William Pettigrew 1825 - 1906: Sawmiller, surveyor, shipowner and citizen : an immigrant's life in colonial Queensland

This thesis examines the contribution to the development of the colony of Queensland of the surveyor William Pettigrew, who arrived in Brisbane in 1849 as one of the Rev. Dr John Dunmore Lang's Fortitude immigrants and established Brisbane's first steam sawmill. Chapter 1 sets out and justifies the aims of the study and considers sources, method, design and historiography. Chapters 2 to 8 constitute an historical biography of William Pettigrew, tracing his life from his birth in 1825 in Ayrshire, Scotland, to his death in Bowen, Queensland, in 1906. The biography examines the forces that shaped him and the ways in which he tried to shape his world. It chronicles his experiences as an immigrant, explorer, sawmiller, businessman, churchman and politician, considers his religious and political beliefs and practices, and notes the technological innovations which he contributed to the development of the colony. He is presented in the context of his times, and his successes and failures are reflected on in terms of the unpredictable and often overwhelming events in which he was a participant or a victim. Chapter 9 draws conclusions about his character and achievements, and assesses his place in Queensland colonial history. The thesis relies heavily on material created by Pettigrew himself- diaries, letters, speeches, financial records and official correspondence - and also on newspaper reports, maps and photographs produced during the colonial period.