Moore's brother, Joseph Scott Moore commissioned Martin Doyle, 'an experienced editor and writer on agricultural topics', to edit Moore's letters and diary for publication.
The work consists of edited versions of Moore's diary and letters from the beginning of his journey to Western Australia to the end of June 1833 and includes material published in 1832.
Source : J. M. R. Cameron, 'Introduction' The Millendon Memoirs: Geroge Fletcher Moore's Western Australian Diaries and Letters, 1830-1841 (2006): viii - ix.
Charles Macfaull, editor of the Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal, comments on the publication of this work in the 20 September 1834 issue of the Gazette.
'A WORK was published in London in April last, entitled 'Moore's Swan River,' edited by Mr. Martin Doyle. The advertisement sets forth, that it consists of letters and journals received from G. F. Moore, Esq.-a Gentleman holding a high judicial appointment in this Colony. This, we have not the slightest doubt, will prove an interesting work, and be of material benefit to the Colony.'
J. R. M. Campbell, in his 'Introduction' to The Millendon Memoirs: George Fletcher Moore's Western Australian Diaries and Letters, 1830-1841 (2006): viii observes that Moore first received a copy of the work at the end of November 1834, brought from London on the Adams.
Charles Macfaull reprinted poetry by Moore from the work in the 20 December 1834 edition of the Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal.
Extracts from Letters, Written by a Gentleman Lately Established on the Swan River in Western Australia
Dublin
:
1832
Z1599648
1832
single work
correspondence
Diary of Ten Years Eventful Life of an Early Settler in Western Australia; and, Also a Descriptive Vocabulary of the Language of the Aborigines
London
:
M Walbrook
,
1884
Z844670
1884
selected work
diary
criticism
poetry
In his 'Preface: Introductory and Explanatory' to this 1884 version of his Diary, Moore describes 'the "Diary or Journal" herinafter contained ... It was commenced soon after my embarcation from Dublin ... for the space of ten years in the colony, until my first return home on leave of absence. It was not continued after that time. ' (vi) The 'original letters' were first 'carefully preserved by those to whom they were sent in [Ireland]' and later 'confided to the care of a near relative in the colony, who had expressed a great desire to see them.' (vii). They were shown to Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, half owner and editor of the West Australian newspaper who requested permission from Moore to 'publish extracts from them seriatim in his paper, according as space would admit of.' (vii). Cockburn-Campbell sent Moore 'a copy of each paper which contained an extract.' Moore 'cut out those extracts and gummed them into an album ... enabl[ing] me to publish them all here afresh.' (vii)
With the Diary of Ten Years, Moore added 'a "Descriptive Vocabulary" of the language of the Aborigines...' (vii) originally published in 1842 and 'long out of print'. (ix)
J. M. R. Cameron in his introduction to The Millendon Memoirs (2006) notes that the Diary 'brought together the 1834 Extracts as they appeared originally, edited by Doyle not Campbell, and Campbell's edited excerpts for the later period.... [However] Moore deleted entries for the period from 10 April to 11 June 1836 which had appeared in the [West Australian] newspaper on 4 April 1882. (viii-ix)
The Millendon Memoirs: George Fletcher Moore's Western Australian Diaries and Letters, 1830-1841
J. M. R. Cameron
(editor),
Carlisle
:
Hesperian Press
,
2006
Z1600053
2006
single work
diary
After having been approached to write an article on George Fletcher Moore's contribution to Western Australia in the pre-convict period (published as Ambitions's Fire: The Agricultural Colonization of Pre-Convict Western Australia (1981)), J. M. R. Cameron went back to Moore's original letters held by the J. S. Battye Library of Western Australian History in Perth, Western Australia. Here Cameron found much material not published in the 1834 version edited by Martin Doyle, or the 1880-1882 serialisation edited by Thomas Cockburn-Campbell and the subsequent selected work compiled by Moore and published by Walbrook in 1884.
Source: J. M. R. Cameron, 'Introduction' The Millendon Memoirs: George Fletcher Moore's Western Australian Diaries and Letters, 1830-1841 (2006): x.
