This transcription of the original item was compiled and annotated by Richard Fotheringham. There is a note in the top right-hand corner 'In the posession [sic] of Hon. Joshua Thomas Bell circ. 1908-9'. Footnote on first page: 'Two manuscript notes in different hands are written in the right margin at this point ... indicates that this was compiled c. 1902 (Thomas died Jan 1904).' These recollections were shared with his son, Arthur Hoey Davis (1868-1935) (whose pen name was Steele Rudd) mostly likely in the early 1900's. Thomas Davis was a former convict. His memoir covers the period from 1849 to the separation of Queensland from New South Wales in 1859. Davis initially worked with J. C. Burnett's Survey Party. He recounts stories of the places he visited and their history, various encounters with local indigenous groups and individuals, language and culture of the Aboriginal people of the area, kinship system in the Maronoa and Balonne region, and a list of more than 100 names and phrases in the dialect of the people of the Balonne, Dawson and Comet river. Joshua Peter Bell is mentioned several times in memoir. This and other recollections by Thomas Davis were collected by Joshua Thomas Bell in the first decade of the 20th century.

Letter 29 January 1896 re: appointment of Justices of the Peace.

Joshua Thomas Bell: ‘How to vote’ flyer for Dalby election in 1893 ; [order of service] booklet for Hon. J.T. Bell, 11 Mar 1911; newspaper cuttings and photocopies of newspaper cuttings relating to funeral of Joshua Thomas Bell, 1911

‘Codrington Crawshay’, with note on first page ‘In the possession of the Hon. J. T. Bell. Circ. 1980-9’, typescript, 3 pages, 2 copies, and copy of first page, undated [Extract from ‘The Northern Miner’, Mon 25 Apr 1910]

Notes from Alexander Johnston. Typescript and carbon copy, 4 leaves, with note on first page ‘In the possession of the Hon. J. T. Bell. Circ. 1908-9’, undated. One typescript copy, 3 leaves, undated. Johnston recalls his time on the Darling Downs where he arrived in 1842, his time in Canning Downs, hostilities with Aboriginal Australians including at Soldiers' Flat and Laidley, Jimbour, Dalby, and people such as Ludwig Leichhardt, Henry Dennis, and Warraba.

Notes from Alexander Johnston. Typescript and carbon copy, 4 leaves, with note on first page ‘In the possession of the Hon. J. T. Bell. Circ. 1908-9’, undated. One typescript copy, 3 leaves, undated. Johnston recalls his time on the Darling Downs where he arrived in 1842, his time in Canning Downs, hostilities with Aboriginal Australians including at Soldiers' Flat and Laidley, Jimbour, Dalby, and people such as Ludwig Leichhardt, Henry Dennis, and Warraba.

Correspondence to Colin Basil Peter Bell regarding Joshua Thomas Bell’s (Joey) death, 28 letters, 1910 to 1911. Correspondence to Colin Basil Peter Bell regarding Joshua Thomas Bell’s (Joey) death, 12 telegrams, 1911.

Photocopies of correspondence to Colin Basil Peter Bell regarding Joshua Thomas Bell’s (Joey) death, 28 letters, 1910 to 1911. Correspondence to Colin Basil Peter Bell regarding Joshua Thomas Bell’s (Joey) death, 12 telegrams, 1911.

Photocopies of letters from the Bell family, 1880 to 1907 [provided by Anita O’Connor, descendant of Sarah Bell (nee Alexander) and son, John Alexander Bell]

This file contains various documents relating to Joshua Thomas Bell, including:
• Program for Parliamentary dinner … to His Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Dudley, by the Members of the Queensland Ministry, 19 Jul 1909
• Program for Smoke concert and presentation to the Hon. Joshua Thomas Bell, 19 Mar 1909,2 copies
• In memoriam card, 2 copies
• In Memoriam card for Sir Joshua Peter Bell, 1881
• Program for the Tour of his excellency the Governor to norther and western Queensland, 1908
• Copy of letter dated 8 Jul 1907 from H. Bracker from Moreheads Limited responding to The Hon. J. T. Bells enquiry about certain aboriginal words and their meaning, including the words: Euoggera, Buyuba, Murrumba, Ballanur, Buyulegun, and Mooroolbin.
• Evans, George Essex. The sword of pain, Toowoomba : Weston & Harrison, 1905, with inscription on first page ‘The Hon. J.T. Bell – with the authors compliments, Nov 14th 1905’ and signed Geo. Essex Evans at the end of poem.
• Photocopy of page from marriage register with has Colin Basil Peter Bell and Sibyl Needham marriage, 3 copies, [1898]