By Bev Murray. I remember when I was a young child, my grandmother, told me a fascinating but tragic story about a lady who lived a long time ago. “One day long ago,” she said, “one of your ancestors went outside her home to get some wood and she never returned. She disappeared and was never seen again.” “What happened to her?” I asked and my grandmother explained, “It was thought that she had been taken by the blacks”. This … Continue reading
For many years I have been intrigued by wedding fashion, in particular the bride’s gown, and how much thought and consideration goes into the planning of this dress. A dress which is usually only ever worn once then packed away carefully, treasured but then mostly forgotten, the glory days of the preparations and the wedding itself fading into the background as the cares, worries and humdrum of everyday life take centre stage. The wedding of my grandparents, Margaret Ann Lewis … Continue reading
‘We have lived fourteen years together now and we will die together’. Thomas McGladdery is said to have made this statement on board the wreck of the RMS Quetta, a ship from the British India line. The speaker was referring to a woman and three children standing near him on the doomed ship.[1] The Quetta sank at 9.14 pm on 28 February 1890 as it sailed in Torres Strait at the top of Queensland for London. The ship sank … Continue reading
Richard Fage gripped his bayonet-tipped, flintlock musket. He crouched bravely within his battalion’s defensive square, deafened by the artillery and cannon fire of Napoleon’s troops. For hours they’d been on the edge of the battle, but the order to advance had finally arrived. Now on open flat ground, the men of the 3rd battalion of the 14th Regiment were sitting ducks. Their bright red coats and distinctive white cross straps were still unblemished by mud and blood. Richard, like nearly … Continue reading
