Source note: Samuel Stephen’s diary

Colonial Manager Samuel Stephens kept an account of the establishment of the settlement he called Kingscote, beginning with the arrival of the Duke of York at Nepean Bay on 17 July 1836. It tells of events, characters and the often difficult relationships between South Australian Company employees, emigrants and sailors in the tiny community. Stephens’ diary ends on 23 September 1836, and he send it to George French Angas with a covering letter dated27 September 1836.

Stephens’ diary and the letter are in the Angas Papers in the State Library of South Australia. The originals are in PRG 174/7, and manuscript and typescript copies in PRG 174/1. The transcript used on this site is by Jude Elton and Bob Sexton.