History of Australia

A wide-ranging three-volume history of Australia, published in 1883 by an English-born civil servant who spent his career there.

George William Rusden (Author)

9781108030557, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 29 April 2011

672 pages, 1 b/w illus. 1 map
21.6 x 14 x 3.8 cm, 0.84 kg

When George William Rusden (1819–1903) was fourteen, his family emigrated from England to Australia, where he later became a prominent educationalist and civil servant. Already an author of numerous books and pamphlets, he began work on his History of Australia after his retirement, and it was published in 1883 in three volumes. Although the work is considered sympathetic to the Aboriginal people of Australia, it is also infused with Rusden's Tory politics, infuriating his critics – one wrote that the volumes were 'as untrustworthy as a partisan pamphlet well can be without deliberate dishonesty'. Despite initial criticism, these wide-ranging volumes form an important early contribution to the writing of Australian history. Volume 1 begins with the arrival of Europeans in Australia, and then examines each colonial governor, starting with Arthur Philip (1738–1814), who was the first, and ending the volume with Thomas Brisbane (1773–1860) in 1821.

Preface
1. Discoveries
2. Australia and the Australians
3. Governor Phillip
4. Governor Hunter
5. Governor King
6. Governor Bligh
7. Governor Macquarie
8. Governor Brisbane.

Subject Areas: Australasian & Pacific history [HBJM]