Research Catalog

Title

Reluctant democrat : Sir William Denison in Australia 1847-1861 / J.M. Bennett ; based on the unfinished work by the late C.H. Currey ; foreword, Rodney Cavalier.

Author

Bennett, J. M. (John Michael), 1942-

Publication

Annandale, N.S.W. : Federation Press, 2011.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

Currey, C. H. (Charles Herbert), 1890-1970

Description

xv, 446 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations; 25 cm

Summary

"Aristocrat by birth, autocrat by nature, and officer of the Royal Engineers by training, Sir William Denison became a Governor in Australia in the mid 19th century at a time of momentous change. Arriving in Tasmania in 1847, he provided strong and controversial leadership while debate on convict transportation raged. His support for its continuance (he had the convicts doing valuable public work) caused a furore amongst the free community and unwillingly he had to yield. The Colonial Office in London was impressed and promoted him 'Governor-General' of New South Wales in 1855. There, his tenure co-incided with the start of Responsible Government (1856), a concept he despised, and which he did his best to subvert. His battles with the new parliamentarians were fierce if ultimately unavailing, but again his conduct found favour with the Imperial Government who promoted him to Governor of the Presidency of Madras (and, for an important period, Acting Viceroy of India). Sir William Denison concluded his service to the Crown in 1866, and is remembered as one who 'stood among the first class of Governors'"--Provided by publisher.

Subject

• Denison, William, Sir, 1804-1871
• Denison, William, Sir, 1804-1871
• Denison, William Thomas 1804-1871
• 1851-1891
• Governors > Australia > Biography
• Governors general > Australia > Biography
• Governors
• Governors general
• Politics and government
• Australia > Politics and government > 1851-1891
• Australia > History > 1851-1891
• Australia
• Australien

Genre/Form

• Biographies.
• History.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. 378-429) and index.

Contents

1. "A position of no common difficulty" -- 2. "The independence of the bench has been menaced" -- 3. "A state so injurious to the general interests" -- 4. "Opposition to the convict system here" -- 5. "Your accustomed zeal and discretion" -- 6. "The system of representative legislation" -- 7. "Two traitors in the camp of the government" -- 8. "Uncomfortable as a place of residence" -- 9. "His approach to educational problems" -- 10. "A slight insight into futurity" -- 11. "I do too much while some of the others do too little" -- 12. Education and related matters -- 13. "An unwilling instrument in working out a change" -- 14. "The executive council should be the governing body" -- 15. "The abstract merits of responsible government" -- 16. "Governor General in and over all our colonies" -- 17. Norfolk Island : the "singular little autocracy" -- 18. "Moreton Bay District" -- 19. A man who "in his time played many parts."

ISBN

• 9781862878464
• 1862878463

LCCN

2012453604

OCLC

• ocn757420241
• 757420241
• SCSB-1662919

Owning Institutions

Princeton University Library