Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Letter from J. H Bannatyne to Other Windsor Berry relating to the Myall Creek Massacre, 17 December 1838
MLMSS 9668

[Note: Because the cross-hatched pages are not in sequence, the transcription has been re-ordered]

[Page 1]

[Envelope postmarked PAID SHIP LETTER SYDNEY JA 19 1839]

"Roslyn Castle"

Other Windsor Berry Esq
Doddington Place
Kennington, Surrey
England

[Page 2]

[Reverse of envelope with broken seal and postmarks]

[Page 3]

Sydney NS Wales
17 December 1838

My dear Other,

When I last addressed you, I flattered myself that you formed an exception to the generality of friends, who feel, they will tell you, so much regrets at you leaving them, that nothing can equally the expression of their sorrow and the extent of the promises they make to keep up a correspondence to which they will always look forward above every other pleasure. Now I do not mean to insinuate that you are of such never having made a promise to write – You may have favored me, and your letters may have been lost especially (let me caution you by the bye, never to send letters by private hand, if with a view to save postage, as it is only 3d – and we get letters so much sooner, that have come in the mail. I will however harbour not uncharitable conjectures until I hear the cause of your silence – In my last I promised to write to you when I found subjects whereof to compose a letter – my present one I suspect will be but short, if, however by the time

[Cross written]
time I at present intend to write again, I should not have received one from you – then never expected to hear from me again – I wrote to Mr and Mrs Smith by the Dryade, which left this Port the latter part of November – I addressed them conjointly because I could not write separate letters at the same time, and I fancied either would think me remiss if I wrote to only one – let me know how they are getting on in Bath – if you have seen them lately, and how the children are, in fact any intelligence either of Bath or its inhabitants can never fail to amuse. How is Sam? How is Elizabeth Fuller? How is Mrs Jones? How is Mr Lloyd? And the remainder of our numerous acquaintances of [indecipherable]. I should so like to come and See them all again, and I will too, before very long – Can I? let me see – I am now Candidate for the Under Sheriffship of the Colony and shall, if I obtain that appointment by this time two years come and see Bath, and no mistake. The Salary attached to it will be about £400 per an., and the present under Sheriff does not intend Remaining in office long – So much for myself, and no more – I detest egotistical letters, unless the subject be one in whom we feel more than ordinary interest, or rather I hate writing them, and shall therefore take for my next subject my Sister, who, you will be surprised to hear has got a daughter, born on the 12th this month, perhaps you are not surprised – No – nor am I – I was told some time ago that I should in all probability be an uncle about this month. From appearances which then presented themselves, I saw no just cause for being incredulous, on the contrary, I anticipated a greater increase than has taken place. The baby is an extremely fine child, and as yet in the best of health- Sis is also doing admirably – I expect she will leave her room in a week or ten days from the date of the event – How is Kate and her beloved Spouse? Are there any little Spriggs yet – if so how many. When I think what a deal you might write to me if you chose, what a number of old acquaintances you must have to remark upon, I feel rather wrath to think that you should only have written once to me since I left England, now upwards of a twelve month ago – and that one too so short, that I think part of it could only have reached me – you could never

[Cross written]
have intended to send so short a one a distance of 16000 miles
Now I, who can have comparatively but few subjects likely to interest, when I make up my mind to write to England invariably collect my thoughts for a week before I write, and then I can look at my letter and not blush – Much sentiment I never was able to introduce into a letter consequently find myself sometimes rather at a loss for variety. I envy those persons much who are gifted with the tact of mingling a little of the Sentimental in their correspondence - but hang me if I can – By the bye, writing of Sentiment, I must not forget to tell you of a circumstance which has much agitated the public mind in the Colony lately you may perhaps see something of it in the Newspapers – A quantity of Stockmen in the interior having had their Masters’ Cattle speared by the Native Aborigines were determined on Revenging themselves the first opportunity – falling in with a tribe of strange Blacks 30 in number – Men Women & Children, a tribe they apparently never saw before, totally innocent of the charge for which they were slaughtered, without having given the slightest provocation

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[Copy of page 3]

[Page 5]

and unsuspectingly confiding in the protection of one of these wretches were enticed to the huts of the Stockmen, where having bound their hands and fastened them together, took them into a remote part of the Bush, and there in cold blood murdered every soul of them, after which, they piled them in a heap and burnt their bodies – the remains were however discovered by persons attracted to the spot by seeing birds of prey hovering about in great numbers over the scene of massacre – information was forwarded to Government – the men were brought to justice tried twice by separate juries and the second time found guilty – Some escaped but the 7 who were tried are all to be hanged on Tuesday 18 inst; their trial created an extraordinary sensation in the Colony and will be the subject of gossip for many a long day yet - The Greenacre Murder was nothing to this – "quite a rush light to a mould candle"

We are in daily expectation of having my Mother among us – I shall be extremely glad of it – there is nothing here to amuse one of an evening – the theatre has fallen off very much – Now for a little domestic intelligence.

What do you think of butter being 5/- a pound and eggs 3/- a dozen Cabbages 4d and 6d each potatoes 14/- a hundredweight – do you ever buy potatoes? Peas now they are in season 3/6 a peck d’ye call that nothing?
We have had the influenza very prevalent here lately owing to a sudden change of the weather – Numbers have fallen sacrifices to it – I however have escaped

Give my love to Kate Harriet and all the family -
My sister begs to join me in [indecipherable] &c &c - and believe me

Your affect Cousin
J H Bannatyne

Tuesday 18th I have just returned from seeing the Seven men all launched into eternity at the same moment it was an awful Sight and has made me feel quite sick. I shall never forget it
JHB

Take care of the widow whose I hear business I hear you are managing – don’t go too far.

[Transcriber’s note:
P.5 "The Greenacre Murder". James Greenacre was an English grocer executed at Newgate in 1837 for the murder of his fiancee Hannah Brown.]

[Transcribed by Ros Bean for the State Library of New South Wales]