Although the book series continues to explore the Cobb and Co. story in more depth, all books stand alone. Each book is an affordable ($24.95-$29.95), and unique, gift for people interested in Australian history (mid-1800s to mid-1900s). Journey through floods, fire, coach accidents, bail-ups by bushrangers and the like ... enjoy the numerous amusing anecdotes ...
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“Into the mists of the past have gone the days of Cobb and Co.’s coaches, with their daring drivers who could ‘spin’ many a thrilling story of the days when ‘the world was wide’.” (Dick Craig’s Fight, 28 Apr 1939, p.5)
“These were the old days, Days when the world was wide.”
I am a farmer, mother, grandmother, teacher, lover of history and a proud Australian. My 'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co.' Book Series started when an old timer (my father) built a replica coach at Liston, N.S.W., as a nod to a bygone era. Assisting with the research, led me on a journey, and a life-long commitment, to sharing the stories of Australia's pioneers, and other people, who built this great modern country of today—people who have my admiration.
“There appear to be three groups without which Australia would not be the Australia that we all know today. These are the First Nations peoples, the settlers from Britain and the non-British immigrants. These groups have left an essential and lasting mark on our Australian life. Quoting former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, these three groups have given Australia our Indigenous heritage; our British foundation; and our immigrant character.” (Independent Australia, 2 Aug 2022, p.1)
You may ask, What makes my books different? To share the positive history of how Cobb and Co., and the postal service, contributed to the great Australia of today, I have pieced together fragments written during the 1800s to mid-1900s to tell the story, hence ‘history is speaking for itself’. The original text may make you feel like you are the one sitting on the ‘box seat’ next to the driver, jolting along the many tracks of Cobb and Co. My hope is that the excerpts I have chosen pay homage to the people and stories of Cobb and Co. My research has highlighted that meaning and accuracy, at times, seems to have been lost with the retelling of the Cobb and Co. story.
Unyielding courage, determination, hard work, resilience and the ability to solve problems are reflected in the books' excerpts. In fact, my research has reminded me that the people who have come before us are very similar to the people of today—great business people, creative people, people with ingenious ideas, and of course people prepared to do the hard slog of ‘day to day work’, regardless of the weather (think of our vegetable farmers and those who work in the dairying industry). And of course they had a sense of humour e.g. “At an unnamed change station, the boss would flick off the covering of the food and say What would you like lamb, mutton or ram!”
The impetus for ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Great Northern Road’ (Book 1: Tenterfield to Warwick) was the recreation of a Cobb and Co. coach and subsequently the building of the Cobb and Co. Coach & Collectables Museum at Liston, New South Wales. This being the legacy of old-timer John Charles Burton, Junior, as a nod to the past.
‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Western Run’ (Book 2: Brisbane, Toowoomba, Roma & Charleville) continues the story of Cobb and Co. as it reached into outback Queensland. This book is in memory of Kenneth Victor & Mavis Rosa Johnson. The Johnson Brothers, and their father Henry John Johnson, were among the early pioneers in the district of Roma, a change station along the western track. Other change stations along the western run of Cobb and Co., from Brisbane included Drayton, Toowoomba, Dalby, Condamine, Yuelba, Surat, Roma and Charleville. Featured in this book is the tourist attraction 'The Big Rig', Roma, where the Johnson's old slab hut is now located.
Stepping back, ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The New South Wales Headquarters’ (Book 3: In & Around Bathurst) continues the journey of exploring the history of Australia during this era, during which Cobb and Co. expanded into New South Wales with James Rutherford ‘setting a cracking pace'. In addition, the book identifies many of the proprietors of Cobb and Co. from 1853-1929, as accurately as possible, as a nod to the people of Cobb and Co. and their contribution to the development of modern Australia. 'Abercrombie House', an Australian heritage treasure in Bathurst, N.S.W., is featured in this book.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Cobb’s Coach Drivers' (Edition 2) explores some of the men, and the occasional woman, who handled the ribbons—at this stage over 800 drivers have been identified and my research continues. Each driver has referenced information that reflects that they have, in fact, driven for Cobb and Co. Wherever possible, stories of family, daily life, bushrangers, floods, coach accidents and the like are included. As I continue my research, further drivers' stories will be recorded.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Back to the Beginning' (Victoria & the Goldfields) includes Cobb and Co. coaching routes across Victoria, in addition to the proprietors of Cobb and Co. 1854-1929 ... release date 2024
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co.' books featuring South Australia and Western Australia ... in research stage.
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Authenticity has been maintained as spelling, punctuation and grammar are as per historical sources. Descriptive language during that era is highlighted in the book series. These features, in themselves, further enhance the story of change over time. In addition, the development in photography--including availability and quality of past photos--is evident.
Special thanks to Mr John Osbourne OAM for his enthusiasm and support of my research, along with Mr John Elliot (Writer/Photographer), Mr David Bolton, Mr Steve Cooper (Manager, Operations at Cobb+Co Museum, Toowoomba), Mr Ray Green (Cobb & Co. enthusiast), Mr Bruce Rutherford (Descendent of James Rutherford), Mr Norm Rutherford (Descendent of James Rutherford), Mr. Christopher Morgan (Abercrombie House, Bathurst) and Mrs Mary Fletcher (Bathurst District Historical Society).
I acknowledge that this Book Series only fleetingly touches upon the rich, cultural history of Australia’s First Nations Peoples and their interactions with others during this period of colonisation.
* * * * *
“Into the mists of the past have gone the days of Cobb and Co.’s coaches, with their daring drivers who could ‘spin’ many a thrilling story of the days when ‘the world was wide’.” (Dick Craig’s Fight, 28 Apr 1939, p.5)
“These were the old days, Days when the world was wide.”
I am a farmer, mother, grandmother, teacher, lover of history and a proud Australian. My 'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co.' Book Series started when an old timer (my father) built a replica coach at Liston, N.S.W., as a nod to a bygone era. Assisting with the research, led me on a journey, and a life-long commitment, to sharing the stories of Australia's pioneers, and other people, who built this great modern country of today—people who have my admiration.
“There appear to be three groups without which Australia would not be the Australia that we all know today. These are the First Nations peoples, the settlers from Britain and the non-British immigrants. These groups have left an essential and lasting mark on our Australian life. Quoting former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, these three groups have given Australia our Indigenous heritage; our British foundation; and our immigrant character.” (Independent Australia, 2 Aug 2022, p.1)
You may ask, What makes my books different? To share the positive history of how Cobb and Co., and the postal service, contributed to the great Australia of today, I have pieced together fragments written during the 1800s to mid-1900s to tell the story, hence ‘history is speaking for itself’. The original text may make you feel like you are the one sitting on the ‘box seat’ next to the driver, jolting along the many tracks of Cobb and Co. My hope is that the excerpts I have chosen pay homage to the people and stories of Cobb and Co. My research has highlighted that meaning and accuracy, at times, seems to have been lost with the retelling of the Cobb and Co. story.
Unyielding courage, determination, hard work, resilience and the ability to solve problems are reflected in the books' excerpts. In fact, my research has reminded me that the people who have come before us are very similar to the people of today—great business people, creative people, people with ingenious ideas, and of course people prepared to do the hard slog of ‘day to day work’, regardless of the weather (think of our vegetable farmers and those who work in the dairying industry). And of course they had a sense of humour e.g. “At an unnamed change station, the boss would flick off the covering of the food and say What would you like lamb, mutton or ram!”
The impetus for ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Great Northern Road’ (Book 1: Tenterfield to Warwick) was the recreation of a Cobb and Co. coach and subsequently the building of the Cobb and Co. Coach & Collectables Museum at Liston, New South Wales. This being the legacy of old-timer John Charles Burton, Junior, as a nod to the past.
‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Western Run’ (Book 2: Brisbane, Toowoomba, Roma & Charleville) continues the story of Cobb and Co. as it reached into outback Queensland. This book is in memory of Kenneth Victor & Mavis Rosa Johnson. The Johnson Brothers, and their father Henry John Johnson, were among the early pioneers in the district of Roma, a change station along the western track. Other change stations along the western run of Cobb and Co., from Brisbane included Drayton, Toowoomba, Dalby, Condamine, Yuelba, Surat, Roma and Charleville. Featured in this book is the tourist attraction 'The Big Rig', Roma, where the Johnson's old slab hut is now located.
Stepping back, ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The New South Wales Headquarters’ (Book 3: In & Around Bathurst) continues the journey of exploring the history of Australia during this era, during which Cobb and Co. expanded into New South Wales with James Rutherford ‘setting a cracking pace'. In addition, the book identifies many of the proprietors of Cobb and Co. from 1853-1929, as accurately as possible, as a nod to the people of Cobb and Co. and their contribution to the development of modern Australia. 'Abercrombie House', an Australian heritage treasure in Bathurst, N.S.W., is featured in this book.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Cobb’s Coach Drivers' (Edition 2) explores some of the men, and the occasional woman, who handled the ribbons—at this stage over 800 drivers have been identified and my research continues. Each driver has referenced information that reflects that they have, in fact, driven for Cobb and Co. Wherever possible, stories of family, daily life, bushrangers, floods, coach accidents and the like are included. As I continue my research, further drivers' stories will be recorded.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Back to the Beginning' (Victoria & the Goldfields) includes Cobb and Co. coaching routes across Victoria, in addition to the proprietors of Cobb and Co. 1854-1929 ... release date 2024
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co.' books featuring South Australia and Western Australia ... in research stage.
* * * * *
Authenticity has been maintained as spelling, punctuation and grammar are as per historical sources. Descriptive language during that era is highlighted in the book series. These features, in themselves, further enhance the story of change over time. In addition, the development in photography--including availability and quality of past photos--is evident.
Special thanks to Mr John Osbourne OAM for his enthusiasm and support of my research, along with Mr John Elliot (Writer/Photographer), Mr David Bolton, Mr Steve Cooper (Manager, Operations at Cobb+Co Museum, Toowoomba), Mr Ray Green (Cobb & Co. enthusiast), Mr Bruce Rutherford (Descendent of James Rutherford), Mr Norm Rutherford (Descendent of James Rutherford), Mr. Christopher Morgan (Abercrombie House, Bathurst) and Mrs Mary Fletcher (Bathurst District Historical Society).
I acknowledge that this Book Series only fleetingly touches upon the rich, cultural history of Australia’s First Nations Peoples and their interactions with others during this period of colonisation.
Further research funded by book sales.
Thank you for visiting & your interest in letting Australian history 'speak for itself' ...