Journal, October 1927-April 1929, kept while Lieutenant on HMS Laburnum. The Laburnum served at the New Zealand Station and visited Fiji, Samoa and the Society Islands, June-October 1928. The journal records life on the ship, excursions and entertainments on shore and impressions of places visited. There are a number of watercolour, crayon, and pen and ink sketches by the author.
The material filmed by the Australian Joint Copying Project includes: journal of the voyage from England to Sydney March to August 1843; diary May 1844-May 1845 containing an account of a voyage on HMS Thalia, sailing first to Tahiti, then to Hawaii; Book lists on various topics such as natural history and geography, followed by a note that Hope settled at Molong, New South Wales, in 1846, although there is no record of his time there; journal January-May 1851 kept during a voyage from Sydney to England on the General Hewett, when he took as part of his baggage lizards and small Australian birds to give to the Zoological Gardens, plus three emus to grace the lawns at Hopetoun House; list of over 300 botanical names with location of habitat, noting which plants are peculiar to certain Pacific Islands, or are widely found; and journal February-October 1857 of daily activities on a property near Brisbane, including mustering cattle, shearing sheep, and building.
An 18th century copy, together with an English translation made for Sir Joseph Banks, of the journal of Abel Tasman (1603-59) on the voyage of the Heemskerck in 1642-43, during which he discovered Tasmania and New Zealand.
Describes the voyage of the First Fleet, Smyth's stay in Australia and his return voyage via Tahiti and China. Details are given of treatment of the women convicts during the voyage and events in the first three months of the new colony, including comments on the behaviour of convicts and marines, encounters with the Indigenous Australians and the fauna and flora of the mainland, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands. Contains detailed lists of the ship's company, officers stationed in N.S.W., female convicts aboard the Lady Penrhyn together with a list of children on board.
Memoirs written while working as clerk in Auckland in 1842. They describe his first 20 years (1817-1837), including his service on the West African survey and the Mediterranean Station.
Papers include copy of Francis' talk on Sir Robert Garran to Canberra and District Historical Society, 1977, Journal of Edwin Francis on ship Clara Symes, from Bristol to Australia, 1852-1855; Journal of Edwin Francis, 1915 and records of births of Francis children.
Journal of John Lovell kept on the emigrant ship Elizabeth on a voyage from Bristol to Melbourne, 23 January – 3 May 1853. The journal details the weather, conditions aboard the ship, passengers complaints and relations with other staff.