Historical information

This book by Carolyn Rasmussen contains biographical material on Maurice Blackburn and his wife Doris. Maurice Blackburn was the founder of the Melbourne legal firm with a business still operating today under that name. Maurice and Doris Blackburn were prominent 20th century independent Labor politicians and community activists, influencing conscription laws, benefits for working men and women, atomic bomb tests, civil rights and indigenous recognition. They had friends in Warrnambool and enjoyed visiting the city on a regular basis.

Significance

This book is of historical interest as a biographies of two well-known Victorian politicians of the 20th century and is of minor local interest as the Blackburns were regular visitors to Warrnambool.

Physical description

This is a hard cover book of 400 pages. The black cover has red lettering on the spine and the dust cover is black, red and grey with photographs of a man’s suit and a man and a woman. The book contains fourteen chapters of text and black and white photographs.

Inscriptions & markings

The Blackburns
Private Lives Public Ambition
Carolyn Rasmussen