Printed from www.AntiqueMapart.com Catalogue on Sunday, Oct 06 2024

Contact: contact@AntiqueMapArt.com, Phone: +61 (07) 3103 0391, Mobile: 0011 6723 51512 (Norfolk Mobile)

May not depict actual map.

1815 - To the officers in the Honorable East India Company's service this outline chart...

Map makerSizeMap IDCondition
William Heather
James Wallis
1200 x 640 mmD1 / M412 / I385The chart is backed with a fine canvas and rimmed around the outside with hand stitched green silk. There a few points where this silk is damaged in the top left and bottom left corners. There is a horse shoe tear on the left side where the map has lifted slightly from the canvas, though with little to no loss and only minor disturbance to a manuscript ships track. There are a number of small rust stain holes around the outside of the map that appear to have been present before the addition of the silk around the outside. Most likely the map was pinned to a wall during its history. The chart otherwise is in very sound good condition with only minor points of stain.

This rare chart by Heather belonged to Major (Captain) James Wallis of the 46th Regiment, who was responsible for the early building of Newcastle (NSW) and also one of the early artists to paint and draw scenes of Sydney and NSW. Wallis is also associated with Joseph Lycett the convict artist and the famous 'Macquarie Collectors Chest' held by the Mitchell Library. Many of the images of early Australia in the 1810s were captured by Wallis. In 2011 a collection of his drawings along with his printed book (An historical account of the Colony of New South Wales) sold for $1.8 million dollars in a Canadian auction http://www.gardnergalleries.com/item_images/JamesWallis_LR.pdf.

This chart shows in manuscript all of his major voyages between 1813 and 1827. Wallis’ name is written on the back of the chart "Major Wallis 46th Regiment" written in ink with his manuscript notations picked onto the East India Company's chart (To the officers on the Honourable East India Company's service this outline chart...). The voyages shown on the chart are the Wyndham's track September 1813 to February 1814 on which Wallis and the 46th regiment arrived in Australia. The Tottenham April 1819 to May 1819 in which Wallis travelled to India, The Catherine November 1819 in which Wallis returns to Britain. The Prince Regent convict ship from Ireland to Sydney September 1820 to Jan 1821. The Astell leaving England in May 1822 to India where Wallis was stationed and finally the Clyde that returned Wallis from India to Britain in 1827. The chart notes that it is updated to 1815, therefore the voyage of the Wyndham must have been transferred from a previous chart. This is logical due to the tremendous changes in charts between 1813 and 1815 in regard to Australia due to Flinders published chart in 1814 of the southern coasts.

Below is a more detailed breakdown of the voyages tracks.

Wyndham (Only key points marked in pen ink remaining) - Any pencil lines on this voyage if existing have been erased. Below Tasmania is marked Wyndham 2nd February 1814. Some surviving track remains, first reference plots the Wyndham north of the Canary islands on the 8th of September 1813 on its route to Rio de Janeiro then plots across the southern ocean. South of Madagascar it is noted "4th Jan parted Hewitt".

Tottenham - First note is south of cape Leeuwin 1st April 1819. Again the track lines have been removed with only some ink plots remaining. It is then noted east of Madras 26th May 1819.

Catherine - First noted in the South Indian ocean "5th Nov 1819 Catherine Homeward". Several other plots are noted.

Prince Regent (Bringing 144 convicts from Cork) - Setting off from Cork 20th September 1820 bound for New South Wales, arriving into Sydney on the 9th January 1821. Whole ship's track shown, with the ship noted as arriving home on the 3rd of December 1821. This return journey includes a track plotted from Tasmania on the 1st March 1821 going via Batavia. Though our research seems to show that Wallis did not make the journey himself it does seem that voyage was relevant to Wallis as it takes up a prominent position on the map. It is possible Wallis may have had an associate take a copy of his newly published book of Australian views (published the same month that The Regent left England) to the colony for either Lycett or Macquarie.

Astell (Wallis to India) - The entire track of the ship shown. Leaving England on the 24th May 1822 and arriving in Madras on the 21st September 1822.

Clyde - Entire ship's track shown. Departs Madras 15th September 1826 via Good Hope arriving into Britain after the 8th of February 1827.


View map online on http://www.antiquemapart.com/map/412