Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-53

by Ellen Clacy

Before commencing an account of our operations at the Eagle Hawk, it will be necessary to write a few words in description of our gold-digging party there; their Christian names will be sufficient distinction, and will leave their incognito undisturbed.

Genres: Travel, History, Nonfiction, Biography, Australia, Biography Memoir, Classics

110 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1853

Reviews

[Janelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would love the opportunity to meet Ellen Clacy in person. Travelling to the Australian gold fields in 1851, the author displayed amazing pluck and optimism. She worked hard in a mans's world, yet never lost sight of her own femininity. In today's world of feminism, many women compete with men by either trying to outdo them or be like them. Ellen Clacy did neither, simply getting on with her own adventures and allowing the men to have theirs. I find her attitude very refreshing. I'm not sure how well her book succeeded in the publishing world of the 1850's. Given that it's still around, I suspect it had reasonable success. Some sections of the book dragged for me, but as these contained details such as local prices, accommodation and the comparative productivity of the various diggings, I'm sure they were invaluable to contemporary readers. Some of her anecdotes were quite adventurous, including an encounter with bushrangers. She also exposes the unfortunate plight of those who did not find their fortunes in Australia.
Overall this was a good read. I listened to the Librivox audiobook, which had two readers. One was very good, and the other a little slow for my taste.

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look at a woman's experience in the Australian gold rushes. A bit boring at times with the minutia around prices, but I loved the very quotidian descriptions of Clacy's days. It was fun to follow along with Clacy's journey using Google Maps: amazing how far they were able to travel through rough terrain!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this goldfields memoir for the week (15-21 January) dedicated to the first generation of Australian women writers hosted by Bill at The Australian Legend, but I’m not convinced that we can include Ellen Clacy amongst the honour roll of Australian writers, because she was English, and only here in Australia for a very few months. Wikipedia has this (and not much else) to say:

Little biographical information is available about Ellen Louise Clacy (née Von Sturmer).
The information that is available indicates that her life was less “proper” than it appeared in her most well-known work.
Born in 1830 in Richmond, Surrey, England, one of 5 children of clergyman Frederick Sturmer and Mary Norris.
In 1852 she travelled to Australia with her eldest brother to seek their fortunes on the goldfields of Victoria.
Clacy returned to England by ship without her brother a couple of months after arriving in Melbourne, and gave birth to her daughter Ellen Louise Clacy on board ship during the return journey.
After her return from Australia, Clacy began writing under the pseudonym “Cycla”.
In 1854, she married Charles Berry Clacy, a merchant’s clerk and mining engineer.
There seems to be some indication that she was abandoned by her husband, and she was said to support herself by writing articles for newspapers.
Ellen Clacy died in London in 1901.

Whatever about Clacy’s respectability, according to a source at Goodreads, her journal is a key resource for historical novelists, and it’s certainly interesting to read a woman’s perspective on the Gold Rush. She has a wry style, as you can see from her thoughts about the row boat from shore to ship:

Everything was ready—boxes packed, tinned, and corded; farewells taken, and ourselves whirling down by rail to Gravesend—too much excited—too full of the future to experience that sickening of the heart, that desolation of the feelings, which usually accompanies an expatriation, however voluntary, from the dearly loved shores of one’s native land. Although in the cloudy month of April, the sun shone brightly on the masts of our bonny bark, which lay in full sight of the windows of the “Old Falcon,” where we had taken up our temporary quarters. The sea was very rough, but as we were anxious to get on board without farther delay, we entrusted our valuable lives in a four-oared boat, despite the dismal prognostications of our worthy host. A pleasant row that was, at one moment covered over with salt-water—the next riding on the top of a wave, ten times the size of our frail conveyance—then came a sudden concussion—in veering our rudder smashed into a smaller boat, which immediately filled and sank, and our rowers disheartened at this mishap would go no farther. The return was still rougher—my face smarted dreadfully from the cutting splashes of the salt-water; they contrived, however, to land us safely at the “Old Falcon,” though in a most pitiable plight; charging only a sovereign for this delightful trip—very moderate, considering the number of salt-water baths they had given us gratis. In the evening a second trial proved more successful, and we reached our vessel safely. (Kindle Locations 43-39)

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/01/16/a...

[Kitty · Rating 4 out of 5]

mind rõõmustas see raamat eelkõige sellega, et kuigi on kirjutatud umbes 155 aastat enne seda, kui ma ise Austraalias õnne ja rikkust otsimas käisin, tunnen ma kõik ära. see maa ja see ilm ja see loodus ja eelkõige see üldine vaib - teate, tuleb välja, et pole vahet, kas oled koloniaalajastu kullakaevaja või 21. sajandi working holiday viisaomanik, see on ikka seesama lugu!

needsamad inimesed ja needsamad suhtumised. Ellen kirjeldab siin veidi põhjalikumalt seda viiest meesteseltskonda, kelle seltsis ta ise kullaväljadele satuks, ja ma vannun teile, täpselt seesama kamp on koos suvalise Austraalia backpacker-hosteli kuueses toas (mis peaks olema meestetuba, aga kuhu keegi ikka on mingi plika ka kampa smugeldanud). on rikkast perest verinoori lapsukesi, kes on tulnud lihtsalt seiklust otsima ja põgenevad esimeste raskuste tekkimisel; on neid, kel juba mingi karjäär selja taga ja peregi ootamas, aga kes otsivad paremat elu ja kiiremat raha; on neid, kellel on näpud täiesti põhjas ja kohe homme millegi teenimine on elu küsimus. kõik kulutavad hämmastava osa oma ajast ja rahast selle peale, et liikuda mingisse järgmisse kohta, kus kuulujutud tõotavad paremaid töökohti ja suuremat tulu. enamasti pettutakse.

kõik need kohanimedki - Ballarat, Bendigo, Geelong, Melbourne nagunii - seostuvad mul isiklike pettumustega selle osas, kuidas töö eest maksti palju vähem kui jutuks oli olnud, ja suur osa ajast polnud üldse mingit tööd ja süüa tuli ikka osta.

tegin Ellenile ka kiire taustakontrolli, et olla kindel, et ta meile päris ilukirjandust pole kirjutanud, vaid ikka päriselt ka kohal käis, sest ausalt öeldes see naisterahva viibimine kõigil neil seiklustel tundus ikkagi veidi ootamatu ja uskumatu tolle aja kohta. tundub, et päris kokku luisanud ta seda kõike pole ja Austraalias paar kuud ikka tõesti viibis oma venna seltsis... aga niipalju kui ma leida suutsin, on see lugu ikka üsna segane, sest kui ta siin raamatus naaseb Inglismaale seoses ootamatul avanenud abiellumisvõimalusega ja uue abikaasa seltsis, siis päriselt tundub ikkagi, et ta hoopiski sünnitas tagasiteel laeva pardal tütre (mis tähendab, et ta juba lahkus Inglismaalt rasedana, mis omakorda teeb need läbielatud jalgsimatkad jm seiklused muidugi veel muljetavaldavamaks kui nad enne olidki) ja abiellus hoopis mõnd aega hiljem Inglismaal.

eks siin narratiivis on ka mõned kohad, mille puhul tekkis küsimus, et päriselt ka või - kui metsas röövlite kätte satutakse, aga õnnelikult pääsetakse näiteks; ja orvutüdruku sujuv lapsendamine ja parema elu peale seadmine kullakaevajate kamba poolt. nii et puhta kullana (see what I did here) ma seda lugu just ei võtaks, aga sellest hoolimata täitsa veenev sissevaade Austraalia kullapalaviku aegadesse.

[Amanda Witt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible to think a 'lady' would come here in those early days of the gold rush, let alone travel to the areas and observe things.
Written in the language of the day, with phrases like 'I belong to the pocket edition of the feminine sex, the pit was not quite five foot deep and I could not step out without assistance'.

[vaughn ferich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative

Seen from a woman's perspective this narrative has tenderness and compassion that was refreshing and at the same time informative, realistic and full of adventure. Worth a read!

[Peter S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quite interesting read from a woman who comes out with a small group from England, including her brother. Descriptions of early Melbourne, travelling to, and on the Bendigo goldfields. Then being deceived by Bushrangers on returning to Melbourne. A fascinating time

[Julie MacKay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. It was great to hear about what Melbourne and Victoria were like all those years ago. Interesting to read about some of the author's adventures too.

[Velvetink]

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4054