Sir Joseph Banks Papers, 1767-1822. Includes some papers of Sarah Sophia Banks, 1766, 1773-1774, 1779; and Dorothea, Lady Banks, 1817-1822..

Fonds

Mindful of Banks' original and subsequently dispersed arrangement, these papers have been arranged into 96 series and grouped under nineteen section headings. The intention is to reflect, as far as possible, the way the papers were used and accumulated by Banks during his lifetime. Banks kept together letters he received within a given year, arranged alphabetically by correspondent's name. He often drafted his reply directly onto the letter received, this serving as his copy. These were usually bound together to form volumes, paginated in the top right hand corner, and given an index to the names of correspondents. It is difficult to determine how far this arrangement extended across Banks' entire archive as bound volumes have subsequently been disbound and the papers are now split and held in many different institutions around the world. It is therefore not possible to replicate completely Banks' original arrangement in theses papers. Where many letters have been received by Banks from the same person, these have been treated separately as a series, arranged chronologically. The remaining letters received by Banks have been arranged alphabetically by correspondent's name. This arrangement approximates Banks' probable original arrangement. Copies of letters written by Banks to other, often unnamed correspondents have been arranged chronologically. Seemingly naturally occurring series with already assigned titles, such as 'Voluntiers, Instructions, Provisions for 2d. Voyage', 'Correspondence Bounty' and 'Letters and Papers relative to Capt. Bligh', occasionally occur in the collection. It is no longer possible to be sure that all such groupings were formed by Banks himself, or by later owners such as Lord Brabourne, the Library, or the Government Printing Office during the preparation of Historical records of New South Wales. These groupings have been retained essentially undisturbed. It is thought that this arrangement probably replicates Banks' own.