AustLit

'This thesis is a scholarly biography of the nineteenth-century Hobart bookseller, William Legrand (ca.1818 -1902). Currently an iconic figure, once a well-known amateur scientist, antiquarian, and local ―character,‖ Legrand produced the first book on Tasmanian land shells and secured scarce colonial materials for important collections of Australiana. This study argues that Legrand's past and continuing Tasmanian presence has greater significance than currently recognised. My archival research substantially increases existing knowledge about him. Applying theoretical knowledge in detailed analysis of existing and fresh material, I probe the cultural significance of Legrand's previously untraced links with historical figures, places, events, and intellectual movements. His many-faceted career offers valuable insights to developments in early Australian science and notions of national identity.'
Source: Author's abstract