NRS-5036 | Copies of letters sent

The first volume (4/7657) comprises letters sent to public officers and individuals. Public officers to whom letters are directed include the Colonial Secretary, Colonial Treasurer, Auditor General, Colonial Storekeeper, Law Officers, Principal Superintendent of Convicts, the Sheriff, Principal Gaoler and the Colonial Architect. This volume also includes: estimates of expenditure, 1845-47; contract prices of provisions, 1840-47, and list of provisions issued, 1842-47; monthly lists of patients (free pauper males, bond males, free female paupers and bond females), October 1844-February 1845; lists of clothing requirements; lists of insane persons, prisoners of the Crown; and estimates of the probable expenses of the Asylum. The second volume (4/8227) chiefly comprises copies of letters written from Gladesville (then called Tarban Creek) by the Superintendent of the Asylum (up to December 1847 Mr J.T. Digby; from January 1848 Dr F. Campbell). The letters cover all aspects of the running of the Asylum, and include references to an enquiry during 1846 into the administration of Tarban Creek, which eventually resulted in Digby being replaced by Campbell in January 1848. The last 22 pages of this volume (commencing from the back) consist of notes made by Digby between 4 October 1845 and 27 November 1847 on the mental and physical condition of a number of individual patients. The notes on each patient are followed by a statement (signed by two doctors) referring to the individual's state of mind, and suitability for discharge. The third volume (4/8228) is labelled 'Staff Uniforms', and most of the book (folios 127-302) consists of a record of uniforms issued to staff from 1919-30. However, folios 2-125 record letters sent from Tarban Creek, 1862-63 by the Superintendent, Dr F. Campbell. As with the first volume, the range of subjects covered is broad, including the suicide of a patient, maintenance, repair and construction of buildings, numerous letters re individual patients, appointment of new staff, and a number of statistical tables3 Jan 1843-12 Feb 1846 (4/7657 formerly ML Mss 20/1), 1846-48, 1862-63 (4/8227-28). 3 vols. Note: This description is extracted from Concise Guide to the State Archives of New South Wales, 3rd Edition 2000.