The correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller: Covenant for the Restoration of the Insignia of a Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George. ¶ . ¶ ¶ . ¶ ¶ I hereby covenant and promise that in case I shou...

Document information

Physical location:

National Archives, London, CO 447/35, Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, vol. III, 1879, A-Z, no. 18099. 79.09.29d

Preferred Citation:

Ferdinand von Mueller to Robert Herbert, 1879-09-29 [79.09.29d]. 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/1870-9/1879/79-09-29d-final.odt>, accessed June 13, 2026

The Covenent form to be completed was enclosed in R. Herbert to M, 30 June 1879 (in this edition as 79-06-30a); M inserted 'Melbourne', '29th' and 'September', and he and Georg Luehman signed their names. It was returned with M to R. Herbert, 29 September 1879 (in this edition as 79-09-29b).

Covenant for the Restoration of the Insignia of a Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George.

. .

I hereby covenant and promise that in case I should hereafter be promoted or cease to hold my Rank and Place in this Most Distinguished Order, I will forwith restore to the Secretary all the Insignia thereof which I have now received from the said Secretary, and I further promise that I will, without delay, make provision for the due restoration of the said Insignia by my personal Representatives in case I shall continue a member of this Most Distinguished Order until the period of my decease.

In his Last Will and Testament, dated 17 June 1884, M requested his executors to 'return through his Excellency the Governor my decoration of K.C.M.G. to the Right Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies'. M's executors may not have fulfilled the request: M's reputed KCMG regalia are listed in the catalogue of the State Library of NSW, Sydney, as part of the Sir William Dixson medal collection: star DN/M 1284, and badge DN/M 1285. However an expected provenance note could not be found when requested in 2016.

Given under my Hand at Melbourne, this 29th day of September 1879

Ferd. von Mueller

Witness J. G. Luehmann