D. D. (David Dickinson) Mann

David Dickinson Mann was an English clerk and author, born around 1775, who became closely tied to the early history of New South Wales. After being convicted in England and transported to Sydney in 1799, he rebuilt his life in the colony and worked in roles including schoolmaster and government clerk.

Mann is remembered for The Present Picture of New South Wales (1811), a detailed survey of the colony based on direct experience. The book describes Sydney, public administration, trade, agriculture, and everyday life, making it a valuable contemporary record of the young settlement.

He later returned to England, where his book was published in 1811. Though little is known about him beyond this unusual life story, his writing remains important for readers interested in the earliest years of European settlement in Australia.