Letterbook of Explorers' Journals
Encyclopedia
The Letterbook of Explorers' Journals is a collection of transcriptions of journals and reports of exploration in Western Australia
between 1827 and 1870. Transcribed by hand by John Septimus Roe
, they are the source of best provenance
for the majority of the journals' contents, the originals of which have been lost in most cases.
During Roe's time as Surveyor General of Western Australia
, Roe attempted to transcribe every journal of exploration in Western Australia into his Letterbook. As a result of his efforts, Western Australia has an exceptionally good record of its early explorations, nearly every significant journal being extant from 1827 until Roe's retirement in 1870. After 1870, however, the maintenance of exploration reports lapsed. The Survey Office retained Roe's Letterbook, and continued to hold journals and reports, but no attempt was made to collate or archive these in a sensible manner. In the 1920s, the Survey Office made typescript copies of Roe's Letterbook, but neither the typescript nor the originals were made accessible to the public until 1966, when the Battye Library took photocopies of the typescripts and bound them into six volumes, for use by the public. These volumes, entitled Exploration Diaries, are still the most accessible copies of the journals that Roe transcribed. However, they are not entirely reliable: many words, including some names of places and people, were transcribed incorrectly in the making of the 1920s transcript. The original Letterbook of Explorers' Journals remains the source of best provenance
for most journals. It is now lodged with the State Records Office of Western Australia
, where it is given item number 328 of Series 2117.
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
between 1827 and 1870. Transcribed by hand by John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe
John Septimus Roe was the first Surveyor-General of Western Australia. He was a renowned explorer, and a Member of Western Australia's Legislative and Executive Councils for nearly 40 years.-Early life:...
, they are the source of best provenance
Provenance
Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
for the majority of the journals' contents, the originals of which have been lost in most cases.
During Roe's time as Surveyor General of Western Australia
Surveyor General of Western Australia
The Surveyor General of Western Australia is the person nominally responsible for government surveying in Western Australia.In the early history of Western Australia, the office of surveyor general was one of the most important public offices...
, Roe attempted to transcribe every journal of exploration in Western Australia into his Letterbook. As a result of his efforts, Western Australia has an exceptionally good record of its early explorations, nearly every significant journal being extant from 1827 until Roe's retirement in 1870. After 1870, however, the maintenance of exploration reports lapsed. The Survey Office retained Roe's Letterbook, and continued to hold journals and reports, but no attempt was made to collate or archive these in a sensible manner. In the 1920s, the Survey Office made typescript copies of Roe's Letterbook, but neither the typescript nor the originals were made accessible to the public until 1966, when the Battye Library took photocopies of the typescripts and bound them into six volumes, for use by the public. These volumes, entitled Exploration Diaries, are still the most accessible copies of the journals that Roe transcribed. However, they are not entirely reliable: many words, including some names of places and people, were transcribed incorrectly in the making of the 1920s transcript. The original Letterbook of Explorers' Journals remains the source of best provenance
Provenance
Provenance, from the French provenir, "to come from", refers to the chronology of the ownership or location of an historical object. The term was originally mostly used for works of art, but is now used in similar senses in a wide range of fields, including science and computing...
for most journals. It is now lodged with the State Records Office of Western Australia
State Records Office of Western Australia
The State Records Office of Western Australia is the Western Australian government authority with responsibility for identifying, managing, preserving and providing access to the State's archives...
, where it is given item number 328 of Series 2117.
External links
- Journals of Exploration, State Records Office of Western AustraliaState Records Office of Western AustraliaThe State Records Office of Western Australia is the Western Australian government authority with responsibility for identifying, managing, preserving and providing access to the State's archives...
- Exploration Diaries 1827-1871, State Library of Western AustraliaState Library of Western AustraliaThe State Library of Western Australia is located within the building known as the Alexander Library Building, in the Cultural Centre of Perth, Western Australia....