William Nairne Clark William Nairne Clark i(A23139 works by)
Born: Established: 1804 Perthshire,
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Scotland,
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United Kingdom (UK),
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Western Europe, Europe,
; Died: Ceased: 1854 Hobart Town (1803-1880), Van Diemen's Land (1803-1856), Tasmania,
Gender: Male
Arrived in Australia: Mar 1831
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Works By

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1 We Are Far From the Land i "We are far from the land, where our Countrymen dwell,", William Nairne Clark , 1988 single work poetry
— Appears in: Margins : A West Coast Selection of Poetry 1829-1988 1988; (p. 29) Western Australian Writing : An Online Anthology 2003;
1 Bright Winter i "Oh, soft the winds of morning are,", William Nairne Clark , 1934 single work poetry
— Appears in: The Bulletin , 18 July vol. 55 no. 2840 1934; (p. 21) The Queensland Centenary Anthology 1959; (p. 74)
1 Remarks Respecting the Islands on the Coast of S. W. Australia William Nairne Clark , 1842 single work correspondence
1 Untitled William Nairne Clark , 1842 single work correspondence
— Appears in: The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal , 30 July vol. 10 no. 495 1842; (p. 3)
1 Western Australia : From the Southern Australian William Nairne Clark , 1841 single work correspondence
1 Untitled William Nairne Clark , 1838 single work advertisement
— Appears in: Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal , 19 May vol. 6 no. 281 1838; (p. 77)

William Nairne Clark advertises: 'To be let, for four years, [a] printing-press, types, and all the apparatus necessary for carrying on a newspaper establishment.'

The advertisement is repeated in the 26 May and 2 June 1838 issues of the Gazette.

1 9 y separately published work icon The Swan River Guardian William Nairne Clark (editor), 1836 Perth : Charles Bourne , 1836-1837 Z1571587 1836 newspaper (1 issues)

John Hay in 'Literature and Society', published in A New History of Western Australia (1981), describes the Swan River Guardian '... as a radical, working-class alternative to the [Perth] Gazette...' (604) and that '... although politically opposed to the Gazette, the Guardian seemed to share the former's educational philosophy, to "promote the opportunity of furthering advancement in life", differing only in the choice of class to be advanced.' (604) Hay indicates that the literary content of the Guardian was similar to the Gazette '... satiric doggerel on Hudibrastic models, optimistic celebrations of local topography such as Mount Eliza, and an invariable dependence upon English themes and conventions.' (604). Beverley Smith in Early Western Australian Literature : A Guide to Colonial Life [196-] describes the Guardian as '... largely the work of its editor, and [it] bears the decisive stamp of his personality - his energy, romantic imagination and spirit of rebellion.' (31). Smith continues, 'Clark was proud that his weekly contained original contributions concerning the colony. Apart from verse he published a history of the colony and its press, satirical dramatic sketches and articles on conditions in the colony. A frequent contributor was the missionary Dr. [Louis] Guistiniani who wrote with compassion about the aborigines and their welfare.' (31)

Attacked periodically by Charles Macfaull's Perth Gazette and by some of the government officials in the Colony, the Swan River Guardian continued to be published until 1838. The withdrawal of surety by William Lamb and Louis Giustiniani meant that Clark was no longer able to comply with a local law demanding surety against the possibility of libel. This local law, B. K. De Garis notes in 'Political Tutelage (1829-1870)', published in A New History of Western Australia (1981), was enacted 'possibly with the intention of silencing [Clark].' (312) The loss of surety and mounting debt caused the cessation of the paper.

Clark tried to continue with a newspaper entitled the Political Register, first published as a pamphlet, but could not raise surety.

Sources: John Hay, 'Literature and Society' and B. K. De Garis, 'Political Tutelage (1829-1870)', C. T. Stannage (ed.) A New History of Western Australia (1981); Smith, Beverley, Early Western Australian literature : A Guide to Colonial Life [196-]

1 y separately published work icon The Inquisitor in West Australia William Nairne Clark (editor), 1833 Fremantle : W. T. Graham , 1833 5995206 1833 newspaper
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