Page:The Dictionary of Australasian Biography.djvu/388

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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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emigrated to South Australia in the same year.

Petherick, Edward Augustus, F.L.S., F.R.G.S., is the eldest son of Peter John Petherick and grandson of Edward Jarman Petherick, R.N., of Bridgwater, and was born on March 6th, 1847, at Burnham, Somerset He went to Australia with his parents in 1852. Ten years later he entered the bookselling and publishing house of Mr. George Robertson, of Melbourne, and in 1870 was sent to London as buyer and representative of the firm and its correspondents in Australia and New Zealand. He is the editor of the "Torch" and "Colonial Book Circular", a guide to new books, English and American, including publications relating to or issued in the British colonies. Mr. Petherick has done much bibliographical work, among which may be mentioned a "Bibliography of Australasia," now in course of publication, and a "Catalogue of the York Gate Library" (S. W. Silver), issued in 1882 and extended and reissued in 1886 as "An Index to the Literature of Geography and Travels in all Ages and Countries." He is also the author of a series of papers contributed to the Melbourne Review, treating especially of discovery in the Southern Hemisphere. He is head of the firm of E. A. Petherick & Co., booksellers, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and London, and possesses a large and valuable library of colonial works.

Phillimore, Major William George, R.A., was born on Nov. 30th, 1851, and, having entered the army, became lieutenant R.A. in Dec. 1871 and captain in July 1881. He was appointed commandant of the local forces in Western Australia, with the local rank of major in July 1886, and major R.A., with local rank of lieut.-colonel, in Sept. 1887. He returned to England in 1890. Major Phillimore is the second son of the late Rev. George Phillimore, J.P., and Harriette Maria, his wife, daughter of William Willoughby Prescott. He married in 1889 Mabel Lee, daughter of Robert George Massie, of Sydney, N.S.W.

Phillips, Major George B., Commandant of the Military Defence Force, Western Australia, was appointed a writer in the Colonial Secretary's office, Western Australia, in 1851; third clerk in 1852; second clerk in 1856, and was also employed in the Governor's private office; assistant district registrar of births, deaths, and marriages in 1856; acting chief clerk in 1865; chief clerk in March 1866; and also held the offices of Registrar-General, Registrar of Titles and Registrar of Deeds; acted as Colonial Secretary from Dec. 1872 to July 1873; as acting Colonial Treasurer, from July 1875 to August 1877 and Jan. 1878 to Jan. 1880, with a seat in the Executive Council; he was created a J.P. in 1878; was appointed assistant Colonial Secretary in Jan. 1880; and was acting Colonial Secretary from Jan. to Sept. 1880. He was subsequently appointed Superintendent of police, and retired from the volunteer force with the rank of major in July 1888. In 1890 Major Phillips was appointed Commandant of the volunteer force by the Governor, and the Colonial Secretary subsequently signified his approval.

Philp, Robert, M.L.A. for Townsville, Queensland, was born in Scotland, and is a member of the extensive mercantile firm of Burns, Philp & Co., Ld., which he established in conjunction with Mr. James Burns. He was elected a member for the new electorate of Musgrave in Jan. 1886, and in 1888 for Townsville.

Piddington, Hon. William Richman, M.L.C., was born in London in 1815, and was brought up to the book trade. He emigrated to New South Wales in 1838, and after farming on the Hunter, pursued his original vocation with great success in Sydney. He took a prominent part in opposing transportation in 1848, and when responsible government was inaugurated, in 1856, he was returned to the Legislative Assembly for the Northumberland and Hunter district. He subsequently represented the Hawkesbury, but lost his seat in 1877. He joined the first Parkes Government in May 1872, but ill-health compelled him to resign in the following December. He was Colonial Treasurer in the second Parkes Ministry, from March to August 1877, and two months later was thrown out of Parliament at the general election. He was subsequently appointed to the Legislative Council. Mr. Piddington died on Nov. 25th, 1887.

Pilkington, Captain Henry Lionel, is the son of Henry Mulock Pilkington, Q.C., LL.D., of Tore, co. Westmeath, and

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