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1847 Settlers & Convicts Australian Convict Antique History Book 1st Edition

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1847 Settlers & Convicts Australian Convict Antique History Book 1st Edition

Settlers And Convicts, or, Recollections Of Sixteen Years Labour In The Australian Backwoods
By An Emigrant Mechanic (Alexander Harris)
Published by C. Cox: London 1847 1st Edition
Original Copy - Lacks Original Map and Last Page - Replacements Supplied As Shown

" Settlers and Convicts; or, Recollections of Sixteen Years' Labour in the Australian Backwoods is one of the most vivid and valuable first-hand accounts of early colonial New South Wales. First published anonymously in 1847 and later attributed to Alexander Harris, the book documents his sixteen years in the colony during the 1820s-1830s, offering sharp insight into frontier conditions, bush labour, convict management, and the rapidly changing social landscape. Harris's narrative is distinguished by its honesty and observational clarity—neither romanticising nor condemning the colonial experiment, but recording its hardships, contradictions, and unexpected humanity with unusual literary skill.

This true first edition, published in London by C. Cox, remains the most desirable form of the work and is scarce in any state. This copy retains its original 1847 binding and typography, and includes the important opening "Advertisement," in which Harris justifies both his anonymity and the truth of his recollections—an early hint of the political sensitivity surrounding convict life and settler-convict relations. Although the original map and final page are missing, the volume now contains sympathetic modern replacements, including a facsimile map showing the author's routes through the counties of Georgiana and Argyle, ensuring the narrative structure remains complete for reading and study.

Despite its flaws, this example possesses strong historical integrity and remains a compelling artefact of Australia's early colonial era. Harris's work is today valued not merely as autobiography but as a foundational text of Australian literature—one that captures the realities of labour, bushcraft, moral dilemmas, and the uneasy coexistence of settlers and the convict system. A significant volume for collectors of early Australian exploration, convict history, and first-edition colonial narratives."

General wear to covers and spine. Bookplate present. Lacks original map and last page - replacements supplied as shown so the book can be enjoyed as intended. Pages with a pleasant aged patina. Otherwise complete and in good condition. Please study photos to further understand condition.

Size 15cm x 9.5cm x 3cm - 434 Pages

PRODUCT DETAILS


Condition: Good
Binding: Cloth
Special Attributes: ["1st Edition", "Original Cloth Bindings"]
Region: Australia, Oceania
Subject: History
Original/Facsimile: Original
Seller Notes: General wear to covers and spine. Bookplate present. Lacks original map and last page - replacements supplied as shown so the book can be enjoyed as intended. Pages with a pleasant aged patina. Otherwise complete and in good condition. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Language: English
Author: An Emigrant Mechanic (Alexander Harris)
Publisher: C. Cox: London
Year Printed: 1847
Sub-subject: Australian History