The Albatross Muff

by Barbara Hanrahan

When Papa dies in 1855, Stella, her mother, the baby and one cow embark for England, leaving Australia behind. Mama is captivated by the corrupt Mr Backhouse. Stella has no sense that evil can follow the killing of an albatross, now hanging in a muff around Mama's neck. Only Moak, her ex-convict nurse, has the power to protect her.Life in London is briefly idyllic until Moak, her stomach swollen, is put out in the street with the cat's meat man and the lamplighter. Mr Backhouse returns and the story grows increasingly sinister, Stella will never go back to Australia except in her dreams.In The Albatross Muff, a tender and intensely individual evocation of Victorian childhood merges with a Dickensian fairy story which becomes a feverish nightmare.

Genres: Fiction

206 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Hanrahan, Barbara Janice (1939 - 1991)
Archival/Heritage Resources Published Resources

Barbara Hanrahan was an artist, printmaker and writer. She was born in Adelaide in 1939 and lived there until her death in December 1991. Hanrahan spent three years at the South Australian School of Art before leaving for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. In England she taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). From 1964 Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions principally in Adelaide and Sydney, but also in Brisbane, Canberra, Perth, London and Florence. Hanrahan's novels include The Scent of Eucalyptus (1973), The Peach Groves (1980), The Frangipani Gardens (1988) and Flawless Jade (1989).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Career Highlights
URL: The home page for this entity is located at http://www.history.sa.gov.au/history/...
Barbara Hanrahan was educated at Thebarton Girls' Technical College before commencing a three year Art Teaching course at Adelaide Teachers' College. At the same time she completed art classes at the South Australian School of Art. Following the completion of her Diploma of Art Teaching, Hanrahan began teaching art in schools as well as enrolling for evening classes with the newly established Printmaking Department at the South Australian School of Art. In 1961 she was appointed assistant lecturer in Art at Western Teachers' College, Adelaide. In the same year she participated in a four-artist exhibition at the Hahndorf Gallery, and was awarded the Cornell Prize for Painting. She taught at the South Australian School of Art from 1963-66.

Hanrahan left for London in 1966 to continue her art studies. She taught at the Falmouth College of Art, Cornwall, (1966-67) and Portsmouth College of Art (1967-70). In the early 1980s Hanrahan, with her partner Jo Steele, returned to live in Adelaide, where she established her own studio. Hanrahan's writing career began in 1973 with the publication of her first, largely autobiographical, novel The Scent of Eucalyptus. Other titles soon followed and her last novel, Good night, Mr Moon, was published posthumously in 1992.

During her life Hanrahan held a number of exhibitions nationally and internationally. Her works are held by the Australian National Gallery, Canberra, and many regional galleries.


Sources used to compile this entry: refereces

Reviews

[Ela · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘The sky was really just air: an airy greyness across which cloud, rag-tag patched with light, sometimes moved.’

Bizarre, obscure, gothic, claustrophobic, defiant. This book was everything I hoped it would be.

Written in the 70s but set in Victoria England, Hanrahan charts a female narrative of pain, isolation, sexuality in a dark gothic style.

[Ali · Rating 2 out of 5]

Overall a forced read through to the finale.
Child like writing in the first few chapters could be seen by some as a clever device but I found it offputting.
The lists of people who populated the family history detracting from knowing anyone in any detail.
The main characters only really became likeable towards the end of the book

[Tara · Rating 2 out of 5]

At times a the narrative was a little laboured, and the story was occasionally hard to follow. But overall, it was an enjoyable read. Quite strange in many respects; random deaths, paedophilia, same-sex love, jealousy, seances, phantoms...
It could have explored the magical world a bit more.
Very unusual for it's time.