RUSDEN, GEORGE WILLIAM (1819-1903) was born at Leith Hill Place in Surrey, the son of the Rev G. K. Rusden, M.A., of Pembroke College, Cambridge. In 1834 he accompanied his father to Australia and got employment as a jackeroo on a station and later as a journalist. In 1849 he went to Port Phillip to establish schools under the National Board of Education in Sydney, and in 1850 he was on the same duty in Moreton Bay (Queensland). On the separation of Victoria in 1851 Rusden was appointed chief clerk in the Colonial Secretary's office at Melbourne. In the following year he became clerk to the executive council and on the establishment of responsible government Clerk of Parliaments and of the Legislative Council. He was an original member of the Melbourne University council and a member of the Victorian Board of Education (1853-60).

In 1874 Rusden decided, on the advice of Anthony Trollope, to write histories of Australia and New Zealand, which he published in England after retiring in 1881. The history of New Zealand involved him in a libel action brought by the Hon John Bryce (q.v.), who obtained heavy damages for statements in Rusden's description of the fight at Handley's woolshed, Nukumaru. Rusden returned to Victoria in 1893 and published revised editions of his books. He was prominent in the movement to celebrate in Victoria the tercentenary of Shakespeare, and was mainly responsible for the foundation of the Shakespeare scholarship at the University. Shortly before his death (on 23 Dec 1903) he published William Shakespeare; His Life, His Works and His Teaching. His other books were: Morgana, An Australian Legend; The Discovery and Settlement of Port Phillip; Aureretanga, Groans of the Maori; Lectures on Work and Learning; The Old Road to Responsible Government; The Character of Falstaff; Constitutional Rights; Caucus Premonitions; Letter to General MacArthur; and Status of Colonial Bishops.

Cycl. NZ, i; Mennell; Rusden, op. cit.; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; The Times, 24 Dec 1903.

Reference: Volume 2, page 134

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