William Colenso, PROPOSED NEW BYE-LAWS. Daily Telegraph, Issue 3494, 18 September 1882, Page 2
The Bishop's fussin' and feudin' in the pages of the papers
William Colenso has been making the rounds again lately, with two well-received biographies in the last year. The fascinating character from our early colonial history can also be found in the pages of the most recent additions to Papers Past.
Nineteenth-century newspapers teem with his letters to the editor, as Colenso had an opinion (and often a numbered list of objections) on every topic. From a bylaw on lighting fires to King Nebuchadnezzar's use of wood, from the directions of Bishops to the horrors of modern-day life, Colenso filled columns around the country.
The papers also record Colenso's later life, when he went out swinging from provincial politics with a swipe at the Scots. An attempted explanation was not well-received by the editor, and the ensuing fight pulled in all-comers.
Digitising our newspapers makes research - and searching for gossip - a lot easier, and the latest additions show just how fruitful these papers can be.
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