Fr Julian: Man of Words – Letter Two
March 7, 2019
This month we present a letter written by Father Julian Tenison Woods to the South Australian Weekly Chronicle on 7 November 1863.
Mechanics’ Institutes were a popular establishment in Britain in the 19th century, offering free lectures to ‘mechanics’ as tradesmen, or working men as they were known at that time.
In Australia, the first Mechanics Institute appeared in Hobart in 1827, followed by Sydney in 1833, Adelaide in 1838 and Melbourne in 1839. Before long, most towns had a Mechanics’ Institute comprising a hall, library and reading rooms, facilities for games and programs of educational and entertaining activities. They were really the forerunner of public libraries and adult education in Australia and their names remain on many public buildings today.
Fr Julian: Man of Words – Letter One
February 7, 2019
Let’s begin our experience of Father Julian, Man of Words, with a letter he wrote from Penola to The Argus on 4 February 1865.
The subject of the letter is ‘The Comet’ which was visible in the Southern Hemisphere during January and February 1865. Obviously Father Julian had seen this phenomenon and called on research to situate it within an astronomical context. Living in a remote area of South Australia, from where might this research have been gleaned? Talking/corresponding with fellow scientists? Previous study? Scientific journals? No matter, the facts gathered together make for interesting reading.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Four
December 7, 2018
The last letter in this series was dictated by Fr Julian Tenison Woods on 13 March 1889.
It reads as if maybe he knew it would probably be his last effort to his dear friend, William Archer.
The tone of the letter is one of resignation to his state of health with little hope of relief, but he remains cheerful and happy and expresses his determination to continue as such to the end. His work of dictating notes for publication has ceased – even letter writing is trying, although he is still eager to receive letters!
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Three
November 7, 2018
This short letter, written on 22 March 1888 from Fr Julian Tenison Woods in Sydney to William Archer in Melbourne is not in his handwriting.
Anne Bulger has penned his words, although Fr Julian did attach his signature and love and blessings to Mrs Archer and Gracie.
The letter is accompanied by the first instalment of a paper on the Volcano of Taal written from his Asian travel notes.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-Two
October 7, 2018
Fr Julian Tenison Woods’ letter to William Archer on 3 January 1888 from his home in Elizabeth Street, Sydney, was probably not penned by himself. However, he did add his own signature.
The reason for his not writing himself was that a serious deterioration in his health had left him an invalid, unable to use his hands and feet freely. His eyesight was also failing. Yet, despite all this, Fr Julian was continuing to work from his travel notes and prepare articles and scientific papers. His able assistant was Anne Bulger, to whom he had also dictated his Memoirs. (Anne was a member of the lay community of devoted women who cared for Julian in his final invalid years).
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty-One
September 7, 2018
This month’s letter is the only one in this collection that is from William Archer to Fr Julian Tenison Woods. In it Archer welcomes Fr Woods back to Australia after his sojourn in the Far East.
It was written from his home in Melbourne on the feast of Corpus Christi, 1886, and his words are warm and inviting—in anticipation of seeing his good friend once again. He makes it clear that he is eager to hear all about Fr Julian’s research and to encourage him to speak and write about his experiences.
The Archer Letters – Letter Twenty
August 7, 2018
This letter, dated 2 November 1885, from “Father Julian” to “My dear Sir William”, was written from the mountains behind Osaka in Japan.
Fr Julian Tenison Woods had retreated here to indulge his love of botany, geology and solitude. He seemed to be quite intrigued with Japan, its houses and people and was only too happy to be confined here longer than he expected due to a cholera epidemic “in the plains below”.
The Archer Letters – Letter Nineteen
July 7, 2018
This month we read the letter that Fr Julian Tenison Woods wrote to William Archer from Hong Kong on 9 February 1885.
Wherever Fr Julian went he found people who had connections to Australia. In this letter he mentions that he was staying with Sir George Bowen, a former Governor of Victoria (1872-1879). It seems Fr Julian was not too charmed by Sir George because of the introduction he had given to his lecture on mines and minerals in the Malay Peninsula!