The Diary of E.C. Close

Edward Charles Close was only 18 years of age when he joined the 48th Northamptonshire Regiment of Foot in 1808. This rare diary records his experiences throughout the Peninsular Wars in Portugal, Spain and France under the leadership of the Duke of Wellington.

He arrived in New South Wales with his regiment in 1817 and was one of a group of Peninsular War Veterans who became known as Wellington’s Men in Australia. Many, including Close,  retired from the army and stayed in New South Wales, making a remarkable and long term contribution to the colony’s development. Close was granted land on the Hunter River in New South Wales and part of his holding became the town of Morpeth.

Edward Close was a settler, churchman, magistrate, a member of the first Legislative Council, an important colonial artist, and became known as the Father of the Hunter.  His hand written diary is in the Mitchell Library in Sydney and was transcribed and printed about 1900. This edition is a facsimile of the 1900 diary with a new introduction and miniature of Close at the age of seventeen.

Author: Edward Charles Close (1790-1866)
Publisher: Highland House Publications
Condition: New
ISBN 978 0 9943065 0 0