G W Rusden

G W Rusden

(1819 - 1903)

Historian, Educationist, Civil Servant and Benefactor of Trinity

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He came to Australia with his family in 1834 and worked for a number of years as a pastoralist. In 1849 he was appointed agent for the National Schools. In this capacity he rode 10,000 miles on horseback in Eastern Australia from Brisbane to Portland.

In 1851 he became clerk in the office of the Victorian Colonial Secretary, and in 1856 Clerk of the Victorian Parliaments.

Menu for dinner at Trinity College for George Rusden, on his retirement as Clerk of the Parliaments and return to England, February, 1882.

Books by G. W. Rusden

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Letter to Rusden from his older brother 1 November 1879 describing the Myall Creek Massacre of 1838.

He was a founding member of the Council of the University of Melbourne, a member of the Shakespeare Society and three years the Mayor of Brighton.

In 1882 Rusden gave his library to Trinity College.

Letter from Rusden to Alexander Leeper, Warden of Trinity College 17 February 1882, in which Rusden writes that he has decided to donate his library to Trinity College now, rather that at his death. '...by giving them now I enable the young fellows who are now at College to derive benefit from them.'

Letter from Rusden in London to Alexander Leeper, College Warden, 19 November 1891 re Rusden's donation of his books and correspondence to the College.

He retired to England in 1882 and embarked on a life of writing, traveling and visiting his many friends.

Rusden was a great collector of Australiana, oriental artifacts and porcelain. In 1896 he gave much of his collection to Trinity College where it is known as the Rusden Museum. The original cabinet for the collection is in the Warden's office.


Chinese fly-flap obtained by Rusden in China in 1862.		Medal to Commemorate the Prince of Wales' installation as Knight of St Patrick 1868.

	Marble from the Parthenon, Athens, and Porphry from Ancient Rome		Medal struck to commemorate the Colonial & Indian Exhibition 1886.

Japanese Pillow		Polynesian beaded ornament.

			Japanese Geta


Rebel Seal taken at the capture of Ka-ding in 1862 and presented to G. W. Rusden, who was present with the English troops through General Gordon.	Letter of George Bass, Sydney Cove December 4 1802 Page One Page Two Page Three Page Four

Letter of George Bass, Mataroi Bay January 31 1802 Page One Page Two Page Three Page Four

Convict Identification Paper - Matthew Murphy	Convict Identification Paper - Thomas Hills

Convict Identification Paper - William Bishop

Rusden corresponded with many prominent and famous people, including novelists, Charles Dickens and Anthony Trollope, and General Charles Gordon.


Letter to Rusden from Charles Dickens, 7 October 1865 thanking Rusden for his letter about Dickens' son Alfred. Page One Page Two	Rusden's copy of David Copperfield autographed by Charles Dickens.

Rusden's collection of pamphlets about the death of General Gordon.	Letter from the poet Henry Kendall, 29th July 1865, asking Rusden 'to lend me a pound till this day week'.

Rusden wrote many articles on topics, religious, political and literary. In 1883 Rusden published a History of Australia and a History of New Zealand.


Rusden's History of Australia and other publications

His correspondence he had bound into books, often with his own comments in the margins.


Letter to Rusden from General Charles Gordon, Jerusalem, 23rd April 1883, with Gordon's sketches comparing Jewish tabernacle and a Christian church.	Rusden was the defendant in a litigation in London in the 1860s in which he was accused of libel. He lost the case Bryce V Rusden. This is the transcript of the trial with Rusden's annotations in the margins.

Rusden's scrap book of pamphlets, news cuttings and anecdotes about Aborigines. He had a deep sympathy with Aborigines, whom he had come to know a a pastoralist, and National School's agent.

Rusden returned to Melbourne in 1893, and died in 1903. Part of his obituary described him as 'cheery and worthy...with his pleasant crab-apple face and long legs...as peculiar a gentleman as one will encounter in a lifetime.We don't know any Australian resident so distinctively English...What a delicious bundle of prejudices was Rusden! A walking Westminster Abbey. And as honest as the day'