MS 9395 Papers of George Collingridge (1847-1931)
Papers
1895-1930
1.4m (10 boxes) + 1 folio box
Available for reference
The papers of George Collingridge were purchased from Hordern House Rare
Books in 1999.
The bulk of the papers comprise original manuscripts of works by
Collingridge. They consist of drafts of a number of his published works,
together with drafts of a large number of articles. Some of the manuscripts
include sketches, maps, mock-ups and lists of subscribers. Apart from one
business letter, there is no correspondence included in the papers. Most of the
papers are undated.
Accompanying the papers was a hand-painted globe, made from a wooden
newel post, depicting world geography in 1530. Dating from the late
19th century, it is believed to be one of the earliest globes made
in Australia. This globe has been transferred to the Maps Section of the
Library (RM 3429)
The papers are evidence of Collingridges wide-ranging interests.
They bring together a large quantity of his writings and provide evidence of
his sources, his skills as a creative writer and the methods he used in
producing his books.
George Alphonse Collingridge de Tourcey was an artist, engraver,
cartographer, linguist, historian and writer. He was born in Oxfordshire on 28
October 1847. In 1853 he moved with his family to Paris where he was educated
at the Jesuit College, Vaugirard. In 1863, Collingridge studied architecture
under Viollet le Duc and entered Horcholles studio as an apprentice in
wood engraving. He left architecture to study painting, attending classes at
the Ecole des Beaux Arts and studying under the artist Corot. Collingridge
became an expert wood engraver and worked for all the leading illustrated
newspapers of the day. At the 1879 International Exhibition in Paris, he was
awarded the bronze medal for engraving. In 1878, Collingridge was one of three
engravers selected by Le Monde Illustre to accompany the artist Vierge
to Madrid to cover the marriage of the King Alfonso XII of Spain.
In 1867 Collingridge went to Italy and enlisted in the Papal Zouaves to
fight the Garibaldians. He served with distinction and was mentioned for
bravery, receiving the Mentana Cross and the Cross of St Gregory the Great.
In 1879 Collingridge followed his brother Arthur to Australia, and
joined the staff of the Illustrated Sydney News. The brothers became
important identities in the Sydney art world, teaching in art schools and in
technical colleges. Collingridge was a staff member of the Sydney Technical
College for some years. In 1880 they founded the Royal Art Society of New South
Wales. In 1888 Collingridge published Australian Art, the first
Australian journal devoted to art.
Collingridge was a prolific author, writing a number of books and
articles on a wide range of subjects. He had a passion for the geographical
history of the Pacific and researched the history of Australian maritime
exploration widely. His most acclaimed work was The discovery of
Australia, which was published in 1895. This book was the first serious
attempt at a geographical history of Australia and dealt with the discovery of
the continent prior to Cooks arrival. Collingridge was a strong supporter
of Portuguese priority in the discovery of Australia, publishing some 30
articles on the subject.
Collingridge was also an accomplished linguist, being fluent in six
languages and Esperanto. He set up the first Esperanto Club in Australia in
1908. It was his hope that Esperanto would become the universal language.
The value of Collingridges work on the early maritime history of
the Pacific was recognised in Europe by various Geographical Societies. In
1908, the King of Portugal made him a Knight of Santiago and in 1917 the King
of Spain conferred upon him the Order of Isabela la Catolica.
In 1880 Collingridge took up a selection of 88 acres on the bend of
Berowra Creek, which later became Collingridge Point, where his stone cottage
Capo di Monte still stands. Towards the end of the century
he moved to Hornsby. His stone cottage, Jave-la-Grande, is now a
non-denominational chapel in the Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital grounds. His
final residence was Nerola in Balmoral Street, Hornsby.
George Collingridge died in 1931.
Collingridges published works include:
- Australian art: a monthly magazine and journal, published by
Collingridge, Jan-Mar 1888
- The fantastic islands of the Indian Ocean and of Australasia in
the Middle Ages: and their significance in connection with the early
cartography of Australia [1894?]
- The discovery of Australia: a critical, documentary and historic
investigation concerning the priority of discovery in Australasia by Europeans
before the arrival of Lieut. James Cook in the Endeavour in the
year 1770, Hayes Bros., Sydney, 1895 (Republished by Golden Press in
1983)
- Progress: an illustrated journal and magazine devoted to the
record of facts concerning the growth, progress and history of Australasia,
published by Collingridge, 1898
- Form and color, Part 1 & 2, published by Collingridge
[189?]
- The first discovery of Australia and New Guinea: being the
narrative of Portuguese and Spanish discoveries in the Australasian regions,
between the years 1492-1606, with descriptions of their old charts, William
Brooks, Sydney, 1906
(Facsimile editions published by Pan Books in 1982
and 1989)
- La Australia verda stelo: the illustrated Australian magazine for
those who know and those who do not know Esperanto, published by
Collingridge, began in 1908; ceased in 1909
- The early discovery of Australia and the reason for a no
mans land on this continent of ours, W.E. Smith, Sydney,
1912
- Alice in one dear land [published by Collingridge, 1922]
- Through the joke in class [published by Collingridge,
1923]
- It: is principally a collection of wood cuts [published by
Collingridge, 1924]
- Berowra & the unsolved mystery of its amazing ridge,
published by Collingridge [1924]
- Round and round the world, published by Collingridge
[1925-1927]
- Pictures and places, published by Collingridge [1926]
- Pacifika: the antediluvian world, published by Collingridge
[1928-1930?]
- The first discovery of Australia: a critical, documentary and
historic investigation concerning the priority of discovery in Australasia by
Europeans before the arrival of Lieut. James Cook, in the
Endeavour, in the year 1770
- Voyages to Australasia: the first voyages of the Dutch East
India Company,
- Form and color, 189?
- The first discovery of Australia and New Guinea: being the
narrative of Portuguese and Spanish discoveries in the Australasian regions,
between the years 1492-1606, with descriptions of their old charts
- Alice in one dear land
- Berowra and the unsolved mystery of its amazing ridge
- It: is principally a collection of wood cuts
- Round and round the world
- Pictures and places
- Columbuss Cipango
- Pacifika: the antediluvian world
- Tales of Papal Zouaves
- The island of the hand of Satan: a story of the Spanish Main
and the solution of the mystery concerning the first voyage to
Australia
- The seven stages of art in Australasia: notes to serve for the
history of art in Australasia
- Other writings of George Collingridge
- Miscellaneous papers
- Sales records
- Biographical material, 1895-1923
Series 1 The first discovery of Australia: a critical, documentary
and historic investigation concerning the priority of discovery in Australasia
by Europeans before the arrival of Lieut. James Cook, in the
Endeavour, in the year 1770
Collingridge had a great interest in the early geographical history of
Australia. He spent 14 years and a considerable sum of money researching the
subject. He produced a book of his theories entitled The first discovery of
Australia: a critical, documentary and historic investigation concerning the
priority of discovery in Australasia by Europeans before the arrival of Lieut.
James Cook, in the Endeavour, in the year 1770, which was
published in Sydney by Hayes Bros in 1895.
The bulk of this series consists of fragments of research notes relating
to the discovery of Australia. There is a small amount of manuscript directly
relating to the book. There are also manuscripts of articles on related
subjects, a map entitled Jave le Grande and lecture notes.
Also included is a letter to Collingridge from Professor G. Arnold Wood,
University of Sydney, dated 20 April 1917, with a query about the book.
Folder
| 1-6 |
Research notes and
manuscripts of articles |
| 7 |
Manuscript, lecture notes and
letter from Professor Wood |
| 2 folios |
1 page of research notes and
1 map |
Series 2 Voyages to Australasia: the first voyages of the Dutch
East India Company
This series comprises manuscript of a work by Collingridge entitled
Voyages to Australasia: the first voyages of the Dutch East India
Company. It is believed that this work was published in the periodical
Progress: an illustrated journal and magazine devoted to the record of facts
concerning the growth, progress and history of Australasia, which was
published by Collingridge in 1898.
1 folder
Series 3 Form and color, 189?
In the late 1890s Collingridge wrote and published Form and
color, a seven-part series of booklets of lessons in drawing and painting,
which Collingridge offered by post. The papers consist of manuscripts and
notes, mainly relating to Parts 1 and 2 of the series. Also included is a
complete mock-up booklet of Parts 1 and 2.
2 folders
Series 4 The first discovery of Australia and New Guinea: being the
narrative of Portuguese and Spanish discoveries in the Australasian regions,
between the years 1492-1606, with descriptions of their old charts
Collingridge was commissioned by the Under-Secretary of Public
Instruction to prepare a condensed and revised edition of his book The
discovery of Australia for use in schools. Before the book was issued, the
Under-Secretary died, and his successor declined to accept the book. The book
was published by William Brookes in 1906, under the title The first
discovery of Australia and New Guinea.
The papers in this series include a small bound manuscript booklet and a
segment of a draft for the book. The front section of the booklet contains a
draft list of maps and the list of engravings for the book. The remainder of
the booklet is the draft of a work entitled The 300th
anniversary of the discovery of Australia. This work does not appear in
the published version of the book.
1 folder
Series 5 Alice in one dear land
Collingridge wrote and published two small childrens books
entitled Alice in one dear land and Through the joke in class.
Set in Australia, they were inspired by the novels Alice in wonderland
and Through the looking glass by Lewis Carroll.
This series comprises papers relating to Alice in one dear land,
thought to have been published privately by Collingridge in 1922. The papers
include three small notebooks containing corrected and annotated printed text
of the book with sketches, some of which were not included in the published
version. There are also manuscripts of the French version of the book, two
small booklets with sales records and the draft of a letter from Collingridge
to the editor of La France Australe, dated 4 April 1923, proposing
publication.
4 folders
Series 6 Berowra and the unsolved mystery of its amazing
ridge
Collingridge lived for a number of years at Berowra, near Sydney. This
series comprises papers relating to Collingridges book Berowra and the
unsolved mystery of its amazing ridge, published by Collingridge around
1924. They include two complete draft manuscripts, incomplete segments of draft
manuscript and a printed list entitled Names and dates of appointments of
licensed surveyors, New South Wales. Also included is a small booklet,
the cover and first few pages of which relate to Collingridges work
Pictures and places (see series 9) and the remainder of which consists
of edited draft manuscript and printed text for this book.
2 folders
Series 7 It: is principally a collection of wood cuts
In about 1924, Collingridge published his book It: is principally a
collection of wood cuts, an alphabetical listing of words and their
meanings, often humorous, which includes wood cut illustrations. One complete
manuscript and one segment of manuscript are contained in this series.
1 folder
Series 8 Round and round the world
Collingridge travelled widely before coming to Australia to live. During
the period 1925-27 he published a six-part series recounting his travels
entitled Round and round the world. It was originally proposed to
consist of ten parts, but only six were ever published. The papers consist of
two distinct but incomplete sets of manuscript and two small segments of
manuscript, much of which was not included in the published version.
Folder
| 1-3 |
Manuscript 1 |
| 4-6 |
Manuscript 2 |
| 7 |
Segments of draft |
Series 9 Pictures and places
In about 1926 Collingridge published a booklet entitled Pictures and
places. The booklet contained wood-cut illustrations of beauty spots of
the world, together with Australian places which had some meaning for
Collingridge. This series consists of a layout dummy of the book, a draft list
of illustrations and the draft of a circular promoting the book.
Note: Series 6 contains part of a manuscript which relates to this
work.
1 folder
Series 10 Columbuss Cipango
This series consists of two draft manuscripts and various fragments of
manuscript of a work by Collingridge, titles of which include
Columbuss Cipango and Columbus Cipango: it is not
Japan.
1 folder
Series 11 Pacifika: the antediluvian world
During the period 1928-30, Collingridge published a three-part series of
historical booklets about a theory that the Antediluvian World was situated in
the Pacific Ocean. This series contains research notes and manuscript of Parts
1, 2 and 3 of the series.
Folder
| 1-2 |
Manuscript |
| 3-4 |
Research notes |
Series 12 Tales of the Papal Zouaves, n.d.
This series consists of draft manuscript of Collingridges work
Tales of the Papal Zouaves, which it is believed was published. Also
included is a translation of a report by a Major OReilly of the attack of
Spoleto in 1860, published in Souvenir du Régiment des Zouaves
Pontificaux par le Bon de Charette. Patay, 2 Décembre
1870.
4 folders
Series 13 The island of the hand of Satan: a story of the Spanish
Main and the solution of the mystery concerning the first voyage to
Australia
This series comprises two draft manuscripts and two original pen and ink
drawings of maps relating to a work entitled The island of the hand of
Satan: a story of the Spanish Main and the solution of the mystery concerning
the first voyage to Australia.
2 folders
Series 14 The seven stages of art in Australasia: notes to serve for
the history of art in Australasia
A small segment of manuscript, which includes pen and ink drawings, for
a work entitled The seven stages of art in Australaisa: notes to serve
for the history of art in Australasia is contained in this series.
1 folder
Series 15 Other writings of Collingridge
Collingridge was a prolific author and as well as his books, wrote
articles on a wide range of subjects. This series consists of manuscripts, some
incomplete, of writings of Collingridge. They include drafts of articles and
chapters for proposed books. Some of the drafts include illustrations by
Collingridge. Most of the manuscripts are undated, and there is no indication
as to whether or not they were published. The manuscripts are listed by
title.
| Folder |
Manuscript title |
| 1 |
The advent of the bearded
strangers: a tale of Peru An amazingly early description of a kangaroo,
1928 Another queer town, 1903 |
| 2 |
At the close: re
free-trade Australia: its discovery as evidenced by ancient charts,
1914 Australia: the baptismal font of Brazil |
| 3 |
An Australian calendar
or A calendar & zodiacal signs for Australia Australian decorative
art, c1926 Australian origins of the winged-disk |
| 4 |
Australian
planisphere Bibliotheca Australiana Vetustissima The beast of
Gevauda |
| 5 |
The black labour
question The blooming of the red gum, 1901 Christopher Columbus and de
Queiroz compared |
| 6 |
The early cartography of New
Guinea Early Hawkesbury River farmers Early notions concerning the shape
of the earth |
| 7 |
Eating in Australia The
emu and the kangaroo: their early history The enchanted reeds: a legend of
the South Seas |
| 8 |
Esperanto jokes The
Federal Capital (in the hand of Collingridges daughter, Catherine
Collingridge) Good words gone astray The Hereford map of the world |
| 9 |
How we lost New
Guinea Ideas floating in air An Inca tale The Island of Women: a
legend of the Pacific |
| 10 |
The islands that went
astray It wasnt the hippopotamus: a tale from Paris Jonah and the
whale |
| 11 |
Lope de Vega The
Marseillaise (see also The speech of the President of the French
Republic) A nations art |
| 12 |
No mans land: an early
French attempt at settlement in Australia The Northern Territory:
Australias front door Notes on the rise and spread of certain early
emblematic carvings |
| 13 |
An old map of the
world The oldest house in Australia and some of its companions The Papal
States |
| 14 |
Paul Soleillet, the
pioneer The Pope and Australian lines of demarcation The rain tree |
| 15 |
The resurrection of
Poland The romance of giant birds under the Southern Cross, 1928 The
romance of the Great South Land |
| 16 |
Romance of Terra Australis
and the discovery of Australia Round about the Philippines in the days of
early Spanish conquest Ruskin |
| 17 |
Something about
bezoars The Southern Cross as a guide to early navigators The sixth sense
and Impressionism: a warning |
| 18 |
Speech of the President of
the French Republic: translated from French official documents [President
Poincaré] The splendid Australian |
| 19 |
Strange words borrowed from
the French Tasmans visit to the three Kings Vierge |
| 20 |
A visit to
Styx Vlamings post War in the air |
| 21 |
Whats wrong with the
Irish? Wood engraving The wreck of the Vianen on the northwest
coast of Australia 300 years ago |
Series 16 Miscellaneous papers
This series contains a small collection of miscellaneous notes,
fragments of manuscripts and several empty folders with titles of articles on
the front.
2 folders
Series 17 Sales records
This series comprises a collection of small notebooks recording sales of
various of Collingridges publications.
1 folder
Series 18 Biographical material, 1895-1923
This series comprises a small collection of photocopied newspaper
articles and a reprint of a photograph of Collingridge, c1918. The articles
include a review of Collingridges book The discovery of Australia
and items about Collingridge.
1 folder
|
Box |
Series |
Folder |
| |
|
|
|
1 |
1 |
1-7 |
|
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
2 |
3 |
1-2 |
|
2 |
4 |
1 |
|
2 |
5 |
1-3 |
|
3 |
5 |
4 |
|
3 |
6 |
1-2 |
|
3 |
7 |
1 |
|
3 |
8 |
1-4 |
|
4 |
8 |
5-10 |
|
4 |
9 |
1 |
|
5 |
10 |
1-2 |
|
5 |
11 |
1-4 |
|
5 |
12 |
1 |
|
6 |
12 |
2-4 |
|
6 |
13 |
1-2 |
|
6 |
14 |
1 |
|
7 |
15 |
1-7 |
|
8 |
15 |
8-14 |
|
9 |
15 |
15-21 |
|
10 |
16 |
1-2 |
|
10 |
17 |
1 |
|
10 |
18 |
1 |
| |
|
|
December 1999
|