroubling you Sir, but will you settle that small amount? D__n me I told you Six Months ago, I could not Pay it. On the reverse: This is a sketch by poor Kennedy. Signed A.A.T. [Arthur Allatson Turner]

Line drawing showing two perspectives of an European style building with balcony and columns. On the reverse is a sketch of a boat. The item is accompanied by a note presumably by the famiy stating that is presumably by Edmund Kennedy.

Original letter written to Mrs Sarah Turner by Edmund Kennedy while on an expedition as second-in-command under Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1845. Headed 'Camp on the Bogan' he writes "since we left Boree everything has gone on most smoothly. Sir Thomas has not positively found one fault and interferes in nothing but the course of our travel”; "the temperature is 109 in the tent and with a draught as if out of a furnace”, "the bullocks are panting along one dropped dead yesterday”.

It consists of 3 pages on one folded sheet, small quarto, old folds and splits, the paper cropped under the signature.

Letter [draft] undated, in reply to one dated 3 July (likely date is August 1848) written by Alfred Turner to an unnamed recipient, signed twice by Turner, giving a personal account of the country encountered in the expedition, meetings with the existing inhabitants, and the potential for settlement of the region.

Poem and accompanying note, which is said to have been found in the pocket of 'Thomas Mitchell' who died at Weymouth Bay, on 22 December 1848, a member of Kennedy's ill-fated expedition to Cape York.

This Thomas Mitchell (not the Surveyor-General) was a former member of the Turner household. The poem begins: "Thou hast left me to my sorrow and withdrawn thy love from me". The note incorrectly states the year of Mitchell's death as 1849.

Letter [draft] written by Alfred Turner addressed to the Colonial Secretary, in reply to his of the 30th July, requesting a tracing of Kennedy’s map for reference.

Pencil note which includes several addresses including: John Campbell Kennedy, Ayrshire, Scotland; Secretary for Army Historical Research, Whitehall, London; Thomas Smith, Secretary of the Guildhall Library London; and on the reverse, a sketch of an arm holding a sword.

Letter from Mary Ann Kennedy, Bath, England, responding to King Barton, Sydney (second husband of Sarah Turner).

In it she writes thanking him for his efforts to assist Miss (Margaret) Murphy with whom her brother Edmund had an affair and who bore his daughter; his advise on the possible employment of her youngest brother Richard in Australia; and asks to be advised if Jackey Jackey (a member of the 1848 expedition) was in need of anything.

Letter from Dr James Jamieson, Milton, NSW to Edgar Beale, offering him a number of artefacts that related to Edmund Kennedy. They included: a wooden box, salt spoon, sugar tongs, wooden seal, silver drinking cup, two telescopes (small), one the same as he is holding in the photograph, also a pocket watch.

Letter from Dr James Jamieson, Milton, NSW to Edgar Beale, thanking him for the article on Edmund Kennedy and suggesting he write an Australian historical novel on the same.

Manuscript notebook associated with an expedition commanded by Sir Thomas Mitchell, and accompanied by Edmund Kennedy as second in command, exploring country in northern Queensland intended to discover an overland route to Port Essington. The notebook begins 7 April 1846 "from Peg at Camp 1, no. 4 on a creek abt 1 mile west of the Balonne".

The pencilled text is principally measurements, with notes of vegetation and natural features such as: myall scrub, white gum forest, pines with iron bark, sand, swamps. It appears to be a continuation of the accompanying second notebook [Item 54] which is undated.

Accompanying notebook that includes faint survey entries on approx. 20 of its pages, the remainder appear to have been erased before being overwritten with study notes of Latin, arithmetic calculations and scribble.

Page numbering has been added later by Edward Beale. The outer board bears the just legible name of E.H. Turner, Woolongong.

Journal of Edmund Kennedy's expedition, 1847

Edmund Kennedy was second-in-command of Sir Thomas Mitchell's expedition in 1846 to find a route to the Gulf of Carpentaria. On their return Mitchell suggested that Kennedy should be sent to explore the course of the Victoria River (now the Barcoo) believing that it flowed into the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Expedition to ascertain the course of the River Victoria

Kennedy who volunteered to lead this expedition, with a small party of eight men, including his friend Alfred Turner, an Aboriginal guide named Harry, pack-horses and spring carts, left Sydney on 13 March 1847 on their quest to discover of a practical route to the Gulf of Carpentaria. They retraced the tracks of Mitchell to his furtherest point on the 'Victoria' River, and later found that it flowed south-west to become part of Cooper's Creek.

Kennedy renamed the 'Victoria' the Barcoo, and discovered and named the Thomson River. He then traced the Warrego River down until its waters gave out, then crossed south-east to the Culgoa, and back to Sydney arriving on 7 February 1848.

The expedition is partially described by Kennedy in this folio journal, the entries begin on 1 April 1847, eighteen days after leaving Parramatta, NSW and finish mid-sentence on 13 November 1847.

A transcription is available in the work by Edgar Beale / Kennedy: the Barcoo and beyond held in this collection and elsewhere, along with the full account published in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. XIX, pages 193-199.

In 1848 Kennedy was once again despatched with a party of eleven men, and an Aboriginal guide named Jackey Jackey "for the further exploring of the northern portion of this colony, from Rockingham Bay to Cape York expedition" however this was ill-fated and ended in his death. William Carron (botanist and gardener) who was a survivor of the expedition, published an account titled: Narrative of an expedition undertaken under the direction of the late Mr. Assistant Surveyor E.B. Kennedy, for the exploration of the country lying between Rockingham Bay and Cape York in 1849.

Small notebook relating to an expedition to determine the course of the ‘Victoria’ River. Entries begin 13 March 1847 and finish 23 August 1847.

Alfred Turner describes daily progress of the expedition commencing from Parramatta, NSW, 13 March 1847, included are comments on other members of the expedition, E.B.C. Kennedy, Thomas Wall, Charles Niblet, John Douglas, William Welsh, William Castigan and James Luff.

Second notebook relating to an expedition to determine the course of the Victoria River. Entries are from 16 November to 25 December 1847.

The book in reverse also contains Alfred Turner's notes on: horses in drought; country travelled by Kennedy; the Maranoa district; Warrego country and Victoria plains; First Nations people; and notes on Kennedy's fate in August 1848.

Journal kept during an expedition to determine the course of the Victoria River, 1847

This working draft of the 1847 expedition narrative, shows alterations, deletions, and corrections. The text is written in an exercise book of 80 pages (numbered by the author to page 29), the final 16 pages being inserted and loosely sewn.

Turner describes the entire journey commencing on 13th March 1847 and arriving back on 7 February 1848.

Journal kept during an expedition to determine the course of the Victoria River, 1847

This fair copy of the 1847 expedition narrative, generally repeats the draft and is “more carefully expressed” (Beale p. 98). This text contains wide margins in which Alfred Turner has written considerable supplementary detail. 

Plan of Edward Kennedy’s return routes via the Warrego and Culgoa Rivers to the Barwan [Barwon?]. Signed Edmond Kennedy, Assistant Surveyor, February 1848 - it consists of a fragmented and distressed tracing laid to fine linen (two pieces of fabric joined).

Tracing probably made by Edmund Kennedy from John Arrowsmith's map of 1838, of his own journey in 1847, showing co-ordinates for the Tropic of Capricorn and a large portion of north and central Queensland, and includes the rivers - Thomson, Victoria, and Warrego.

The map by John Arrowsmith was based on the map of south eastern Australia produced by Thomas Mitchell, and the three pioneer expeditions he led over the period 1831-1836.

Tracing in pencil, very feint, unidentified location of proposed? urban development, and presumed to be by Edmund Kennedy, a trained surveyor.

Large antique English brass three-draw expanding telescope, with leather braiding and dust slides. The item is similar to the one held by Kennedy in his studio portrait [refer Item 43].

Small antique English brass two-draw expanding telescope with dust slides. Housed in cardboard box stamped 'William Farmer & Co' jewellers, silversmiths; Hunter Street, Sydney with protective cloth. Provenance of box unknown. Provenance of telescope unknown.

Small antique English brass six-draw telescope by Davis of Derby in a plush lined leather covered instrument box.

Antique Swiss open face pocket watch c.1840 in an 18ct gold case engraved for King Barton, Kennedy’s friend and executor, and presented by Kennedy’s relatives. It includes a cloth bag, leather pocket and separate winding tool.  The watch, which opens from the back near the loop, is inscribed to: "King Barton Esq. from the relations of the late E.B.C. Kennedy in token of their grateful appreciation of his faithful friendship"

Silver handled carving knife and fork (probably French) together with a separate simple styled fork (? English)

English sterling silver sugar tongs.

English sterling silver salt spoon with family crest.

Silver plate beaker, no engravings.

English sterling silver christening mug (inscribed E.B.C.K). The object is accompanied by two notes attesting to its history. The first written by Edward H. Turner; the second by Edgar Beale, 1961.

Two notes attesting to the silver christening mug's history. The first written by Edward H. Turner; the second by Edgar Beale, 1961.

Red seal mounted on card which states: Ivory seal made for the Solicitor General of New South Wales, by an obscure umbrella-maker and ivory turner, later famous as Sir Henry Parkes. [Provenance and authenticity unknown]

Carved wooden family seal. [Provenance and authenticity unknown]

Leather card case, containing Edmund Kennedy’s visiting card.

Sarah Turner’s calling card with her address of 50 Macquarie Street [Sydney].

Silk “housewife’’ or portable sewing kit, embroidered ‘E.B. Kennedy’ which contains a pin cushion and a fragmented doily with two needles.

Cotton handkerchief with crest or initials embroidered on one corner.

Australian pine box in which several objects were preserved circa late 1880s and given to Edgar Beale by Dr James Jamieson in 1949.

Ambrotype (c.1858) in wooden case of Alfred Allatson Turner, born Calais, France 1827 died Woollongong, NSW 1895.

Two copies of a tintype (c.1885) of Alfred Allaston Turner taken by Lamaire's Studio, Sydney.

Cabinet card style photograph of:

Mrs Sarah Barton, formerly Turner at right and her friend Mrs Hopkins of 'Benares' at left. Built in 1850, 'Benares' was a brick Georgian style house, located in Cleveland Road, West Dapto.

Included is a portion of a positive black-and-white reproduction of the image, and a negative.

Carte-de-visite style photograph described as: photograph of self portrait, assumed to be of Edmund Kennedy holding a telescope.

Handwritten notes relating to the photographs of Alfred Turner giving biographical details of Alfred Turner and his family.

Signed copy (no. 262) of work by Edgar Beale, titled: Kennedy: The Barcoo and Beyond, 1847. The journals of Edmund Besley Court Kennedy and Alfred Allaston Turner, with new information on Kennedy's life. Published: Hobart, Blubber Head Press, 1983.

Miniature volume titled 'Gems from British Poets. Sacred and Serious', second edition, published in London by Robert Tyas, in 1839. Inscribed by Mary Ann Kennedy (his mother, or sister of the same name)

Miniature volume titled 'Gems from British Poets. Beauties of Shakespeare, published in London by Robert Tyas, in 1839. Inscribed by Mary Ann Kennedy (his mother, or sister of the same name).

Excerpt from The New South Wales Magazine; or Journal of general politics, literature, science, and the arts - the State and Prospects of New South Wales, "Jasoniana" published in July 1843, 6 pages p.301-306

Heads of the people : an illustrated journal of literature, whims, and oddities, v.2 no.19, published 19 February 1848, which gives an account of Assistant Surveyor Edmund Kennedy's expedition to the Victoria River. Also included is a sketch of Edmund Kennedy, as Government surveyor. 3 sheets.

Newsletter of the Royal Society of New South Wales, no.49 July 1980

Newsletter of the Royal Society of New South Wales, no.66 June 1982