LETTER, FROM COLONIAL SECRETARY TO SEPTIMUS BURT, APPOINTMENT STATE REPRESENTATIVE COLONIAL CONFERENCE

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Fraser, Malcolm

1887

Overview

Handwritten letter dated March 1887 from the Colonial Secretary, Malcolm Fraser, to Septimus Burt appointing him (along with the Hon. John Forrest) to represent the State at the First Colonial Conference in London that year as part of the celebrations of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Letter handwritten on a single sheet of cream paper using official printed stationary from the Western Australian Colonial Secretary's Office, Perth dating from the 1880s (as evident from the printed portion of the date). The paper has a vertical half fold and the letter is written on the front page and the inside page to the left of the fold.

Historical information

The conference ended up running between 4 April and 6 May and was attended by more than 100 delegates from both self-governing and independent colonies. Five other Australian colonies also sent representatives.

Malcolm Fraser, Colonial Secretary, Perth 1883-1890 - author

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-46-1976.59

Item type

Documents

Material

Ink

Paper

Inscriptions and markings

Letter no "71/843"
Colonial Secretary's Office Stationary with coat of Arms, Legislative Council of Western Australia in Brown ink.
Signed Malcolm Fraser

Contextual information

This letter is from the Colonial Secretary on behalf of Governor Broome informing Septimus Burt of his appointment to represent the Government of Western Australia (along with John Forrest) at the upcoming colonial conference being held at the Colonial Office London. It is of historic interest showing the high standing of Burt in the community at the relatively young age of 39. The letter is complete and in original condition.

The Honourable Septimus Burt KC (1847-1919), son of Sir Archibald Paull Burt, was born in St Kitts Island (formerly known as St Christopher in the West Indies) and came to Western Australia in 1861. S Burt became a prominent lawyer, politician and grazier. His political work was central to the achievement and development of the Western Australian constitution as the first Attorney General after self-government was achieved. The Hon Septimus Burt rejected knighthood and offers to be a Supreme Court Judge.

Keywords

Burt, Septimus

Fraser, Malcolm

Colonial Conference 1887

Place made

Perth, Western Australia, Australia

Year

1887

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Comparative significance criteria

Object’s condition or completeness