Randolph Bedford Randolph Bedford i(A27783 works by) (a.k.a. George Randolph Bedford)
Also writes as: Randolph the Reckless ; R. B. ; Randolph Bee ; Randolph ; Randolph Stopout ; Martin Luther ; Theodosia Garrison
Born: Established: 27 Jun 1868 Camperdown, Marrickville - Camperdown area, Sydney Southern Suburbs, Sydney, New South Wales, ; Died: Ceased: 7 Jul 1941 Brisbane, Queensland,
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Randolph Bedford was the father of Eric Bedford (q.v.), and grandfather of Liz Collins (q.v.). Born in Sydney, he attended Newtown Public School. At 16, and after a range of jobs, he started travelling the western plains of NSW. In Albury, he discovered The Bulletin for the first time and 'thereby entered a new world'. His first newspaper job was in Bourke, but his fascination with the mining industry saw him move to the Broken Hill Argus in 1888. He briefly worked on the Adelaide Advertiser, then for two years on the Melbourne Age, becoming the latter’s crime reporter.

Bedford worked through the depression as a freelance journalist. In 1892, he was owner of the Gippsland newspaper Toora and Welshpool Pioneer. In 1896, he launched the Clarion which was illustrated and partly edited by his friend Lionel Lindsay. His later journalism included articles on mining and other topics for Lone Hand and The Bulletin. Bedford wrote a small work of literary journalism, “The Retail Brand of Gentleman” (1893) for The Bulletin, and later a series of articles about London (1902/1903).

Bedford travelled overseas as well, leaving a reprint of his Bulletin contributions on the Mediterranean in Explorations in Civilization (1916). He produced a play, White Australia or the Empty North (staged in Melbourne in 1909), as well as short stories, poetry and two novels, True Eyes and the Whirlwind (1903) and The Snare of Strength (1905). Part of his unfinished autobiography was published posthumously as Naught to Thirty-Three (1944).

Bedford gained considerable wealth from goldmining in WA, and was a parliamentarian in Queensland from 1917 to 1941. His papers are held at John Oxley Library (Qld). Randolph Bedford wrote the words of "Australia My Beloved Land", with music by Arthur Chanter. According to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, Bedford 'reputedly published some of his verse under the pseudonym "Martin Luther"'.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

Affiliation Notes

  • Australian Colonial Narrative Journalism:

    George Randolph Bedford was first captivated by the idea of journalism at the age of 18. In his autobiography, Naught to Thirty Three,  he  writes, ‘I saw my first copy of The Bulletin and entered a new world. The only journalism I had seen before was dull and horribly respectable…and now here was The Bulletin, all the rich record of Australian life suddenly finding publication’ (1944:80).

    His first newspaper job was in Bourke, but his fascination with the mining industry saw him move to the Broken Hill Argus in 1888. After a stint on the Adelaide Advertiser, he worked at the Age, becoming its crime reporter. In 1896, he launched the Clarion, a literary and mining journal, with Lionel Lindsay as part-time editor and illustrator. His later journalism included articles on mining and other topics for Lone Hand.

    Bedford wrote a small work of literary journalism,  “The Retail Brand of Gentleman” (1893) for The Bulletin, then a series of articles about London (1902/1903).

    Like so many journalists of the era, Bedford also wrote novels, plays and short stories. He was also drawn to politics. He joined the Queensland parliament in 1917 and remained in parliament until his death in 1941.

    Selected Articles:

    Bibliography:

    • Bedford, Randolph (1944 / 1976), Nought to Thirty Three, Currawong Publishing Company, Melbourne
Last amended 7 Feb 2018 08:53:47
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