Macquarie: From Colony to CountryThis book is a timely reminder of Lachlan Macquarie's importance to modern Australians 'He was a Christian, a perfect gentleman, and a supreme legislator of the human heart. ... Whenever the sculptor shall imagine a guardian angel for New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land, the chisel of gratitude shall portray the beloved and majestic features of General Macquarie.' Hobart Town Gazette In 1810 Lachlan Macquarie became governor of New South Wales. He ruled the colony for twelve years, during which time its fate lay in the balance after years of famine and strife, culminating in a coup against its previous governor, William Bligh. The story of Macquarie's governorship is in many ways the story of early Australian history. No other governor etched his identity so indelibly on his times, nor left his name so well represented on Australian maps. Macquarie's term encompassed the key events of our country's crucial third decade of existence, and his governorship accelerated its progress from a jail to a colony of settlement, and from despotism to democracy. Unsurprisingly, the personal story of Macquarie's years is just as absorbing: a tale of aspirations fulfilled followed by a devastating fall from grace. This book is a timely reminder of Lachlan Macquarie's importance to modern Australians. It is a fascinating story of the genesis of a nation and of an extraordinary individual who refused to be confounded by the odds stacked against him. |
Contents
Homeward under a Cloud | |
An Ambitious Officer | |
Laird in the Land of Exiles | |
Sydneys New Order | |
The Convict Stain | |
Floodtide of Progress | |
An Odd Society | |
Picture Gallery | |
Pressures from Abroad | |
Colony to Country | |
The Curtain Falls | |
The Final Reckoning | |
Epilogue | |
Acknowledgements | |
Annotated Bibliography | |
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Aborigines achievements administration arrived in Sydney Australia barracks Bigge reports Bigge’s Blaxland Bligh Britain British government building Castlereagh church Colonial Office colony’s commissioner commissioner’s convict labourers convict transportation court decades Diemen’s Land Earl Bathurst early Elizabeth Ellis Ellis Bent emancipist policy emancipists England entry established ex-convicts exploration farm favour felons former Francis Greenway free settlers Government House government’s governor governorship Gruline Hawkesbury Highlands hospital Ibid India instructions jail Jarvisfield Jeffrey John Macarthur judge advocate Lachlan Macquarie laird land grants later Lieutenant Liverpool located London Lord Maclaine Macquarie dispatch Macquarie letter Macquarie’s magistrates Melbourne Mitchell Library Mull Parramatta penal Phillip problems Redfern reform Regiment River road Samuel Marsden settlement ships social society sought South Wales South Wales Corps Sydney Cove Sydney Gazette Sydney’s town township trade Ulva Van Diemen’s Land vice-regal viceroy Wentworth William William Redfern wool