This book is an autobiography of George Meudell (1860-1936). He spent about six years in Warrnambool as a young boy when his father came to Warrnambool as the Manager of the Bank of Victoria. Meudell went to the Warrnambool Common School 646. He later became well-known in Melbourne in social, economic and political affairs. He was a company promoter, stockbroker and writer and an acquaintance of most of the influential and wealthy people of the time. In 1928 Meudell wrote an article for the Royal Historical Society of Victoria Journal detailing his memories of Warrnambool and this article is now a very important piece of local social history. He was enthusiastic about the benefits of living in Warrnambool in the 1860s and 70s. Meudell’s book, ‘The Pleasant Career of a Spendthrift, was an important publication as it gave a complete account of the commercial morality of the power brokers in the financial world - those concerned with the land boom and the banks’ crash of 1886-1893. The book was so inflammatory that it was initially withdrawn from sale. This book is of considerable interest as it was written by George Meudell who lived in Warrnambool in the 1860s and 70s and played a part in Warrnambool’s history by writing about these years. The book is also of wider interest as it has some information on people connected with Warrnambool’s history, including John Archibald and Thomas Bent. The signature in the front of the book is of no known relevance to Warrnambool.This is a hard cover book of 282 pages. The cover is red with black printing and the spine is very faded. The book has a foreword and twelve chapters of text. The first page contains a signature and notes written in pencil.‘Gordon Leitch Christmas 1942’ george meudell, victoria’s land boom (19th century), history of warrnambool

The People's Cyclopedia of Universal Knowledge Author: W.H. De Puy, A.M., D.D., Publisher: C.A.Hawkins & Co, Melbourne Victoria Australia. Date: 1881non-fictionThe People’s Cyclopedia of Universal Knowledge is a comprehensive general reference encyclopedia designed for the everyday household, working families, and businesses. Instead of being overly academic or dry, it was structured with a practical, industrial, and "populist" edge. It covers general science, global history, geography, arts, biographical sketches, and heavily features the practical "industrial arts" and agriculture. It was famous for being heavily illustrated with wood-carved engravings, diagnostic diagrams, and beautifully coloured maps.flagstaff hill, warrnambool, shipwrecked-coast, flagstaff-hill, flagstaff-hill-maritime-museum, maritime-museum, shipwreck-coast, flagstaff-hill-maritime-village, book, the people's cyclopedia of universal knowledge, shipwrecked-artefact, great ocean road, warrnambool library, warrnambool mechanics’ institute, mechanics’ institute library, victorian library board, warrnambool books and records, warrnambool public library, encyclopedia