Document information

Physical location:

Minute book 5,1873-1878,p. 357-8, VPRS 11097/P0001, Belfast Borough Council records VA 4030, Public Record Office, Victoria. 77.04.00a

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Frederick Mandeville, 1877-04 [77.04.00a]. 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/1870-9/1877/77-04-00a-final.odt>, accessed June 15, 2026

1
Telegram not found. The text given here is from the minutes of a meeting of the Belfast Borough Council held on 2 May 1877. M's telegram is dated to April on the assumption it would have been sent when his parcel was despatched; the curator of the local Botanic Garden, James Prior, reported at the meeting that the seeds had been received. Nelson maintained a weekly service between Melbourne and Portland calling at Warrnambool and Belfast (now Port Fairy), and although it is possible that the voyage that departed Melbourne on 1 May could have arrived at Belfast by 2 May, it is more likely that the parcel was sent, received and examined in April.
[Baron von Mueller, Telegram
2
The Belfast gazette published the following summary of the telegram: 'A telegram was read from Baron Von Mueller, stating he had forwarded a bag of creeping grass seed for sowing on the hummocks besides six packets of other seeds' (Belfast gazette, 4 May 1877, p. 3).
stating that parcel of grass seed had been despatched by Nelson]
3
Council resolved that 'McPherson'—probably Robert McPherson, Road Overseer—'attend to the driving in of piles & wiring in of Hummocks fencing', and that 'Mr Prior be empowered to employ necessary assistance in planting out seed on hummock'.