Old Paddy Pallin’s Handbook

[Watertank]

Can anyone tell me the date that this handbook was published? It is such fun to read the advice of yesteryear.

[Moondog55]

Printing history including first publishing date should be on the facing page

[Watertank]

No the printing date isn’t in the book.

[Warin]

Copyright date?
There should be a statement about who the printer was ... could try contacting them .. if they still exist?
Or possibly the store 'Paddy Pallin' might have some records?

[Moondog55]

1st edition 1933
Mine is 5th edition 1955 and 3 shillings so yours in much earlier

[Warin]

1st edition 1933
Mine is 5th edition 1955 and 3 shillings so yours in much earlier

2 shillings in 1944 ..

[north-north-west]

1'3 cover price sounds like it could be first edition. '33 was virtually the middle of the great depression, and that would have been a fair bit of money then. Interesting time to have published something like that.

[Warin]

Looks like 1938 is the earliest edition held by any library in Australia .. and that is in the NSW State Library .. I can have a look the next time I'm in there if you like. It has 73pages if that helps.
https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/12203598? ... %5D&c=book

A 1933 edition will be worth some money .. if you want it. On the other hand you could donate it to any library .. preferably one with some preservation expertise.

[Watertank]

I think it is the 1938 edition - it has 73 pages and on page 5 Paddy thanks the River Canoe Club for the use of the blocks from "Splashes of 1938" - so it cannot be the 1933 edition. I have asked the Paddy Pallin marketing person and she will let me know if she finds anything out. The edition has some lovely pieces of advice - such as Dunphy's advice on constructing a swag roll and a gunny bag, "be well dressed and well mannered in public places" and "Melbournians will find the Military Survey Map of Ringwood almost indispensable for Sunday excursions."

[Peaksnik]

I have a the 3rd edition: 1944 priced at 2 shillings. The title page lists the date of the 3rd edition plus the previous editions - 1st edition 1933 and 2nd edition 1938. If your one has no edition mentioned on the title page then it is probably the 1st.

In the section "The Ultra Light Camper", this advice remains current: "Reduce weight wherever possible, even to 1/2 oz., no matter how foolish it may seem. Try and put up with all the jibes you will certainly receive from your friends if you become an ultra light weight camper. They may eventually see their folly, but you will certainly have much easier walking." (p. 45)

I wonder if this is the earliest recorded use of the term "ultralight" with regards to bushwalking?

[kanangra]

I have the 8th ed. 1971. Price 75c. Pages 84. Introduction reads;
"When this book was first published in 1933 bushwalking was in its infancy in Australia. since then seven editions totalling 30,000 copies have been sold."

I also have the 13th Ed. 1993 written by Tim Lamble.

K.