Growing Up Rocky

Patty Beecham

Summary

Written over 51 chapters, we follow the unusual family upbringing on an Aboriginal mission on Cape York. The family live apart for a year in three locations in Queensland as the father trains to become an Anglican priest at 44 years of age, and then they have to re-learn who to live again as a family under the one roof in Rockhampton.This is the true story of the youngest daughter of a Sydney couple living at Lockhart River Mission for 9 years, raising their children within an Aboriginal village of five tribes.Conceived on Cape York, and finally moving to Rockhampton as a young child. A family tragedy in 1971 with the shocking death of brother Chris, two days before a family wedding, sees the upheaval of family life.Patty feels abandoned and has to educate and raise herself as well as learn to iron a cassock!Patty brings herself up with her distracted parents, marries young and then flees a violent marriage. Patty dreamed of a bigger life than what was offered in her sleepy country town. Life became a series of ground-breaking adventures, and we follow her turbulent relationships and jobs, learning how to survive.Share her adventures in this gentle, humorous and insightful early memoir.

Duration: about 6 hours (06:22:29)
Publishing date: 2023-01-11; Unabridged; Copyright Year: — Copyright Statment: —