Guide to the Papers of George Collingridge

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MS 9395

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Collingridge, George
Title
Papers of George Collingridge
Date Range
1895-1930
Collection Number
MS 9395
Extent
1.95 metres (10 ms boxes + 1 medium folio box)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
Special Collections (Manuscripts)

Introduction

Scope and Contents

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 Collingridge's 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.

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn89978).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of George Collingridge, National Library of Australia, MS 9395, [box number and series and/or folder number]'.

Provenance

The papers of George Collingridge were purchased from Hordern House Rare Books in 1999.

Biographical Note

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 Horcholle's 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 Cook's 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 Collingridge's 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.

Collingridge's 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 verdastelo: 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 man's 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?]

Item Descriptions

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

Research notes and manuscripts of articles (File 1_6) - Box 1

Manuscript, lecture notes and letter from Professor Wood (File 7) - Box 1

[folio items]1 page of research notes and 1 map (File 1_2)

Series 2. 'Voyages to Australasia: the first voyages of the Dutch East India Company'

A manuscript of a work by Collingridge entitled 'Voyages to Australasia: the first voyages of the Dutch East India Company' (File 1) - Box 2

Series 3. Form and color, 189?

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 (File 1_2) - Folio-Box 2

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

A small bound manuscript booklet and a segment of a draft for the book (File 1) - Box 2

Series 5. Alice in one dear land

Papers relating to Alice in one dear land, thought to have been published privately by Collingridge in 1922 (File 1_4) - Box 2, Piece Files 1-3, Box 3, Piece File 4

Series 6. Berowra and the unsolved mystery of its amazing ridge

Papers relating to Collingridge's book Berowra and the unsolved mystery of its amazing ridge, published by Collingridge around 1924 (File 1_2) - Box 3

Series 7. It: is principally a collection of wood cuts

One complete manuscript and one segment of manuscript (File 1) - Box 3

Series 8. Round and round the world

Manuscript 1 (File 1_3) - Box 3

Manuscript 2 (File 4_6) - Box 3, Piece Files 3-4, Box 4, Piece Files 5-6

Segments of draft (File 7) - Box 4

Series 9. Pictures and places

Layout dummy of the book, a draft list of illustrations and the draft of a circular promoting the book (File 1) - Box 4

Series 10. 'Columbus's Cipango'

Two draft manuscripts and various fragments of manuscript of a work by Collingridge, titles of which include 'Columbus's Cipango' and 'Columbus' Cipango: it is not Japan' (File 1) - Box 5

Series 11. Pacifika: the antediluvian world

Manuscript (File 1_2) - Box 5

Research notes (File 3_4) - Box 5

Series 12. Tales of the Papal Zouaves, n.d

This series consists of draft manuscript of Collingridge's work Tales of the Papal Zouaves, which it is believed was published. Also included is a translation of a report by a Major O'Reilly of the attack of Spoleto in 1860, published in Souvenir du Régiment des Zouaves Pontificaux par le Bon de Charette. Patay, 2 Décembre 1870 (File 1_4) - Box 5, Piece File 1, Box 6, Piece Files 2-4

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'

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' (File 1_2) - Box 6

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 (File 1) - Box 6

Series 15. Other writings of Collingridge

The advent of the bearded strangers: a tale of Peru; An amazingly early description of a kangaroo, 1928; Another queer town, 1903 (File 1) - Box 7

At the close: re free-trade; Australia: its discovery as evidenced by ancient charts, 1914; Australia: the baptismal font of Brazil (File 2) - Box 7

An Australian calendar' or 'A calendar zodiacal signs for Australia; Australian decorative art, c1926; Australian origins of the winged-disk (File 3) - Box 7

Australian planisphere; Bibliotheca Australiana Vetustissima; The beast of Gevauda (File 4) - Box 7

The black labour question; The blooming of the red gum, 1901; Christopher Columbus and de Queiroz compared (File 5) - Box 7

The early cartography of New Guinea; Early Hawkesbury River farmers; Early notions concerning the shape of the earth (File 6) - Box 7

Eating in Australia; The emu and the kangaroo: their early history; The enchanted reeds: a legend of the South Seas (File 7) - Box 7

Esperanto jokes; The Federal Capital (in the hand of Collingridge's daughter, Catherine Collingridge); Good words gone astray; The Hereford map of the world (File 8) - Box 8

How we lost New Guinea; Ideas floating in air; An Inca tale; The Island of Women: a legend of the Pacific (File 9) - Box 8

The islands that went astray; It wasn't the hippopotamus: a tale from Paris; Jonah and the whale (File 10) - Box 8

Lope de Vega; The Marseillaise (see also 'The speech of the President of the French Republic'); A nation's art (File 11) - Box 8

No man's land: an early French attempt at settlement in Australia; The Northern Territory: Australia's front door; Notes on the rise and spread of certain early emblematic carvings (File 12) - Box 8

An old map of the world; The oldest house in Australia and some of its companions; The Papal States (File 13) - Box 8

Paul Soleillet, the pioneer; The Pope and Australian lines of demarcation; The rain tree (File 14) - Box 8

The resurrection of Poland; The romance of giant birds under the Southern Cross, 1928; The romance of the Great South Land (File 15) - Box 9

Romance of Terra Australis and the discovery of Australia; Round about the Philippines in the days of early Spanish conquest; Ruskin (File 16) - Box 9

Something about bezoars; The Southern Cross as a guide to early navigators; The sixth sense and Impressionism: a warning (File 17) - Box 9

Speech of the President of the French Republic: translated from French; official documents [President Poincaré]; The splendid Australian (File 18) - Box 9

Strange words borrowed from the French; Tasman's visit to the three Kings; Vierge (File 19) - Box 9

A visit to Styx; Vlaming's post; War in the air (File 20) - Box 9

What's wrong with the Irish?; Wood engraving; The wreck of the Vianen on the northwest coast of Australia 300 years (File 21) - Box 9

Series 16. Miscellaneous papers

A small collection of miscellaneous notes, fragments of manuscripts and several empty folders with titles of articles on the front (File 1_2) - Box 10

Series 17. Sales records

A collection of small notebooks recording sales of various of Collingridge's publications (File 1) - Box 10

Series 18. Biographical material, 1895-1923

A small collection of photocopied newspaper articles and a reprint of a photograph of Collingridge, c. 1918. The articles include a review of Collingridge's book The discovery of Australia and items about Collingridge (File 1) - Box 10

Examples of the Artistic Works of Brothers George and Arthur Collingridge, 2004 (Item NLA.MS-DM008725) - Digital-Carriers-Box 150
1 Item, Unbranded, Data DVD (any content of recordable DVD-R)

Contents list and notes in DVD case. Produced by Dick Collingridge Productions


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