Hi all, welcome to my exhibit on Australia's first printing press, its primary operator and the newspaper printed on it!
The advent of the printing press in the 15th century revolutionized the world of literature and information. However, not just countries which existed then underwent this revolution. New South Wales, a penal colony of Britain, was founded in 1787 and despite having access to a press from the beginning, it was almost ten years before anyone was able to make use of it. Printing requires expertise, resources and time, all of which the colony had a scarcity of. In this presentation I will track the growth of print in the early years of colonization in Australia, from a tiny government-ran operation to a booming and influential industry.
The history of print in Australia only truly began with the arrival of George Howe, a professional printer and convict from the West Indies. Much of this exhibit will detail Howe's life and business ventures, however on account of his untimely demise and the founding of other notable publications (largely thanks to Howe's pioneering), we will also look at others involved in this industry. The Sydney Gazette was a newspaper founded by Howe and was the first and only publication in New South Wales for two decades. This newspaper, although founded and operated by a single convict who narrowly escaped a death sentence, had a profound effect on Australian society and the rest of the British empire, and was the seed for the flourishing Australian press and literature. I hope this exhibit conveys the incredible influence that was achieved by a single machine and person willing to operate it, and I look forward to sharing with you!
Navigation: Use the yellow links in the menu at the top right of the window, or use the arrows at the bottom of the window to navigate this exhibit. You should be able to browse the exhibit in any order you like, although I recommend starting with the uppermost three pages to learn some background information!
Enjoy.
Credits
Jake Chansky