image of person or book cover 694821253991737278.jpg
Cover image courtesy of publisher.
Issue Details: First known date: 2012... 2012 A Tale of Ambition and Unrealised Hope : John Montagu and Sir John Franklin
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'When Sir John Franklin, polar hero and explorer, succeeded George Arthur as governor of Van Diemen's Land in January 1837, there was an expectation among some of the colonists that the old, autocratic bureaucracy would be broken up and replaced by a more liberal regime. Franklin however was inexperienced in penal and colonial affairs, and naturally enough, he could not easily evade the advice of Arthur's close officials, or the "faction" as they were known by their critics. A 'change of men and measures' however was not forthcoming, and Franklin placed almost unlimited confidence in his predecessor's favourites to administer the penal establishment. Against a 'backdrop which ranges from London to Hobart, from the imperial metropolis to the colonial frontier, from the empire's hub to its rim', Craig Joel tells how a civil servant came to usurp the Governor's authority in his desire to curry favour with British ministers, and in the process profoundly affected the political development of the colony.' (Publisher's blurb)

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

    • North Melbourne, Flemington - North Melbourne area, Melbourne - North, Melbourne, Victoria,: Australian Scholarly Publishing , 2012 .
      image of person or book cover 694821253991737278.jpg
      Cover image courtesy of publisher.
      Extent: vi, 475 p., [8] p. of platesp.
      Description: illus., ports
      ISBN: 1921509821, 9781921509827

Works about this Work

[Review Essay] A Tale of Ambition and Unrealised Hope : John Montagu and Sir John Franklin Paula Jane Byrne , 2015 single work essay
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Colonial History , no. 17 2015; (p. 203-205)

'Cunning is not regarded positively in today's society, despite being so prevalent. 'Cold, calculating and cunning' is how Lady Jane Franklin described John Montagu, thereby assuring us that she was none of the above. This book in its analysis of colonial politics is what Carol and Peter Stearns define as an 'emotionology' — a study of 'appropriate emotional standards' of the early nineteenth century. Joel's book examines how one is expected to seem to conduct politics. We have to decide ourselves if Montagu was indeed manipulating a political climate or whether Lady Jane Franklin, information broker for this period, would like us to think he was.' (Introduction)

Untitled Alison Alexander , 2012 single work review
— Appears in: Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society , June vol. 98 no. 1 2012; (p. 154-155)

— Review of A Tale of Ambition and Unrealised Hope : John Montagu and Sir John Franklin Craig R. Joel , 2012 single work biography
Untitled Alison Alexander , 2012 single work review
— Appears in: Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society , June vol. 98 no. 1 2012; (p. 154-155)

— Review of A Tale of Ambition and Unrealised Hope : John Montagu and Sir John Franklin Craig R. Joel , 2012 single work biography
[Review Essay] A Tale of Ambition and Unrealised Hope : John Montagu and Sir John Franklin Paula Jane Byrne , 2015 single work essay
— Appears in: Journal of Australian Colonial History , no. 17 2015; (p. 203-205)

'Cunning is not regarded positively in today's society, despite being so prevalent. 'Cold, calculating and cunning' is how Lady Jane Franklin described John Montagu, thereby assuring us that she was none of the above. This book in its analysis of colonial politics is what Carol and Peter Stearns define as an 'emotionology' — a study of 'appropriate emotional standards' of the early nineteenth century. Joel's book examines how one is expected to seem to conduct politics. We have to decide ourselves if Montagu was indeed manipulating a political climate or whether Lady Jane Franklin, information broker for this period, would like us to think he was.' (Introduction)

Last amended 11 Jun 2015 07:32:51
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