Bound by every tie of duty: John Lewes Pedder, Chief Justice of Van Diemen’s Land

Description

John Lewes Pedder (1793–1859) served as Chief Justice of Van Diemen’s Land from 1824 to 1854, and his long career provides a unique window into the colonial world – through crime, politics, and frontier collision with the island’s Aboriginal people. Where Pedder’s critics condemn a subservient official who hindered reform and sent hundreds to the gallows, contemporaries lauded an upright judge, courteous gentleman, liberal friend and accomplished scholar. This new biography offers a sensitive account of a complex and surprisingly sympathetic man, who played a significant role in Tasmanian history.

Shortlisted for the 2020 Green Family Award for Tasmanian History