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George Washington Walker's notes on the male convict population of Van Diemen's Land.

Thank-you letter to George Washington Walker expressing that 'such men as yourself ought to hold public office'. Senders signature hard to decipher.

Photographs of the family homes of George Washington and Sarah Benson Walker including the Walker's shop in Liverpool Street, where the Savings Bank was first established, where they lived from 1841-1852 (Private Deposit W9/Ph125); Narryna in Battery Point where they lived from 1852-1854; the 'Stone Buildings' on the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets, which the Savings bank took over, and where they lived from 1855 until George Washington Walker's death in 1859; the new Savings Bank head office in Murray Street where Sarah and the family lived from 1861 until 1872 (after a couple of years in Union Street, Sandy Bay) and the final home of Sarah Benson Walker on the corner of Davey and Antill Streets where she lived with her children from 1872-1903 after James Backhouse Walker decided to study law and resigned from the Savings Bank.

Photographs of the family homes of George Washington and Sarah Benson Walker including the Walker's shop in Liverpool Street, where the Savings Bank was first established, where they lived from 1841-1852 (Private Deposit W9/Ph125); Narryna in Battery Point where they lived from 1852-1854; the 'Stone Buildings' on the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets, which the Savings bank took over, and where they lived from 1855 until George Washington Walker's death in 1859; the new Savings Bank head office in Murray Street where Sarah and the family lived from 1861 until 1872 (after a couple of years in Union Street, Sandy Bay) and the final home of Sarah Benson Walker on the corner of Davey and Antill Streets where she lived with her children from 1872-1903 after James Backhouse Walker decided to study law and resigned from the Savings Bank.

Draft letter from George Washington Walker to J.S. Hampton, surgeon on the ship "Sir George Seymour', concerning Pentonville prisoners on board, January 1846.

Photographs of the family homes of George Washington and Sarah Benson Walker including the Walker's shop in Liverpool Street, where the Savings Bank was first established, where they lived from 1841-1852 (Private Deposit W9/Ph125); Narryna in Battery Point where they lived from 1852-1854; the 'Stone Buildings' on the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets, which the Savings bank took over, and where they lived from 1855 until George Washington Walker's death in 1859; the new Savings Bank head office in Murray Street where Sarah and the family lived from 1861 until 1872 (after a couple of years in Union Street, Sandy Bay) and the final home of Sarah Benson Walker on the corner of Davey and Antill Streets where she lived with her children from 1872-1903 after James Backhouse Walker decided to study law and resigned from the Savings Bank.

Draft letter from George Washington Walker to J.S. Hampton, surgeon on the ship "Sir George Seymour', concerning Pentonville prisoners on board, January 1846.

Draft letter from George Washington Walker to J.S. Hampton, surgeon on the ship "Sir George Seymour', concerning Pentonville prisoners on board, January 1846.

Draft letter from George Washington Walker to J.S. Hampton, surgeon on the ship "Sir George Seymour', concerning Pentonville prisoners on board, January 1846.

Photographs of the family homes of George Washington and Sarah Benson Walker including the Walker's shop in Liverpool Street, where the Savings Bank was first established, where they lived from 1841-1852 (Private Deposit W9/Ph125); Narryna in Battery Point where they lived from 1852-1854; the 'Stone Buildings' on the corner of Macquarie and Murray Streets, which the Savings bank took over, and where they lived from 1855 until George Washington Walker's death in 1859; the new Savings Bank head office in Murray Street where Sarah and the family lived from 1861 until 1872 (after a couple of years in Union Street, Sandy Bay) and the final home of Sarah Benson Walker on the corner of Davey and Antill Streets where she lived with her children from 1872-1903 after James Backhouse Walker decided to study law and resigned from the Savings Bank.

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"Fifth part"

"Fourth part"

"Seventh part"

"Second part"

"Part IX"

"Third part"

Thank-you letter to George Washington Walker expressing that 'such men as yourself ought to hold public office'. Senders signature hard to decipher.

George Washington Walker's notes on the male convict population of Van Diemen's Land.

Letter from George Washington Walker to Thomas James Crouch, 21st April 1836, concerning a visit to Moreton Bay and the death of William Shoobridge.

Richard Stickney (d.1834) was a young Quaker from the North of England. His sister, Esther, was a friend of George Washington Walker, the Quaker who accompanied James Backhouse on a missionary journey to Australia in 1831, and she asked him to look for her only brother, young Richard, who had run away to sea on an Australia bound ship, because of hardships in his job. By 1834, however, he had written to his sisters from Sydney but, before G.W. Walker was able to trace him there, his uncle Isaac Stickney received news of his nephew's death by drowning in November 1834 at the mouth of the Manning River N.S.W., from Thomas Soltit who kept the "Jolly Tar" public house where Stickney lodged in Sydney. Isaac Stickney wrote to Governor Burke of New South Wales enclosing Soltit's letter and asking for further information. This, together with information and papers from the Port Master, was given to Backhouse and Walker, who discovered that Richard had used an assumed name "Robert Smith" and had been employed by Thomas Steel as one of the seamen sailing up the East Coast for cedar on a small coasting craft which sank near the mouth of the Manning River, and that Steel had Stickney'S watch, gun and some old books (nautical works and 3 or 4 religious Friends' works). Stickney's own letter to his sister Sarah in 1834, with these papers, expressed regret at the grief he had caused his family and described his impressions of Sydney. He found that "the country born inhabitants are now becoming numerous and will soon form a sufficiently distinct people, they are a facsimile of the Americans both in body and mind, tall rawboned and muscular, with a most exalted opinion of themselves indeed in most athletic exercises as cricket, rowing or boxing they bear away more than their share of prizes. They are mostly ignorant to the last degree." The "currency lasses" he thought "not very elegant" but "there is one accomplishment not generally reckoned in the female list in which they excell

Copy of A Maconochie's report on convict discipline made by G W Walker and sent by him to Margaret Bragg, in a volume titled "Original essays on convict discipline by Capt. Alexander Maconochie RN 1837, with some letters etc, in further illustration of the same subject by James Backhouse and G W Walker 1837". Contents include maconochie's report to Sir John Franklin, further observations, summary of papers addressed to British Government, Dr Turnbull's objections to changes in convict discipline.

Letter book of George Washington Walker 1831-36 including his thoughts regarding his marriage proposal to Sarah Benson Mather, his responsibility for his sister's material welfare, and his concerns about the extra marital affair of another Quaker, Theophilus Pollard with a letter of advice to Pollard's daughter Ann.

George Washington Walker's Letter Book including letters written from 1839-44 whose subjects include his marriage to Sarah Benson Mather, beginning the drapery business and the decision to return to Van Diemen's Land.

George Washington Walker's Letter Book including letters written from 1838-43 whose subjects include advice to Robert Andrew Mather, South Africa and total abstinence.

Four letters written by George Washington Walker, Hobart, Tasmania to Abraham Charles Flower dated between 1847 and 1850. Abraham Charles Flower (alias Richard Edwards) was transported as a convict to Sarah Island, Macquarie Harbour , Tasmania in 1830. He was one of three convicts converted to Quakerism by Backhouse and Walker. One convict, Henry Propsting, joined the Friends in 1836 and took a prominent part in Quaker activities, another went to Sydney as an assigned servant to James Backhouse, and the third, Flower, after a chequered career was last heard of near Castlemaine in Victoria. From: Walker Private Deposit W9/A1(25) letters 13-16

George Washington Walker's journal of his voyage from South Africa to Van Diemen's Land and marriage to Sarah Benson Walker. Private Deposit W9/A2 (16)

To encourage temperance and thrift George Washington Walker opened a savings facility in his store. From 1845 it traded as the Hobart Savings Bank. Over time the bank developed into the Savings Bank of Tasmania. J.B. Cotton's Hobart Town Savings Bank book is held in the University Library Special and Rare Materials collections at Private deposit DX 19/247 the photo and the glass negative at - Private deposit W9/Ph 125.

George Washington Walker's notebook, 1823. Includes notes on his pottery business, transcript of letter from his mother Elizabeth (who died when he was four) to her sister Ellen Mcleod and transcript of letter from his aunt Elizabeth MacGhie to his aunt Ellen McLeod in which his mother is mentioned. Also some notes copied from a newspaper about the management of palpitations of the heart. A separate price list of pottery is included.

The School was founded in 1848 by a group of gentleman connected with the Prestbyterian and free churches including Rev. Dr. John Lillie, Minister of St. Andrews Church, Chairman of the Council, T.D.Chapman, who succeeded Lillie as Chairman of the Council of Shareholders, R.W.Nutt, Henry Hopkins, G.W.Walker, R. Officer and W. Robertson, who acted as treasurer.The object of the High School, as originally described,was 'the instruction of youth in the higher brances of learning, as taught in superior classical and mathematical schools in England', the ultimate object being 'to confer on Australian youth the inestimable advantages of an European University'. The school opened in 1850 and 56 boys were enrolled in the first quarter. The number had increased to 81 at the beginning of 1851. By 1859 boarders were being taken and a junior department had been started.In 1885 the rights to the school were handed over to the Christ College Trust and the school became Christ College, surprisingly as J.P.Gell the first Warden of Christ's College originally opposed the foundation of the High School. The Christ College School in fact merged with the Hutchins School and in 1892 the High School building was sold to the new University of Tasmania.

Photograph of George Washington Walker, in original walnut frame, lightly coloured. George Washington Walker (1800 – 1859) was the twenty-first child of John, a Unitarian saddle maker who worked in Paris. After the death of his mother, Elizabeth, young George was sent to Newcastle so that his grandmother could raise him. He was apprenticed to a Quaker linen draper, whom he admired so much that he adopted the faith. In 1831, when Walker left for Australia and South Africa as a companion to James Backhouse on his voyage to the colonies, he planned to return to England but in 1834 decided to settle in Hobart after meeting Sarah Benson Mather, who married him in 1840. Walker ran a successful drapery business where he opened a savings bank to encourage people to save. His social concerns included temperance, education, penal reform, destitute women, and the treatment of the Aborigines. Walker Collection W9/Ph156 (frame) & W9/Ph153

Four letters written by George Washington Walker, Hobart, Tasmania to Abraham Charles Flower dated between 1847 and 1850. Abraham Charles Flower (alias Richard Edwards) was transported as a convict to Sarah Island, Macquarie Harbour , Tasmania in 1830. He was one of three convicts converted to Quakerism by Backhouse and Walker. One convict, Henry Propsting, joined the Friends in 1836 and took a prominent part in Quaker activities, another went to Sydney as an assigned servant to James Backhouse, and the third, Flower, after a chequered career was last heard of near Castlemaine in Victoria. From: Walker Private Deposit W9/A1(25) letters 13-16

George Washington Walker (1800 – 1859) was the twenty-first child of John, a Unitarian saddle maker who worked in Paris. After the death of his mother, Elizabeth, young George was sent to Newcastle so that his grandmother could raise him. He was apprenticed to a Quaker linen draper, whom he admired so much that he adopted the faith. In 1831, when Walker left for Australia and South Africa as a companion to James Backhouse on his voyage to the colonies, he planned to return to England but in 1834 decided to settle in Hobart after meeting Sarah Benson Mather, who married him in 1840. Walker ran a successful drapery business where he opened a savings bank to encourage people to save. His social concerns included temperance, education, penal reform, destitute women, and the treatment of the Aborigines. Sources: Australian Dictionary of Biography; Companion to Tasmanian History. From the Walker Family Papers - W9/A

Copy of letter from George Washington Walker to Lt. Governor Sir William Thomas Denison which is a memorial to the prisoner Augustus Dalmas and his daughter Caroline, now Mrs. Adams.

Confessions of a drunkard written by an anonymous convict in Van Diemen's Land in 1844.Private deposit W7/62(1)

George Washington Walker's notes on the male convict population of Van Diemen's Land.

Letter to Reverend Clarke, former religious instructor to the aborigines on Flinders Island, from George Washington Walker. Walker wants Clarke to make his knowledge of the aborigines' 'capacity for improvement' more widely known.

Letter dated May 11th 1836, to the Directors of the London Missionary Society from the Rev. Lancelot Threlkeld, missionary to the aborigines, outlining the outcome of a trial in respect to allegations made in several articles written by Doctor Lang in his public newspaper accusing him of “exorbitant and extravagant expenditure" during the years 1824-1830 on account of the aboriginal. Private Deposit W7/53

George Washington Walker's Library. Title pages of twenty six books from his library including one by James Backhouse and several by his uncle George Walker.

Letters received from James Backhouse (1794-1869), naturalist and Quaker missionary, writen from York. U.K. between 1842-1846 to George Washington Walker (1820 - 1858) mainly concerning personal and family matters. George Washington Walker and James Backhouse arrived in Hobart Town in 1832 and during the course of their missionary work, gave Governor Arthur eight valuable reports on the penal settlements of Macquarie Harbour and Port Arthur, the Aboriginal establishment on Flinders Island, the conditions of road-gangs, chain-gangs, assigned servants and their masters, and the Van Diemen's Land Co., Throughout their journeys Backhouse collected a valuable herbarium which he sent to Kew Gardens. In recognition of his contribution,the genus of a myrtaceous shrub was named Backhousia. (7 of 24 letters) Private Deposit W9/A1/2 1-7

Letters from James Bonwick to George Washington Walker, dated 1847 and 1849-1858 concerning general matters, spiritual, land from Henry Bilton, state of his accounts, Adelaide (1850), school, Victoria: gold digging and effects on school (March 1852), Gold Diggers Magazine, debts, Boroondar Boarding School (1855), book on the Black War of V.D.L. (1856). James Bonwick (1817–1906), was a teacher and historian, taught in England and was recruited to Tasmania, arriving in 1841. He left the government system after two years and ran his own school, where he pioneered new teaching methods which avoided rote learning, and produced textbooks. He also worked for temperance. - 24 documents - W7/3-26

Letter book of George Washington Walker 1831-36 including his thoughts regarding his marriage proposal to Sarah Benson Mather, his responsibility for his sister's material welfare, and his concerns about the extra marital affair of another Quaker, Theophilus Pollard with a letter of advice to Pollard's daughter Ann.

Letter from George Washington Walker to Thomas James Crouch, 21st April 1836, concerning a visit to Moreton Bay and the death of William Shoobridge.

George Washington Walker's notebook, 1823. Includes notes on his pottery business, transcript of letter from his mother Elizabeth (who died when he was four) to her sister Ellen Mcleod and transcript of letter from his aunt Elizabeth MacGhie to his aunt Ellen McLeod in which his mother is mentioned. Also some notes copied from a newspaper about the management of palpitations of the heart. A separate price list of pottery is included.

George Washington Walker's certificate from the Hobart Meeting House (including Sarah Benson Walker) giving their blessing to his missions in Van Diemen's Land, New Holland, South Africa and elsewhere.

Framed painting of George Washington Walker. Donated by George Benson Walker.

Letter dated 22 June 1850 from Hamilton to George Washington Walker about the prospect of making tweed in Hobart.