George Ernest Morrison symposium

George Ernest Morrison (1862–1920) traveller, medical doctor, journalist and political advisor, was the first Times of London correspondent in Beijing. Appointed to the post in 1897 he resigned in 1912 to take up a position as advisor to newly formed Chinese Government. In that capacity he served until his death in 1920 in England. Morrison’s last letter to his wife, Jennie, requested that his collection be deposited with the Mitchell Library. And so, in 1946 Morrison’s son, Ian, transferred the collection to the Library.

In partnership with the National Foundation for Australia–China Relations, this one-day symposium on George Ernest Morrison will explore his personal archive.

This expansive collection, over 320 boxes and volumes of diaries, correspondence, subject files, newspaper cuttings, photographs, postcards, pictures, visiting cards, maps and realia, is one of the Library’s great collections. It provides an extensive record of Morrison’s life and times, including his over 20 years in China travelling, covering and, in many cases, participating in the main events of the day.

The symposium will hear from international and Australian scholars on Morrison, his collection and their ongoing relevance today.

A selection from the collection will be on display. The symposium will be held in person at the Library and streamed online.

Morning tea and lunch will be provided.

Stay tuned for the final line-up, to be announced soon!

Linda Jaivin, essayist, translator, cultural commentator and the author of 12 books including The Shortest History of China and the novel A Most Immoral Woman, based on an episode in the life of George Morrison.

Emeritus Professor Takeshi Hamashita, Research Department Head of Toyo Bunko since 2011 and Emeritus Professor of University of Tokyo. His works are on the economic history of China, East Asia. His recent focus is Asian migration and Ryukyu history. Main publication is China, East Asia and the Global Economy: Regional and historical perspectives, Routledge, 2008.

Dr Donna Brunero, Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at the National University of Singapore. She teaches and researches on the British empire in Asia. She is co-Principal Investigator for ‘Friction and Order: Great Powers and Globalising China 1854–1949’.

Dr Bing Chen, Associate Professor, School of Foreign Languages, Peking University.

Dr Tess Gardner, the historian engaged on the State Library of New South Wales and National Foundation for Australia–China Relations research project into the George Ernest Morrison Collection. She was awarded a PhD from the Australian National University’s School of History in late 2023 for her thesis on Australian journalist-advisers in early twentieth century China.

Host or Publisher State Library of New South Wales