Full Circle by Enid Sutton

This is the story of John Gifford of Blackford near Wincanton in Somerset who in September,1839 followed five other young men from the area to make a life for himself in South Australia.

The book is based on letters sent to his sister Anna which are held in the Somerset Records Office in Taunton; we have her to thank for their preservation.

Throughout the 23 years he was in South Australia John pioneered land in four areas, initially at Mt. Barker some 20 miles east of Adelaide, then on to the Murray River and finally down to Mt. Benson near Guichen Bay some 200 miles further south; his Run there covered an area of some 70 square miles and was a difficult one because of the terrain and problems with herbage for the stock. In 1854 he moved slightly north to another property which he called Blackford after his home village and which is, to this day, still a working Station.

The book describes the challenges met by early South Australian pioneers and the ways in which they addressed them.

In 1859 he returned to England for a holiday, even visiting Paris with his nephew and returning to Australia to marry Anna Maria Ellery in 1861. Anna was the daughter of James Ellery of Bridport, Dorset and Ann Elliott of Owlpen, Glos. In 1863 John and Anna travelled to England on the SS Great Britain with their little daughter Annie Ada Theresa and they settled in to life in Somerset where John was very highly respected. He died in Yeovil in 1866 so never returned to his property in Adelaide. His widow married John Hoskins Ryall of Yeovil and later his daughter Annie married Henry Draper Galpin and moved to Fulham in London. Amongst his friends were members of the Lillecrapp, Newman and Ryall families.
Copies of the book may be obtained from
Enid Sutton, 5 Janet Street, Para Vista, S. Australia 5093
e-mail address – aesutton@adam.com.au

Cost per copy AU$15 (or equivalent) including postage