Andrew Moran research papers relating to Alexander Harris, ca. 1992- 1993

MLMSS 8520

fonds

ca. 1992 - 1993

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs

411605

0.33 metres of textual material (2 boxes)

Collection of research papers and thesis compiled by Dr Andrew Jones Moran relating to Alexander Harris (1805-1874), the mysterious English author of several significant works describing early colonial life in Australia. Harris had come to Australia from England aged 20, first working as a cedar cutter and became deeply religious, established himself as a landowner before returning to England in 1841. He first appeared in print in 1846 with his ‘Life in New South Wales’. His most successful book ‘Settlers and Convicts’ was printed in 1849 followed by ‘the Emigrant Family’ in 1849. Other books followed, focusing on convict life and emigration, and Harris came to be considered an expert on these subjects. Harris later emigrated to the United States, becoming an American citizen, and later moved to Canada. He died at Capetown, Ontario, Canada, on 1 February, 1874.

Little was known of the identity and life of this early colonial author until a biography published in 1961. Dr A. J. Moran has added considerable detail to this record through more recent research and written thesis on the life of Alexander Harris published in 1993. Dr Moran visited the relatives of Alexander Harris in Canada, copying family documents, photographs and letters. He also obtained important copies of reference material from overseas institutions backgrounding Harris’ life and helped persuade Harris’ Canadian descendants to give the State Library of New South Wales a large quantity of early family papers.

Reference:
Compiled from the collection and Mitchell Library file notes

Collection includes Dr Andrew Moran’s thesis, ‘Alexander Harris – a son of God in the Southern Orient’ (University of New England, 1993), together with reference material and research notes gathered in preparation of the thesis, ca. 1992.

BOX 1
Bound copy of thesis by Andrew Jones Moran, ‘Alexander Harris: a son of God in the Southern Orient’ University of New England, 1993.
Photographs of Harris family archives, portraits and grave sites.
Copies and transcriptions of family documents from the Public Records Office, Probate Office, etc. in London.
In folders:
‘Sacredness of the name of God’,
‘AH to RCH’
‘AH to other misc.’
‘WRH letters to AH’
‘Ernest to RCH and Willie’

BOX 2
In folders:
‘RCH to AH’
‘AH to Ursula’
‘AH religious diary, 1871’
‘AH misc.’
‘Genealogy H & C-H family’
‘Major G C-H letters’
‘AH documents and publications’
Manuscript of ‘Sons of God and Daughters of Men’, various photocopies of letters and Major Carr-Harris’ summaries of letters

Copyright status:: In copyright
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Libray, State Library of New South Wales

Information upgraded as part of the Manuscripts Unprocessed eRecords Project 2011-2012