Document information
Physical location:
B53/4503, unit 185, VPRS 1189 inward registered correspondence, VA 856 Colonial Secretary's Office, Public Record Office, Victoria. 53.05.02Preferred Citation:
John Duerdin to Ferdinand von Mueller, 1853-05-02. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id//letters/1850-9/1853/53-05-02-final.odt>, accessed May 15, 2026
The Committee of Management of the Botanical Gardens
1
It is not known for certain that M was a member of the Committee when Duerdin wrote
this letter but he did attend the meeting which was called to discuss its proposals.
Melbourne
&c &c &c
Melbourne 2nd May 1853
Gentl[eme]n
Some time ago I ordered through messrs Dalgety Gore & Co of Sir Chas: Fox Henderson
& Co (the Builders of the Crystal Palace) two Green houses according to a Plan prepared
for me by Mr Samuel Jackson the Architect these have now arrived by the "Cherusker"
as I intend to visit England shortly I do not care to put them up. I therefore beg
to offer them (or one of them) to you at the price I shall have to pay Messrs Dalgety
Gore & Co for them which will be some where about Six Hundred pounds. I shall be happy
to submit the Plan & specification to you if you are disposed to take them (or one
of them) off my hands.
I am Gentlemen
Your obedt Sert
(Signed) John Duerdin
2
On 5 May 1853 the Honorary Secretary of the Botanic Gardens Committee of Management,
H. Ginn, recommended, following an inspection, that the greenhouses be purchased,
but La Trobe felt unable to proceed (B53/4503, unit 185, VPRS 1189, Public Record Office, Victoria). The Botanic Gardens Committee met on 26 July 1853,
M being one of those in attendance, and again recommended that the greenhouses be
purchased 'as it was considered they were much needed and would be a great acquisition
to the Gardens' (J. Balmain to J. Foster, 27 July 1853 (in this edition as M53-07-27)). La Trobe on this occasion sanctioned the purchase,
with the proviso that the units could be disposed of again should the purchase not
be approved by the Legislative Council (No. 53/128, unit 1, VPRS 3149, Public Record Office, Victoria); the purchase was subsequently confirmed despite an
increase in the projected cost to the government to £800. See Victoria, Legislative
Council (1853),
Estimates of the ways and means, and of the probable expenditure of the Colonial Government
of Victoria for the year 1854, and the supplementary estimate for the year 1853, Melbourne. J. Balmain to J. Foster, 14 September 1853, explained the increase in cost as a provision to cover the 'expense for carting, sorting
and putting the buildings in such a state that they could be left without risk of
injury until funds were voted for their erection' (D53/9233, unit 185, VPRS 1189 inward
registered correspondence, VA 856 Colonial Secretary's Office, Public Record Office,
Victoria).