T.W Edgeworth David came to Australia from Wales as a young mining engineer in 1882. On the ship coming out he met and fell in love with Cara Mallett, an orphan from a working class background in rural England. This was the beginning of a lifelong marriage and a remarkable partnership that saw Cara establish the first college in NSW to train women teachers. Her husband became Professor of Geology at Sydney University. The couple raised a family in Sydney while actively engaged with many aspects of the city’s cultural and political life.
David is remembered for his heroic expedition with Douglas to find the South Magnetic Pole in 1908, and later, for leading the Mining Battalion the ‘Tunnellers’ in their dangerous work on the Western Front.
Cara’s life, though less well-known, was equally adventurous, including trips to a coral island in the Pacific and to geology camps in the Snowy Mountains. During the war she ran a convalescent home for soldiers in the Blue Mountains and was later instrumental in the founding of the Girl Guides. Her two daughters also led remarkable and inspirational lives.
Jenny Horsfield will talk about this remarkable family. She is a Canberra writer and historian. Her book, ‘Rainbow: the story of Rania MacPhillamy’ won the award for Non-Fiction Book of the Year in the 2008 ACT Writers and Publishers awards.
The meeting will be held at Piato Restaurant 123 Blues Point Road, McMahons Point at 7:00 am for 7:15 a.m. start. We finish promptly at 8:30 a.m. There is plenty of parking in Blues Point Road in the morning. At about 7:30 a.m., Jenny will talk for about 30 minutes, followed by questions and breakfast is served during the talk.