Alexander Sutherland - The Northcote Article 1884.
The Northcote contribution - MELBOURNE - ITS INFANCY AND GROWTH-
XIX NORTHCOTE – has been PDF'd. It is here. For clarity additional paragraph breaks have been added.
Featured image:
Alexander Sutherland aged around 20 years. Courtesy of Colonial Images - London.
In 1888 Alexander Sutherland (1852-1902) published his contribution (Vol1) of Victoria and its Metropolis: Past and Present – a mighty 2 volume opus on Melbourne. Unusually for the period including extensive indexes. Long recognised as a snapshot on the city and its surroundings. The book combines history with journalism.
Surprisingly upbeat despite being published at the brink of 1890s recession. Many banks would soon close. Sutherland himself would also lose money.
Less well know is that in 1884 The Argus published a number of articles by Sutherland. (He would later pen numerous articles on a variety of subjects including philosophy.) The Northcote one, dates from December 1884, was exceptionally lucid. Giving examples where the author visits places – such as the Croxton Park racecourse, in 1884 long past its better years. Remarks that Northcote used to be a fruit growing district now supplanted by Brighton. Northcote Brick Company is visited as well as many residences described. Geographical descriptions are included with fantasies of Northcote Hill's palaeolithic history. Geography seems to be another of his major interests. He wrote a book on the subject, of course.
The period of 1884 is an excellent view of many large estates being divided up for housing. Sutherland laments on the early poor train connection for Northcote.
There is a long discussion of Dr McCarthy’s Inebriate’s retreat on the site of the current Northcote High School in St Georges Rd.
More on Sutherland’s interesting life in education is at Australian Dicitonary of Biography:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sutherland-alexander-4671
Trivia – Sutherland’s co-author was R J Ellery – Government Astronomer.
Another un- named author may have been his brother – George Sutherland (1855-1905). Educator and journalist. Sadly like his brother died relatively young. Together they wrote a very successful book in 1884 – History of Australia. Selling 120,000 copies worldwide.
Alexander Sutherland, pioneered the teaching of Mathematics at the University of Melbourne.
page updated 30 Sep 2016
The Northcote contribution - MELBOURNE - ITS INFANCY AND GROWTH-
XIX NORTHCOTE – has been PDF'd. It is here. For clarity additional paragraph breaks have been added.
Featured image:
Alexander Sutherland aged around 20 years. Courtesy of Colonial Images - London.
In 1888 Alexander Sutherland (1852-1902) published his contribution (Vol1) of Victoria and its Metropolis: Past and Present – a mighty 2 volume opus on Melbourne. Unusually for the period including extensive indexes. Long recognised as a snapshot on the city and its surroundings. The book combines history with journalism.
Surprisingly upbeat despite being published at the brink of 1890s recession. Many banks would soon close. Sutherland himself would also lose money.
Less well know is that in 1884 The Argus published a number of articles by Sutherland. (He would later pen numerous articles on a variety of subjects including philosophy.) The Northcote one, dates from December 1884, was exceptionally lucid. Giving examples where the author visits places – such as the Croxton Park racecourse, in 1884 long past its better years. Remarks that Northcote used to be a fruit growing district now supplanted by Brighton. Northcote Brick Company is visited as well as many residences described. Geographical descriptions are included with fantasies of Northcote Hill's palaeolithic history. Geography seems to be another of his major interests. He wrote a book on the subject, of course.
The period of 1884 is an excellent view of many large estates being divided up for housing. Sutherland laments on the early poor train connection for Northcote.
There is a long discussion of Dr McCarthy’s Inebriate’s retreat on the site of the current Northcote High School in St Georges Rd.
More on Sutherland’s interesting life in education is at Australian Dicitonary of Biography:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sutherland-alexander-4671
Trivia – Sutherland’s co-author was R J Ellery – Government Astronomer.
Another un- named author may have been his brother – George Sutherland (1855-1905). Educator and journalist. Sadly like his brother died relatively young. Together they wrote a very successful book in 1884 – History of Australia. Selling 120,000 copies worldwide.
Alexander Sutherland, pioneered the teaching of Mathematics at the University of Melbourne.
page updated 30 Sep 2016