Description:
A piece of the Tree under which
Robert O'Hara Burke was buried
Cooper's Creek, South Australia
hardwood and sterling silver
42.5 cm long
(8-10 cm diameter)
PROVENANCE:
Probably extracted by Alfred Walker, Innamincka Station,
South Australia (August 1887) and sent to William Campbell, London, United Kingdom (1889)
The Imperial Institute (later The Commonwealth Institute),
United Kingdom
British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, Bristol,
United Kingdom
Private Collection, United Kingdom (2009)
William Campbell (17 July 1810 – 20 August 1896) was one of Australia's richest pastoralists and one of the first people to discover gold in Australia. Campbell was born in 1810 in Scotland, migrated to Australia in December 1838, given a job managing one of the Macarthurs' stations near Goulburn in New South Wales, and later a conservative Australian politician.
In 1881 Campbell bought Innamincka station (where the Burke tree is located) and being frustrated by the introduction of the controversial land taxes at the time, in 1882 he returned to England and appointed Alfred Walker as the manager of the property.
In August 1887 the mayor of Adelaide received from Alfred Walker (under instructions from William Campbell) a branch of the tree under which Robert O'Hara Burke was buried. Walker wrote, "I am sending you a limb from Burke's tree. The limb represents the tree as it now stands, showing initials, &c, as they were put on by the different explorers that came to look for Burke and Wills." (1)
That example (now in the Royal Geographical Society of South Australia’s collection) bears the same diameter of 8-10CM and wood grain qualities as the offered piece. Therefore, it is most likely to have been cut from the same limb by Alfred Walker at the same time in August 1887.
It is known that William Campbell tried to protect the Burke tree with a fence but he actively promoted it also. Mr Walker wrote, “Burke’s tree is now fenced in and every care will be taken to preserve it whilst Mr Campbell owns the country”. (2)
Campbell also retained another known piece which he had an anonymous woodworker turn into an inkstand (see State Library of New South Wales collection).
It is highly probable that the offered piece was sent to William Campbell in England by Alfred Walker during the time period when it was originally extracted (in August 1887) and when the silver plaque was crafted in London (in 1889).
The hallmarks and maker’s mark of the sterling silver plaque confirms it was crafted in London in 1889 by silversmith Susannah Brasted (registered June 1888-1893).
The shield shaped plaque is engraved with the image of the Burke tree as it stood with the letters - R O'H B, 21.9.61 and AH engraved into one section. In another section the letters AH and DIG with an arrow are engraved. The final section bears the initials MK engraved. At the bottom of the plaque it is inscribed with - ‘COOPER’S CREEK AUG. 1887’.
It is not known how the relic found its way to the Imperial Institute, but it is possible that William Campbell (personally, by descent or bequeath) gave the tree limb to the museum’s collection in a similar fashion to how he instructed Alfred Walker to do so back in South Australia in August 1887.
Both exhibitions (Adelaide Town Hall and the Imperial Institute) were formed as part of the Jubilee Celebrations.
The Imperial Institute was established in 1887 as a result of the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886 to promote research which would benefit the Empire. In 1958 the Imperial Institute would become known as the Commonwealth Institute. A number of the items from the collection (of which this is one) were subsequently donated to the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum.
The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum was a museum in Bristol, United Kingdom exploring the history of the British Empire and the effect of British colonial rule on the rest of the world.
In 2009 the relic was sold by BECM to the current vendor.
(1) SA Register, 17 August 1887, p. 6
(2) Ibid.
GST : ex GST
Categories: Collectables > General (Collectables)
