344 RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



but the above letter was followed by a second, dated 18tli Octobei-, 

 1841-^, also written b}- Mr. Clarke, in which he said : — 



" The only room in the Buildings in Maequarie Street suitable for the reception 

 of the Museum is, at present, in the occupation of the Town-Surveyor's 

 Department, the other rooms, as I had previously the duty of observing, 

 beinti,- quite insufficient for the purpose." 



The mattei- of the Town Surveyor's Office was finally settled by a 

 letter from the Colonial Secretary (Hon. E. Deas Thomson), as recorded 

 ill the minutes of 1st Dec, 1S41 : — 



" The Secretary [W. B. Clarke] read a letter from the Colonial Secretary stat- 

 ing that the room applied for in the occupation of tlie Town Surveyor 

 cannot be granted by His Excellency [Sir G. Gipps] for the use of the 

 Museum." 



In the " New South Wales Calender nnd General Post Office Dii'ec- 

 tory " for 18;^7-^ there appeared the folloAving, which at first sight, may 

 .seem a contradiction to a great deal that has gone before : — 



"The Museum, Maequarie Place, is open daily (Sundays excepteti) between 

 the hours of 12 and 3." 



The contiguity, however, of this Maequarie Place site and that in 

 Bridge Street is sufficient to indicate them as one and the same, but if 

 ])roof be needed the following advertisement-'^ should be sufficient : — 



.Australian Museum. 

 Notice is here))y given, that the Australian Museum'-'" having been removed 

 to tlie house lately occupied by His Honor the Chief Justicf*, in Maequarie 

 Place, is now open for Public Inspection on Tuesdays anil FriiUxys between 

 the hours of Twelve and Three. 



By order of the Committee, 



George Bennett, 

 Australian Secretary. 



Museum, 



June Htli. 1836. 



It is suiprising how little care appeal's to have been exercised by local 

 historians in earlier da vs. Thns, Fowles in his " Sydney in 1848-*^," says 

 that whilst the Museum occupied the two rooms in the Surveyor-General's 

 Office, " Dr. Bennett resigned his office as Director in favour of ^Ir. 

 William Sheridiin Wall""'." It has alieadv been shown in Part 1 how 

 fallaceoiis such a statement was. Fowles also savs the Institution was 

 founded in 1886-^'. 



The first Museum Ciitahigiie was published in 18;)7. On the "iOth 

 September, 1837, the Sub-Committee resolved that : — 



■^* Official Letter-book, i., p. 39. 



••;» N.S.W. Calendar and G.P.O. Directory, 1837, p. 342. 



-'' Sydney Gazette, vii.. No. 226, 1836 (June 15th) p. 454; Id.. No. 227, (June 

 22nd) p. 472. 



-'- Note the title. 



-** P'owles — Sydney in 1H4H : illiistratt'd by copiieii)latc' engravings of (lie prin- 

 cipal streets, public Imildings, churches, cha])fls, etc. ^4to.) 



-" Fowles— Loc. cit., p. 84. 



■•" Kowles — Loc. rll , p. S3. 



