Peter G. Bolt – författare

THOMAS MOORE has left his name on one of Sydney''s suburbs, some streets in several others, and on a Theological College. The celebration of the 150th year of the College in 2006, presented an opportunity to remember the life of its benefactor. Although known as a quiet, pious man of good character, Thomas Moore (1762-1840) exerted a profound influence on many of the institutions and activities of Colonial New South Wales. Arriving as an adventurer, he settled as the Colony''s Master Boat Builder, before moving to his property ''Moore Bank'' as one of the pioneers of the Liverpool district. Here he played an important role, firstly, in building the township, and then long-term as its first resident magistrate. Across his long life, his contributions to the civic and Christian life of the colony were many and varied.

Thomas Moore is important as the benefactor of Moore College, but he also had a wider significance to the early life of Sydney. While honouring his memory occurred in a particular contemporary context, these essays and addresses seek to place him in the wider context of colonial Australia

A biography of Rev William Cowper (1778–1858), third Chaplain to the colony of New South Wales. Appointed to St Philip’s, Sydney, in 1809, William Cowper served in that parish until his death in 1858. During his long tenure, he adapted the patterns of evangelical Anglican ministry he had learned in Yorkshire for New South Wales, as it moved from penal colony to free society and emerging nation.

Introduction; 1. An Englishman comes to Sydney (1778-1809): Vision Inspires Action; 2. From Rebellion to Royal Commission (1809–1821): Vision Builds Society; 3. Two Archdeacons and a Bishop (1821–1842): Vision Regulates Life; 4. Evangelicalism Threatened and Defended (1843–1852): Vision Stands Firm; 5. Responsibility to Reward (1852-1858): Vision Bequeaths a Future; Bibliography; Indexes

The first volume of the biography of Mr Thomas Moore, Esq. (1762–1840), from his birth to his appointment as resident magistrate of George's River (Liverpool), NSW. After growing up in Lesbury, Northumberland, Thomas Moore became the ship's carpenter on the Britannia (Master: William Raven). When he was left in Dusky Sound with a sealing party, he constructed a vessel (later known as the Providence) in case the Britannia did not return. When this became known, he was invited to become the Master Builder of Sydney's government dockyard in 1796, a post he held until 1809, when he moved to the George's River region (Liverpool), where he became the Resident Magistrate. In these early days, as well as serving at the dockyard, the well-respected Thomas Moore served on the bench to hear legal cases, was a landowner, a trader, a banker, a horse-breeder, a ship owner, and a prominent christian layman. When caught up in the 1808 Rum Rebellion he fell out of favour with Governor Bligh, but when Macquarie arrived he was appointed first resident magistrate for the George's River, where he was one of the pioneer settlers who helped to establish the town of Liverpool.

This collection of essays explores the two libel cases (criminal and civil) prosecuted by Rev. Samuel Marsden against John Thomas Campbell in 1817, following the publication of the Philo Free letter. The event is examined in the various contexts of Imperial and Australasian Colonial History, Marsden historiography and biography, Australian legal history, South Seas missions history, the history of Australian indigenous missions, the freedom of the press, and normative ethics.  

1. Peter G. Bolt: The Letter signed Philo Free; 2. David B. Pettett: Marsden in the Hands of Australasian Historians; 3. Joel Atwood: ‘So important in its nature, so difficult in its execution, and so doubtful in its result’. The Mission to the South Seas from 1786 to 1830; 4. Greg Anderson: The early colonial mission context of Philo Free; 5. Craig Schwarze: A Secret Enemy. The turbulent relationship between Marsden and Macquarie; 6. Malcolm Falloon: Mission Trading In The South Pacific By The Active (1814-1822) and The Accusations Of Philo Free; 7. Peter G. Bolt: The failure of the Philanthropic Society; 8. Jane M. Tooher: A Friendship Revealed. The Marsden & Stokes Family Correspondence; 9. David B. Pettett: Marsden’s Supportive Circle. Friendship in Controversy; 10. Elizabeth G. Moll: Unmasking A Shielded Secret Enemy. John Thomas Campbell and the Philo Free Trials; 11. Michael Gladwin: The Bigge Picture: Colonial Manners, Mission, and the Imperial Context of Australia’s First Libel Case; 12. Caitlin Hurley: Freedom of Speech and of the Press in Colonial NSW; 13. Alexander C. Bolt, Paul R. Cerotti, & Konrad Peszynski: Normative Ethics In Early Colonial Australia And The Country’s First Libel Case; 14. Malcolm Falloon: The Breaking of the Storm: Marsden and the Missionary Cause; 15. Bibliography.