Summary

Framed print of the Batman Deed, dated 1835. This is a printed copy of the Batman Deed, made in 1966 from the 'original' once held by Dame Mabel Brookes and now held by the National Museum of Australia.

In 1835 an Association was formed in Tasmania for the purpose of colonizing Port Phillip. John Batman left Launceston in the interests of this Association in May 1835, and crossed over to Port Phillip, where he arranged with eight aboriginal elders to purchase some 600,000 acres of land, including the sites of Melbourne and Geelong. Formal deeds, executed in triplicate, were then 'signed, sealed and delivered", the so-called signatures of the aboriginal elders being private marks of the tribe. The signing and delivery of these documents took place, on the banks of a tributary of the Yarra, on 6th June 1835. Unfortunately for Batman and his party, these interesting relics of the foundation of the Colony were not held valid as legal documents.

The original Batman Deed is of enormous significance to the history of the European settlement of Victoria. The three 'original' copies, made in 1835, are in public collections, the British Museum, the National Museum of Australia, and the State Library of Victoria.

Dame Mabel Brookes became a collector of Australiana in the 1930s, and 'discovered' a third copy of the Batman Deed in the papers of the Port Phillip Association, held in the offices of a Geelong lawyer. She acquired this copy, framed it and kept in on display in her home. In 1968 she sold the deed and it ended up in the National Museum of Australia. However before it was sold, she had 30 copies made, which she presented to friends and people she thought might be interested. This copy was given to John Nathan, a hairdresser at Myers, who did Dame Mabel's hair for many years. Mr Nathan had it framed, offered it to the Museum.

Physical Description

Framed print of the Batman Deed, dated 1835. The document consists of handwritten text in black ink with eight signatures in the lower right hand side and three signatures in the lower left hand corner. Signed by John Batman beneath the eight signatures.

Significance

The original Batman Deed is of enormous significance to the history of the European settlement of Victoria. The three "original" copies, made in 1835, are in public collections: the British Museum, the National Museum of Australia, and the State Library of Victoria. The copy made by Dame Mabel Brookes is worth acquiring for its quirky history alone, and allows us to make comparisons between the history of both documents.

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