The agreement — as written
Written throughout in Hermann Rieck’s hand. He was a native German speaker, and his spellings and abbreviations are reproduced here exactly as he wrote them.
Agreement
made the thirty first day of May of the year one thousand nine hundred and eight (1908) between the undersigned Hermann H. Rieck and Thomas A Cox, both of Coffs’ Harbour, Pine Range, in the State of New S. Wales.
[ornamental flourish]
In settling of our old agreement, made the fifteenth (15th) day of December 1898, the undersigned Thomas A. Cox makes over and transfers to the undersigned Hermann H. Rieck half the property of nine (9) head of cattle all branded R followed by a brand device (a reverse C), and described as hereunder:
1 bullock, red, named Spanker 4 years old; 1 do. Redman 3 years; 1 do Bally 3 years; 1 steer Spot 1½ years; 1 do Star 1½ year; 1 heifer Nelly 1½ year; 1 cow Ruby; 1 cow Jinny with spotted calf at foot at the present value of £35 (thirtyfive Pounds Strlg,)
likewise as above makes over half the property of two horses:
a bay mare, named Dinah; a bay horse named Porter; also his cart, harness and farming implements as
1 Plough, 1 Scarifier, 1 Corncracker all in present value of £25.10/ (twentyfive Pounds Strl 10 Shlg,)
To complete the value and number of articles, taken in use and charge for Hermann H. Rieck by Thomas A. Cox, (the list of same being in possession of both parties) Thomas A. Cox makes over and transfers his tools, plates, cups, pots, pans &c into the sole possession of Hermann H. Rieck.
Both undersigned partners agree: to divide amongst themselves in two equal parts the proceeds of the agricultural and pastoral products of the Landholdings of Hermann H. Rieck: 1) freehold portions 12, 13 and 42 in the county of Fitzroy, parish of Moonee in the state of New S. Wales; 2) a leasehold situated north of said freehold.
Hermann H. Rieck renders as his part of benefit towards this mutual undertaking the use of his above mentioned land and premises, also the use of his part of the above named horses and implements, also gives to Thomas A. Cox during the existence of this agreement, free lodging, washing and accommodation at table and fireplace in the cabin and household at this farm, also Hermann H. Rieck undertakes, with council of Th. A. Cox, the management of this mutual undertaking, also the keeping of books of the business proceedings in a honest businesslike style.
Thomas A. Cox, on his part, renders, as his contribution towards this undertaking his labor, which he promises to execute solely to the best benefit of the above named lands and their productiveness.
Should it seem desirable for Thomas A. Cox to undertake work for any employer or employers outside the above named free=lease, and household, this work shall only be allowed if agreed to by both above named partners, the proceeds of such work to be divided into equal parts unto both partners of this agreement.
Hermann H. Rieck shall keep two accounts, one for the entry of the takings and expences of the farm, the profits to be divided at monthly rendering of accounts, into two equal parts between both partners; into the other accounts have to be entered the outlays of both parties towards the comon kitchen and household necessities, used by Mrs H. Rieck, who, by cooking, washing and housekeeping for both partners counts, with her husband H. Rieck in this agreement as one person.
The price of timber, the property of H. H. Rieck sold by Th. A. Cox, money according to list as hereunder:
from Hayes £1.2.6d; Layut £3.10/-; [?Swail] £5-; Langley Bros £1.11/-; Nolan for sleepers 7/- Wair 9/-; the amount of which £[blank], can be deducted in the running account in credit to H. H. Rieck,
if not paid in cash or cheque before by Thomas A. Cox to his above named partner.
The signing or transferring of incoming cheques and cash payments, concerning transactions in this business has to be done in favour and into the hands of the undersigned Hermann H. Rieck, who has to sign cheques and effect outgoing payments
The cancelling of this present agreement by either of both partners has to be done after settling of accounts by giving written and signed notice three months before the day of separation
Both parties are in possession of this written and signed agreement.
Coffs’ Harbour, Pine Range, 31st May 1908.
[signed] Hermann H. Rieck T. A. Cox
The brand
The cattle transferred under this agreement carried Hermann Rieck’s registered brand: the letter R followed by a reversed C. He had registered it fourteen years earlier, under the Registration of Brands Act of 1866.
The branding iron itself survives, and is held today by the Yarrila Arts & Museum. View the branding iron ↗
- Author’s English preserved: the agreement is in Hermann Rieck’s hand and his non-standard forms are reproduced exactly — e.g. “expences,” “comon” (common), “council” (for counsel), “businesslike,” “free=lease,” and the abbreviations “Strlg”/“Strl” (Sterling), “Shlg” (Shillings) and “do.” (ditto).
- Cattle brand: the nine head are described as “all branded R” followed by a brand device, drawn rather than written — a curved mark with three small curls attached. It is recorded in the transcription by description rather than transcribed as a character. The device is a reversed C. Hermann Rieck’s brand, an R followed by a reversed C, was registered under the Registration of Brands Act of 1866 and published in the New South Wales Government Gazette of 8 August 1894, p. 4982, the owner entered there as “Hermann Reick, Coff’s Harbour.” In that entry the Former Brand column is blank, the Stock column reads “HC,” and the brand number is 71838. The same brand survives on Hermann Rieck’s branding iron, held by the Yarrila Arts & Museum (Livestock Branding Iron, c.1890, accession no. 19.002), whose catalogue description records an R and a reversed C. Gazette citation: “Registration of Brands Act of 1866,” New South Wales Government Gazette (Sydney), 8 August 1894, p. 4982, col. 1, brand no. 71838, entry for “Hermann Reick” [i.e. Rieck], Coff’s Harbour; digital images, Trove (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222189271 : accessed 9 July 2026).
- “December 1898”: the year of the earlier (“old”) agreement is read as 1898; the penultimate digit appears slightly corrected in the manuscript. The date sits thirteen days before the Riecks left Sydney for Europe on 28 December 1898, which fits the chronology.
- Timber buyers’ list: read against a higher-zoom image of the manuscript. The buyers are Hayes, Layut, [?Swail], Langley Bros, Nolan (for sleepers) and Wair. “[?Swail]” is the one name still marked uncertain; the others are agreed. The figure for “the amount of which £___” is left blank or is illegible in the manuscript.
- Underlining: the word “one” in “shall keep two accounts, one for the entry of the takings…” is underlined in the original; the matching second account is described in the same sentence.
- Cox’s signature: the second signature is read as “T. A. Cox” (Thomas A. Cox); the initial is an ornately formed capital, read as T. The first signature, “Hermann H. Rieck,” is clear.
- Physical condition: both leaves are water-stained and foxed (heaviest along the left margins of the first and third sides) and holed at an old central fold; a few line-openings on the damaged margins are faint but legible.
Document reproduced by courtesy of the City of Coffs Harbour. Original held by the Yarrila Arts & Museum (Coffs Collections), accession 16.288. Readers are encouraged to verify against the source images linked above.