Memoranda Road Book – W. Cox

William Cox’s own daily summary account of the construction of a road from Frogmore Bridge to Ropes Creek to Rooty Hill to East Creek to Lawson Bridge to Wentworth and to Parramatta between 12 July and 25 August 1815. In the notebook, Cox records details of the men employed, their role, cost incurred, progress made and a one-page diagram of the actual road. The book is of a design to suggest that it was likely carried in Cox’s pocket throughout the project. It remains in unsophisticated original condition and was in the possession of the Cox family until very recent times.

William Cox (1764 1837), military officer, road maker and builder is best remembered for his work on the construction of the road over the Blue Mountains. The original journal for the mountain road is held in the Mitchell Library. The road-building recorded in this manuscript was probably an extension to the mountain crossing, which had been completed a few months earlier in January 1815.