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Archiver > AUS-WA-CONVICT > 2001-05 > 0991011316


From: "Vivienne Garforth" <>
Subject: Re: [CONVICT] Good Book?
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 08:55:16 +0800
References: <00b601c0e680$9f2e7c00$a6c53bcb@default>


There is an excellent book around which I ordered into our local Midland
library about the life of a convict......starting with his getting caught
sheep stealing and right up to his death in a bush shack in W.A. His life
story was written from letters found in an old kangaroo skin pouch hidden in
the wall of his shack and found long after his death. His family in UK had
kept in touch with him all through his life, but he didn't send for them to
join him and never answered their letters, merely saved them in his old
pouch. I can't remember the name of it, but it was recommended to me via
the DPS list and believe me, I couldn't put it down!!!!
Another two books which are good fictional accounts of early Swan River
settlement are Behold New Holland and New Holland Heritage by Rix Weaver but
they were written in the 1940s/1950s, so might be hard to obtain now. They
cover the life story of Jane Mabey from a sixteen year old new arrival in
Swan River Settlement to her death in her Guildford garden 60 years later
and includes her brother who is a member of the 63rd regiment, her first
husband who was a soldier, her second husband who was a convict and the
various people who came and went during her life. While it is mostly
fiction, the people and events who shape the background of the story are
real. I can recommend these as well.
Vivienne Garforth


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