Item 3 - Letter by Adam Amos

Archibald Lawrence Meston (1890-1951), educationist, historian and anthropologist, was born on 5 June 1890 at Launceston, Tasmania. His most important anthropological work was the discovery and description of the rock carvings at Mount Cameron West in 1933. Another major addition to the study of Tasmanian prehistory was his initiation of large-scale excavation in the shell midden at the South Cave, Rocky Cape. Meston's collection of implements and other Aboriginal relics is now housed in the Museum of Victoria; his library is the property of the City of Launceston. For more information see entry in Australian Dictionary of Biography http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/meston-archibald-lawrence-7563

Adam and his brother John were the eldest sons of James Amos and Helen (Nellie) Hoy who married at Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland in 1771. The brothers arrived with George Meredith aboard the 'Emerald' arriving in Van Diemen’s Land at Hobart town on March 17th 1821. The brothers settled on the east coast of Tasmania at Cranbrook. Adam was appointed in May 1822 to be the first District Constable of Swanport, acting also as coroner and pound keeper and by 1823 Adam and John between them owned around 1,700 acres. Within 10 years these lands had increased through further grants to 6400 acres (over 2500ha) comprising the present-day Cranbrook, Glen Heriot, Gala (at one time known as The Mill, then Gala Mill) and Glen Gala. Melrose was the name given to a square mile of the 2000-acre grant made to Adam in 1828. Adam Amos of "Glen Gala"