Oh Happy Day: Those Times and These Times

Carmen Callil's Oh Happy Day is a triumphant family memoir that tells the story of her British ancestors, beginning with her great-great-grandmother Sary Lacey, born in 1808. Through detailed research, we follow Sary from slum to tenement and from pregnancy to pregnancy, and meet George Conquest, a canal worker and the father of one of Sary's children. George was sentenced to seven years of transportation to Australia, where he faced the extraordinary brutality of convict life. However, Australia turned out to be his happy day, and he survived, prospered, and eventually returned to England, where he met Sary again. Oh Happy Day is a story of Empire, migration, and the inequality and injustice of nineteenth-century England, drawing chilling parallels to the inequalities of our times.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 368 pages
Publication date: 24 March 2022
Publisher: Vintage Publishing

A Triumphant Family Memoir


Hallie Rubenhold


Powerfully Told...an Impressive Work


The Times


Gives a Voice to the Voiceless


Australian Book Review

In this remarkable book, Carmen Callil delves into the story of her British ancestors, beginning with her great-great-grandmother, Sary Lacey, born in 1808, as an impoverished stocking frame worker. Through extensive research, the reader follows Sary's journey from the slums to tenements, and from one pregnancy to another. Along the way, we meet George Conquest, a canal worker and the father of one of Sary's children. George's fate takes an extraordinary turn when he is sentenced to seven years of transportation to Australia for a minor theft.


However, for George, as for many disenfranchised British people like him, Australia proved to be a turning point.


He survived, prospered, and eventually returned to England, reuniting with Sary after nearly thirty years. George's love and determination knew no bounds, and he brought Sary back to Australia, where they were inseparable for the rest of their lives.

Oh Happy Day is a testament to the power of research and fueled by a righteous anger. It weaves a captivating tale of Empire, migration, and the inequalities and injustices of nineteenth-century England. This remarkable book offers chilling parallels to the inequalities of our times, making it a thought-provoking and compelling read.


Observer

Weight: 296g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780099548560