The History of Australasia Âby David Blair was a history of Australasia from the first dawn of discovery in the Southern Ocean to the Establishment of Self-Government in the various Colonies comprising the Settlement and History of New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand together with some account of Fiji and New Guinea.
Sir William Johnston (1802-1888) founded the firm W & A. K Johnston. He started as a printer in 1825 in 6 Hill Square, Edinburgh. He moved in 1826 to 160 High Street, in 1837 to St Andrew Square and in 1879 to Edina Works, Easter Road. Alexander Keith Johnston (1804-1871) was a younger brother of William. He joined the family business in 1826 and quickly developed the geographical side. He styled himself Geographer at Edinburgh in Ordinary to the Queen. Thomas Bramby Johnston joined the firm at the end of the century and finally the firm took over the business of Bacon & Co, in 1941. The firm of Johnston published a National Atlas in 1844, 1846 and 1854; and a Royal Atlas in 1861 which went into many editions. Thomas Bramby Johnston revised editions of the Handy Atlas from 1887 onwards as well as later editions of the Royal Atlas.
