Abandoned Women

From the Daily Record:

THEY are the women history has chosen to forget – the 2500 Scots banished to Tasmania for the pettiest of crimes.

Today, for the first time, we can reveal the stories Scotland was too ashamed to tell – and celebrate the women cruelly sentenced to exile on the other side of the world.

Not only did these formidable females survive the treacherous journey and years of servitude, many went on to become model citizens once free and the mothers of a new nation.

In her new book, Abandoned Women, historian Lucy Frost remembers these long-forgotten women. More than 12,500 British convicts were banished to Van Diemen’s Land – Tasmania – between 1803 and 1853. A fifth were Scots women.

Notorious Australian Women

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Australians have made heroes of bushranger Ned Kelly, mutineer Fletcher Christian and cricketer Shane Warne but their female equivalents have failed to imprint themselves on the national psyche in the same way.

The 20 subjects of Notorious Australian Women were well known to their contemporaries but few are still household names. Some were justifiably notorious, others attracted attention simply for breaching social mores and some don't really deserve to be labelled notorious at all.

Kay Saunders has picked her subjects from early settlement (prisoner Mary Bryant, bushranger Mary Cockerill, freedom fighter Walyer), through the 19th century (shipwreck survivor Eliza Fraser, good-time girl Lola Montez, transvestite Ellen Tremayne) to the 20th century (including author Pamela Travers, designer Florence Broadhurst, crime boss Tilly Devine and journalist Lillian Roxon) and they are a diverse bunch.

Underbelly Razor - When Women Ruled Crime

It is 1927 and feared vice queens Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh are battling for control of the underworld in a crime war that will scar Australia.Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh are the undisputed crime queens of Sydney. 

 

 

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Tilly Devine

Australian Dictionary of Biography - Kate Leigh

Sydney Morning Herald - Let's Kiss & Make Up

ABC - Razor Gang Feuds

Evergrowing Mt TBR - Australia History

Just a few more titles to add to the every growing "Mount To Be Read":

Mary Reiby: From Convict To First Lady Of Trade by Kathleen J. Pullen

"Mary Reibey is the woman on the Australian $20 note. She gained this honour because she was Australia’s first lady of trade. This is her moving biography, a tale of love and triumph. Mary came to Australia as a convict in a lice-infested ship at the tender age of 14. She seemed doomed to a life in the filthy Botany Bay prison colony, until she caught the eye of one of the ship’s Lieutenants. The union of the two saw them rise to the top of the commercial ladder. Find out how Mary became one of Australia’s first female tycoons, head of a vast trading business and a tireless fighter against oppression and exploitation. This is a rich and authentic portrait of a woman in early colonial times."

The Diaries of Ethel Turner by Philippa Poole

"Ethel Turner was the author of some of Australia's bestselling children's novels including Seven Little Australians. This book features an intimate collection of her diaries from 1889 to 1930. Shining a spotlight on this literary icon, it presents Ethel’s reflections on Sydney's literary and social scene, her marriage and motherhood, the war years, and the tragic loss of her daughter."

Miles Franklin - Her Brilliant Career by Colin Roderick

"Few people can be compared to Miles Franklin. Genius writer, feminist and years ahead of her era, she is best known for her book My Brilliant Career and her establishment of the prestigious Miles Franklin Award for Literature. Miles Franklin was born in 1879 in country Australia. Determined to make her mark at a time when women were repressed, she wrote novels, as well as several non fiction books and articles. Colin Roderick, a confidante of Miles, presents an in-depth biography. He reveals Miles as a woman often uncertain about her place in the world, maintaining her feminism while indulging in the attention of suitors and counting Norman Lindsay, Henry Lawson and J.K. Moir among her peers."

Females On The Fatal Shore by Susanna De Vries

"Follow the stories of 12 fearless women who inhabited Australia during its young years in Females On The Fatal Shore. Many of these incredible women had ideals far ahead of the constraints of their time period. For example, Fanny Macleay lacked a dowry and she lived in a time where marriage was a priority for women. Her mother encouraged her to marry “up”, but the witty and artistic Fanny had her own life plan. Discover the fascinating females behind some of Australia’s heritage houses and even the currency, like Mary Reibey, the woman on the Australian $20 note. Some of these stories mention places that are in existence today which adds extra interest to the tales of these strong women."

The Floating Brothel by Sian Rees

"Repackaged as a new edition, this critically acclaimed Australian bestseller recreates the riveting story of 200 female convicts bound for Botany Bay. The Lady Julian was described as a “floating brothel” by Lieutenant Riou, commander of the HMS Guardian, but the reality was more complex and interesting. In this book, author Siân Rees combines meticulous research with a vibrant narrative to tell the story of this late 18th century sea voyage to the colony of New South Wales. She also reveals the fate of many of Lady Julian’s ladies and crew.  Described by the Sunday Age as “thoroughly entertaining popular history”, The Floating Brothel is a passionate, diligently researched account."

Lucy Anne Ward (1856 - 1935)

Founder of Outback Maternity Home

Lucy was born six years after her parents first arrived in Australia from England. She became a milliner and operated a shop in North Adelaide, South Australia. Aged 22yo Lucy married Henry Ward. She left city life and travelled by horse and buggy to Willachra - 400km away. She and her husband had to clear the land, fence it and build their house - times were hard so they both took extra work wherever they could.

For the birth of Lucy's first daughter Lucy Evelyn (1880) there was probably no doctor and only assistance from her mother-in-law. She gave birth to another daughter (1882) who died (1885). She adopted her baby niece after the death of its mother but it later died aged 5yo - Lucy was aged 33yo. She had no more children of her own but adopted two more babies.

When relatives in the Hawker district decided to leave, Lucy and Henry bought the house. Lucy was not a trained nurse, but she acquired considerable practical knowledge through her own experiences and in the homes of other women. Lucy began to take in women far from any kind of help. With the difficulties of travel, many of these women from outlying areas often needed to stay for several weeks, and often brought their other young children with them. Since the ability to pay was never an issue, finances were not easy. Lucy cooked, cleaned, carted water, washed, and supplied milk and butter from her own dairy.

Soon the demand became greater than the house could accommodate, and so Henry built extra rooms, and "the Gables", as the house became known, was registered as a Lying-in Home (1909) under the State Children Act (1895). When a severe influenza epidemic struck (1910), Lucy set up tents to accommodate the many local people who fell ill and sought her help.

Three years after the opening of the Hawker Hospital (1928), as the Gables had become, 72yo Lucy recorded her last patient. Over 30 years, she helped deliver between 400-500 babies.

Mary Bryant

Born in Cornwall England, Mary was the daughter of a family well-known for sheep-stealing. Mary was a wilful and adventurous young lass which led to her being sentanced to transportation to Australia (1786) for stealing. Mary arrived in Australia with the First Fleet (1788).

It was whilst serving her sentance that Mary rebelled against the harshness of the existence in the colony and the feeling of virtual banishment - she planned her escape. Mary organised provisions and muskets (guns); from a Dutch Captain, Mary obtained nautical equipment. With her husband and two children and companions, Mary made off with the Governor's cutter (ship).

The group travelled 5000 kilometers through the then unknown Barrier Reef and reached Timor. At first they were accepted as shipwreck survivors, however, the Dutch on Timor proved them to be otherwise. Mary and her family were transferred to Batavia - Mary's husband and son died here. Mary was sent back to England for trial, but on the voyage her daughter died.

Through the influence of the newspapers in England, the mandatory death sentance for escaped convicts was quashed. The writer James Boswell sponsored Mary anonymously. Mary returned to her native Cornwall and remarried, fading into obscurity.

Lucy Osborn (1835 - 1891)

Lucy Osborn was the daughter of an Egyptologist. She was born in London, and as a young woman was said to be well educated and the "mistress of several languages". Lucy's main interest was in nursing. Against her family's wishes, Lucy attended the Florence Nightingale Training School attached to St Thomas' Hospital (1866), serving in both the men's and women's surgical, medical and accident wards.

When Henry Parkes, New South Wales politician (pre-Federation), was concerned about the state of the Sydney Infirmary and Dispensary, he appealed for help to Florence Nightingale for trained nurses. Lucy was sent out as Lady Superintendant of the Infirmary and was accompanied by 5 other trained nurses (1868). Lucy won Parkes' trust completely and threw herself into the almost impossible task of cleaning up the crumbling, foul smelling and vermin infested Infirmary. Lucy met with opposition from doctors and the Board, and was often lonely and dispiritid, but she stuck to her task. Lucy was continually obstructed by the surgeons and personally attacked in the Parliament (1868-1870).

A royal commission (1873) on public charities condemned the Sydney Infirmary, accusing the management committee of neglect and interfering in the duties of the nurses - Lucy was vindicated and the commission praised her work toward the improvement in the standards of nursing. So after six years, she had partially succeeded in her task and improvements were slowly coming about (1874).

Lucy retired from nursing (1878) and four years later (1880) the Infirmary's name was changed to the Sydney Hospital - Lucy had achieved her objectives. She returned to London, England, where she died (1891).

Mary Reiby (1777 - 1855)

Pioneering Businesswoman

Originally from Bury, Lancashire, England, Mary Reibey was convicted of horse-stealing and sentenced to 7 years transportation at the age of 13yo. She arrived in Sydney Australia on the "Royal Admiral" (1792) and was assigned as a nursemaid in the household of Major Francis Grose.

Mary married Thomas Reibey (Sept 1794), a young Irishman in the service of the East India Company. The first years of married life were spent farming on the Hawkesbury River. Reibey then extended his activities to grain transport and importing general merchandise, naming his establishment in Macquarie Place - Entally House - after a suburb in Calcutta.

On the death of both her husband and his partner Edward Wills, Mary was left with 7 children and complete control of numerous businesses. She was a hotel-keeper and already experienced in assisting her husband when he was absent on voyages. Mary soon became prosperous, and gradually rose to respectability and affluence. She soon became a favourite of Governor Macquarie.

Gradually retiring from active business, Mary began to take an active interest in the church, education and charity. She was appointed (1825) on of the governors of the Free Grammar School. Her three sons followed their parents' lead and established mercantile and shipping ventures in Tasmania, and her grandson was archdeacon of Launceston and Premier of Tasmania.

The Parramatta Female Factory

From the Parramatta Sun:

Local MPs and Parramatta Heritage Centre members are furious that work has begun to turn one of Australia’s most important buildings into an IT centre.

The Parramatta Female Factory, now part of Cumberland Hospital, is the oldest surviving female convict structure in Australia.

To Parramatta Heritage Centre curator Gay Hendriksen it is an irreplaceable piece of women’s history.

Parramatta Federal MP Julie Owens called it ‘‘incredibly important’’ and said to not preserve it would devalue women’s contribution to Australia.

But when The Sun visited the site last Monday work had already begun on the third-class sleeping quarters building despite assurances that the renovations had not yet been approved.

A Convict's Life

So what happened to a convict once he or she arrived in Australia. Firstly, upon departing the ship, the convicts were sent to a barracks where they would find out exactly how their sentence was to be served.

The worst of the convicts were transported to prison settlements, where hard labour was their reward - and supervision was of the most severe kind. Those who committed crimes or behaved "badly" were then sent to prisons of even more stringent rules and regulations - Port Arthur or Norfolk Island. The conditions of these two penal settlements was so harsh and terrible, that a number of convicts took their own lives rather than endure these conditions.

Most convicts, however, were employed by the Government or were assigned to "free settlers". Work was undertaken in towns or farms. However, the fate or conditions of a convict rested in the mood or character of his or her master.

If the master was of a considerate nature, the convict might have enough food and comfortable conditions. Good behaviour led to the opportunity of obtaining a "ticket of leave" or even a pardon. With a "ticket of leave" a convict might work freely in a district, reporting to the local magistrate at regular periods. This system can be likened to the modern-day "parole" system. However, a convict could not own land until his or her sentence was fully served. A conditional pardon granted the convict freedom and restoration of all legal rights - on the condition that he or she did not return to England until the full sentence had expired. A pardon could only be granted at the discretion of the Governor.

However, if a master were harsh or cruel, the convict lived in daily fear of being whipped, even for the most trivial or imagined offences. This threat kept the convicts in a constant state of submission. Worse still, a convict may find themselves sentenced to hard labour.

For convicts assigned to farmers - and later "squatters" - life could be one of hazard and loneliness. Others were assigned to the labour intensive quarrying, road and bridge construction.

Those convicts who were lucky enough to find employment with the Government were usually those who had some skill. Having a skill greatly improved the prospects of a convict. Skilled tradesmen were in constant demand to undertake the construction of government buildings; other may be employed in government stores; other found employment in the homes of prosperous settlers.

Essentially, convicts provided cheap - and expendable - labour for a colony that was undergoing growth and the arrival of new settlers.

Bound For Botany Bay

"And we're bound for Botany Bay"

With the independence of the United States in 1776, Britain found itself without an avenue for disposing of its more anti-social elements. In the past, Britain had transported over 40,000 convicts to the United States since 1717. Transportation had not only been used as a judicial deterrant but as a cheap means of guaranteeing labour in the colonies.

However, both the population and the crime rate in Britain had exploded by the mid 18th century. Changes were taking place in agriculture and industry, and economic hardships were faced by many of the population.

As a temporary solution to Britain's prison woes, convicts were imprisoned aboard "hulks" - ships in permanent anchorage on the River Thames. But soon these too proved inadequate for the vast numbers of prisoners. Overcrowding became a serious issue. But what to do with these prisoners.

In 1779, a Committee of the House of Commons was established. It found that over 1000 convicts would need to be transported each year to alleviate the prison crisis. After dismissing South Africa, West Africa, Canada and the West Indies, a newly discovered continent was put forward for consideration.

Sir Joseph Banks - noted botanist - and James Matra - shipmate of Cook - suggested that Botany Bay would not only make a useful naval and trading station, but also a suitable colony. It wasn't until August 1786 that Lord Sydney announced the founding of Botany Bay. And in October 1786, Captain Arthur Philip was named the first Governor.

Further Research:

Disrupting the Boundaries - Resistance & Convict Women

Convict Ships to Australia

Convict Central

Gertrude Abbott (1846-1934)

Founder of St Margaret's Hospital for Women

Gertrude Abbott began life as Mary Jane O'Brien in Sydney (1846). Her father was a school teacher who moved from New South Wales to Dry Creek, SA and took up farming. "Gertrude" entered Sister Mary McKillop's congregation at Penola, South Australia (1869) and became Sister Ignatius. Influenced by Father Julian Tennison-Woods, she and another young nun claimed to have had visions - there was a scandal when the other nun was found to have faked her visions. Sister Ignatius was blameless but left the congregation (July 1872) two months after she had made her final vows.

She returned to Sydney - but not under her own name, instead she became Gertrude Abbott. She leased a house in the Sydney suburb of Surrey Hills and gathered about her a group of pious women. They lived by dressmaking and adopted the rule of contemplative congregation. Gertrude hoped that the Roman Catholic Church would give the group the status of a religious order.

However, one fateful night, things took a different turn. On that night (1893) a policeman presented a young women at her door. Gertrude had no money or food herself, yet she took the girl in, and one hour later a baby was born. Soon other girls can to her home, and so began what would become St Margaret's Hospital for Women, the third largest obstetric hospital in Sydney.

In the first years of St Margaret's Hospital, Gertrude took in 9 married and 23 unmarried women, and trained 3 nurses in midwifery with the help of her great friend and certified nurse Magdalen Foley (who took a degree in pharmacy so as to dispense medicines). Regarded as a quasi-religious community, the women eventually acquired status within the Catholic Church as their services to the community were recognised. The Hospital was run on donations.

The Hospital began to treat the diseases of women (1904). Soon it had outgrown its present buildings and was forced to move to larger premises in Darlinghurst which Gertrude leased and then bought. Her friend and mentor Father Tennison-Woods died in her care (1889) and left her his entire estate, as did her friend Magdalen Foley (1926). Despite the growth of the hospital she was still quite lonely. Gradually she withdrew as matron and manager.

Gertrude died 48 years after that fateful night, aged 88yo. In the year of her death, the Hospital recorded 760 patients treated, 619 births registered and no maternal deaths. In her will, she passed her Hospital into the hands of the Sisters of St Joseph, whose order she had left unhappily 62 years before.

Caroline Chisholm (1807-1877)

"The Emigrant's Friend"

Caroline was born near Northampton, England, the daughter of a farmer. Aged 22yo, Caroline married Captain Archibald Chisholm of the East India Company - she married him on the condition that her philanthropic work should continue. He was transferred to Madras (1832) - here Caroline founded the Female School of Industry for the Daughters of European Soldiers.

Caroline Chisholm arrived in Sydney Australia (1838) from India with her husband Archibald. She had neither means nor training but was a woman of immense courage and integrity and possessed great love for suffering humanity. Caroline decided to go to the aid of immigrants when she observed single girls being dumped on the wharves with nowhere to go She found a group of 64 girls sheltering in the Rocks area with only 14s 3d amongst them. Caroline set up the Female Immigrants Home with the support of the clergy, then the Governor's wife and finally the Governor himself.

Through her work at the Female Immigrant Home, Caroline gave protection and shelter to hundreds of young women, some of whom she accompanied into the country areas where she found employment for them - this often being followed by marriage. Caroline soon became concerned for families (c.1842) who having migrated in the hope of better things found themselves destitute.

Caroline returned to England (1846) and became the publicist for Australia. She formed a society to send out groups of families to Australia and succeeded in dispatching some 3000 persons in 5 years. Caroline agitated for and achieved better conditions on the vessels carrying the immigrants. As well as free passages for emigrants wives and children, she established the Family Colonisation Loan Society. When she first chartered a ship "Slains Castle" which sailed (1850) from England to Australia, she personally supervised the embarkation and appointed a reliable surgeon to control rations. Two more ships followed.

Caroline's plans for the new families alarmed the established farmers and squatters in Australia who felt threatened by the successes in farming achieved by the new arrivals. Caroline's Catholic faith and the possibility of her bringing Irish Catholics to Australia alarmed the mainly Scottish Presbytarians, including the New South Wales Governor John Dunmore Lang.

In 6 years Caroline assisted 11000 people to settle as servants, farmers, and wives in New South Wales (Australia) whilst her criticism, energy and experience contributed to the changes in the selection of migrants, their treatment on the voyage out and their reception in the colony.

In England Caroline maintained her work of assisting migrants. She was not impressed by the news of the gold discoveries, which stimulated emigration, as she feared that they would cause instability in the fragile society. Caroline's husband Archibald went to Australia (1851) to work as her colonial agent while she kept sending out families and girls from the British Isles, including a party of Jewish girls. In England, Caroline continued to agitate for lower colonial postal rates, for the introduction of colonial money orders and for better shipboard conditions. To this end, she ensured the passing of the Passenger Act (1852).

Now famous and supported by many powerful figures, including the writer Charles Dickins, Caroline returned to Australia (1854) - she was imbued with the optimistic but never proven idea that the wealth of a society lay in the settling of many small farmers and she worked for the unlocking of the lands.

Caroline continued to work despite illness and needy circumstances. She and her husband lived on a pension in Liverpool (1866) and then in Highgate, London. Caroline died in poverty and obscurity in England (1877) - the inscription on her grave at Northampton reads "The emigrant's friend". There was no mention of her husband who not only shared her grave but also her work.

Molly Morgan (1762 - 1835)

City Foundress

Molly Morgan was transported to Australia (1790) for stealing hemp from a linen factory. Joined by her husband, Molly opened a shop in Parramatta (suburb of Sydney). She then escaped from Australia, without her husband, in the ship the "Resolution" and returned to England. In England she bigamously contracted a second marriage, but was then accused by this second husband of burning down their house. Molly was charged and transported again to Australia (1804).

Back in Australia, Molly acquired another husband (her third) and together they bought some land. However, Molly was caught branding government cattle as her own and she was sent to Newcastle Penal Colony. For her good behaviour, Molly was sent with a party settlers to the Maitland area (1819) and was given some land for settlement. Here Molly opened a wine shanty which became quite popular due to it being on the route to the north of Australia.

Aged 61yo, Molly acquired a fourth husband - and one that was much younger then herself. her shanty became the Angel Inn, which prospered as more lands were granted to her. Molly's business expanded and her Inn marked the beginnings of the City of Maitland. After her own creature comforts were dealt with, Molly helped those less fortunate, dealt out summary justice and medicine to the sick, and donated freely to set up church and schools.

Mary Wade (1778-1859)

Pioneering Australian Matriarch

From the age of 10yo, Mary spent her days sweeping the streets of London as a means of begging. Young Mary was one of a large family of a single mother living in poverty. With another child - said to be 14yo - Mary stole the clothes off a small 8yo girl and pawned them. However, young Mary was turned in by yet another child; she was arrested, and brought before the court. Both young girls were condemned to be hanged. Mary spent 93 days in the notorious Newgate Prison till her sentence was commuted to transportation for life, to Australia. Mary was transferred to the ship the "Lady Juliana" of the Second Fleet.

Mary arrived in Australia barely 11yo (c.1789) - the voyage from England to Australia took 11 months. It was not an unusual practice for the officers aboard to take a mistress from the female convicts for the duration of the voyage. Once in the colony, most female convicts were assigned to free-men - ostensibly as house servants. There was no record of who was Mary's master, nor was there any record as to who the father of her first two children was. The first child was born on Norfolk Island before her 15th birthday (c.1793), the other was born two years later (c.1795).

Mary was taken from Norfolk Island to Sydney. Here she lived in a tent, where she gave birth to a third child by a emancipated Irish transportee, Teague Harrigan - who joined a whaling expedition three years later. After this Mary married, and lived with her husband Jonathon Brooker near the Hawkesbury River (1809). It was here that Mary raised her family which numbered 21 children, seven of which lived to have their own children.

When Mary became emancipated, she and her family moved and established a farm at Airds, in Campbelltown, New South Wales. Mary and her husband owned 30 acres (1822) until bushfires destroyed their property (1823) - and Jon's livelihood (he was a carpenter by trade and his tools were all destroyed). The family was destitute. But they recovered. Mary (50s) and Jon (68yo) went on to own 62 acres in Illawarra (1828). Here Mary lived till Jon's death (1833), and then her own death (1859). Mary's funeral service was the very first to be held in St Paul's Church of England church, Fairy Meadow - her son donated the land on which the church was built.

Margaret Catchpole (1762 - 1819)

Female Convict & Midwife

Born in Ipswich, England, Margaret grew up a country girl. Margaret showed courage and daring when she rode bareback to fetch a doctor for a sick neighbour. In her mid-20s, Margaret linked up with a smuggler and stole a horse to meet him in London. She was sentenced to death for horse-stealing. However, Margaret was reprieved and gaoled for 7 years. After 2 years in prison, Margaret's lover arranged for her escape but he was killed in the attempt and she was re-arrested. Again sentenced to death, Margaret was again reprieved - this time she was transported to Australia for life.

Margaret arrived in Sydney aged 39yo (c.1801). She was assigned as a servant to a government official. Two years later, Margaret proved so hardworking and resourceful that she was sent to Richmond Hill to act as midwife to a Mrs Rouse, farmer's wife. The farmer was so impressed by her that he made Margaret farm overseer.

Margaret later opened a general store and acted as local midwife. She died, probably from pneumonia, after making a midwifery call in bad weather.

Esther Abrahams

Jewish Convict & First Lady (c.1771 - 1846)

As a 15yo milliner, Esther was charged with stealing lace from a shop (30/8/1786) - the evidence was circumstantial and three witnesses gave her good character references. Yet she was still found guilty and sentenced to seven years transportation. Esther was confined in Newgate Prison - she pleaded pregnancy and petitioned the Home Secretary for mercy. Sixteen months later the decision came down against her - but she was already in Australia.

Esther arrived in Australia on the "Lady Penrhyn". On the voyage out from England to Australia, Esther was taken up by George Johnston, 1st Lieutenant of Marines, future head of the New South Wales Corps, Aide-de-Camp to Governors Philip and Hunter. Johnston led the troops that deposed Governor Bligh (1808) and for six months, he acted as Lieutenant Governor. Esther was the colony's unofficial First Lady.

When Johnston was cashiered for his role in the mutiny, he was allowed to keep his land grants. He returned to New South Wales four years later and continued his career as an influential landowner, becoming the trusted friend of Governor Macquarie. In his absences, Esther administered Johnston's estates - and bravely stood up to those who tried to take advantage of Johnston's absence.

Esther became a successful farmer and received her own land grant (1809). Johnston finally married Esther (1814) - she bore him seven children. Yet it was impossible for Esther to maintain a secure social position in her own right - this may have been due to her gender, her convist origins, her long-held de facto status, and possibly her Jewishness.

Esther was nearly 60yo when Johnston died (1823). She inherited the large Annandale property; her son David had been left property of his own. However, her other son, the more wilfull Robert who was to inherit Annadale on her death, became increasingly unpleasant and eventually violent. Robert issued a writ (March 1829) against Esther in an attempt to wrest the property from her. Robert proceeded to have her declared insane. Esther put up a strong fight, producing many witnesses to prove she was lucid and well able to maintain her own property. But in the end Esther was powerless to prevent legal injustice. Esther was declared incapable of managing her own affairs.

Esther went to live with her son David on his property where she died 15 years later. Esther was buried beside her husband in the family vault on the Annadale property - her property.

Julia Gillard - Australia's First Female PM

It's offical, Julia Gillard will today be sworn in by Australia's first female Governor General as Australia's first female Prime Minister.

Well done Julia !!

This from ABC News Australia

Hobart Female Factory

From ABC News:

A major new artwork has been commissioned to honour convict women at the Hobart Female Factory.

Shirley McCarron from the Female Factory Historic Site says $160,000 is needed for the sculpture, which is the first of three pieces planned for the former prison.

Ms McCarron says the artwork will stand in the grounds of the Female Factory, in South Hobart, representing the spirit of convict women.

"[It will be a] larger-than-life-sized bronze scultpture of a convict woman with a child clinging to her skirts, and she's standing at a glass door that represents her leaving her normal life and going into the life of a convict."

The second artwork will depict women arriving on Hobart's waterfront, and the third will comprise a series of plaques featuring convict women's names, to be placed throughout the city.

Ms McCarron says there is growing acceptance of convict heritage.

"There's been very little written about the women and not a great deal of interest, and indeed many families didn't want to acknowledge that they had a woman convict.

"That's changed dramatically, and people are very interested and wanting to research their history," she said.

The Female Factory Historic Site Foundation anticipates the first sculpture will be installed late next year.

Dinkum Assorted

From ABC North Queensland:

It's 1942. The men have gone to war and the women of a small Australian town called Warrabadanga rally together to... make biscuits ?

Townsville's Little Theatre's first production of 2010 is Dinkum Assorted.

Set against the backdrop of the Second World War, the play centres on the women who work in Jamieson's biscuit factory and the plan they are cooking up to save their jobs and keep their group together.

It also addresses the issues of isolation and uncertainty that those left behind by the war were facing.

Director Karen Vane says she was keen to present the human stories of war.

"A lot of the battle stories have been told, but when Linda Aronson wrote this for instance there was a great dearth of stories about the other people, the people who stayed at home".

Dinkum Assorted is bright, cheerful and musical, but Ms Vane says behind the upbeat Aussie larrikinism, there's a real poignancy to the play.

"Interspersed with that are stories about (little touches about) the fact that they are without their men and some of them they don't know where their men are".

The season of Dinkum Assorted starts on Wednesday the 7th of April.