I am a farmer, teacher, lover of history and a proud Australian. My husband's and my ancestors came over from England and Ireland, drawn by the promise of opportunity in this land. Most became farmers who worked the land to support their families and their communities. Purpose, hard work and resilience still abound in our family ... today we have the sixth generation still working the land ... it runs in our blood.
"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) I whole heartedly agree with this statement.
Part of Australia's history includes the great firm of Cobb and Co. The people of Cobb and Co. (1853-1929), and other pioneers who built this great modern Australia of today, have my admiration—their unyielding courage, determination, hard work, resilience and the ability to solve problems are reflected in my books' excerpts.
In fact, my research has reminded me that the people who have come before us are also 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, sheep or ram!”
Now you may ask, What makes this book series different? Many Cobb and Co. works repeat well-established discourses, while the aim of this book series is to retell the Cobb and Co. story by piecing together excerpts mostly written during the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, hence allowing ‘history to speak 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 times of Cobb and Co.
The impetus for my first, rather humble, Book 1 ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Great Northern Road’ (Tenterfield to Warwick) was the recreation of a Cobb and Co. coach and subsequently the building of the small '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. As John's daughter, I volunteered to research information for the interpretation boards ... and so my personal Cobb and Co. journey began ...
‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Western Run’ (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, Book 3 ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The New South Wales Headquarters’ (In & Around Bathurst) explores 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) ... make your way through stories of bushrangers, floods, coach accidents, amusing anecdotes and the like, with a focus on 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.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Back to the Beginning' (Victoria & the Goldfields) allows the reader to travel through 'Melbourne the Marvellous' and beyond during the gold rush years, while identifying Cobb and Co. coach proprietors and coaching lines across Victoria, the place where Cobb and Co. first commenced. Take a longer stop at Glenrowan, where the demise of The Kelly Gang occurred in 1880.
'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.
"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) I whole heartedly agree with this statement.
Part of Australia's history includes the great firm of Cobb and Co. The people of Cobb and Co. (1853-1929), and other pioneers who built this great modern Australia of today, have my admiration—their unyielding courage, determination, hard work, resilience and the ability to solve problems are reflected in my books' excerpts.
In fact, my research has reminded me that the people who have come before us are also 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, sheep or ram!”
Now you may ask, What makes this book series different? Many Cobb and Co. works repeat well-established discourses, while the aim of this book series is to retell the Cobb and Co. story by piecing together excerpts mostly written during the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, hence allowing ‘history to speak 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 times of Cobb and Co.
The impetus for my first, rather humble, Book 1 ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Great Northern Road’ (Tenterfield to Warwick) was the recreation of a Cobb and Co. coach and subsequently the building of the small '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. As John's daughter, I volunteered to research information for the interpretation boards ... and so my personal Cobb and Co. journey began ...
‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The Western Run’ (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, Book 3 ‘Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - The New South Wales Headquarters’ (In & Around Bathurst) explores 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) ... make your way through stories of bushrangers, floods, coach accidents, amusing anecdotes and the like, with a focus on 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.
'Along the tracks of Cobb and Co. - Back to the Beginning' (Victoria & the Goldfields) allows the reader to travel through 'Melbourne the Marvellous' and beyond during the gold rush years, while identifying Cobb and Co. coach proprietors and coaching lines across Victoria, the place where Cobb and Co. first commenced. Take a longer stop at Glenrowan, where the demise of The Kelly Gang occurred in 1880.
'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.
Book sales fund further research.
Thank you for your interest in letting Australian history 'speak for itself' ...