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Overland Telegraph Line: Crowder's diary
Title : Overland Telegraph Line: Crowder's diary Overland Telegraph Line: Crowder's diary
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Creator : Crowder, W.A.
Source : Diary of W.A. Crowder
Date of creation : 1871-1872
Format : Manuscript
Contributor : State Library catalogue
Catalogue record
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Description :

WA Crowder's diary begins with an entry for 21 November 1871 and details work on construction of the Overland Telegraph Line in the River Roper section. Working during the monsoon period, the 17-year-old records the harsh environmental conditions, difficulties of supply and survival, and the stresses to complete the task on time.

Despite these pressures, he collected samples of hakea leaves and flying fish wings, and listed words used by Indigenous peoples in the Roper River area. The diary was kept in a canvas bag for protection.

Subjects
Coverage year : 1871
Period : 1852-1883
Place : Roper River
Region : Northern Territory
Further reading :

Clune, Frank. Overland telegraph: the story of a great Australian achievement and the link between Adelaide and Port Darwin, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, 1955

Taylor, Peter. An end to silence: the building of the Overland Telegraph Line from Adelaide to Darwin, Sydney: Methuen Australia, 1980

Thomson, Alice. The singing line, London: Chatto & Windus, 1999

Internet links :
Australian Dictionary of Biography Onlinesee: Patterson, Robert Charles (1844-1907); Todd, Sir Charles (1826-1910)

Centenary of Federation - Connecting the Continent

National Treasures from Australia's Great Libraries See: Industry & innovation: W.A. Crowder's diary

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