Wollaston's Journals 1841-1856. Includes Both Volumes Being:
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Wollaston's Picton Journal (1841-1844) - Volume 1: Published by C.H. Pitman & Son: Perth 1948 - 321 Pages
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Wollaston's Albany Journals (1848-1856) - Volume 2: Published by Paterson Brokensha Pty Ltd: Perth 1954 - 252 Pages
Includes Both Volumes, One With Original Dustjacket + Ex Libris Bookplate
"Wollaston's Journals 1841-1856 brings together the remarkable personal writings of Reverend John Ramsden Wollaston, one of the most significant early Anglican churchmen and settlers in Western Australia. Spanning two volumes — Wollaston's Picton Journal (1841-1844) and Wollaston's Albany Journals (1848-1856) — the work offers a detailed firsthand account of colonial life during the formative decades of the Swan River Colony and the south-west settlements. Carefully collected and edited by Canon A. Burton and Canon Percy U. Henn, the journals preserve Wollaston's observations as both a religious leader and an educated observer of frontier society.
The first volume, Picton Journal, records Wollaston's experiences establishing mission and church life in the remote Busselton and Picton districts during the early 1840s. His diary vividly describes the hardships of pioneering existence, relations between settlers and Aboriginal people, the physical isolation of the colony, and the challenges of creating stable institutions in a developing settlement. Through detailed reflections on travel, farming, worship, weather, and family life, Wollaston captures the realities of frontier Western Australia with intelligence, sensitivity, and strong moral conviction.
The second volume, Albany Journals, follows Wollaston during his later years as Archdeacon of Western Australia and broadens into a richer portrait of colonial administration, religion, education, and social change between 1848 and 1856. His journals document the growth of Albany and surrounding districts while revealing the concerns of a thoughtful clergyman deeply engaged with the spiritual and civic life of the colony. Together, these volumes form an invaluable primary source for historians and collectors of Western Australian history, providing an intimate and highly literate record of early colonial society, its struggles, aspirations, and evolving identity."
Light wear to covers and spine. Books are clean with pleasant age toning. Excellent copies in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.