National Library of Australia  - Gateways

ISSN 1443-0568 | no. 73 | February 2005


Restoring Norfolk Island’s First Survey Map

Detail from (Tile b3). Plan of Norfolk Island surveyed and drawn by Thos. Kennedy, 2nd Corpl. R.E. [and] Geo. Jamieson, Sapper. R.E
Thomas. Kennedy
Detail from (Tile b3). Plan of Norfolk Island surveyed and drawn by Thos. Kennedy, 2nd Corpl. R.E. [and] Geo. Jamieson, Sapper. R.E
[1860?]
1 ms. map : col., mounted on linen ; 254.0 x 298.5 cm., sheets 129.8 x 298.5 cm. and 125.4 x 298.5 cm
Maps Collection, nla.map-rm642
[CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE]
The Library has recently completed a major preservation exercise to treat an important early map of Norfolk Island. The map’s significance was only noted recently when a researcher asked to view the Library’s collection of early surveys of the island.

When the map was laid out in the Map Reading Room, it was found to be the original survey plan by Corporal Thomas Kennedy and Sapper George Jamieson of the Royal Engineers, who were responsible for the first detailed cadastral survey of the island conducted between 1858–59. The ink and hand coloured map on paper, mounted on linen, was compiled in two sections at a scale of 1: 3 168 or four chains to the inch. Overall it measures 254.0 x 298.5 cm.

The map shows sea coast, roads, streams, houses, allotment boundaries, government reserves and the altitude of trigonometrical stations. The verso includes a table showing areas of allotments, roads, government reserves and total area of the island as well as the number ‘28’, suggesting >it was part of a series of original cadastral surveys of the island. Other original surveys of the island are held both in the Library’s map collection and the National Archives of Australia map collection.

The former Australian Survey Office, now incorporated into GeoScience Australia, and the ACT Planning and Land Authority, had carriage of cadastral surveys for Norfolk island and it is likely that the map came from there. At some stage in its life the map had been cut into eight pieces, possibly to facilitate storage. It has been in the Library in this condition for at least 30 years.

Once the map’s significance was realised, it was agreed that it should receive priority preservation attention. Each Wednesday, Kerry McInnis , a highly skilled contract conservator, works with Preservation Services staff conserving high priority items in the Library’s collections. In the past, the team has treated significant material from the Pictures, Manuscript, Asian and Map collections including works by Hardy Wilson, William Westall, George French Angas, the George Gordon McCrae album, the Donald Friend diaries, a Korean rare book the Samgang Haengsilto and the Nolin map. Working with Kerry provides Preservation staff with an opportunity to maintain and hone their hands-on treatment skills which can sometimes languish in the daily routine of broader collection maintenance activities.

In early September a suitable treatment approach was developed for the Norfolk Island map. This encompassed dry cleaning, repairing tears, infilling losses, reinforcing old creases, rejoining the four upper and four lower segments to make complete sections, stabilising the worn map edges and devising a suitable storage system. To give it support, the map was rolled onto a large-diameter plastic drainage pipe, covered in bubble wrap and archival barrier paper, before being placed in a specially constructed storage box . This detailed treatment took 35 hours to complete.

Finally, the map was digitised and, while the original treasure is kept in secure, environmentally controlled storage, anyone with Internet access can view this fascinating item of early Norfolk Island history online at <nla.gov.au/nla.map-rm642>.
Lydia Preiss and Maura O’Connor

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