The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project Dorothy F. Prescott

Background Arrowsmith’s death, the amended states of the same title. There may be John Arrowsmith (1790–1873) was title for the atlas indicating time gaps between states, suggesting an important English cartographer, his ownership. that other undiscovered states exist. especially for Australians. A member The website is based on the The Oxford English dictionary of a family of geographers, his method of comparative cartography, definition of the word ‘state’ includes production focused on mapping in which numerous copies of a map the following: ‘An etched or engraved British colonies around the world title are compared and differences plate at a particular stage of its at a scale that surpassed that of any between them are noted. This progress’. Another definition is: other contemporary map maker. enables seemingly identical maps to Additionally, he had access to the be arranged in chronological order An issue of a map which differs in very latest despatches received at of creation and publication. On the some way from all other issues of the Colonial Office and the British website, the date given for any state the same map. On each occasion Admiralty, which formed the source of a map title is the actual date when the copper plate is altered, for many of his productions. His portrayed, which may be different either by the addition or removal work covers the period 1832 to 1862. from the purported publication date of information, a new state of The John Arrowsmith Australian printed on the map. the map is produced. The use of Maps Project, www.asmp.esrc. the term ‘edition’ applies only to unimelb.edu.au, is a website hosted by Map titles and states books but not to maps.2 the eScholarship Research Centre of The result of this study indicates the University of Library. that not all copies that appear to be The website’s structure allows It was launched in July 2012 at a identical actually are. One can say with for the future interpolation of yet tri-organisation cartographic meeting assurance that Arrowsmith issued and undiscovered states of each of the held in Brisbane. The website reissued map titles without updating 13 map titles depicting Australia provides links to maps of Australia or indicating to the purchaser that a that occur in copies of the London included in John Arrowsmith’s map had been amended in one way or atlas found to date. Each map title London atlas of universal geography, another. Collectors and libraries need has been treated like the chapter of a which went through at least eight to be aware of this fact when investing book, under which will be found a list editions between 1834 and 1858.1 in an Arrowsmith map, to ensure they of the states of that particular title. These maps are found in various are not acquiring something they The list of states for each map starts collections around the world, and already hold. In addition to being in with a summary of the history of in issues of the continuation of the London atlas, individual maps that particular map title, followed by Arrowsmith’s atlas: Stanford’s London were available from stock, and some links to each of the states of that title. atlas of universal geography. Edward titles appear in books and government Each state shows a description of that Stanford (1856–1917) purchased publications. state, institutional holdings, published John Arrowsmith’s copyright, If two maps are different they are resources, associated persons and plates and stock at auction after classified on the website as different images. Each state is described and

34 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Henry William Pickersgill, Portrait of John Arrowsmith, c. 1820, oil on canvas, 76.0 × 63.5 cm. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

the differences between the states • The south eastern portion of not indicate this by updating the are noted in detail. There are further Australia issue date to reflect the changes. An links to persons mentioned in a map, • The colony of Western Australia example of this kind can be seen in many of these being to entries in the • Cockburn Sound the early issues of his Eastern portion Australian dictionary of biography, • King George’s Sound of Australia, which is the right-hand which has also been published • The district of , South sheet of two sheets covering the online. The work continues and Australia continent. Five issues dated ‘1838’ the website will be added to in the • Map and chart of the west coast have been found and no doubt more future. of Australia exist, but the last two states of this • South Australia shewing the purported date are at least 1840, and Arrowsmith’s Australian division into counties of the settled possibly later, in content. maps portions of the province The maps reflect the progress of Research to date has found 13 map • A new map of South Australia exploration of the continent by the titles in the London atlas that relate • Australia, from Swan River to British, after arriving in what became to Australia. Two additional maps Shark Bay. in January 1788 to establish have been included on the website a penal settlement. By 1832 John (and in the list below) as they are Each of these titles has been Arrowsmith was documenting the the earlier states of the Maritime investigated in depth by comparing process of discovery and exploration portion of South Australia and of all available copies, one with another. through large-scale mapping. A Map and chart of the west coast of Examples of map imprints show us comparison of his 1838 map of the Australia from Swan River to Shark that Arrowsmith might reissue a continent (illustrated page 36) with Bay, but have not been found in any map without any change whatsoever his 1862 issue (illustrated page 37) is edition of the London atlas. The to the internal content. The map Van dramatic. titles of these two earlier maps are Diemen’s Land is a classic example For the first issue of hisLondon A new map of South Australia and of reissue without any change or atlas (1834), John Arrowsmith Australia, Swan River to Shark Bay updating of map content throughout included three (out of 50) plates on respectively. The full list is as follows: its life. Six issues have been found, Australia, all focused on discovery which bear imprints from 1832 to and exploration: Map of the discoveries • Map of the discoveries in Australia 1842. All are identical in content in Australia (plate 35), Discoveries • Van Diemen’s Land with only the date in the imprint in Western Australia (plate 36), • Discoveries in Western Australia altering, and, in the case of the first (illustrated page 38) and Van Diemen’s • Eastern portion of Australia issue, its plate number differs from Land (plate 37). These three maps • Australia from surveys made by the later issues. show the extent of British exploration order of the British Government Alternatively, Arrowsmith in the southern part of the continent • Maritime portion of South might reissue a map, having made after almost 50 years of British Australia changes to the internal content, but occupation.

Dorothy F. Prescott, ‘The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project’ 35 John Arrowsmith, Australia from surveys made by order of the British government combined with those of d’Entrecasteaux, Baudin, Freycinet, &c, &c, London: John Arrowsmith, 1 May 1838 (state 1838/1), hand-coloured engraved map, sectioned and mounted on linen, 59.0 × 83.2 cm. MAP RM 782C, National Library of Australia.

From this point onwards the even though the number of plates contain and the individual titles London atlas became a bespoke increased over time. These atlases included will vary from copy to copy. publication, tailored to the should therefore be treated as By the time Arrowsmith’s London requirements of the purchaser. The individual publications for the atlas title page recorded ‘1838’ as contents page remained unchanged purposes of cataloguing, because the date of publication, the new through the life of the publication, both the number of plates they and revised Australian plates were

36 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 John Arrowsmith, Australia from surveys made by order of the British government combined with those of d’Entrecasteaux, Baudin, Freycinet, &c, &c, London: John Arrowsmith, 1 January 1862 (state 1862/2), hand-coloured engraved map printed in two overlapping sheets, sectioned and mounted on linen, 64.0 × 84.0 cm. Z/MC 804/1862/1, Mitchell Library Map Collection, State Library of New South Wales.

appearing. To the original three plates portion of Australia and The maritime 1 May 1838—while the Maritime for the continent may be added a portion of South Australia. The first portion of South Australia appeared further three: Australia from surveys issues of all three maps record 1838 on 5 June 1838. This was quickly made by order of the British government as the first date of issue, the west and followed by the first issue ofThe combined with those of D’Entrecasteaux, east halves of the map of Australia south eastern portion of Australia in Baudin, Freycinet &c., &c.; Eastern being issued on the same date— August 1838, The district of Adelaide,

Dorothy F. Prescott, ‘The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project’ 37 Below: John Arrowsmith, Discoveries in Western Opposite: The district of Adelaide, South Australia (state 1833/6; imprint 1838/1) from Australia: As divided into country sections from Returns to two addresses of the Honourable the House the trigonometrical surveys of Colonel Light late of Commons, dated 26 June and 3 August 1838, Survr Genl. (state 1839/5), from Third annual for: 1, copies of, or extracts from, a statistical report report of the Colonization Commissioners for South of the colony of Western Australia …, London: Australia to Her Majesty’s Principal Secretary for House of Commons, 1838. UniM Bail SpC/AX the Colonies, 1838, London: 13 May 1839, map f 994.1 E58, Special Collections, Baillieu Library, following p. 60, or page 456 of The sessional University of Melbourne. papers of the House of Lords, vol. 25, 1839, Reports from Commissioners. UniM Bund SpC/BX f 328.41 GREA, v. 25, 1839, Special Collections, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne.

Baillieu Library. This disappointingly modest representation of the work of a mapmaker of the significance of John Arrowsmith can be attributed to the policy in force in the first two decades of the Map Collection (established in 1964), which explicitly stated that only current materials were to be acquired, therefore excluding the collecting of historical maps, which was to be the province of the State Library of .3 For the university’s teaching and research on Australian history this was an unfortunate decision, as John Arrowsmith is without peer in his treatment of the 19th-century discovery and exploration of this continent. Holdings in the Map Collection, ERC Library The following five John Arrowsmith maps are held in the Map Collection of South Australia in February 1839 counties of the settled portions, came the University of Melbourne Library, (illustrated opposite) and The colony very late in the last (1858) edition located in the Eastern Resource Centre. of Western Australia in October 1839. of the London atlas produced during All exist as individual sheets: Obviously bespoke items are the two Arrowsmith’s lifetime. charts on one sheet entitled Cockburn Research to date has covered • John Arrowsmith, The south eastern Sound / King George’s Sound and a 13 of the map titles that occur in portion of Australia: Compiled from further chart of the west coast entitled the London atlas. The University of the colonial surveys and from details Map and chart of the west coast of Melbourne Library holds one copy furnished by exploratory expeditions, Australia. These last two titles occur of the complete atlas (1847) and nine London: J. Arrowsmith, 2 August in only one particular copy of the atlas of the 13 titles: four titles (five states) 1838 (state 1838/3), hand-coloured in each case. The final Australian map in the Map Collection in the Eastern engraved map, 51.5 × 62.0 cm. UniM title to be added to the atlas, South Resources Centre and six titles (eleven ERC MAPS MX 804.65 a 1838 Australia shewing the division into states) in Special Collections in the (illustrated page 40).

38 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Dorothy F. Prescott, ‘The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project’ 39 John Arrowsmith, The south eastern portion of Australia: Compiled from the colonial surveys and from details furnished by exploratory expeditions, London: J. Arrowsmith, 2 August 1838 (state 1838/3), hand-coloured engraved map, 51.5 × 62.0 cm. UniM ERC MAPS MX 804.65 a 1838, Map Collection, Eastern Resource Centre, University of Melbourne Libary.

40 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Bookplate of Michael Andrews, in Nathaniel Ogle, The colony of Western Australia: A manual for emigrants … with the most correct map extant, London: James Fraser, 1839. UniM Bail SpC/ GRIM 919.41042 OGLE, bequest of Sir Russell and Lady Grimwade, 1973, Special Collections, Baillieu Library, University of Melbourne.

• John Arrowsmith, Eastern portion The provenance of these maps has most correct map extant (London: of Australia, London: John been lost in the transition from James Fraser, 1839). The Baillieu Arrowsmith, 1 May 1841 (state card catalogue records to the online Library holds three copies of 1841/2), hand-coloured engraved catalogue. It is believed they were this book, one of which bears the map, 63.0 × 48.0 cm. UniM ERC donated to the Map Collection bookplates of two previous owners: MAPS MX 804 a 1841. during the first 30 years of its Michael Andrews, a businessman in • John Arrowsmith, Eastern portion existence (c. 1964–94). Northern Ireland (illustrated above),6 of Australia, London: John and Russell Grimwade, a Melbourne Arrowsmith, 1 May 1846 (state Holdings in Special industrial chemist, businessman 1846/1), hand-coloured engraved Collections and philanthropist, whose generous map, 61.6 × 52.5 cm. UniM ERC Other Australian Arrowsmith titles benefactions to the University of MAPS MX 804 a 1846. occur in books and journals held in Melbourne include his collection of • John Arrowsmith, Australia Special Collections of the Baillieu rare books relating to the European from surveys made by order of the Library. There is an 1847 edition discovery, exploration and settlement British government combined with of Arrowsmith’s London atlas itself, of Australia. those of D’Entrecasteaux, Baudin, which contains maps dated between The first state of Arrowsmith’s Freycinet &c. &c., London: John 1842 and 1846 (the majority with map and chart of the west coast of Arrowsmith, 1 May 1841 (state the imprint 1842).4 The first state Australia (1841/1) is found in Sir 1841/1), hand-coloured engraved (1832/1) of the map Van Diemen’s George Grey’s publication: Journals map, 69.0 × 55.0 cm. UniM ERC Land is found in copies of the book of two expeditions of discovery in MAPS MX 804 a 1841. by James Bischoff: Sketch of the history north-west and western Australia: • John Arrowsmith, South Australia of Van Diemen’s Land, illustrated by a During the years 1837, 38, and 39 … shewing the division into counties map of the island, and an account of the (London: T. and W. Boone, 1841). of the settled portions of the Van Diemen’s Land Company (London: The Baillieu Library holds four province with situation of mines John Richardson, 1832).5 Loose copies copies of this book, one of which is of copper & lead: From the survey of this map are hard to come by and also from George McArthur’s bequest of Captn. Frome, Rl. Engrs., it is usually found in Bischoff ’s book of 1903. Survr. Genl. of the Colony, 1844, as plate 36. The Special Collections The parliamentary papers of London: John Arrowsmith, for copy of the book bears the signature Great Britain are a very fruitful Dutton’s South Australia, and of George McArthur of Maldon, source of early Australian mapping its mines, 20 March 1846 (state Victoria, dated 1895. by John Arrowsmith.7 In the past 1846/1), hand-coloured engraved The second state of the map The many such volumes, whether at map, 60.9 × 48.8 cm. UniM colony of Western Australia (1839/2) the University of Melbourne or ERC MAPS MX 830 fb 1844 occurs in Nathaniel Ogle’s book elsewhere, have been subject to (illustrated page 43). The colony of Western Australia: the depredations of unscrupulous A manual for emigrants … with the users who have removed the maps.

Dorothy F. Prescott, ‘The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project’ 41 Below: Bookplate of Henry L. White of Opposite: John Arrowsmith, South Australia Belltrees, Scone, in Returns to two addresses shewing the division into counties of the settled of the Honourable the House of Commons, dated portions of the province with situation of mines 26 June and 3 August 1838, for: 1, copies of, or of copper & lead: From the survey of Captn. extracts from, a statistical report of the colony Frome, Rl. Engrs., Survr. Genl. of the Colony, of Western Australia, which accompanied Sir 1844, London: John Arrowsmith, for Dutton’s James Stirling’s despatch of the 15 October 1837 South Australia, and its mines, 20 March 1846 … (parliamentary paper no. 687), London: (state 1846/1), hand-coloured engraved map, House of Commons, 1838. UniM Bail SpC/ 60.9 × 48.8 cm. UniM ERC MAPS MX 830 AX f 994.1 E58, Special Collections, Baillieu fb 1844, Maps Collection, Eastern Resource Library, University of Melbourne. Centre, University of Melbourne Library.

The last two states of Discoveries maps have been added in the top-right in Western Australia and five states and top-left of the map. The first is an of The District of Adelaide can be inset of Australia showing the position found in the parliamentary papers. of South Australia and the second is The earlier of the two Discoveries a plan of Port Adelaide. The latter in Western Australia maps (state shows proposed building allotments 1833/6; the final one appeared as and a proposed road south. 1838/1) is the only copy discovered to date, but as it occurs in a House Research in a digital age of Commons sessional paper there In the early 1990s digital images must be other copies elsewhere.8 were non-existent to scholars The volume containing this map has and research on Arrowsmith was the bookplate of Henry L. White excruciatingly slow, as copies of maps (illustrated left) and the sticker had to be located in libraries and then of bookseller and publisher A.H. photocopied if the libraries permitted, Spencer of 86 Bourke Street (the or if not, a series of pertinent questions Hill of Content bookshop).9 had to be put to a librarian in order The last of Arrowsmith’s maps to determine which state of a map of Australia to be included in his title the library actually held. I was atlas was South Australia shewing very fortunate that Maura O’Connor, the division into counties of the settled map curator of the National Library portions of the province … 1842. of Australia, which holds an extensive The provenance of the university’s The first state of this map was a collection of John Arrowsmith maps, holdings has been difficult to normal Arrowsmith publication but recognised the value of this research determine as they came from several the third state (illustrated right) occurs to the National Library and made sources: one volume is stamped ‘The in Dutton’s book South Australia, and paper copies available to me. The Premier’s Office’ while others have its mines. Following the discovery of other stalwart was Francis Herbert only University of Melbourne Library copper and lead in South Australia, of the Royal Geographical Society stamps. Many possibly came from Francis Dutton used a map that had Map Collection in London, who also the Victorian Parliamentary Library been published three years previously sent me paper copies of the society’s under an agreement made with the by John Arrowsmith. It was updated examples of the relevant titles. State Library of Victoria, which was for Dutton to show the locations of Comparative cartography is hard on given the right of first selection of newly discovered mineral deposits, the eyes, and working on black-and- these volumes. If the State Library mainly in the hinterland and to the white copies of coloured maps even did not require them the university south of Adelaide. In this later state more so. But the delayed start proved had second choice. the title has been amended, two inset to be a godsend in the long run,

42 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013 Dorothy F. Prescott, ‘The John Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project’ 43 because a few years after I restarted Dorothy Prescott oam is a map historian, & political divisions of the various countries my Arrowsmith work, digital maps whose principal study has been the maps of of the world …, London: J. Arrowsmith Australia. She holds qualifications in geography [1847]. UniM Bail SpC/BX ef 912 A779, started appearing on library websites. and librarianship and was the first map curator Special Collections, Baillieu Library, When digitisation became a in the University of Melbourne Library, University of Melbourne. reality for libraries, a big rethink had whose map collection she established between 5 James Bischoff: Sketch of the history of 1964 and 1979. Later she was map curator at Van Diemen’s Land, illustrated by a map of to be made about how to present the the National Library of Australia, then she the island, and an account of the Van Diemen’s Arrowsmith research. This would established a consulting service to libraries and Land Company, London: John Richardson, other bodies holding map collections. From 1832. UniM Bail SpC/AX 994.6 Bi, be the answer to the high cost of 1996 to 2010 she and her husband Victor George McArthur Bequest, 1903, Special publishing in print. It would also Prescott were consultants to governments on Collections, Baillieu Library, University of maps and boundaries. allow every map to be shown, not just Melbourne. a selection of examples. CD-ROM 6 Michael Andrews owned a damask factory in Belfast, which he relocated in 1815 from format was considered, either as a Items from the Maps Collection in the stand-alone format, or as a disk in the ERC Library (www.lib.unimelb.edu. Little York Street to the Ardoyne. In addition au/collections/maps/map-historical. to the new factory he built a large house for pocket of a printed book. But the first html) and from Special Collections himself and 30 houses for employees. More of these ideas was rejected outright of the Baillieu Library (www.lib. mills were built around the growing village, as primarily un-browseable without unimelb.edu.au/collections/special/) which is now a working-class, mainly Roman may be viewed upon request. The John Catholic, district. (‘Ardoyne’, Wikipedia, accurate subject cataloguing, while Arrowsmith Australian Maps Project accessed February 2013.) the second option would involve can be seen at www.asmp.esrc.unimelb. 7 Advice from Susan Millard, Curator of bringing in a third party: a publisher. edu.au/index.html. Special Collections, Baillieu Library, The online format available through University of Melbourne, 2012. 8 Returns to two addresses of the Honourable a website was a far more attractive 1 For more information see Dorothy Prescott, the House of Commons, dated 26 June and proposition, and it also allowed ‘Australian plates in John Arrowsmith’s 3 August 1838, for: 1, copies of, or extracts links to other information and the London atlas of universal geography’, paper from, a statistical report of the colony of Western delivered at the International Cartographic Australia, which accompanied Sir James flexibility of adding more details and Conference in A Coruna, Spain, July 2005, Stirling’s despatch of the 15 October 1837 examples as time advanced and new available at http://tinyurl.com/a96qjpc. … (parliamentary paper no. 687), London: information emerged. Choosing this 2 British National Committee for Geography, House of Commons, 1838 UniM Bail SpC/ online format did mean reorganising Cartography Sub-committee, Glossary of AX f 994.1 E58, Special Collections, Baillieu technical terms in cartography, London: The Library, University of Melbourne. the presentation of the information, Royal Society, 1966. 9 Henry L. White (1860–1927) was a wealthy the important decision being the 3 Discussion (2012) between Jock Murphy, pastoralist based in Scone, New South decision to make each state of a Director of Collections, University of Wales, who also collected stamps, books, Melbourne Library; Susan Millard, Curator birds and birds’ eggs. He donated most of his map a complete encapsulation of of Special Collections, Baillieu Library; collections to public institutions including the all information that precedes any David Jones, Map Curator, University of Mitchell Library in Sydney and the National particular state being described. This Melbourne Library; and Dorothy Prescott, Museum of Victoria (now Museum Victoria). means the entire history of a title is former map curator, University of Melbourne He was an uncle of the writer Patrick White. Library. (Nancy Gray, ‘White, Henry Luke (1860– up to date from the earliest state up 4 John Arrowsmith, The London atlas of 1927)’, Australian dictionary of biography, to the one actually being described. universal geography: Exhibiting the physical vol. 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990.)

44 University of Melbourne Collections, issue 12, June 2013