This novel was recommended at a recent Society of Australian Genealogists Friday Book Hangout. We we were all suggesting books that might appeal to family historians. This one called out to me because it is partly set in the Cowpastures/Camden area where my convict ancestors were married.
This is a three-generation (and probably more) story which starts in England in about 1830 and follows the journey of a free couple and their children out to Australia and the progress of their descendants. The focus is on the matriarchs of the family; the grandmother, daughter and grand-daughter. Much of the latter story is set in south western New South Wales at Coolamon or thereabouts. There is a lot of history to cover; early settlement, the Gold Rush, the first World War and the Depression.
The book is over 400 pages and had to be obtained as an inter-library loan through the Brisbane City Council (thank you Wagga Library for entrusting me with it). I had two weeks to read it so was on a strict timetable. This did not allow me to savour it but rather pushed me through some bits which I would have otherwise found somewhat repetitive and indeed may have caused me to give up and toss aside.
At times I found the religious overtones almost too much and wondered if younger readers might find them too off-putting. On reflection, however, I was glad I persisted. Methodism, or what became the Uniting Church, was a powerful force in this particular family's life (check out the author's biography on Wikipedia). Whether we agree with it personally or not, it certainly shaped the family's response to and experience of historical events and should not be discounted.
As always, this account reconfirmed how much easier we have it these days in terms of house-keeping/home-making. Just the business of preserving meat, fruit and vegetables was a full-time job on its own without having to wash and care for a family. As the old refrain goes, "I don't know how our grandmothers did it all!"
It was lovely to read the Epilogue and hear how stories had been passed down through the generations. I particularly liked the one of the pioneering grandmother who refused to get off the boat until her husband went into Sydney to buy her a bonnet to replace the one lost earlier on the long and arduous voyage. Bless her heart.
Did I learn anything new? Yes I think I did. I was particularly fascinated to read about how the original wealthy landowners went belly-up as it were in I think the 1840s-50s so I need to read up more about that particular part of Australian history. I also didn't know about how hard it was for farmers during the depression with the government promising certain prices for prices for wheat and then defaulting on those promises. And as I say, it also opened my eyes to how much religion can be a driving force in a family and how that should be taken into account in considering ancestor's lives, even if it's not the case in today's world.
This novel is testament to the love the author has for her ancestors' fortitude and strength of character. Reeson has also written biographies and historical accounts covering a wide range of topics. I may have to read more!
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