Today I am publishing a wonderful essay by Marianne Simpson. Regular readers of this blog will be familiar with Marianne’s work. She is a direct descendant of Lucy Atkinson’s brother William Finley and has written about many aspects of the family history, including the connections with Waltzing Matilda composer, Banjo Paterson, and with Lucy’s distant relative Benjamin Coulson Robinson. She has also written about James Michener’s writings on Hawaii and the connection with Alatau Atkinson, as well as the biography of Alatau.

Marianne’s latest essay (below) examines the relationship between Lucy Atkinson’s uncle Joseph Sherrard – who left Lucy a substantial legacy in his will – and George Rowlett, who was a close friend of Charles Darwin and accompanied him on the voyage of HMS Beagle. Sherrard was married to Rowlett’s half-sister, Lucy, after whom Lucy Atkinson was likely named. You can find the essay here: