The Album of Opinions Revisited

Hi Everyone

As many of you know before my grandmother died last year she left me a book that recorded the opinions of the relatives and friends of my great great grandmother and grandfather. These are really interesting. I am including, today, the full set of opinions of my great great grandmother Emily Wragg. I am also making up a new Album of Opinions and would love it if you could answer these same questions and either email it to me or include it in a comment.

Anyway here it goes - Emily Wragg's opinions

The noblest aim in life
Usefulness
The Greatest wonders of the world
Electricity and steam
The characters you most admire in real life
Kind husband and loving children
Who do you consider the greatest living politician?
Bad is the best right now
What political questions are you chiefly interested in?
Marriage with a deceased wife's sister - I don't like it.
The greatest artists and musicians
Too many to mention
Your favourite characters in fiction.
John Halifay
The time of year you like best
Summer
The authors you admire most
Walter Scott, Pope
A Brief Definition of love
A state of impermanence but beautiful while it lasts
The scenery you admire most
Woodland, beach and agricultural
Your idea of happiness
Quiet time with a dear relative or friend
Your favourite motto or proverb
"Whatevery thy hand guideth to do, do it with thy might."
The wrongs you would redress
All
Reforms you would advocate
Religious instruction in schools and the better management of children.
Your favourite recreation or hobby
Reading and needlework - no hobby
The true place of woman in society
House or at a friend's
Your favourite topic of study
It has been music
Your chief ambition
To be worthy of a good name
The Christian name you like be
Herbert Lucy
Your ideas on the subject of marriage
A state of happiness if both parties are loving
The qualities you respect most in men and women?
Men - generosity and courage
Women - modesty and sincerity
Your favourite flowers, birds and beasts
Roses, Talking Birds, Dogs

Name Emily M Wragg
Date June 25th 1885

More Family History ie Part Two

These are my ancestors on my mother's side. Their names are Thomas and Emily Wragg.

They were the first white settlers in Somerset. Somerset is a little town in the North West of Tasmania, near Burnie. The main street is called Wragg Street after my ancestors.

I lived in Somerset from the age of nine until the age of eighteen.

Thomas Dodd Wragg was an engraver of pretty pictures, a lay preacher and a poet.

I have a book called the Album of Opinions which records the opinions of Thomas and Emily and their friends and family.

Here is an excerpt from Thomas Dodd Wragg's opinions.

The prose and poetical authors you admire most? Solomon, Isaiah, Luke, Shakespeareke, Dickens.

A brief definition of Love: A beneficient arrangement and necessary for the existentence of humanity. Sadly misrepresented by sentimental fiction writers.

The scenery you admire most: Fern forest glades on land. Bold rocky cliffs by sea.

That's all for now.

God Bless

Amber

PS I made a mistake. The woman pictured is Thomas Wragg's daughter Lucy, not his wife Emily. Thanks to my mother, Diane, for working that out

Family History Part One

Yesterday I accompanied my father to the burial site of our famous ancestor Daniel Stanford.

Daniel Stanford came out to New South Wales on the first fleet after a fledgling career as a marine.

I was surprised to find that his first child (also Daniel Stanford) was born one year before his marriage but that is what happened. Daniel Junior was born in 1790 and Daniel Senior married his mother Alice in 1791.

Daniel Senior became a successful farmer in what was then known as Van Diemens Land (now Tasmania).

He had four other children - William, Sarah, Mary and Thomas.

He died in 1826 aged 60.

I plan to learn more about his life as history has always fascinated me.