David Blair (encyclopedist) facts for kids

David Blair (born June 4, 1820 – died February 19, 1899) was an important person in Australia who was born in Ireland. He was a politician, a journalist (someone who writes for newspapers), and an encyclopedist (someone who helps create encyclopedias).

Early Life and New Adventures

David Blair was born in County Monaghan, Ireland. His family had Scottish roots. He went to school at the Hibernian Military School in Dublin. When he was 15, in 1835, he left school and tried working in his uncle's business, but he didn't like it much.

In 1840, David joined the Ordnance Survey of Ireland. This was a group that made detailed maps. He worked as a "calculator," which meant he did a lot of math to help with the mapping. He worked in places like Limerick and Cork in Ireland. Later, in 1841, he moved to Southampton, England. For almost nine years, he helped map England and the big city of London.

Standing Up for What's Right

Even though he had a job, David Blair wasn't completely happy. He thought about joining the military. Instead, he found a way to express himself by supporting a group called the Chartists. The Chartists were a movement in Britain that wanted more rights for working people, like the right to vote for all men. David gave talks for them in Southampton and was also active in church groups.

Life in Australia

Later, David Blair studied to become a minister in Ireland. In 1850, he moved all the way to Australia. He was planning to work as a missionary in the countryside, helping people.

But instead, he became a journalist in Sydney. He worked with a famous person named Henry Parkes at a newspaper called Empire. In 1852, David moved to Victoria, another part of Australia. There, he had a long and busy career as a journalist. He wrote important articles for The Age newspaper and also contributed to the Victorian Review magazine.

David Blair also became a politician. He was elected to the Victorian Parliament in 1856 and again in 1868. Even though he was a politician, he was more known for his writing. In 1876, he put together a book of Speeches of Henry Parkes. Around 1878 or 1879, he published two very important books: The History of Australasia (which was about Australia's history up to the time it started governing itself) and Cyclopedia of Australasia (an encyclopedia about Australia). He also wrote a story called The First Imaginary Voyage to Australia in 1882. David Blair passed away in Melbourne on February 19, 1899, when he was 78 years old.

His Family

David Blair's daughter, Florence Blair, was also a talented writer. Sometimes, when her father was sick, she would write articles for him. In 1896, she even became the editor of the Women's pages for a well-known Australian magazine called The Bulletin.