Guide to the Papers of Geoffrey C. Ingleton

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MS 9422

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Geoffrey C. Ingleton
Title
Papers of Geoffrey C. Ingleton
Date Range
1854-1988
Collection Number
MS 9422
Extent
0.14 metres (1 folio box)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
NLA

Introduction

Scope and Contents

The collection comprises six albums compiled by Ingleton documenting various colonial vessels and survey ships of the R.A.N. The albums include correspondence, historical notes, log entries, articles written by officers who served on the ships, illustrations and photographs, and newspaper cuttings describing the services of H.M.S. Victoria, H.M.S. Lady Nelson, H.M.A.S. Moresby, H.M.S. Paluma, H.M.A.S. Paluma, and H.M.A.S. Geranium.

There is also a copy of the publication First lady: the story of "HMS Lady Nelson" by Lorraine Paul (1982).

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn360054).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Geoffrey C. Ingleton, National Library of Australia, MS 9422, [box number and series and/or folder number]'.

Provenance

The papers were acquired at an auction held by Lawsons Auctioneers and Valuers in Sydney on 20 October 1993. The papers belonged to the collection of the Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Chapman Ingleton, R.A.N.

Biographical Note

Geoffrey Chapman Ingleton was born in Bairnsdale, Victoria, on 14 May 1908. In 1922, at the age of 13, he entered the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay, N.S.W. He joined H.M.A.S. Adelaide and became a midshipman in 1926. Ingleton's naval training included two years in the United Kingdom, where he first developed an interest in nautical research. In 1930, after his return to Australia, he was commissioned as a lieutenant. After serving on various naval vessels, he was assigned to the hydrographic service and served on H.M.A.S. Moresby surveying waters to the north of Australia. In 1936, at the age of 27, he left the Navy. He was promoted to lieutenant commander on the retired list in 1938. In civilian life Ingleton worked as a draftsman and an artist. From December 1940 until his retirement in 1973, Ingleton was employed by the Hydrographic Office.

In private life Ingleton continued his work as an illustrator. His marine etchings and portrayals of early Sydney life were based on extensive knowledge and research. Ingleton's interest in naval architecture, which derived from ensuring the technical accuracy of his illustrations, led him into the area of constructing ship models. The major resource supporting Ingleton's artistic endeavours was an extensive private collection of books, manuscripts, maps and paintings on early Australia, compiled over a lifetime. Although he collected widely, his collection was focussed on the sea, maritime exploration and coastal development. In 1991, having already disposed of his book collection, he began to sell the hydrographic and navigational part of his library at a series of sales by the Sydney auctioneers Lawsons. His scholarly approach was reflected in the catalogue descriptions for each item.

The principal publications which Ingleton wrote, compiled or illustrated are Charting a continent (1944), a history of the surveying and mapping of Australia's coasts, Heemskerck Shoals (1949), written by Robert D. FitzGerald, True patriots all (1952), and his magnum opus, Matthew Flinders: navigator and chartmaker(1986).

Ingleton was a member of the Society for Nautical Research, the Hakluyt Society, the Australian Institute of Navigation and the Royal Institute of Navigation. He maintained copies of all their publications, to which he was a significant contributor.

Ingleton married Josephine Weekes in 1935 and Nan Furness in 1953. He died in Sydney on 28 February, 1998.

Item Descriptions

H.M.S. Victoria - Synopsis of the log entries, 1856-78 (File 1)

Compiled by Ingleton, this volume contains a handwritten synopsis of log entries for H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria covering the period 1856 to 1878. The entries record the hydrographic surveying activities in which the Victoria was engaged up to 1878. Included at the end of the volume are five rubbings, in red or blue, from the front covers of the Victoria's logs.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1179 in their auction of 20 October 1993.

H.M.S. Victoria - Historical notes, 1854-1955 (File 2)

An album containing historical notes on H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria and her commander Captain William H. Norman. Compiled by Ingleton, the album includes correspondence with Commander Creal and Mrs Marsden, a descendant of Norman (1934). It also includes typed transcripts of official correspondence with Norman (1861), that Marsden allowed Ingleton to copy. There are documents and correspondence pertaining to the death of Norman.

The volume includes an article by A.W. Greig entitled 'The first Australian warship' from The Victorian historical magazine, vol. 9, no. 4 (Sept. 1923). There are also press cuttings and another article. There is an original etching by Ingleton of H.M.C.S.S. Victoria racing H.M.S. Niger in New Zealand.

The album also contains a collection of 15 Parliamentary Papers relating to the Victoria and to Norman. All the Papers are original issues. The Papers include the specifications of building the Victoria in England, her arrival in the Colony and the various services rendered to the Colony. The Papers also document her services in the Maori War in New Zealand.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1180.

H.M.S. Lady Nelson - Notes, 1939-88 (File 3)

An album, compiled by Ingleton, containing photographs, pictures, newspaper cuttings and articles. There is also a letter (1934) from Ingleton to the Curator of the Technological Museum in Melbourne containing the specifications for a model of the Lady Nelson. The album includes a copy of an article by Clifford W. Hawkins entitled 'His Majesty's Armed Tender Lady Nelson 1799-1825' published in The Mariner's Mirror, vol. 55, no. 4 (Nov. 1964). There are also extracts from the logbooks of the Lady Nelson, prepared by Ida Lee.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1117.

First lady: the story of "HMS Lady Nelson", (1982) (File 4)

An illustrated account of the story of the Lady Nelson, the most historic vessel in the history of Victoria, by Lorraine Paul (109 pp.). First published in 1982 by Neptune Press in Newtown, Victoria (ISBN 0 909131 91 0). Signed by the author.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1117.

Notes on H.M.A.S. Moresby, 1909-64 (File 5)

An album compiled by Ingleton containing letters, photographs, notes, articles and newspaper cuttings pertaining to the surveying ship H.M.A.S Moresby employed in Australian waters between 1925 and 1946, including a Record of surveys, 1927-46. Ingleton joined the Moresby on 10 April 1935. There is also information on the destroyer H.M.S. Moresby together with memorabilia of Admiral Fairfax Moresby (1786-1877) and notes on his descendants.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1128.

Notes on H.M.S. Paluma and H.M.A.S. Paluma, 1957-73 (File 6)

Compiled by Ingleton, this album contains notes, photographs, letters, newspaper cuttings on H.M.S. Paluma. Launched in 1884 as a gunboat for the Colony of the Government of Queensland, the Paluma was recommissioned in Sydney in 1889 and did service as a surveying ship on the Great Barrier Reef until April 1895, when she was paid off and returned to the Queensland Government. There are notes by Lieutenant H.T.A. Bosanquet, who served on the Paluma, describing her surveying activities. The album also includes information and correspondence on the survey vessel MSL 252 which was renamed H.M.A.S. Paluma in 1958.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot. no. 1136.

Notes on H.M.A.S. Geranium, 1923-68 (File 7)

An album containing notes, photographs, correspondence, memorabilia, a map and newspaper cuttings pertaining to the survey ship Geranium. Compiled by Ingleton over a long period of time, it includes articles by Commander Harry T. Bennett who served on the Geranium. There is a photograph of the Geranium inlaid on the front cover of the album.

Listed by Lawsons as Lot no. 1055a.


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