Catalogue
Australian Dictionary of Biography

Australian Dictionary of Biography

Since 1962 the Australian Dictionary of Biography has been prepared by the ADB Unit at the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University. It provides concise, informative and fascinating descriptions of men and women of this country who contributed their vision and energies to a growing nation.

Each entry is prepared by a leading scholar. The subjects represent all walks of life - from premiers, generals and bishops, through artists, actors and authors, farmers, engineers and schoolteachers, to prostitutes, thieves and murderers - providing a cross-section of Australian society.

The placing of each individual's name in the appropriate section has generally been determined by when they did their most important work. For articles that overlap the chronological division, preference has usually been given to the earlier period, although all the important Federationists have appeared in the section 1891-1939.

Since the ADB is intended primarily as a work of reference, each entry has a short bibliography which lists material generally accessible as a guide for further research.

'The scope and quality of the work makes this a notable monument of Australian scholarship'
Sir Paul Hasluck

'. . . stylistically and intellectually cohesive, quite remarkably comprehensive . . . A remarkable gift to the nation'
Stephen Murray-Smith

'Scholarly, detailed, indispensable, a crowning achievement'
John McLaren
Australian Historical Studies

'. . . truly a national record and a suggestive piece of social history'
Richard Davenport-Hines
Times Literary Supplement

Volumes

1788-1850 Volume 1, A-H General Editor Douglas Pike
Volume 2, I-Z General Editor Douglas Pike
1851-1890 Volume 3, A-C General Editor Douglas Pike
Volume 4, D-J General Editor Douglas Pike
Volume 5, K-Q General Editor Douglas Pike
Volume 6, R-Z General Editor Bede Nairn
1891-1939 Volume 7, A-Ch General Editors Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle
Volume 8, Cl-Gi General Editors Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle
Volume 9, Gil-Las General Editors Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle
Volume 10, Lat-Ner General Editors Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle
Volume 11, Nes-Smi General Editor Geoffrey Serle
Volume 12, Smy-Z General Editor John Ritchie
1788-1939 Index Vols 1-12 General Editor John Ritchie
CD-ROM: Vols 1-12 General Editor John Ritchie
1940-1980 Volume 13, A-De General Editor John Ritchie
Volume 14, Di-Kel General Editor John Ritchie
  Volume 15, Kem-Pie General Editor John Ritchie
  Volume 16, Pik-Z General Editors John Ritchie and Diane Langmore