RICHARDS, THOMAS (1800 - 1877), Australian journalist

Name: Thomas Richards
Date of birth: 1800
Date of death: 1877
Spouse: Hannah Elsemere Richards
Parent: Elizabeth Richards
Parent: Thomas Richards
Gender: Male
Occupation: Australian journalist
Area of activity: Literature and Writing
Author: David Myrddin Lloyd

Born at Dolgelley (christened there 17 August 1800), son of Thomas Richards, lawyer, Dolgelley, and Elizabeth his wife. He lost his father at the age of 8. Thomas entered Christ's Hospital in 1809, later following a medical course, and was received as Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in 1823. His early literary efforts in London appeared in the Monthly Magazine, and in other journals. During these days he associated with Hazlitt and other writers, and the influence of Coleridge remained strong as can be seen from some of his Australian essays. He was married, his wife published poetry in Australia under her own name, Hannah Elsemere Richards. Richards arrived in Hobart as a ship's surgeon, and for a little while practised medicine in New Norfolk, Tasmania, but soon returned to Hobart as editor of the Hobart Town Magazine (1833-4), and later he edited The Tasmanian (1834) and contributed to other journals. He also took a share in local government. In 1847 he revisited Britain, but returned to Hobart to serve for the remainder of his life on the staff of The Mercury. Richards published no books but contributed extensively to newspapers and periodicals by writing short stories (many of his stories have a Welsh background), essays on various subjects, reviews and poems. He had been called ' The Father of the Tasmanian Press.' He died in 1877.

Author

Published date: 1959

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