Reminiscences Of An Adventurous And Chequered Career At Home And At The Antipodes.
By Alexander Tolmer - Ex Commissioner Of Police In South Australia
Complete 2 Volume Set
Published by Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington: London 1882 1st
Edition
PROVENANCE:
Ex libris copy from the library of Brian W. McDonald, an Australian historian, author, and researcher best known for his meticulous work on colonial and convict-era Australian history, particularly focusing on Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), New South Wales, and early settler and convict biographies.
"Reminiscences of an Adventurous and Chequered Career at Home and at the Antipodes (1882) by Alexander Tolmer, former Commissioner of Police in South Australia, is a vivid two-volume autobiographical narrative chronicling a life of remarkable adventure, public service, and controversy. Tolmer recounts his early years in England and military service before emigrating to the young colony of South Australia, where he became one of the most dynamic and sometimes divisive figures in colonial law enforcement. His memoirs capture the rough-and-tumble realities of early settlement life — bushranging, frontier justice, political intrigue, and the challenges of maintaining order in a fledgling society. Tolmer's accounts are rich with personal encounters, daring pursuits, and the hardships of policing vast, lawless territories, offering a rare firsthand insight into the moral and physical frontier of 19th-century colonial Australia.
Equally compelling are Tolmer's reflections on his leadership of the Overland Gold Escort, which successfully transported gold from the Victorian diggings to Adelaide during the 1850s, a feat that revitalized South Australia's struggling economy. He also writes candidly of the personal and political setbacks that led to his dismissal, revealing both the ambition and the sensitivity of a man often at odds with authority. Throughout, Tolmer's writing is spirited, self-assured, and unapologetically subjective — blending adventure, autobiography, and colonial history. The two volumes stand as one of the most engaging and colourful self-portraits of an early Australian public servant, illuminating the turbulent character of the colony and the men who shaped it."
Light wear to original cloth bindings with a few bumps and light fading as shown. Volume 1 lacks front endpaper and portrait frontis as shown otherwise both volumes complete as published. There are no loose pages. Ex libris copy from the library of Brian W. McDonald (noted Australian historian). Pages are clean with pleasant age toning, occasional light spotting and are very well presented. A desirable 2 volume set in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Size 19.5cm x 14cm x 2.5cm (x 2 volumes)
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Volume 1 has 323 Pages
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Volume 2 has 306 Pages
