Edward Petherick
Encyclopedia
Edward Augustus Petherick, CMG
, (6 March 1847 – 17 September 1917) was an Australia
n book collector, his collection became the basis of the Australiana section of the then Commonwealth National Library (now National Library of Australia
).
Petherick was born in England and moved with his family to Australia when he was five years old. He was employed by the bookseller George Robertson
from 1862, travelling to London in 1870 as a buyer. In addition to his work for Robertson, Petherick was privately engaged in compiling a bibliography of Australian and Pacific material. With his contacts in the book trade Petherick soon began collecting.
In 1887 Petherick set up the Colonial Booksellers' Agency in London but in 1894 the company was bankrupted. Assistance from family and friends, however, enabled Petherick to preserve his extensive private collection.
During the next 17 years Petherick tried to interest the Commonwealth of Australia in buying his collection. While never in doubt about the significance of the Petherick Collection, the Commonwealth found itself in a difficult position. Petherick had made it a condition that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library employ him to continue his monumental bibliography. Aged in his early sixties, Petherick was considered too old to be employed by the Australian Public Service. Finally, in 1911 the Commonwealth Government passed the Petherick Act, enabling the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library to employ Petherick as Archivist for an annuity of £500.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, (6 March 1847 – 17 September 1917) was an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n book collector, his collection became the basis of the Australiana section of the then Commonwealth National Library (now National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
).
Petherick was born in England and moved with his family to Australia when he was five years old. He was employed by the bookseller George Robertson
George Robertson
George Robertson may refer to:*George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen , UK Defence Secretary, NATO Secretary-General*George Croom Robertson , Scottish philosopher*George R. Robertson , American actor*George S...
from 1862, travelling to London in 1870 as a buyer. In addition to his work for Robertson, Petherick was privately engaged in compiling a bibliography of Australian and Pacific material. With his contacts in the book trade Petherick soon began collecting.
In 1887 Petherick set up the Colonial Booksellers' Agency in London but in 1894 the company was bankrupted. Assistance from family and friends, however, enabled Petherick to preserve his extensive private collection.
During the next 17 years Petherick tried to interest the Commonwealth of Australia in buying his collection. While never in doubt about the significance of the Petherick Collection, the Commonwealth found itself in a difficult position. Petherick had made it a condition that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library employ him to continue his monumental bibliography. Aged in his early sixties, Petherick was considered too old to be employed by the Australian Public Service. Finally, in 1911 the Commonwealth Government passed the Petherick Act, enabling the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library to employ Petherick as Archivist for an annuity of £500.
External links
- Petherick Collection / National Library of Australia
- Edward Augustus Petherick (1847-1917)