author
Philip Gidley King
1758–1808
A naval officer of the First Fleet who became the third Governor of New South Wales, he played a central role in the colony’s fragile early years and in the founding of Norfolk Island. His career combined hard practical administration with a reputation for energy, reform, and persistence under difficult conditions.
2 Audiobooks
An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Volume 1 With Remarks on the Dispositions, Customs, Manners, Etc. of The Native Inhabitants of That Country. to Which Are Added, Some Particulars of New Zealand; Compiled, By Permission, From The Mss. of Lieutenant-Governor King.
by David Collins, Philip Gidley King
About the author
Born in Launceston, Cornwall, on April 23, 1758, Philip Gidley King went to sea young and built his career in the Royal Navy. He arrived in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 and was soon chosen to lead the new settlement on Norfolk Island, where he faced the everyday pressures of isolation, scarce supplies, and colonial experiment.
King later served as the third Governor of New South Wales from 1800 to 1806. Sources describe him as an able and hardworking administrator who tried to strengthen the colony’s economy, improve order, and curb the power of the New South Wales Corps and other entrenched interests. His governorship was demanding and often contentious, but it left a lasting mark on the development of early colonial Australia.
He returned to England after resigning the governorship and died on September 3, 1808. He is remembered today as one of the important figures in the foundation period of British settlement in Australia, especially for his work in both New South Wales and Norfolk Island.