Wollong Station, Mount Vincent, Meteorological Observations and related Archives

The first consignment of historic Hunter Valley Weather Records came to light in 2016 and were donated to the University of Newcastle’s Special Collections.

On the 3 May 2016, during a site visit to the former residence of the Hunter Valley Research Foundation on the banks of Throsby Creek,  three sets of Hunter Valley meteorological journals dating from 1843-1907 were donated to the University of Newcastle’s Special Collections (now Special Collection) by Brigid McCarthy, former Librarian from the Hunter Valley Research Foundation.

By the 10 January 2018 the Hunter Valley Weather records were digitised and uploaded to the UON’s Hunter Living Histories site. See: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2018/01/10/hv-climate-data/

Research has since been undertaken by the Belfield Climate Research Team.

This data set is clearly identified as being taken at “Wollong”, and thanks to the work of University of Newcastle (Australia)  PhD candidate and Wyndham Family descendant, Don Seton Wilkinson, the recorder of these meteorological journals was identified.

Wollong, NSW, near Mount Vincent was the home of Charles Wyndham, 9th son of George and Margaret of Dalwood, and his wife Emily, neé Glennie. The weather records were signed by “M. Wyndham”, presumably Marion, eldest daughter of Charles and Emily and dated from June 1891 till end of 1907.

By 25 August 2020, the Wollong weather records had been "scientifically" digitised, (meaning transcribed into excel spreadsheets to create a scientific data set), by a team of climate scientists and volunteers under the leadership of University's Conjoint Professor Howard Bridgman and published on the Hunter Living Histories Website here: https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2020/08/25/wollong/ 

More Weather Records Uncovered

In September 2020, Cessnock Librarian and Archivist, Kimberly O’Sullivan uncovered three boxes of original archives of the Wyndham Family containing the rest of the weather ledgers recorded by Marion Wyndham from 1908 up until her death in 1928.

The ‘Wollong’ archives also included the personal diaries of Marion Wyndham (dating from 1872-1928) and Mona Arline Wyndham (1893-1963), all written while living at ‘Wollong’; as well as journals, personal correspondence between members of the extended family and to outside business partners, financial records, and farm diaries.

The Cessnock Library portion is currently on loan to the University for digitisation and transcription.

https://hunterlivinghistories.com/2021/04/20/wollong2/

Box lists for ‘Wollong’ records
(Originally prepared by Kimberly O’Sullivan):

Box 1

Box 1_1. Annual rainfall observation sheets for ‘Wollong’. 1 June 1891 to 24 March 1951.

Box 1_2. Summary of annual rainfall records. 1922 – 1948.

Box 1_3. Copies printed from microfilm of meteorological observations taken at the property. January 1948-September 1956 (with gaps).

Box 1_4. Handwritten weather notes i.e. working records; many are scraps of paper. Dates most indecipherable.

• Handwritten Correspondence, Meteorological Summaries and Weather Notes 1892-1947

• Newsclippings relating to Weather and Astronomical Phenomena 1903-1928

Box 1_5. Handwritten weather notes from a ledger, described as ‘meteorological observations’. These are pages from a ledger, not a ledger. January 1928 – September 1956 (with gaps). Box 1 Item 5 Divided into three parts:

• Meteorological Observations at Wollong, Mount Vincent. 1928-1940 (Between 1st January 1928 and 31st December 1940)
• Meteorological Observations at Wollong, Mount Vincent. 1941-1949 (Between 1st January 1941 and 31st December 1949)
• Meteorological Observations at Wollong, Mount Vincent. 1950-1956 (Between 1st January 1950 and 30th September 1956)

Box 1_6. Location of rainfall stations at ‘Wollong’ description and sketch by B. Wyndham. 1939.

Box 1_7. Correspondence and circulars from government weather bureaus. 1907-1954 and undated.

Box 1_8. Monthly remarks re: meteorological observations. 1938-1951.

Box 1_9. Rainfall observations. 1 June 1891 – 24 March 1951. (Same as Item 1_1)

Box 1_10. List of ‘Wollong’ title deed holders. 1839-1915.

Box 1_11. Handwritten page ‘Journal of Expedition to the Sea Coast’. Undated

Box 1_12. Folder of photographs of the Wyndham family, some personally identified, or identified as being at ‘Wollong’, others unidentified.

Box 2

Personal diaries of: Marion Wyndham (1872-1928) and Mona Arline Wyndham (1893-1963), written while living at the property ‘Wollong’ at Quorrobolong.

Marion Wyndham Diaries

Box 2_1 Marion Wyndham Diary 1 1906-1908 [SCANNED 7/4/21]

Box 2_2 Marion Wyndham Diary 2 1909-1913 [SCANNED 7/4/21]

Mona Arline Wyndham (MAW) Diaries

Box 2_3 MAW Diary 24/3/1930 – 7/6/1931 [SCANNED 26/3/21]

Box 2_4 MAW Diary 30/4/1939 – 24/8/1940 (Wyndham 1) [SCANNED 15/6/21]

Box 2_5 MAW Diary 25/8/1940 – 11/5/1941 (Wyndham 2) [SCANNED 23/6/21]

Box 2_6 MAW Diary 12/5/1941 – 22/10/1941 (Wyndham 3) [SCANNED23/6/21]

Box 2_7 MAW Diary 23/10/1941 – 8/3/1942 (Wyndham 4) [SCANNED 5/5/21]

Box 2_8 MAW Diary 9/3/1942 – 26/7/1942 (Wyndham 5) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_9 MAW Diary 27/7/1942 – 19/1/1943 (Wyndham 6) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_10 MAW Diary 20/1/1943 – 31/10/1943 (Wyndham 7) [SCANNED 5/5/21]

Box 2_11 MAW Diary 1/11/1943 – 21/3/1944 (Wyndham 8) [SCANNED 5/5/21]

Box 2_12 MAW Diary 22/3/1944 – 9/6/1944 (Wyndham 9) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_13 MAW Diary 10/6/1944 – 25/12/1944 (Wyndham 10) [SCANNED 23/6/21 with 12]

Box 2_14 MAW Diary 26/12/1944 – 31/5/1945 (Wyndham 11A) [SCANNED 15/6/21 with 15]

Box 2_15 MAW Diary 1/6/1945 – 23/9/1945 (Wyndham 11) [SCANNED 24/6/21]

———————-MISSING GAP IN YEARS————————-

Box 2_16 MAW Diary 1/6/1946 – 28/12/1946 (Wyndham 12) [SCANNED 23/6/21 with 10]

Box 2_17 MAW Diary 28/12/1946 – 20/6/1947 (Wyndham 13) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_18 MAW Diary 20/6/1947 – 26/4/1948 (Wyndham 14) [SCANNED 14/5/21]

Box 2_19 MAW Diary 29/4/1948 – 18/2/1949 (Wyndham 15) [SCANNED 16/6/21]

Box 2_20 MAW Diary 19/2/1949 – 21/6/1949 (Wyndham 16) [SCANNED 6/5/21]

The following (4) items remain to be digitised from Box 2:

Box 2_8 MAW Diary 9/3/1942 – 26/7/1942 (Wyndham 5) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_9 MAW Diary 27/7/1942 – 19/1/1943 (Wyndham 6) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_12 MAW Diary 22/3/1944 – 9/6/1944 (Wyndham 9) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 2_17 MAW Diary 28/12/1946 – 20/6/1947 (Wyndham 13) [NOT SCANNED]

Box 3

Box 3_1. Black and white photo of unknown young girl and cat.

Box 3_2. Sepia photo of large formally dressed group of men and women arranged on the step of a building undated but c. 1890s-191 Os.

Box 3_3. School work book with brown paper cover with word ‘Arithmetic’ written on cover. On the inside cover are the words ‘Lucy Emily Glennie August 6th 1861′

Box 3_4. Brown paper cover of book with the word ‘Journal 1855-6’, cover only, no book

Box 3_5. Journal of Aldred Glennie, undated.

Box 3_6. Correspondence to and from Mona Arline Wyndham (Arline) (1893-1963), a.k.a. Mrs Frederick Wyndham, nee Arline Peryman and her daughter Heather Wyndham. Date range of correspondence: 1940-1946

Box 3_7. One letter to ‘Mrs. Glennie’ 1881.

Box 3_8. Mixed correspondence from multiple people, needs sorting and dating.

Box 3_9. Correspondence to Marion Wyndham,1883-1927. Including: 1883, 21 November. Charles Wyndham to Marion Wyndham.; 1895, 20 November. Pastor Robert Appleton to Marion Wyndham.;1907, 28 October. Dr G.H. Baring Deck to Miss Marion Wyndham.;1908, 27 December. Eric Tinson to Miss Wyndham.;1909, 26 June. Eric Tinson to Miss Wyndham.;1923, 21 February. Ellie to Marion (Page 2 missing); 1927, 20 September. Herbert Kitley to Miss Wyndham.

Box 3_10. Papers of Alfred Glennie (c.1810-1870), including original ordination papers. Date range of papers: 1850-1868.

Box 3_11. Correspondence to and from Alexander Glennie Wyndham (Glennie), a.k.a. A.G. Wyndham (1881-1948) Date range of correspondence: 1908-1930.

Box 3_12. Accounts: 1860-1868 ‘Records by Mrs. Alfred Glennie’.

Box 3_13. Cheque book buts from the Estate of the Late Lucy E. Wyndham. Formerly Lucy Emily Glennie. Date range: 1923-1924

Box 3_14. Joint Bank of Australasia passbook for Mesdames M.A. Holmes and L. E. Wyndham. Date range of passbook: 1892-1893. Joint account at the Maitland branch.

Box 3_15. Joint Commercial Banking Company of Sydney Limited passbook for Alexander Glennie and Bessie Wyndham. Date range of passbook: 1918-1922. Joint account at the Maitland branch.

Box 3_16. Handwritten farm diary in small black journal listing lambs born, marked and died. Date range: 1906-1931. Author unknown, property unknown.

Box 3_17. Handwritten stock book of ‘Wollong’ cattle compiled by Bessie Wyndham in 1888. Cover: ‘Stock Book of ‘Wollong’. Back: ‘Bessie’s cattle’.

Box 3_18. Small card with cover, inside pages x 2 and back cover notifying of church services in the Mount Vincent area for Easter Day [Easter Sunday] 12 April 1925. Churches in this area were: Christ Church mt Vincent, St. Paul’s Kurri Kurri, Pelaw Main, Hedon [sic] Greta and Buchanan. Annotated by an unknown person with additional details about Holy Communion places and times.

Box 3_19. Children’s story book. Series name ‘Picture Story Books’ title ‘Good Lady Bertha’s Honey Broth’ by Alexandre Dumas. Published London 1846. Inscription inside cover ‘Lucy Emily Glennie from Her Uncle [indecipherable] March 1851 ‘.

Box 3_20. Welsh religious book ‘Caniedydd Cynulleidfaol Newydd’ [translation: New Congregational Singer] Published Swansea, Wales 1921. Inscription inside cover ‘Mr./Mrs. [indecipherable] M. Williams Kurri Kurri August 9th 1924′.

Box 3_21. Readings From The Liturgy And Other Divine Offices Of The Church Volume 11, Part I – The Subordinate Offices Of Prayer And Proper Services For Holy Days And Season. Published in London 1852. Inscription inside cover ‘George Wyndham’.

Box 3_22. Red leather bound book, described as an ‘Album’ hand written note in front of book claims it was given to to King George IV* by his librarian. Hand

Box 3_22. Red leather bound book, described as an ‘Album’ hand written note in front of book claims it was given to to King George IV* by his librarian. Hand-written book, writing difficult to decipher, content indecipherable. Two dates: 1820 and 1862. [*1762-1830]

Box 3_23. Cake decorating design book of elaborate stencils.

Box 3_24. Leather bound journal containing weather observations written by hand. Covers rainfall, temperature, frosts, hottest and coldest days and other meteorological observations for the property ‘Wollong’. Date range: [1891] 1918-1927.

Box 3_25. Leather bound journal containing weather observations written by hand. Covers rainfall, temperature, frosts, hottest and coldest days and other meteorological observations for the property ‘Wollong’. Date range: 1908-1918.

We are also very grateful that the UON Library recruited two paid student internships to work on the Wollong Project, the successful applicants, Alison Kelly and Kathrine Sentas began work in late June 2021, just as COVID19 lockdowns were came into effect across the University and NSW. They have been able to continue processing the scans into PDF documents from home thanks to the digitisation made possible by volunteer Dr Ken Thornton while we still had access to the University. Some of the material from Box 2, and most from Box 3 will need to wait until we again have access to the University post lock down.

Further information on the Wollong Station Archives: 
https://hunterlivinghistories.com/category/weather-records-climatic-data/wollong/

Further information on the Weather Records and Historic Climate Data Project is here:
https://hunterlivinghistories.com/category/weather-records-climatic-data/