I really enjoyed reading this post, Katy. I am an immigrant to Australia, and my UK colleagues teased me that Australia is “barely civilised”.
Stories like this help understand the fragile nature of building a new society, and the reliance on specific brave and courageous individuals. It is empowering to think that our present was shaped not by “colonialism” or “patriarchy” but by person X doing what they thought was right at the time. I despise collectivism, so to describe history through the lens of sentient adults making individual choices will always appeal to me.
But I suspect that history is shaped by a thousand “sliding doors “ moments, not by ex post facto rationalisations based on Marxist analysis.
I am so happy you enjoyed this. Mum started looking into our family history after we lived in England from 1991 - 1994. People would say, “Where are you from?” Answer: “Australia” People: “No, before that.” Answer: “We don’t know.”
The thing I like about history is hearing people’s voices through their stories. I don’t want to be judged in the future according to some unknowable theory about which I am not even aware. I can only do the right thing at the right time. And none of us are perfect, nor do we have perfect information.
There are patterns - the economic side of me can see why Phillips’ attempt to build a colony without money or incentives was nonsense - but there are also fascinating stories. And that’s what I love the best.
Unfortunately the very little colonial Australian history I did at school was really boring. If only they’d told me about the interesting bits. Eg, London prostitutes whacking clients over the head with pokers, then becoming respectable married ladies… well mostly respectable. Mary Goodwin (née Brown) did fall off the wagon after her husband died and got put in the stocks for public drunkenness, but I think she can be forgiven for that, poor lady.
What is clear though is that the East Coast was claimed for Britain on 26 January. The French were still in Botany Bay so that was essential. 7 February was proclaiming what had already been carried out in practice.
Well written and researched. Modern Australia began on 26 January. It is possible to draw a direct line from most things in modern Australia (which are overwhelmingly good) directly back to the events of that day. To hate that day is to hate ourselves.
Absolutely! But could the French have really done it? Outside Quebec which was settled very early the French did not export their populations and make whole new colonies like the British. Can’t help but thinking if they did settle the Brits would have found a way to settle other parts of Aus and as in North America eventually muscle their way forward. Margaret Cameron-Ash’s book on the race for Aus is interesting.
So I don’t think they could have done it - as you point out - there’s Quebec - I also thought of Louisiana - but they’re French islands in a sea of Anglophones. If La Perouse had set up something, I imagine it would be similar to Quebec or Louisiana. I’ll have to read Cameron-Ash’s book. I saw it referred to in some of the research I did for this post, but the focus was on Australia day. I told myself, No, must not be distracted down a rabbit-hole, Katy. (I am always distracted into interesting rabbit holes, it’s why I am an academic I guess, or just a curious person).
I really enjoyed reading this post, Katy. I am an immigrant to Australia, and my UK colleagues teased me that Australia is “barely civilised”.
Stories like this help understand the fragile nature of building a new society, and the reliance on specific brave and courageous individuals. It is empowering to think that our present was shaped not by “colonialism” or “patriarchy” but by person X doing what they thought was right at the time. I despise collectivism, so to describe history through the lens of sentient adults making individual choices will always appeal to me.
But I suspect that history is shaped by a thousand “sliding doors “ moments, not by ex post facto rationalisations based on Marxist analysis.
Thank you for sharing.
I am so happy you enjoyed this. Mum started looking into our family history after we lived in England from 1991 - 1994. People would say, “Where are you from?” Answer: “Australia” People: “No, before that.” Answer: “We don’t know.”
The thing I like about history is hearing people’s voices through their stories. I don’t want to be judged in the future according to some unknowable theory about which I am not even aware. I can only do the right thing at the right time. And none of us are perfect, nor do we have perfect information.
There are patterns - the economic side of me can see why Phillips’ attempt to build a colony without money or incentives was nonsense - but there are also fascinating stories. And that’s what I love the best.
Unfortunately the very little colonial Australian history I did at school was really boring. If only they’d told me about the interesting bits. Eg, London prostitutes whacking clients over the head with pokers, then becoming respectable married ladies… well mostly respectable. Mary Goodwin (née Brown) did fall off the wagon after her husband died and got put in the stocks for public drunkenness, but I think she can be forgiven for that, poor lady.
What is clear though is that the East Coast was claimed for Britain on 26 January. The French were still in Botany Bay so that was essential. 7 February was proclaiming what had already been carried out in practice.
Well written and researched. Modern Australia began on 26 January. It is possible to draw a direct line from most things in modern Australia (which are overwhelmingly good) directly back to the events of that day. To hate that day is to hate ourselves.
La Perouse and his landing is a really interesting question. Imaginez si l’Australie avait été française?
Absolutely! But could the French have really done it? Outside Quebec which was settled very early the French did not export their populations and make whole new colonies like the British. Can’t help but thinking if they did settle the Brits would have found a way to settle other parts of Aus and as in North America eventually muscle their way forward. Margaret Cameron-Ash’s book on the race for Aus is interesting.
So I don’t think they could have done it - as you point out - there’s Quebec - I also thought of Louisiana - but they’re French islands in a sea of Anglophones. If La Perouse had set up something, I imagine it would be similar to Quebec or Louisiana. I’ll have to read Cameron-Ash’s book. I saw it referred to in some of the research I did for this post, but the focus was on Australia day. I told myself, No, must not be distracted down a rabbit-hole, Katy. (I am always distracted into interesting rabbit holes, it’s why I am an academic I guess, or just a curious person).
Marvellous piece, thank you!