Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Joseph Furphy

Role / Field:

Australian author and poet, best known for the novel Such Is Life.

Born:

1843-09-26

Died:

1912-09-13

Century / Era:

1843s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Joseph Furphy (Irish: Seosamh Ó Foirbhithe; 26 September 1843 – 13 September 1912) was an Australian author and poet. He mostly wrote under the pseudonym Tom Collins and is best known for his novel Such Is Life (1903), regarded as an Australian classic. Furphy was born at Yering Station in Yering, Victoria. His father, Samuel Furphy, was originally a tenant farmer from Tandragee, County Armagh, Ireland, who emigrated to Australia in c.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

1840-1841. In about 1850 the family moved to Kangaroo Ground, Victoria. In 1904, Furphy and his wife moved to Western Australia to join his sons. He built a house at Swanbourne. Furphy died in Claremont on 13 September 1912 and is buried in Karrakatta Cemetery.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

While living at Shepparton, he was encouraged in his writing by Kate Baker, a schoolteacher who boarded with his mother. He sent a story 'The Mythical Sundowner' to The Bulletin under the name 'Warrigal Jack' and it was accepted for publication. Later works were published under the pseudonym 'Tom Collins' which may have come from the slang term meaning "a fellow about town whom many sought to kill for touching them on 'sore points'". His most famous work...

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Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph Furphy