John Miller Tregenza (1931-1999)
Papers
MSS 0049
Series 6: Materials collected for a projected publication on Cornish settlers in South Australia and Victoria (40 cm)
In 1975 John Tregenza visited Cornwall to source and copy letters written ‘home’ by Cornish folk who immigrated to Australia in the 19th century. These photographs were printed and lodged with the State Library of SA. The folders are largely as arranged by John Tregenza and similar material may be located in separate folders.
Part I. In album
Photocopies of “Letters written ‘Home’ by Cornish folk who emigrated to Australia in the nineteenth century. Photographed by Dr. J.M. Tregenza in 1975.” 252 sheets, plus partial list (annotated). Includes photocopies of emigration posters, photographs, clippings etc.
Part 2. Research materials
6.1. Notebook, marked ‘Research notes’. Contains references to photographs made of Cornish letters and brief biographical notes in preparation for work on Cornish settlers in South Australia; form letters to be sent to Cornish people who assisted with his research; copy of Dr. Tregenza’s study leave report (ca 1975) and typescript ‘Cornish Migration to Australia in the Colonial Era: a report on a research project’ (12 p.); photocopied article ‘WI feature’ on Tregenza’s trip to Cornwall [from Cornish Life], and transcription of obituary of Thomas Tregenza of Mylor Bridge (1791-1878)
6.2. Typescripts: “Under the Granite” re interviews recorded with old Cornish folk in the 1960s; “Cornish Emigration to Australia in the Colonial Century”: address by Tregenza describing the beginnings of his study on Cornish emigration (p. 1-3 only); typed and ms plan/ideas for study (9 p.)
6.3. Letter from Joe Pengelly of Plymouth (12 September 1975) re Bardic ceremony for Mrs. May Cocks “in recognition of her services to the Cornish Association in South Australia”, enclosing 6 photographs of flashboat? race in unidentified Cornish harbour
6.4. Photocopied list of “Letters written ‘Home’ by Cornish folk who emigrated to Australia in the 19th century” photographed by Tregenza for the State Library of SA D6029, with additional typewritten ‘key’; Index to Writers (State Library SA D 6029/1-115); photocopies of a handwritten list of [U.K.] newspaper references to ships and Cornish emigration, 1817-1856 (mainly the West Briton and the Gazette). 41 sheets
6.5. Cornish letters – correspondence re publications concerning Cornish emigration, and letters from Howard Curnow of Penzance, Cornwall 1989
6.6. “Miscellaneous notes” relating to Tregenza’s visit to Cornwall. Includes miscellaneous correspondence to Dr. Tregenza (1975), ms précis of passenger lists 1845-1848/9 compiled by Dr. Tregenza, photocopies of newspaper articles; booklet ‘The church of St Mawgan-in-Meneage; blank form for Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes Cornish Memorial Scheme. Also 19th century photograph of unidentified family group taken in Ballarat
6.7. Correspondence 1975 re microfilming 1810-1930 issues of the newspaper West Briton
6.8. ‘The Cornish image of S. Aust’: ms notes on sources, including sources in Cornwall, Public Record Office (U.K.), South Australian newspapers and Archives, Colonial Office records on microfilm, publications etc
6.9. “Cornish Letters”. Contains miscellaneous photocopies of sources; off-print of article ‘Government Assisted Emigration from Plymouth in the Nineteenth Century’ by Mark Brayshay, from Trans. Devon Ass. Advmt Sci., no. 112, 1980; ms notes from ‘The Romance of the Rosewarnes’; typed page ‘Letters from Cornish Immigrants: Ideas’
6.10. Cornish emigration: photographs & illustrations [sourced from State Library of Victoria etc]
6.11. Notes and references re Miss C.W. Parkin (who wrote on Irish Emigration), 1964
6.12. “Dower Letters”. Photocopies of 22 letters from John Dower to his wife, mostly written from St. Arnaud, Victoria 1865-1868. Also, correspondence between Dr. Tregenza and Kathleen Embree (nee Dower – John Dower’s great-granddaughter) regarding same, 1975-76; newspaper cutting and background notes
6.13. Boaden memoirs, etc. Letters from Mrs. May Townsend of Somerset 1975, with typed copies of letters written by John Boaden to his niece 1904; notes re Boaden family history; copy of diary commenced by Eleanor Jane Orchard during voyage to SA 1828-1902 for her marriage to John Boaden; letter from Boaden to future wife Eleanor Jane at Norwood 1851
6.14. Envelope marked “Cornish emigrants’ letters”. Contains partial photocopy of undated letter from William and Sarah Orchard, photocopied extract from SA Register 1/5/1909; obituary of William Orchard
6.15. “Cornish Letters 2/2”: includes List of immigrants to South Australia per the “Hesperus” (departed Plymouth July 1883), posted to Captain Harry, Ship Hesperus, from Semaphore, S. Aust. September 26, 1883; photocopied ms transcripts of Carlyon family letters from the Cornwell Record Office; photocopied letter from John Glasson of Tremearne? 9/1/1850; ms memorandum 24/7/1852 between Edward Carlyon and John Hammer; photocopied ms letter 2/5/1848 from Richard Rodda to Col. Carlyon; reproduction of daguerreotype of Cornish emigrant couple – great uncle to Mr EC Andrew, believed to have become Mayor of Ballarat
6.16. Curnow letters (transcripts): letter Thomas Curnow, London, to his father, 21 Jan 1867; letter Thomas Curnow, Cape River diggens [ie diggings], to his brother 15 Feb. 1867 [probably 1868]; letter Thomas Curnow, Bau, Fiji, to his brother Stephen 1877; ms notes on Thomas Curnow in Fiji; letter from V. May Easterbrook, Penzance, 6/7/1976
6.17. Trebiloch family: photocopied typescript re history of ‘Orange Vale’ property in SA, and report of death of John Trebiloch 24 June 1911 from an Adelaide newspaper
6.18. Copy of letter 17 Nov. 1854 from James Alford of Devon who sailed from Plymouth to SA – describes rations allowed on board
6.19. [Emigration posters] Photocopies of (19th century?) posters advertising free emigration from Cornwall
6.20. Cornish emigration – illustrations for Cornish Seminar May 1977. Includes reproductions of photo of Old Emigration Depot Plymouth; engravings of government emigrants mess-room, below decks 1840s, Emigration depot at Birkenhead; map of Plymouth; photos English mail day at Melbourne Post Office 1862, Hauling in pilchards, and Cornish men with boats; engraving of Tregrehan house in Cornwall and photo of Binnerton Manor near Camborne. With associated articles and notes
6.21. Cornish emigration illustrations [2]. Photographic copies of letters including: Thomas & Grace Medlent 1854 rent agreement for property in Caustan, letters from T&G Medlent, Mounted Police Barracks 16 Sept. 1859, 1962 and 18 Dec. 1860; Honour & Thomas Marshall letter 6 Jan. 1842; letter Joseph Orchard July 1848; Boaden memoirs re orchard family; copy of diary of Eleanor Jane Orchard on voyage to SA 1854-55; typed ‘Extract from Register of Teetotallers in the Parish of Mawgan 1839’; Orchard family tree; letter 9/8/1936 containing information on Paynter family; photographic reproductions of engravings of Cornish houses and places from unidentified source; unidentified photograph of sailing ship being loaded in Cornwall?
6.22. Maps of Cornwall: photocopy of Cornwall, showing “Ecclesiastical Parishes; Hundred Boundaries according to J.E.B. Gower”; Photocopied extract (pages 244-254) from Cyrus Redding, “An illustrated itinerary of the County of Cornwall” (London : How and Parsons, 1842)
6.23. Coloured engraving of town of Helston by G. Townsend (Exeter)
6.24. Publications: Cornish Life v. 3 no. 9 1976 containing photos of Cornwall from the turn of the century, and article on ‘Redruth remembered’; Cornish Life v. 2 no. 8 1975 with article ‘Wendron’s mines in the 19th century’; facsimile printing of first issue SA Colonial Gazette and Colonial Register 18 June 1836
6.25. Folder marked “Cornish Emigration: 1. Lecture and 2. Letters to be quoted.” Includes photocopied/photographed letters from Joseph Orchard July 1848; photocopied transcript re the Orchard family from Memoirs of John Boaden; letter Honor & Thomas Marshall 6 January 1842; letter Richard Rodda to Col. Carlyon My 2 1848; photocopy of lithograph of North & South Adelaide included in letter T.&G. Medlyn Sept. 16 1859; letter ? Pascoe, Sydney August 1 1852; letter Henry Giles Swansea August 11 1854; ms extracts from Dower letters; letter W.A. painter Wheal Ellen Sept 13 1859; letter John Tregenza, Port Gawler March 2 1866; photocopied articles; photograph of Stephen; photographs of Old Emigration Depot, Plymouth
6.26. “Cornish Emigration: Methodism”. Includes letter from (Rev. Dr.) Arnold Hunt (Salisbury College of Advanced Education) 8t October 1975 with a copy of his paper ‘The Bible Christian Methodist Church and its Influence in South Australia’ (13 p.) given to the Theological Circle. Also The Journal of the South Australian Methodist Historical Society v. 4 October 1972 issue containing 2 articles: ’The Influence of Cornwall on South Australian Methodism’ by Phyllis Somerville; ‘A History of Kent Town Methodist Church’ by Rev. W. Brian Kelley
6.27. Cornish in South Australia. Miscellanea re Cornish Association in SA and Kernewek Lowender
6.28. Papers by Philip Payton (PhD student): ‘How good was the Cornish miner?’ 4p. (undated) in unknown Society’s Newsletter; ‘The Cornish radical tradition: its background in Cornwall and development in South Australia’: seminar paper given in Politics Department, University of Adelaide, 8 August 1977, 30 p.; ‘The Cornish in South Australia’: seminar paper given in Politics Department, University of Adelaide, 12 Nov. 1976, 43 p.; reference for Payton from University of Exeter and CV
6.29. Folder marked “Cornish Emigration to Australia. Lecture”. Includes notes and synopsis for his lecture on ‘Copper and South Australia’ presented at ‘The historic copper towns of South Australia’ Weekend School held by Dept of Adult Education 9-11 May 1969. Also programme for School. List of participants, notes etc, associated correspondence and other materials collected. Also draft programme for Conference at Moonta Sept 19-20 (no year) incl. presentation by Tregenza on ‘Moonta mines in the economic and political life of SA’; programme for Australian History Camp 1978 for Dept of History, featuring Tregenza on ‘The Cornish in South Australia’
6.30. ‘Exploring Cornish Migration to Australia’: notes on sources and draft introduction to a talk for a ‘Cornish Seminar’ in which Tregenza states “Unfortunately after leaving the University of Adelaide I have found it impossible to carry out the considerable extra research needed for a worthwhile lecture on this wide topic.”
6.31. Postcards re Cornish mining ( 2 reproductions of images from 1831); Original business card for ‘L. Redlich & Co.’s Australian Emigration House, for the passengers by the Black Ball Line Packets, 11 Slater St, Liverpool.’
Part 3. Correspondence with families of Cornish settlers
Correspondence with families of Cornish settlers, and from Cornish organisations, received by Tregenza during and following study leave visit, 1975-77. Also includes some from South Australian descendants. Arranged alphabetically. 5 folders
- Barber, John T.
- Boaden, Mrs Effie
- Bray, E.G.
- Williams, Margaret A. (re Richard Campbell)
- Campbell, Viola Alice (death of)
- Case, Mr E.G.
- Clymo, Wm J.
- County Record Office, Cornwall
- Cornish Museum
- Cornwall County Council
- Cunnack, E.M.
- Devon Library Services
- Easterbrook, V.M.
- Farrell, Betty
- Guyer, D.G.
- Hands, Jeremy
- Harbison, J.R.
- Harris, Henry
- Jenkin, Maurice
- Johns, Edith
- Kwan?, Elizabeth
- Kirkup, Roger
- Knuckey, E.C.
- Kuchel, Ms M.
- Lander, J.M. (Cornwall Federation of Women’s Institutes)
- Laity, D.
- Lang, John S. (Launceston Museum)
- Lanyon, A.J.
- Lean, Leonard
- McWern, Elizabeth
- May, Phyllis
- Medlin, Harry
- Noah’s Ark Folk Museum
- Pascoe, Fernley
- Penryn Museum
- Perring, Mrs. J.
- Pollard, Jane
- Pope, Rita
- Quick, E.B.
- Roberts, S.
- Rowse, A.L.
- Saltern, Tony (includes photocopy of letter from boy emigrant to SA to his teacher Miss Barton)
- Sandy, Mrs A.
- St Ives Museum
- Smith, Raymond
- Styles, Mrs I.F.
- Tegenza, L.M.
- Tregenza, Walter
- Treligas, H.
- Thomas, Ruby (includes original cross-hatched letter from George Hawke, 1862, and notebook of ms copies of letters between William Hawke and his brother, George, of Bathurst district, 1840-48)
- Williams, J.C.
- Wilton, Ruby
Part 4. Other
Tregenza’s index card files
- Responses to appeal for letters families (arranged alphabeticall)
- Notes from correspondence with Cornish
- Notes from H.D. Harris to be sorted and filed ((from interviews)
- Chronological (events Cornwall 1814-1883)
- Miscellaneous
- Plus pocket appointment diary of Cornish visit 1975
Index card files in wooden box
- Bibliography & sources of information
- biographies of emigrants
- subjects and characteristics
Audio recording ‘Cornishmen in S.A.’ (ABC) 5 inch reel-to-reel tape
