The superintendent and the chaplain: Maconochie and mcencroe on norfolk Island part 1: Documents

• Published in: Australasian Catholic record Vol. 98; no. 2; pp. 131 - 161
• Main Author: Fowler, Colin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sydney Australasian Catholic Record 01.04.2021; Copyright Agency Limited (Distributor)
• Subjects: Archives & records; Augustine of Hippo (354-430); Brochures; Chaplains; Classical literature; Criminal justice, Administration of; Criminal law; Editors; Epistolography; Governors; Latin literature; Letters; Morality; Prisoners; Transcription; Australia; Norfolk Island; New South Wales Australia
• ISSN: 0727-3215

Sixty-two years ago the 'Australasian Catholic Record' published part of a manuscript containing copies of letters of the Rev. John McEncroe, chaplain at Norfolk Island (1838-1842), addressed to Governor Sir George Gipps and to Captain Alexander Maconochie, superintendent of Norfolk Island penal settlement. McEncroe intended to have the correspondence published in Sydney as a pamphlet by William Augustine Duncan, editor of the Catholic newspaper, the 'Australasian Chronicle'. Robert Daly introduced and transcribed the six letters to Gipps, but not the three letters to Maconochie. Many scholars since have referred to the ACR article, one of the most recent being Hilary Carey in 'Empire of Hell', published in March 2019.2 However, none of the secondary sources cite the letters to Maconochie, which form the appendix of the manuscript, suggesting that Daly's transcription, but not the full manuscript, had been accessed.