MRBW2023 commenced on 21st July at Tonic House with an event presented by The C J La Trobe Society, and attended by almost 80 people. The speaker was historian Dr. Andrew Lemon, whose entertaining talk, “The Fencer’s Manual”, discussed the first book in Melbourne to be printed and published by the pioneering firm of Clarson, Shallard and Co. in 1859.
Dr. Lemon described this most rare and unusual book and its little-known author, Robert Meikle, to whom more legend and myth has been attached than fact. He also told us the history of the printing and publishing firm, and the sad story of the ill-fated William Clarson.
Read here about “Charting the Heavens” with Shane Carmody