Joseph Matkin Papers
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2019
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Languages:
English
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: Joseph Matkin Papers
Creator:
Matkin, Joseph
Identifier/Call Number: SMC 0008
Physical Description:
.8 Linear feet
(2 archives boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1868-1984 (bulk 1871-1876)
Abstract: Letters of Joseph Matkin, ship's steward's assistant and member of the H.M.S.
Challenger crew during the Challenger Expedition, a joint venture of the Royal Society of London and the British Admiralty (1872-1876).
The collection also contains a small number of Matkin family photographs.
Scope and Content of Collection
Letters of Joseph Matkin, ship's steward's assistant and member of the H.M.S.
Challenger crew during the Challenger Expedition, a joint venture of the Royal Society of London and the British Admiralty (1872-1876).
The letters were written primarily to his mother, Sarah Matkin, and his cousin, John Thomas Matkin (addressed in the letters
as "Tom"). The collection contains original letters to Mrs. Matkin, and copies of letters to and from other family members,
including a full bound copy of Tom Swann's letterbook, in which he recorded the contents of his cousin's letters. The collection
also contains a small number of Matkin family photographs.
Transcription and historical analysis of the Matkin letters has been published in
The Challenger
Letters of Joseph Matkin: At Sea with the Scientifics, ed. by Philip F. Rehbock. University of Hawaii Press, 1992.
Biography
Joseph Matkin (1853-1927) was born in the small rural town of Uppingham, Rutland, England. His father owned a sucessful printing
and stationary company in Oakham; he attended the Billesdon parish free school in Leicestershire. In 1867 Matkin entered the
merchant marine, and in 1870, entered the Royal Navy. Matkin was transferred to the
Challenger in 1872 and remained with the ship for the full duration of its three and a half year scientific expedition. He wrote extensively
to family throughout the trip, and many of these letters, or copies of his letters, comprise this collection.
For a full account of Joseph Matkin's biographical background, including education, historical context, and duties on the
ship, please see the introduction to: The
Challenger Letters of Joseph Matkin: At Sea with the Scientifics, ed. by Philip F. Rehbock. University of Hawaii Press, 1992.
Preferred Citation
Joseph Matkin Letters. SMC 8. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1984
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Restrictions
Access to original letters requires the permission of the Director of Special Collections & Archives. Microfilm copies of
23 original Matkin letters are available in Box 2 of the collection. The John Thomas Swann letters are photocopies of Swann's
original letterbook. All letters in the collection have been transcribed and published.
Related Materials
Full transcripts of all letters in this collection have been published: The
Challenger Letters of Joseph Matkin: At Sea with the Scientifics, ed. by Philip F. Rehbock. University of Hawaii Press, 1992.
Provenance
Gift of Lucy Mary Matkin Stone (Mrs. Vernon E. Stone). Mrs. Stone also made typescript transcripts of all letters. Letters
were received 3/20/84 from Mrs. Stone and sent to Victoria Blyth Hill of LA County Museum for conservation treatment, then
to UCLA for microfilming.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Matkin, Joseph -- Correspondence
Challenger Expedition (1872-1876) -- Archives
Box 1, Folder 1
Letter from Joseph Matkin, Spring Creek gold diggings, Australia, to Sarah Matkin
1868 April 23
Box 1, Folder 2
List of Officers on H.M.S.
Invincible, Hull
ca. 1871
Box 1, Folder 3
Letter from Joseph Matkin, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1871 March 21
Box 1, Folder 4
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Invincible, Chatham to Sarah Matkin
1871 June 21
Box 1, Folder 5
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Invincible, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1871 July 11
General note
1 leaf and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 6
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Invincible, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1871 November 11
General note
1 leaf and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 7
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Devonport, to Sarah Matkin
1871 November 26
Box 1, Folder 8
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1871 December 17
General note
1 leaf and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 9
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1871 December 22
Box 1, Folder 10
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1872 January 27
General note
1 leaf and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 11
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1872 March 5
Box 1, Folder 12
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Hull, to Sarah Matkin
1872 May 30
Box 1, Folder 13
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Audacious, Spithead, to Sarah Matkin
1872 August 6
Box 1, Folder 14
Envelope addressed by Joseph Matkin, Sheerness, to Sarah Matkin
1872 September 25
Box 1, Folder 15
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Lisbon Roads, to Sarah Matkin
1873 January 8
Box 1, Folder 16
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Madeira, to Sarah Matkin
1873 February 2
General note
4 leaves, plus printed "A Song for the
Challenger's Crew."
Box 1, Folder 17
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, at sea (St. Thomas) to Sarah Matkin
1873 March 3
Box 1, Folder 18
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, at sea (Bermuda) to Charles Matkin (brother)
1873 May 26
Box 1, Folder 19
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, mid-Atlantic (Madeira), to Sarah Matkin
1873 June 19
Box 1, Folder 20
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Fuuchal Roads, to Sarah Matkin
1873 July 16
Box 1, Folder 21
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, St. Vincent
1873 August 4
General note
Fragment. 1 leaf.
Box 1, Folder 22
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Tristan de Cunha
1873 October
General note
Fragment. 2 leaves.
Box 1, Folder 23
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Simon's Bay, to Charles Matkin (brother)
1873 November 5
Box 1, Folder 24
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Table Bay, to Sarah Matkin
1873 December 10
Box 1, Folder 25
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Simon's Bay, to Charles Matkin (brother)
1873 December 15
Box 1, Folder 26
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Prince Edward's Island, to Sarah Matkin
1873 December 25
Box 1, Folder 27
Letter from Aunt Lizzie, Swadlincote, England, to Joseph Matkin
1874 February 3
General note
Photocopy, with transcription.
Box 1, Folder 28
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Melbourne, to Sarah Matkin
1874 March 23
Box 1, Folder 29
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Sydney, to Sarah Matkin
1874 May 7
Box 1, Folder 30
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Sydney, to Charles Matkin (brother)
1874 May 15
General note
2 leaves, 1 envelope
Box 1, Folder 31
Letter from Charles Matkin (father), Oakham, to Joseph Matkin
1874 May 29
General note
1 leaf, with transcription.
Box 1, Folder 32
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Longatabu, Friendly Islands, to William Matkin (brother)
1874 July 23
Box 1, Folder 33
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Hong Kong, to Fred Matkin (brother)
1874 December 31
Box 1, Folder 34
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, New Guinea, to Sarah Matkin
1875 February 24
Box 1, Folder 35
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Gulf of Yedo, to Sarah Matkin
1875 April 12
Box 1, Folder 36
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Gulf of Yokohama, to Sarah Matkin
1875 May 7
Box 1, Folder 37
Letter from Sarah Matkin, Swadlincote, England, to Joseph Matkin
1875 June 17
General note
Photocopy, with transcription.
Box 1, Folder 38
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, North Pacific (Honolulu), to Sarah Matkin
1875 July 13
Box 1, Folder 39
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Hilo, to Sarah Matkin
1875 August 19
Box 1, Folder 40
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, Juan Fernandez
1875 November 15
General note
Fragment. 1 leaf.
Box 1, Folder 41
Letter from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger, South Atlantic (St. Vincent), to Fred Matkin (brother)
1876 March 16
Box 1, Folder 42
Letter from Ellen Creaton, Oakham, to Joseph Matkin
1876 July 11
General note
1 leaf and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 43
Valentine from Joseph Matkin to Pollie [i.e. Mary] Swift
1877 February 13
General note
1 card and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 44
Letter from Joseph Matkin to Mary Swift
1878 March 12
General note
3 leaves and envelope.
Box 1, Folder 45-46
Matkin family photographs
General note
Copy negatives and photographs made in 1984 from originals held by Mary Matkin Stone.
Box 1, Folder 47
Photographs of selected Matkin letters
1984
Box 1, Folder 48
Matkin's mother of pearl cuff links
Box 1, Folder 49
Letters from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger Voyage (1872-1876) - Typescript of the Letterbook of John Thomas Swann
Box 1, Folder 50-51
Letters from Joseph Matkin, H.M.S.
Challenger Voyage (1872-1876) - Typescript of the Letter book of John Thomas Swann, by Mary Stone
Box 2, Folder 1
Letterbook of John Thomas Swann
1872-1876
General note
Joseph Matkin wrote 36 letters to his cousin, John Thomas Swann of Barrowden (greeted as "Tom" in the letters, and referred
to as "J.T.S" in letters to others). Swann copied the letters he received into a 846-page letterbook. This version is a bound
photocopy of Swann's book; the original remains in family custody.
Box 2, Folder 2-3
Microfilm - Letterbook of John Thomas Swann
Box 2, Folder 4
Microfilm - Joseph Matkin letters
General note
Filmed copies of 23 letters from the collection.
