This Irwin and Barklie family scrapbook contains an eclectic mix of original artwork, photographs, news clippings, and greeting cards. Colour and pencil art by members of the Irwin family signed variously as H. Irwin, H.E. Irwin, H. H. Irwin, Helen Irwin, H.H. I. The scrapbook includes illustrations of Australia, as well as artwork by W. M. Hardy and Alex Barklie. The item is fragile, with the front cover missing and spine deteriorated. The scrapbook includes four copies of the Moonta Herald and Northern Territory Gazette, published by William H. Hardy who contributed three black & white illustrations to the scrapbook. The Moonta Herald was a ship newspaper printed in Adelaide, Australia. There are three numbers and a supplement: Vol. I No. 1 Saturday, January 2, 1869; Vol. I No. 2 Saturday, January 9, 1869; Vol. I No. 5 Saturday, January 30, 1869; Supplement to The Moonta Herald, Port Darwin, Wednesday, February 24, 1869. All issues are filled with tongue-in-cheek comment about the Northern Territory Survey Expedition aboard the ship Moonta. The survey's purpose, under George Goyder, Surveyor-General of South Australia, was to lay out street plans for a capital to be named Palmerston (now Darwin). The Moonta departed Adelaide in December 1868 with 150 men. Upon arrival in the Northern Territory, the team successfully surveyed Port Darwin under Goyder's leadership. While an alternative paper lists H. H. Irwin as a trencher in Party No. 6, the rear page of the Moonta herald supplement lists H. Irwin as an axeman. He is likely Hastings Henry Irwin whose photograph and artwork appears in the collection. William Hardy is listed as a draftsman. At rear is a photo of a monument on the graves of John W. Ogilvie Bennett and Richard Hazard, two men who lost their lives on this survey expedition. The caption states Bennett was murdered by natives and Hazard died of the heat. Other information states Bennett, a draftsman, died from a spear attack, and Hazard, a cook, died of rheumatism. Both men are listed in the Moonta Herald, as draftsman and cook respectively.,
Notes
The Barklie and Irwin families originated in Northern Ireland communities such as Aghadowey, Londonderry, Port Stewart, Coleraine and Mullamore. The first Barklie at Mullamore was James, a son of Thomas Barklie of Inver, Larne. He was born in the 1760s and died in 1821. The family operated a linen bleaching mill from an early date. The firm eventually became Thomas and George Barklie. There are news clippings and other items from Ireland in the scrapbook.,
Table of contents
Of particular note in this scrapbook are the following illustrations: Watercolour "Preparing breakfast, having a wash, 1869" by H. Irwin -- Pencil illustration "The Corkscrew Palm, N.A." by W. Hardy -- Pencil illustration "The Cabbage Tree Palm, N.A." by W. Hardy -- Pencil illustration "Ship Moonta, N.W. Cape 11/1/69" by W.M.H. (William M. Hardy) -- Pencil illustration "The Last Request From Shore", 1869, features mosquito holding sign "Please to Remember the Mosquitoes" by H. Irwin -- Pencil illustration "Port Darwin, N.A. from the sea, 1869" by H. Irwin -- Watercolour "Coast West of Port Darwin", unsigned -- Watercolour of ship Wynton? passing icebergs South Lat. 57 West Lon. 133 -- Black & white drawing "Tarantula South Australia" -- Watercolour "N. Australian Swells", two men walking by water, by H. Irwin -- Watercolour "An Adelaide Belle scudding under bare poles" by H. Irwin -- Pencil drawing of "Port Victor, S.A." -- Pencil drawing of "George Irwin's house in Australia, Chilpanunda", unsigned -- five small pencil drawings with verse featuring various scenes indicative of Australia, signed Hasting H. Irwin..,