Rusden was born in Leith Hill Place (near Dorking), Surrey, England, son of the Rev. George Keylock Rusden, M.A. (1784-1859) and his wife Anne, née Townsend. G.K. Rusden was a polyglot and mathematician who kept a private school for 23 years in Surrey before migrating with his family to New South Wales where he was appointed a chaplain at Maitland from 1 January 1835.[1]
Australiaedit
George William Rusden travelled with his family to Australia and befriended Charles Nicholson on the voyage.[1] Rusden was at first employed on the land, and was soon managing properties. At 28 years of age Rusden travelled to China and worked for a time at brother-in-law Ellis Gilman's Canton factory. Rusden visited his brother Alfred who was a tea-taster in Shanghai before returning to Sydney in early 1849.[1]
In 1849 Rusden became an agent for the establishment of national schools in the Port Phillip district and later at Moreton Bay. He was appointed under-secretary in the colonial secretary's office at Melbourne in 1851, clerk of the executive council in 1852, and clerk of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1856. He retained his interest in education as a member of the council of the University of Melbourne from its inception, and was largely responsible for the foundation of the Shakespeare scholarship. In 1871 he published The Discovery, Survey and Settlement of Port Phillip, an interesting pamphlet of some 60 pages. Three years later his Curiosities of Colonization appeared. This consists largely of accounts of Maurice Margarot, one of the "Scottish Martyrs", and Joseph Holt, the Irish rebel general. Both of these pamphlets are very scarce.
Return to Englandedit
In 1882 Rusden retired to England on a pension of £500 a year. He had for some time been working on his History of Australia and his History of New Zealand, which were published in 1883, each in three volumes. Rusden made great use of the library of Edward Petherick even staying for weeks at the latter's home in Brixton Hill, London, where the book collection was stored.[2] Unfortunately for Rusden he had accepted statements, made by a bishop in New Zealand and forwarded by a governor of the colony, without verifying them. These reflected on the conduct of John Bryce, a well-known politician in New Zealand, who brought an action for damages and obtained a verdict for £5000. On an appeal for reduction of damages in which Rusden conducted his own case with great ability (see his Tragedies in New Zealand, privately printed 1888), the parties to the suit came to an agreement, that Bryce should be paid £3675 in satisfaction of all claims. In 1888 Rusden published his Aureretanga; Groans of the Maoris, and a new edition of his History of New Zealand appeared in 1895. The second edition of the History of Australia was published in 1897 and his last work, William Shakespeare, was in the press at the time of his death. It is largely a collection of extracts from the plays with a running commentary. In addition to the works already mentioned, Rusden published some verse, Moyarra: An Australian Legend, 1851, second edition 1891, and Translations and Fragments, published c. 1876. He also published several pamphlets. Rusden returned to Australia on medical advice in January 1893 and lived in South Yarra.[1] Rusden died in Melbourne on 23 December 1903.
Legacyedit
Rusden was conservative in his politics and neither of his histories is free from bias; he had no access to the Historical Records of Australia of which 33 volumes have since been published.
A house at Melbourne Grammar School has been named in honour of Rusden, and was established in 1914 after he bequeathed the school £2000 and the bulk of his manuscripts. The house is known as Rusden House, and its colour is yellow.
Familiesedit
A younger brother, Henry Keylock Rusden, born in 1826, joined the Victorian civil service in 1853. He was secretary of the Royal Society of Victoria for several years and published many pamphlets.
Booksedit
(1891) Moyarra: An Australian Legend in Two Cantos London:E.A.Petherick
Referencesedit
^ abcdAnn Blainey, Mary Lazarus, 'Rusden, George William (1819 - 1903)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Vol. 6, MUP, 1976, pp 72-73. Retrieved 23 November 2009
^Petherick, Edward (6 February 1904). "George William Rusden". The Athenaeum. No. 3980. p. 175.
george, william, rusden, july, 1819, december, 1903, english, born, historian, active, australia, 1885, contents, early, life, australia, return, england, legacy, families, books, referencesearly, life, editrusden, born, leith, hill, place, near, dorking, surr. George William Rusden 9 July 1819 23 December 1903 was an English born historian active in Australia George William Rusden in 1885 Contents 1 Early life 2 Australia 3 Return to England 4 Legacy 5 Families 6 Books 7 ReferencesEarly life editRusden was born in Leith Hill Place near Dorking Surrey England son of the Rev George Keylock Rusden M A 1784 1859 and his wife Anne nee Townsend G K Rusden was a polyglot and mathematician who kept a private school for 23 years in Surrey before migrating with his family to New South Wales where he was appointed a chaplain at Maitland from 1 January 1835 1 Australia editGeorge William Rusden travelled with his family to Australia and befriended Charles Nicholson on the voyage 1 Rusden was at first employed on the land and was soon managing properties At 28 years of age Rusden travelled to China and worked for a time at brother in law Ellis Gilman s Canton factory Rusden visited his brother Alfred who was a tea taster in Shanghai before returning to Sydney in early 1849 1 In 1849 Rusden became an agent for the establishment of national schools in the Port Phillip district and later at Moreton Bay He was appointed under secretary in the colonial secretary s office at Melbourne in 1851 clerk of the executive council in 1852 and clerk of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1856 He retained his interest in education as a member of the council of the University of Melbourne from its inception and was largely responsible for the foundation of the Shakespeare scholarship In 1871 he published The Discovery Survey and Settlement of Port Phillip an interesting pamphlet of some 60 pages Three years later his Curiosities of Colonization appeared This consists largely of accounts of Maurice Margarot one of the Scottish Martyrs and Joseph Holt the Irish rebel general Both of these pamphlets are very scarce Return to England editIn 1882 Rusden retired to England on a pension of 500 a year He had for some time been working on his History of Australia and his History of New Zealand which were published in 1883 each in three volumes Rusden made great use of the library of Edward Petherick even staying for weeks at the latter s home in Brixton Hill London where the book collection was stored 2 Unfortunately for Rusden he had accepted statements made by a bishop in New Zealand and forwarded by a governor of the colony without verifying them These reflected on the conduct of John Bryce a well known politician in New Zealand who brought an action for damages and obtained a verdict for 5000 On an appeal for reduction of damages in which Rusden conducted his own case with great ability see his Tragedies in New Zealand privately printed 1888 the parties to the suit came to an agreement that Bryce should be paid 3675 in satisfaction of all claims In 1888 Rusden published his Aureretanga Groans of the Maoris and a new edition of his History of New Zealand appeared in 1895 The second edition of the History of Australia was published in 1897 and his last work William Shakespeare was in the press at the time of his death It is largely a collection of extracts from the plays with a running commentary In addition to the works already mentioned Rusden published some verse Moyarra An Australian Legend 1851 second edition 1891 and Translations and Fragments published c 1876 He also published several pamphlets Rusden returned to Australia on medical advice in January 1893 and lived in South Yarra 1 Rusden died in Melbourne on 23 December 1903 Legacy editRusden was conservative in his politics and neither of his histories is free from bias he had no access to the Historical Records of Australia of which 33 volumes have since been published A house at Melbourne Grammar School has been named in honour of Rusden and was established in 1914 after he bequeathed the school 2000 and the bulk of his manuscripts The house is known as Rusden House and its colour is yellow Families editA younger brother Henry Keylock Rusden born in 1826 joined the Victorian civil service in 1853 He was secretary of the Royal Society of Victoria for several years and published many pamphlets Books edit 1891 Moyarra An Australian Legend in Two Cantos London E A PetherickReferences edit a b c d Ann Blainey Mary Lazarus Rusden George William 1819 1903 Australian Dictionary of Biography Vol 6 MUP 1976 pp 72 73 Retrieved 23 November 2009 Petherick Edward 6 February 1904 George William Rusden The Athenaeum No 3980 p 175 Serle Percival 1949 Rusden George William Dictionary of Australian Biography Sydney Angus amp Robertson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George William Rusden amp oldid 1175052498, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
