A History of Tasmania

First published in 1884, this book gives the history of Tasmania from the perspective of a nineteenth-century pioneer.

James Fenton (1820–1901), a pioneer, wrote this history of the island in 1884. It is an important work for those interested in colonialism and the history of Australia, as it documents the building of the colony (including the involvement of convicts) and the treatment of the native aborigines.James Fenton (1820–1901) was born in Ireland and emigrated to Tasmania (then known as Van Diemen's Land) with his family in 1833. He became a pioneer settler in an area on the Forth River and published this history of the island in 1884. The book begins with the discovery of the island in 1642 and concludes with the deaths of some significant public figures in the colony in 1884. The establishment of the colony on the island, and the involvement of convicts in its building, is documented. A chapter on the native aborigines gives a fascinating insight into the attitudes of the colonising people, and a detailed account of the removal of the native Tasmanians to Flinders Island, in an effort to separate them from the colonists. The book also contains portraits of some aboriginal people, as well as a glossary of their language.