'Bibliography of Australasia'

Component identifier:

Series 11

Content Summary:

In conjunction with his collecting activities, Petherick compiled a 'Bibliography of Australasia'. It was not published and now forms a significant part of Petherick's manuscripts. The bibliography consists of tens of thousands of entries handwritten on slips of paper or cut from catalogues, which were classified, sorted into chronological order, pasted on quarto sheets and arranged in 92 boxes. The entries mostly refer to books and journal and newspaper articles, but there are also occasional references to manuscripts and paintings.

The series also contain many thousands of call-slips issued from the British Museum (1881-1901) and the Public Record Office (1895-1901), together with copies of prospectuses of the proposed bibliography dated 1897, 1898 and 1915.

Petherick compiled his bibliography largely in Britain before he returned to Australia. Most of the entries were create before 1909, though there are a few compiled later. Consequently, the material referred to in some of the citations may not be held in the National Library or indeed, anywhere in Australia.

This series is contained in 92 red-bound binders (comprising Items 1-2726).

The following list is an alphabetical subject index to the binders.

Immediate source of acquisition:

Edward Augustus Petherick presented his collection of books, pamphlets, manuscripts, maps and pictures relating to Australia and the Pacific to the Commonwealth Parliament in 1909 as the 'Nucleus of an historical museum'. The agreement between Petherick and the Library Committee was formalized by the Petherick Act, which was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament in 1911.

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