Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal 1834
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Transcript of the Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal
January to December 1834
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Compiled by Graham Bown, published by the WA Genealogical Society Inc. and the Swan River Pioneers 1829-1838 Special Interest Group.
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Introduction to Newspapers in the Swan River Colony Newspapers have played a very important role in the history of Western Australia, since “The Fremantle Journal and General Advertiser” commenced in February 1830 as a single sheet of handwritten copy. This was only eight months after the Colony was founded. It was edited and published by James A Gardner of Fremantle. The Battye Library contains a copy of this paper, dated 27 February 1830. Over the next three years, a number of newspapers were produced – “The Western Australia Gazette & General Advertiser” (1830), “The West Australia Gazette” (1830), “The Western Australian Gazette” (1831), “The Western Australian Chronicle & Perth Gazette” (1831), “The Fremantle Observer, Perth Gazette & Western Australian Journal” (1831), “The Western Australian” (1831), and the “The Western Australian Colonial News” (1832). Some copies of all of these newspapers can be viewed on microfilm in the Battye Library.
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A small printing press was imported into the Colony during 1831 and so the manuscripts disappeared. Lieutenant Governor Stirling imported a Stanhope press from England. Charles Macfaull, who was on good terms with Stirling, was given permission to use this machine for the sum of £75 a year on his undertaking to publish Government notices as well as certain other departmental matters, and to supply 20 copies of each issue of “The Perth Gazette and Western Australian Journal” to the Colonial Secretary. The first issue of this four-page newspaper was published on 5 January 1833 and continued thereafter on every Saturday, selling for the price of one shilling a single copy or ten shillings and sixpence per quarter.
Charles Macfaull continued as editor and printer until his death in 1846. The “Perth Gazette” later became “The West Australian” which we know today. The “Government Gazette” became a separate publication on Saturday 20 February 1836. The editor managed to encompass a very wide range of topics in his weekly publication. Local events were reported in detail, including cases at the Quarter Sessions, skirmishes with the natives, shipping movements and meetings of the W.A. Agricultural Society. Many articles were extracted from newspapers received from the sister colonies of Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales, and also from India, the Cape of Good Hope and England. Detailed reports were given of the proceedings of the English Parliament and the various events in the war for the throne in Portugal. The editor made every effort to correct the erroneous reports of the Colony being printed in other newspapers.