A Colony Detail: The First Census of Western Australia 1932

A Colony Detail: The First Census of Western Australia 1932 by Ian Berryman is a scarce and historically significant publication. Its limited print run, specialized content, age, and preservation challenges mean that finding a copy can be difficult outside of libraries or rare book collections. Book condition is very good for a Ex-library copy. Hard cover. First edition, published 1979. Dust is very good with sticky tape on the top of the spine area as it must have a tear, very light wear on the top right-hand corner of the front book boards area of the dust jacket and light damage of the dust as the bar code has been removed. Book boards are clean & unmarked front and back of the book. Behind the front book boards left is some damage on the bottom right corner and the first fly leaf page has left over glue from the library paper slip, will not remove as it may damage the book. (See photo). On the first fly leaf page there is sticker bar code with a red ink stamp on the bottom lower right-hand corner. (See Photo). On the information page there is red ink stamp on the top left-hand corner. Text body is clean, unmarked and immaculate. No foxing throughout the book. Spine intact. Over-all a great and very scarce copy of the book. Content and Structure The book spans 182 pages and includes: Preface and Introduction: Contextualizes the census within the early colonization of Western Australia. Notes on the Editing: Explains editorial decisions, abbreviations, and sources, ensuring the accuracy and usability of the data. Numerical Listing: A detailed breakdown of inhabitants by household, specifying age, marital status, place of birth, occupation, and place of residence. Alphabetical Listing: An index of individuals in alphabetical order for easy reference, Notes on Individuals: Biographical and social details supplement the raw census data, giving insight into occupations, family structures, and notable events. List of Deaths and Missing Persons: Records deaths in the colony up to July 1832, including causes such as disease (dysentery, scurvy), accidents, or conflict. Records of Ships and Land Grants: Transcriptions include passenger lists on ships to the colony and applications for land grants, providing a portrait of colonial settlement patterns. Significance: A Colony Detailed* paints a comprehensive portrait of early Swan River society, documenting a population comprised of settlers, convicts, and officials. It provides critical historical, genealogical, and demographic data, making it an essential reference for researchers of Western Australia's colonial history. Through the annotations and cross-references, the book highlights social trends, mortality patterns, settler origins, and the development of early colonial institutions, offering a deeper understanding of the challenges and demographics of the fledgling colony. This work bridges the gap between sparse historical records and comprehensive analysis, enabling readers to explore the human landscape of Western Australia in the early 1830s with both detail and context. The book appeals primarily to historians, genealogists, researchers, and enthusiasts of Western Australian colonial history due to its detailed census records, biographical notes, and historical context. Actual book weight of the book is 0.45. No extra charges for over-sea shipping as it less than 500gram. .…