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"York Town: a respectable looking village" gives a detailed account of the British occupation in 1804 of northern Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). An area at the head of the western arm on the River Tamar, Port Dalrymple, was the site chosen by Lieutenant-Governor William Paterson as his command post and the seat of government. He established a township, York Town, with a guard house, baracks, gaol, hospital, store-house, gardens, including a botanical garden, and cemetery. Paterson built houses for the people in his care including one for himself and his wife Elizabeth. This was the third settlement with a lieutenant-governor in command that had been established from Sydney, the first being Norfolk Island (1798) and the second Hobart in southern Tasmania (1803). Until now the exact number of people at Port Dalrymple has not been known nor have all of the names of these at least 205 souls. Recently discovered documents have revealed details of the trials and achievements of the settlers at York Town and how they survived to continue on and found the town of Launceston. The writers share the story of the people and the settlement of York Town until its abandonment; included are biographies of all people known to have been at York Town until 1808. This is followed by the later history of York Town and its neighbours. The book covers over 215 years of history in the Port Dalrymple area. --Back cover.