Of Greater Worth than Gold

The History and Legacy of Isabella Murray

Ross Murray

Like thousands of other Scots, John and Isabella Murray were victims of the vast changes that transformed British society during the Industrial Revolution. As tenant farmers, they lost their small holding as farms on the large estates were amalgamated and as sheep production replaced the more traditional intensive cropping. When John died in 1845, Isabella was left with ten children in a situation of great uncertainty.

This book traces the story of the families of John and Isabella, as far as available records allow, for the two centuries prior to these events. It considers the issues involved in the decision of Isabella and the children to migrate to Australia, describes the voyages themselves in 1848 and 1851, and records the settlement of the family in the fertile and picturesque Manning Valley.

It is the story of the pioneering origins of a prolific family that has made a significant contribution to the Manning District.

Softcover
96 pages
21 cm x 29.5 cm
Printed 2012
Cost: $10