Stephens (W.H.) My journey from Sydney, 1858-1859

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Title:: My diary from Sydney,
Dates:: 1858-1859
Creators:: Stephens, W.H.
Abstract:: Journal of W.H. Stephens' journey from Australia to Samoa, Tahiti, Honolulu, California, Mexico, and Panama. Includes detailed description of theaters in Australia and Northern california. Also includes some discussion of local customs and dress in Samoa, Tahiti, and Hawaii.
Language:: English.
Preferred citation:: W.H. Stephens My journey from Sydney (Collection 170/011). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.

Scope and content:: Journal entries date from May 1, 1858 to June 6, 1859. The author first gives an account of the decline of drama in New South Wales, a decline that he blames on the arrival of the comedian James Simmonds, a performer brought to Australia by Lola Montez. Stephens' makes reference to Sydney, Melbourne, and Geelong theaters. He then sails from Sydney on a ship called the Ocean, and describes his travels in Samoa, Tahiti, and Hawaii with some attention to local customs and dress in all three places. Stephens' travels on the Eurydice from Tahiti to San Francisco. Once in San Francisco, he provides a detailed description of the local theatre scene and his professional engagements, as well as an overview of life in the city. The journal also records his travels in California's Gold Country (with some mention of local drama), Acapulco, Mexico, and Panama. The journal ends abruptly after Stephens reaches Panama.
Biographical / historical:: According to the manuscript, W.H. Stephens was an actor who performed in Australia until going to San Francisco in 1858.
Acquisition information:: Undated purchase by Lawrence Clark Powell, from P.J. Dobell.
Physical location:: Stored in UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.

Subjects:: Theater--Australia--History--19th century.
Theater--California, Northern--History--19th century.
Actors--Diaries.
Names:: Stephens, W.H.--Diaries.
Stephens, W.H.--Travel--Polynesia.
Stephens, W.H.--Travel--Hawaii.
Stephens, W.H.--Travel--California, Northern.
Stephens, W.H.--Travel--Mexico.
Stephens, W.H.--Travel--Panama.
Places:: Polynesia--Social life and customs.
Hawaii--Social life and customs.
Polynesia--Description and travel.
Hawaii--Description and travel.
California, Northern--Description and travel.
Mexico--Description and travel.
Panama--Description and travel.

Collection Guide Author:: Processed by UCLA Library Special Collections staff; machine-readable finding aid created by Caroline Cubé
Date Prepared:: © 2004
Date Encoded:: Machine-readable finding aid derived from Microsoft Access database, October 2004 , encoding added via Notetab Pro. Online finding aid edited by Josh Fiala. Date of source: October 2004 .

Access and use

Restrictions:: Open for research. Please contact the UCLA Library Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Terms of access:: Property rights to the physical object belong to the UCLA Library Special Collections. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the UC Regents do not hold the copyright.

Preferred citation:: W.H. Stephens My journey from Sydney (Collection 170/011). UCLA Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library.

Location of this collection:: UCLA, Library Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library

A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library

Box 951575

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US