In the early twentieth century, Kuranda was owned by Robin Tillyard, a celebrated entomologist. Robin was married to Pattie, a graduate of Cambridge who was denied her degree. She worked with her husband, illustrating his books, and she was also a suffragist. The couple had four daughters, Patience, Faith, Hope and Honour. All four girls excelled at sport and pursued studies of their own. Patience gained a scholarship to Canberra University, Faith gained her masters and became an entomologist, Hope drove ambulances in the First World War and studied painting and Honour was a champion swimmer who studied nutrition. She also became an active member of the New Zealand Federation of University Women.
The Tillyards moved to Canberra after living at Kuranda and were well known and respected. Pattie became deeply involved in community work and argued ‘there ought to be a woman on every governing body’. She became known as the grand dame of Canberra society and established the Australian National University Tillyard prize in 1940. A statue was erected in her name.
It was their years at early Hornsby that most fascinated me, though. I often stood at the base of the stairs at Kuranda imagining these passionate young women holding on to their hats and flying down the stairs to join their parents in the adventures of the day. There’s a feeling of purpose in that beautiful home, a sense of excitement in its architecture and grace. Some places simply hold on to the spirit of the past.
Finally, Pretty Boy was our bird growing up and we all adored him. He was the cheekiest individual imaginable and my mother did walk around with him on her shoulder, although only at home. My brother, too. (PB had favourites and did peck my dad for clipping his wings.) My Uncle Frank gave him to us and he had my Aunt Gladys’s voice, saying how pretty he was to anyone who walked by.
Somehow I feel he captures the spirit of those early feminists who didn’t allow their clipped wings to hold them back in life and spoke the truth fearlessly, boldly and to all who’d listen. They taught us all to fly, in the end. Long may their legacy soar.
ISBN: 9781489261663
TITLE: SISTERS OF FREEDOM
First Australian Publication 2021
Copyright © 2021 by Mary-Anne O’Connor
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