The Free Selector's Daughter

My Great Grandmother Bridget Anastasia Donnelly (nee Lambert) was the inspiration for a number of Henry Lawson's works including the one below.

Henry Lawson

Source: The Free-Selector's Daughter. (1905, January 18). Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW : 1870 - 1907), p. 41. Retrieved August 8, 2013, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71497959

'When he went back in 1891 to stay for a few weeks with old Harry O'Brien, who had been a mate of his father, and who was the tennant of the Lawson home, he met and became engaged to a niece of O'Brien- Bridget Lambert, who inspired 'The Drover's Sweetheart', 'The Free Selector's Daughter', and his sweetest poem, 'The Sliprails and the Spur'.

Source: Mann. Colin. 'Henry Lawson' Angus and Robertson 1964 p.469

'Among the Mutch papers was a series of letters from Bridget Lambert, to whom Lawson became engaged in 1891. She wrote about Lawson’s courtship, and of his visits to the schools at which she was teaching.'

Source: Chaplin. Harry F. ' Henry Lawson: his books, manuscripts, autograph letters and association copies, together with publications by Louisa Lawson' Wentworth Press 1974. p.7

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The Kendall Children.

I started this post a while ago and was going to finally finish and post it yesterday however our four grandchildren came over and I got sidetracked. Our grandchildren range in age now from six down to one; they are so full of life (each of them lights up a room when they enter it) and we feel extremely blessed to have them in our lives. After spending the afternoon researching this post, their arrival made this tragedy even more poignant for me and so I appreciated their company even more than usual and hugged them a bit tighter too! This morning I woke up to a cold, wet and windy Wagga day and the thought of three little girls out in August weather like this, in light weight dresses with no shoes or jumpers impacted on me even more. Those poor babies! One of the girls was found still clasping her doll that she had carried with her over the whole tragic journey. When my husband and I were looking around the Wagga Wagga Monumental Cemetery some time ago we came across a very sad he

Trove Tuesday - The Murder of Patrick McCooey

These articles involve my 5th Great Grandmother Ann Puckeridge (nee Maund) and her son William Puckeridge (my half 4th Great grand Uncle). Ann was born in England and married her first husband Joseph Puckeridge around 1796. There are records of two children being baptised in St Marylebone, Middlesex, England for this couple Sarah (1799-?) and James (1800-?). Their lives took a turn in 1800, when Joseph was sentenced to death for stealing scotch ticking, this sentence was later remitted to transportation for Life. In 1801 Joseph, the convict and Ann his free wife arrived in Australia on board the ship Earl Cornwallis , their English born children's fate is unknown. They went on to have the following children in Australia: William (1802-1877), John (1804-1885), Ann Sawyer nee Puckeridge (1806-1882), Mary Ann (1809-1818), Richard (1812-1881), Joseph (1814-1857) and Henry (1817-1819). Joseph worked as a brickmaker in Australia and died in Sydney in 1818. In 1820 Ann married J

Trove Tuesday - Death of a Centenarian

The year I turned twelve my Great Great Grandmother Flora Ann Worldon nee McDonnell passed away just two months short of her 105th birthday. She was born at the Inn owned by her Father and Uncle at Five Mile Creek, Gundagai in 1875; the ruins of which can be still seen today near the 'Dog on the Tuckerbox' and lived a full and interesting life. Growing up she had always been part of the family folklore. I have always known her to be my oldest ancestor at the time of their death but now it seems that my 5th Great Grandmother Ann Costello nee Hogan at 105 years of age has overtaken her for top ranking. There do seem to be some embellishments and discrepancies in the article however, she had been in Australia for only twenty nine years not over half a century and her immigration files have her birth year c.1798 rather than c.1782 that would be required for her to die in 1887 aged 105, so more research is required for verification of her exact age. Source: DEATH OF A CENT

Tracing Family Branches

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