Misconceptions, Myths, and Maps: a fresh look at Armidale's 'Galloway Grid'

Abstract

It is more than 30 years since D.N. Jeans discussed the processes under which rural towns were laid out in colonial New South Wales, particularly during the period from the late 1820s until 1842. This was the responsibility of the Surveyor- General's Department, which employed teams of field surveyors as well as draughtsmen, clerks, and sundry support staff. Heading the department was the Surveyor-General himself and his deputy. During most of the period examined by Jeans, the Surveyor-General was Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell and his deputy was Samuel Augustus Perry. Jeans made a beginning in examining the interactions between the Surveyor-General and his deputy and between these two and the staff both in Sydney and in the field. Using the case study of Armidale in the New England region of New South Wales, this paper will argue that much more work is needed to establish just how the department worked. In particular, Mitchell's frequent absences on expeditions and in Britain placed Perry in sole charge for many years. The relationships between Mitchell and Perry and their differing priorities and values need detailed study to establish just how the department worked during the second quarter of the 19th century. Such a study is beyond the scope of this paper. According to Jeans, local landowners generally provided the initial impetus for laying out a town, although official reasons sometimes replaced private requests. He noted that 'police magistrates had a hand in choosing sites conveniently placed to become their headquarters.'