Chapter:

Dr. James Murdoch M.D. of Craigow 1785-1848
Early Pioneer of Medicine in Van Diemens Land

Appendix 4. Copy of Original Grant of 800 ac. to Dr James which became Craigow

(Blue italic text denotes handwriting on the document. There were handwritten parts of the document that I couldn't read from the photocopy available to me - the description of the land, and the signatures - perhaps someone will be able to provide me with a transcript)

By His Excellency, SIR THOMAS BRISBANE, Knight Commander of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over His Majesty’s Territory of New South Wales and its Dependencies.

WHEREAS by His Majesty’s Commission, bearing Date the Third Day of February, in the Second Year of His Reign, His Majesty did give and grant unto me full Power and Authority to agree for such Lands, Tenements, and Hereditaments, as should be in His Majesty’s Power to dispose of; and them to grant to any Person or Persons upon such Terms and under such Quit-Rents, Services, and Acknowledgements, to be thereupon reserved to His Majesty, according to such Instructions as should be given to me, under His Sign Manual, which said Grants were to pass, and be Sealed by His Majesty’s Seal of His said Territory and its Dependencies; and being entered upon Record by such Officer or Officers as I should appoint thereunto, should be good and effectual in Law against His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors. AND WHEREAS by His Majesty’s Instructions to me, under His Sign Manual, bearing Date the Fifth Day of February in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty-one, and in the Second Year of His Reign, I am restricted from granting more than One Hundred and Thirty Acres of Land to each Free Settler, twenty acres more in Case he shall be married, and ten Acres for every Child who may be with him at the Settlement at the Time of making such Grant, without the Approbation of His Majesty.

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, the said SIR THOMAS BRISBANE, in Pursuance of the Power and Authority so given and granted unto me as aforesaid, have given and granted, and by these Presents do give and grant unto James Murdoch his Heirs and Assigns, all those Eight Hundred Acres of Land, situate, lying, and being in the District of Cambridge [unreadable] Bounded on the north-east side by the [unreadable] commencing [unreadable] Fleming [unreadable] east side by a [unreadable] West side by a [unreadable] saving and reserving to His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, such Timber as may be growing, or to grow hereafter, upon the said Land which may be deemed fit for Naval Purposes; also, such Parts of the said Land as are now, or shall hereafter be required, by the proper Officer of His Majesty’s Government, for a Highway or Highways. To HAVE and to HOLD the said Land hereby granted to the said James Murdoch his Heirs, and Assigns, for ever, free from all Taxes, Quit-Rents, Services, and Acknowledgements whatsoever, for the Period of five Years from the Date of these Presents; but from and after the Expiration of the said Term or Time yielding and paying therefore to His Majesty, His Heirs , and Successors, the Quit-Rent or Sum of Sixteen Shillings of lawful Sterling Money, yearly and every Year for ever. Provided always, and it is hereby expressly stipulated, that so much of the aforesaid Eight Hundred Acres of Land hereby granted, as exceeds the Quantity I am enabled to Grant to the said James Murdoch under the before recited instructions, is to be considered as granted subject to the Approbation of His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors: And provided always, and it is hereby expressly stipulated, that the said James Murdoch and his Heirs shall in no Wise, either directly or indirectly, sell, aliene, assign transfer, or set over the said Land hereby granted, or any Part or Parcel thereof, within the said Term of five Years: And provided always, that the said James Murdoch his Heirs, and Assigns, shall use his or their best Endeavours to procure to be assigned to his or their Service, by the proper Officer of His Majesty’s Government (to be employed exclusively upon the Land hereby granted), Eight transported Convicts, whom the said James Murdoch his Heirs, and Assigns, shall, until the Expiration or Remission of their respective Terms of Transportation, duly victual and clothe, agreeably to the Government Regulation for the Time-being; and shall (if required) execute a Bond to the said Officers of Government for such due Employing, Victualling, and Clothing: Otherwise the Whole of the said Land hereby granted shall become forfeit and escheat to His Majesty, His Heirs, and Successors, and these Presents shall be held and deemed null and void.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my Hand, and the Seal of the Territory, at Sydney, in New South Wales, this Thirtieth Day of June in the Year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty three.

Signed and Sealed in our Presence,} [unreadable]

A sidebar on the document reads:

Entered upon Record, by me, this 30 Day of June 1823} J. Goulburn Secretary & Registrar