Trollope's Diary: Immigration, Gold Rush & Farming in Tasmania

(Immigration, Gold Rush & Farming Near New Norfolk) June 2nd 1863 to December 31st 1864 notebook diary written by Edward Frederick Trollope, one of the children of Reverend William Arthur Trollope (1798-1863) who had emigrated to Van Diemens Land with his children in 1849 (aboard the 'John Munn'). Reverend Trollope's journal (an account of the voyage) was purchased by the National Library. Edward has the insight to provide 'a short sketch of my life up to the present time.' The 'present time' finds him farming in Tasmania but this introduction provides some fascinating reading, ..we set sail from Gravesend..and after a long & disasterous voyage, for my eldest sister, Sarah, died before we left the channel & was buried at Plymouth, & we had two mutinies on board, one among the steerage passengers, & the other among the sailors, we arrived at Melbourne on the 14th of October (1849), where my father opened a school, and succeeded pretty well untill the discovery of the gold diggings at Balaarat in 1851, when I, and my eldest brother, William, joined the almost universal rush to that place, in the hopes of making a speedy fortune, but after staying at the various diggings for upwards of twelve months I returned home almost as poor as when I started. In the mean time my father, finding himself deserted by all his scholars, & everything in Melbourne being at famine prices, had accepted the Bishop of Tasmania's invitation to his diocese...he accepted the Colonial Chaplaincy of Green Ponds... ...I have been on the look out for a farm, untill, when almost in despair of ever obtaining one, I have this day succeeded in renting one situated at the Back River, near New Norfolk, from Mr Jackson of O'Brien's Bridge: it is called Rosenvale, contains 156 acres, has a good house, barn, &c, upon it, the rent is 50£ per annum.. December 25th 1864 'Sunday: Christmas Day. We went to New Norfolk Church in the morning, and the pigs got into the garden again, and I had to mend the fence after them... 135 pages, binding loose and spine largely absent, 23 x 19 cm.