In Her Own Words: The Writings of Elizabeth Macquarie is a beautifully presented volume containing the annotated letters and journal of Elizabeth Macquarie, wife of early colonial Australia's planning visionary, Lachlan Macquarie.
The publication reveals for the first time the personal thoughts and writings of Elizabeth Macquarie – through transcriptions of the relevant manuscript holdings of the State Library of NSW, National Library of Australia, National Archives of Scotland, UK National Archives as well as items held in private collections. Each writing piece is annotated, giving unique insight into its content and context.
In top-end style presentation, letters, annotations, archive photos, genealogical diagrams, related brief biographies and an introduction on faces of womanhood comprise the content. Walsh's themes drawn out from Elizabeth's writings – architect, confidante, designer, gardener and politician among them – reflect the view and role of women of the day.
This publication is historically significant as until now, very little has been in print about Elizabeth Macquarie and her influence in the shaping of our nation. Rarely has the spotlight been turned on the lives of women of the early days of European settlement in Australia, and the importance of their opinions and attitudes explained.
