Peter Cochrane (historian)
Encyclopedia
Dr Peter Cochrane is an Australian historian
and writer. In 2007, his book Colonial Ambition: Foundations of Australian Democracy shared the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History
with Les Carlyon
's The Great War.
in 1950. He completed an honours degree at La Trobe University
in 1974 and a doctorate at the University of Adelaide
in 1978. After working for a couple of years in the Parliamentary Library of South Australia
and as a tutor at the University of Adelaide, he published his first book Industrialisation and dependence: Australia's road to economic development, 1870-1939 in 1980.
Cochrane worked as a Lecturer in History at the University of Sydney
between 1982 and 1996. He published Simpson and his donkey: the making of a legend which won a Fellowship of Australian Writers
Award for Non-Fiction
. Tom Curran criticised Cochrane's version of the story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick
and his donkey in a 1996 article in Quadrant
.
and Australians at War a companion book to an Australian Broadcasting Corporation
series of the same name.
In 2004, Cochrane published a collection of photos from the First World War called The Great War: 1916-1918. He published a book of photographs from the 1941 Siege of Tobruk
in 2005.
Cochrane published Colonial Ambition: Foundations of Australian Democracy which told the story of the introduction of responsible government to New South Wales
. It was funded by the New South Wales Government to mark the 150th anniversary of that event.Colonial Ambition shared the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for History with Les Carlyon's The Great War.
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
and writer. In 2007, his book Colonial Ambition: Foundations of Australian Democracy shared the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History
Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History
The Prime Minister's Prize for Australian History was created by the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard following the Australian History Summit held in Canberra on 17 August 2006. The Summit looked at how the Australian Government could strengthen Australian history in the school curriculum...
with Les Carlyon
Les Carlyon
Les Carlyon is an Australian writer, who was born in northern Victoria in 1942. He has been editor of Melbourne's journal of record, The Age, as well as editor-in-chief of The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd, and has twice won the Walkley Award for journalism...
's The Great War.
Early life and career
Cochrane was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
in 1950. He completed an honours degree at La Trobe University
La Trobe University
La Trobe University is a multi-campus university in Victoria, Australia. It was established in 1964 by an Act of Parliament to become the third oldest university in the state of Victoria. The main campus of La Trobe is located in the Melbourne suburb of Bundoora; two other major campuses are...
in 1974 and a doctorate at the University of Adelaide
University of Adelaide
The University of Adelaide is a public university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third oldest university in Australia...
in 1978. After working for a couple of years in the Parliamentary Library of South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
and as a tutor at the University of Adelaide, he published his first book Industrialisation and dependence: Australia's road to economic development, 1870-1939 in 1980.
Cochrane worked as a Lecturer in History at the University of Sydney
University of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
between 1982 and 1996. He published Simpson and his donkey: the making of a legend which won a Fellowship of Australian Writers
Fellowship of Australian Writers
The Fellowship of Australian Writers, also known as FAW, was established in Sydney in 1928. Its aim is to bring writers together and promote their interests...
Award for Non-Fiction
Non-fiction
Non-fiction is the form of any narrative, account, or other communicative work whose assertions and descriptions are understood to be fact...
. Tom Curran criticised Cochrane's version of the story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick
John Simpson Kirkpatrick
John 'Jack' Simpson Kirkpatrick , who served under the name John Simpson, was a stretcher bearer with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I...
and his donkey in a 1996 article in Quadrant
Quadrant (magazine)
Quadrant is an Australian literary and cultural journal. The magazine takes a conservative position on political and social issues, describing itself as sceptical of 'unthinking Leftism, or political correctness, and its "smelly little orthodoxies"'. Quadrant reviews literature, as well as...
.
Later works
Cochrane published two books in 2001, a history of the National Library of AustraliaNational Library of Australia
The National Library of Australia is the largest reference library of Australia, responsible under the terms of the National Library Act for "maintaining and developing a national collection of library material, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the...
and Australians at War a companion book to an Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
series of the same name.
In 2004, Cochrane published a collection of photos from the First World War called The Great War: 1916-1918. He published a book of photographs from the 1941 Siege of Tobruk
Siege of Tobruk
The siege of Tobruk was a confrontation that lasted 240 days between Axis and Allied forces in North Africa during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War...
in 2005.
Cochrane published Colonial Ambition: Foundations of Australian Democracy which told the story of the introduction of responsible government to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. It was funded by the New South Wales Government to mark the 150th anniversary of that event.Colonial Ambition shared the inaugural Prime Minister's Prize for History with Les Carlyon's The Great War.