Biographical entry Banfield, Edmund James (1852 - 1923)

Summary

Edmund James Banfield lived on Dunk Island 1897-1923. He kept an erratic diary of nature observations, which he used as the basis for articles and books. His most famous work was "The Confessions of a Beachcomber" (published London, 1908).

Details

Born Toxteth Park, Liverpool, England, 4 September 1852. Died Dunk Island, 2 June 1923. Reporter and printer's assistant, "Ararat Advertiser" (his father's newspaper); Melbourne "Age" and Sydney "Daily Telegraph" 1870s; reporter and sub-editor, "Townsville Daily Bulletin" 1882-97; retired because of ill health to Dunk Island, where he corresponded with naturalists all over the world, and wrote books and articles, including articles for North Queensland newspapers and "Queensland Geographical Journal".

Published resources

Book Sections

• Bonnin, Margriet R., 'Banfield, Edmund James (1852-1923), author and naturalist', in Bede Nairn and Geoffrey Serle (eds), Australian Dictionary of Biography, vol. 7, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1979, pp. 165-166. Also available at http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A070168b.htm. Details

Journal Articles

• Barrett, C., ''The Beachcomber' and His Tropic Isle', Australian Museum Magazine, October, 1923. Details

Online Resources

• E. J. Banfield of Dunk Island, State Library of Queensland, 2002, http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/picu/banfield.htm. Details
• National Library of Australia, 'Banfield, E J', Trove, National Library of Australia and the Australian National Maritime Museum Darling Harbour, 2009, http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-619209. Details