John Lang (writer)
John Lang (19 December 1816 – 20 August 1864) was an Australian lawyer and was Australia's first native born novelist,[1] who studied law in England and returned to Australia in 1837 as barrister,[1] and permanently migrated to India in 1842 where he established successful newspapers and also had a successful career as the writer and barrister with high-profile clients such as the Lakshmibai - the Rani of Jhansi. He died in India and is buried in India at Mussoorie's Camel's Back Cemetery.[2]
Early life and education
[edit]Lang was born at Parramatta, Sydney, Australia, second and posthumous son of Walter Lang, merchant adventurer, and his wife Elizabeth, née Harris.[1]
Lang was educated at Sydney College under William Timothy Cape. He went to Cambridge in March 1837 returned to Australia after qualifying as a barrister.[1]
Career
[edit]As lawyer in Australia
[edit]In India
[edit]As barrister
[edit]A few months later he permanently migrated to India in 1842 and worked as a barrister. He took on high-profile clients such as the Rani of Jhansi in her battles against the British East India Company.
As journalist and writer
[edit]Death
[edit]Lang died in the hill station of Mussoorie, India, and is buried in Camel's Back Cemetery, which enjoys a wide vista of the Lower Western Himalaya, which Lang loved greatly. His grave had been lost for almost a century until it was sought out and discovered by the writer Ruskin Bond.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d John Earnshaw, 'Lang, John (1816 - 1864)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, MUP, 1974, pp. 58–59. Retrieved 8 Sep 2009
- ^ Men and memories of Raj lie buried in Mussoorie cemeteries, The Tribune, 28 Dec 2015.
- ^ Lang, John (1859). The Secret Police, Or, Plot and Passion. Ward and Lock.
- ^ Interview with essayist Joe Leonard on Radio National program "The Bookshelf" compered by Kate Evans, 29 March 2020
- ^ a b c Bond, Ruskin(2000). The Lamp is Lit, Penguin India.
- Serle, Percival (1949). "Lang, John". Dictionary of Australian Biography. Sydney: Angus & Robertson. Retrieved 8 September 2009.
- Rory Medcalf, 'John Lang, our Forgotten Indian Envoy', The Spectator/Australia, 3 April 2010
External links
[edit]- Works by John Lang at Project Gutenberg
- Works by or about John Lang at the Internet Archive
- Works by John Lang at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
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