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The Washerwoman's Dream: The Extraordinary Life of Winifred Steger 1882-1981
‘One of the hardest punishments is to be thrown into the world with aspirations and dreams that cannot be fulfilled for want of education ...’ – Winifred Steger Winifred Steger travelled to Australia with her father in the 1880s when he took up a land grant in north Queensland. The grant proved to be worthless, and faced with poverty, endless backbreaking work and isolation, Winifred's father spiralled into depression and alcoholism. Left to fend for herself, Winifred battled insurmountable odds to maintain her dignity and sanity, finding solace in writing to ease her hardship. Fleeing an abusive marriage also meant the heartbreak of abandoning her four children – but then miraculously she found love with an Indian trader, Ali. Winifred bore him children and the family moved to outback Australia where they ran a camel line. A new phase began in Winifred's life, taking her to places she had only ever dreamed of. The Washerwoman's Dream is the story of an extraordinary woman with an indomitable spirit, and is now an enduring Australian classic. Pieced together by Hilarie Lindsay from Winifred’s memoirs, short stories, letters and unpublished novels, this is an account of the amazing life of a forgotten Australian writer.
328 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 22, 2018
I enjoyed this book about Australian writer, Winifred Steger. The hardships she endured were more than enough to break anyone, yet she held on. She lived to be 99 years old, so, there is a lot to be told. I felt the author did a very good job, she kept me engrossed from start to finish.
4 Stars = It gave me much food for thought. It definitely held my interest.
4 Stars = It gave me much food for thought. It definitely held my interest.
July 15, 2012
Fabulous book about my great, great grandmother. Wonderful to have such knowledge about my family history. Gave me a whole new perspective on the trials and tribulations of life today, compared to back then. Parts of it made me very angry and upset, other parts were very enjoyable - it was well-written, gripping rollercoaster ride. An amazing story.
September 25, 2022
I enjoyed this enough to do a little research into Winifred Steger. This is taken from the Australian Women's Weekly, 19th December,1973.
One of the most delightful books of recent years was Winifred Steger's "Always Bells," an account of her early life in Asia, her marriage to a Moslem, their years in the outback with the camel teams, their pilgrimage to Mecca, and their return to Australia, which Winifred Steger regards as the heaven of our earthly life
PS Now I'm reading Always Bells, a very old hardback ex-library book. It is very different from The Washerwoman as it is a work of fiction by Steger, but very enjoyable.
PPS September 2022. Always Bells was fascinating. As mentioned, it was fiction, and therefore very different from Hilarie Lindsay's biography of Winifred Steger. Both books are worth reading.
One of the most delightful books of recent years was Winifred Steger's "Always Bells," an account of her early life in Asia, her marriage to a Moslem, their years in the outback with the camel teams, their pilgrimage to Mecca, and their return to Australia, which Winifred Steger regards as the heaven of our earthly life
PS Now I'm reading Always Bells, a very old hardback ex-library book. It is very different from The Washerwoman as it is a work of fiction by Steger, but very enjoyable.
PPS September 2022. Always Bells was fascinating. As mentioned, it was fiction, and therefore very different from Hilarie Lindsay's biography of Winifred Steger. Both books are worth reading.
August 7, 2015
This is the story of my grandmothers auntie. What a brilliant lady, so inspirational. Her trials and tribulations made me laugh with joy and cry with anguish. Such a hard life yet such an inspiring woman.
Read
September 8, 2011This books was a surprise. I read that her story was criticised by some who claimed a lot of it was fantasy, but it was her story and what a story. Of course she received a lot of criticism for abandoning her family but that's what happened!!
April 6, 2024
3.5 stars. 4 stars for the amazing true story, but only three for the writing style, which wasn't that engaging.
I'm an Australian, but I've never heard of Winifred Steger or this book, which I stumbled across by chance on a library shelf. Steger led a pretty extraordinary life, and the book was well worth the read. As an emigrant English woman in early twentieth century Australia, her choice to marry a Muslim and to convert to Islam was highly unusual. Her children were regarded as 'half-castes', and she lived between two worlds.
But Steger was clearly a woman of great personal strength. She accompanied her husband on the Hajj to Mecca, and she lived for a time in India. Back in Australia, she wrote about her experiences in popular magazine serials, under the pseudonym of 'The Washerwoman' (which she actually was at some periods in her life). After being eventually reunited with some of her children with whom she had lost touch, Steger died aged 99. Her life was truly a unique saga.
The book opened my eyes about many things I had previously known little about: e.g. the life of Afghan camel drivers in early outback Australia, and a bit about the turbulent history of Afghanistan in the 1920s, with the abdication of its royals and the coup by a harsh ruler who was eventually deposed. Steger, amazingly enough, had become a personal friend of Queen Soraya, and was going to be governess to her children when events were overtaken by history.
I'm an Australian, but I've never heard of Winifred Steger or this book, which I stumbled across by chance on a library shelf. Steger led a pretty extraordinary life, and the book was well worth the read. As an emigrant English woman in early twentieth century Australia, her choice to marry a Muslim and to convert to Islam was highly unusual. Her children were regarded as 'half-castes', and she lived between two worlds.
But Steger was clearly a woman of great personal strength. She accompanied her husband on the Hajj to Mecca, and she lived for a time in India. Back in Australia, she wrote about her experiences in popular magazine serials, under the pseudonym of 'The Washerwoman' (which she actually was at some periods in her life). After being eventually reunited with some of her children with whom she had lost touch, Steger died aged 99. Her life was truly a unique saga.
The book opened my eyes about many things I had previously known little about: e.g. the life of Afghan camel drivers in early outback Australia, and a bit about the turbulent history of Afghanistan in the 1920s, with the abdication of its royals and the coup by a harsh ruler who was eventually deposed. Steger, amazingly enough, had become a personal friend of Queen Soraya, and was going to be governess to her children when events were overtaken by history.
July 2, 2017
A fantastic book. Now this is a book that should be a school novel. A real taste of life that we almost never hear about.
June 30, 2018
For me the book kind of lost me in the second half of the book and I found my mind wandering.
Having said that Winefred was an amazing woman and the book is worth a read just for that.
Having said that Winefred was an amazing woman and the book is worth a read just for that.
August 5, 2023
Lindsay wrote an account of Winfred’s life which kept me engrossed in her story.
I recommend this audiobook
I recommend this audiobook
March 8, 2014
Hmmmmm loved first 3/4 and then just wanted it to end. It felt very rushed towards the end and could have been a story in itself. Enjoyed reading something I would not ever choose for myself as it was my book clubs selection. So 2 ⭐️for book but ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️for book club. Go Rabbit Readers.
December 30, 2010
The true story of a distant relative.
December 21, 2022
‘One of the hardest punishments is to be thrown into the world with aspirations and dreams that cannot be fulfilled for want of education …
I received only a few weeks’ schooling. Ignorant and alone I lived in a world of make-believe.’ (Winifred Steger)
Jane Winifred Steger (15 November 1882 – 16 March 1981) lived an extraordinary life by any measure. She was born in Lambeth London, the daughter of Wilfred Oaten and Louisa Dennis. Around 1890, her father decided that his family had a better chance of success in Australia. He and Winifred made the journey: his wife walked off the ship before it sailed, and Winifred never saw her mother again.
Life in Australia was anything but easy. Winifred and her father tried to make a living on a prickly pear infested block on the Darling Downs in Queensland. Winifred had a succession of poorly paid jobs before becoming pregnant to Charles Steger, a shearer. The couple married in December 1899. The marriage was neither successful nor happy and Winifred left her husband and her four children in 1909.
Winifred was a survivor. After working as a barmaid for seven years, she met Ali Ackba Nuby, and Indian hawker at Mungallala. She converted to Islam, the couple had three children together and settled at Oodnadatta in South Australia. Using camels, they delivered goods to outback stations.
Sadly, Ali died. Steger supported herself and her children by working as a washerwoman. In 1925 she was married to Karum Bux, another Indian hawker. They undertook pilgrimage to Mecca.
There’s much more to Winifred’s life story: travel through India, an invitation to the governess to the royal family of Afghanistan. And through these travels and beyond, Winifred wrote. She wrote a series of articles about her pilgrimages as well as fourteen unpublished novels based on her life in the Australian outback.
Reading Ms Lindsay’s book took me on a heartbreaking (at times) adventure. Winifred Steger lived a long and extraordinary life. If it wasn’t for Ms Lindsay’s research (an extensive bibliography is included) this would read as an exotic work of fiction. I had never heard of Winifred Steger before reading this book, now I would like to read some of her works of fiction.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
I received only a few weeks’ schooling. Ignorant and alone I lived in a world of make-believe.’ (Winifred Steger)
Jane Winifred Steger (15 November 1882 – 16 March 1981) lived an extraordinary life by any measure. She was born in Lambeth London, the daughter of Wilfred Oaten and Louisa Dennis. Around 1890, her father decided that his family had a better chance of success in Australia. He and Winifred made the journey: his wife walked off the ship before it sailed, and Winifred never saw her mother again.
Life in Australia was anything but easy. Winifred and her father tried to make a living on a prickly pear infested block on the Darling Downs in Queensland. Winifred had a succession of poorly paid jobs before becoming pregnant to Charles Steger, a shearer. The couple married in December 1899. The marriage was neither successful nor happy and Winifred left her husband and her four children in 1909.
Winifred was a survivor. After working as a barmaid for seven years, she met Ali Ackba Nuby, and Indian hawker at Mungallala. She converted to Islam, the couple had three children together and settled at Oodnadatta in South Australia. Using camels, they delivered goods to outback stations.
Sadly, Ali died. Steger supported herself and her children by working as a washerwoman. In 1925 she was married to Karum Bux, another Indian hawker. They undertook pilgrimage to Mecca.
There’s much more to Winifred’s life story: travel through India, an invitation to the governess to the royal family of Afghanistan. And through these travels and beyond, Winifred wrote. She wrote a series of articles about her pilgrimages as well as fourteen unpublished novels based on her life in the Australian outback.
Reading Ms Lindsay’s book took me on a heartbreaking (at times) adventure. Winifred Steger lived a long and extraordinary life. If it wasn’t for Ms Lindsay’s research (an extensive bibliography is included) this would read as an exotic work of fiction. I had never heard of Winifred Steger before reading this book, now I would like to read some of her works of fiction.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 2, 2019
A good story but I got a little bored
February 19, 2026
Fascinating story. Strong woman!
November 20, 2013
This is a true story about the life of Winifred Steger who migrated to Queensland Australia with her father in the early 1890's.
Outback Australia story set in the early 1890's telling about the day to day struggles faced by those early settlers and the lengths they had to go to, to make a life here. It also tells of a little known Australian desert history involving Camel trains.
A very good, enlightening and easy to read story which totally held my interest throughout. I would highly recommend it to readers of historical non fiction/biography, and even historical fiction and fiction alike. 4*s.
Outback Australia story set in the early 1890's telling about the day to day struggles faced by those early settlers and the lengths they had to go to, to make a life here. It also tells of a little known Australian desert history involving Camel trains.
A very good, enlightening and easy to read story which totally held my interest throughout. I would highly recommend it to readers of historical non fiction/biography, and even historical fiction and fiction alike. 4*s.
March 17, 2012
In some ways this is a bit of a strange book because it is partly based on fact and a real person but partly based on the imagination of the author. So it is cross between a biography and fiction.
I have a very strong interest in Australian history - particularly for the period described in this book as it gives me some insight into what my own ancestors may have experienced when immigrating from England to Australia. However, without this strong interest I probably still would've enjoyed this book and so based on that I would recommend it.
I have a very strong interest in Australian history - particularly for the period described in this book as it gives me some insight into what my own ancestors may have experienced when immigrating from England to Australia. However, without this strong interest I probably still would've enjoyed this book and so based on that I would recommend it.
September 28, 2015
I absolutely loved this book, almost the whole way through. I could hardly put it down and each day I was filled with anticipation to read another chapter. But some how the last one eighth or so of the story lost some of the sparkle. Some of the escapades just seemed a little too unbelievable. But prior to that, up until Winifred married for the 3rd time I just loved the book! The author has an amazing writing style and like so many other reviewers have mentioned, the book is more like a novel than a biography. Very close to getting 5 stars from me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2018
Really enjoyed reading this book. What an amazing woman Winifred was, truly inspirational. A life full of extreme ups and downs after everything she went through she carried on, nothing stopped her from achieving her dreams.
March 21, 2018
Should be compulsory reading for all Australians. A fabulous read. Hats off to Lindsay who brought Winifred and her extended family and friends to life. Forget mindfulness, let's appreciate what those before us endured so we don't have to.
November 5, 2023
This book certainly showed another side of the rural Australian experience with the historical element of British settling in Australia and the life of a remarkable woman. The Washerwoman of the title belongs to Winifred Steiger ,who came to Australia, specifically Queensland, to settle a block of land selected by her father to escape the poverty and restriction of their life in London in the late 19th century. He envisaged a fresh start, but Winifred's mother refused to go, and the land was not fit for purpose, at least not for a man with no experience on the land and his young daughter.
Her story involves leaving the life she knew and her mother, coping with hard living conditions in a precarious financial situation, as well as the lack of schooling or encouragement in her own development. Fortunately she had some rudimentary education and always returned to these, writing even from an early age for her own pleasure. Winifred's story also outlines the rough life in the developing areas of remote Australia especially for women, such as her German mother in law who had many children, played a vital part in the family success yet had no financial resources of their own. The patriarchal family rules allowed Winifred to be ordered to leave her home , and her 4 children and leave penniless and reliant on strangers by her abusive husband.
The tale is long and interesting, of her second marriage to Ali, a Moslem man and their 3 children, their move to Oodnadatta and establishment of a camel caravan for carrying materials is detailed and interesting.
Sadly Ali returned to India to visit family and passed away, and her subsequent husband Kareem was not a love match, although they lived together and raised her two boys and her daughter Pansy. They even took the children on the Hadj, where the pilgrims travel to Mecca, leaving the boys in Bombay with family and taking Pansy by caravan across the country. The hardship is again quite severe and Winifred has occasions where she refuses to be the quiet Moslem wife, but this causes discontent with her husband. Remarkably she meets officials and acts as a spokesperson for women ,meeting the head of the Khalifat in India ,who was negotiating with Ghandi to arrange separation from British rule pre- partition.
Through all her trials during her life Winifred wrote and published work through newspapers and for her own record and encouraged her children to do the same. He reunion with the 4 older children was not a success, as she had left them with a domineering father and they were adults when contact was possible and bitterness was inevitable with her desertion.
This seemed a sad result of decisions made, generally by men about women's affairs but Winifred seemed to have the will to succeed, and she generally did! It was a a remakable life, and an interesting glimpse of a special Australian pioneer woman.
Her story involves leaving the life she knew and her mother, coping with hard living conditions in a precarious financial situation, as well as the lack of schooling or encouragement in her own development. Fortunately she had some rudimentary education and always returned to these, writing even from an early age for her own pleasure. Winifred's story also outlines the rough life in the developing areas of remote Australia especially for women, such as her German mother in law who had many children, played a vital part in the family success yet had no financial resources of their own. The patriarchal family rules allowed Winifred to be ordered to leave her home , and her 4 children and leave penniless and reliant on strangers by her abusive husband.
The tale is long and interesting, of her second marriage to Ali, a Moslem man and their 3 children, their move to Oodnadatta and establishment of a camel caravan for carrying materials is detailed and interesting.
Sadly Ali returned to India to visit family and passed away, and her subsequent husband Kareem was not a love match, although they lived together and raised her two boys and her daughter Pansy. They even took the children on the Hadj, where the pilgrims travel to Mecca, leaving the boys in Bombay with family and taking Pansy by caravan across the country. The hardship is again quite severe and Winifred has occasions where she refuses to be the quiet Moslem wife, but this causes discontent with her husband. Remarkably she meets officials and acts as a spokesperson for women ,meeting the head of the Khalifat in India ,who was negotiating with Ghandi to arrange separation from British rule pre- partition.
Through all her trials during her life Winifred wrote and published work through newspapers and for her own record and encouraged her children to do the same. He reunion with the 4 older children was not a success, as she had left them with a domineering father and they were adults when contact was possible and bitterness was inevitable with her desertion.
This seemed a sad result of decisions made, generally by men about women's affairs but Winifred seemed to have the will to succeed, and she generally did! It was a a remakable life, and an interesting glimpse of a special Australian pioneer woman.
March 4, 2020
This is a moving and intriguing tale of a woman who had to learn resilience. “A remarkable story.” Moving to Queensland from Britain with her father in 1890, where he had been promised land, they found a very different story. A land full of Prickly Pear that could not be contained, Winifred’s mother deserted them as they boarded the ship to Australia. Winifred and her father tried to manage as best as they could. This is a tale of hardship, learning to survive and unjust treatment. With a forced marriage after becoming pregnant at 18, she was made to abandon her 4 children by her violent and drunken husband. Her mother-in-law kept the children and raised them after Winifred was threatened by her husband. Turning her hand to try and survive, she managed different roles.
After several years, she fell in love with and married an Indian Moslem man. They had 3 children. I am not going to spoil the story, but she had to eventually marry an older Indian man and insisted to going to Mecca with him.
Sadly, her life wasn’t the fairy tale ending. After penning various articles for newspapers, she was dismissed. She had always had the ability to write, even though Winifred had only received 3 years formal schooling. I loved this story and found myself absorbed.
Now, there is a personal connection for me with this book. The author, Hilarie Lindsay, employed my maternal grandmother in the 1950’s and 60’s, at the factory A.L. Lindsay’s in Leichhardt which produced dress-up clothing for children and adults and toys. I have recently discovered that Hilarie is a patron of the Lambing Flats Writer’s Group, where I have submitted some stories. Lambing Flat is now Young, NSW, which is just ½ an hour from where I currently live. It is indeed a small world.
I recommend this book as a wonderful read, and informative into the life of an indomitable Australian woman, even though she always referred to herself as English (just the same as my grandmother.)
After several years, she fell in love with and married an Indian Moslem man. They had 3 children. I am not going to spoil the story, but she had to eventually marry an older Indian man and insisted to going to Mecca with him.
Sadly, her life wasn’t the fairy tale ending. After penning various articles for newspapers, she was dismissed. She had always had the ability to write, even though Winifred had only received 3 years formal schooling. I loved this story and found myself absorbed.
Now, there is a personal connection for me with this book. The author, Hilarie Lindsay, employed my maternal grandmother in the 1950’s and 60’s, at the factory A.L. Lindsay’s in Leichhardt which produced dress-up clothing for children and adults and toys. I have recently discovered that Hilarie is a patron of the Lambing Flats Writer’s Group, where I have submitted some stories. Lambing Flat is now Young, NSW, which is just ½ an hour from where I currently live. It is indeed a small world.
I recommend this book as a wonderful read, and informative into the life of an indomitable Australian woman, even though she always referred to herself as English (just the same as my grandmother.)
July 17, 2020
Difficult book to read, Author describes how difficult it was to write.
In many places I found quite different stories of Winifred's life, e.g in a book One thousands roads to Mecca, the story goes that she was born and married to Ali in China and from there migrated to Australia.
Return to Hilarie Lindsay book...
Extraordinary life of a woman of an extraordinary character.
But the essence of this life was neglect, poverty, contempt, extremely hard work, disenchantment with each side of a very long and busy life.
I admire an author for undertaking such a task as she must have known that reading it will be a hard, not rewarding effort.
I am grateful to the author for telling this story, but my reflection is bitter - so many lives look like not worth living.
Brief story of Winifred Steger life here...
In many places I found quite different stories of Winifred's life, e.g in a book One thousands roads to Mecca, the story goes that she was born and married to Ali in China and from there migrated to Australia.
Return to Hilarie Lindsay book...
Extraordinary life of a woman of an extraordinary character.
But the essence of this life was neglect, poverty, contempt, extremely hard work, disenchantment with each side of a very long and busy life.
I admire an author for undertaking such a task as she must have known that reading it will be a hard, not rewarding effort.
I am grateful to the author for telling this story, but my reflection is bitter - so many lives look like not worth living.
Brief story of Winifred Steger life here...
March 28, 2024
What an extraordinary book! A friend gave me this book to read, and I'm so glad she did as I wouldn't have discovered it otherwise.
This book follows the life of Winifred Steger. She was born in London in the 1880's and immigrated to QLD, Australia, with her father as a young girl. Her father had high hopes of a better life but soon found the land he had been allotted was worthless.
Living in the outback was harsh. The isolation and poverty was no life for a young girl. When she was 16 she met a boy at a dance and she fell pregnant. Her father disowned her and forced her to marry. Four children later she tries to escape her abusive husband and unloving family but her husband finds her and forces her to flee at gun point leaving her children behind.
She is eventually picked up by a traveller and taken to a pub.where she ends up earning a living. In time, she meets Ali,a Muslim Indian and they fall in love.
Winifred marries Ali despite already being married, and she has three children. She becomes a Moslem. Ali dies when he goes back to India to help his family. Distraught and not knowing how she will survive, she marries again for convenience. We then follow Winifred's life as she travels to Mecca and India.
Her travels to Mecca and India were absolutely fascinating. Winifred had a hard life. She was self taught and wrote stories for the paper.
Overall I thought this book was well researched and easy to read. I was fascinated by all that Winifred endured. It's a great story and different from anything I have read. I was sad when the book ended as I wanted more! I highly recommend it.
This book follows the life of Winifred Steger. She was born in London in the 1880's and immigrated to QLD, Australia, with her father as a young girl. Her father had high hopes of a better life but soon found the land he had been allotted was worthless.
Living in the outback was harsh. The isolation and poverty was no life for a young girl. When she was 16 she met a boy at a dance and she fell pregnant. Her father disowned her and forced her to marry. Four children later she tries to escape her abusive husband and unloving family but her husband finds her and forces her to flee at gun point leaving her children behind.
She is eventually picked up by a traveller and taken to a pub.where she ends up earning a living. In time, she meets Ali,a Muslim Indian and they fall in love.
Winifred marries Ali despite already being married, and she has three children. She becomes a Moslem. Ali dies when he goes back to India to help his family. Distraught and not knowing how she will survive, she marries again for convenience. We then follow Winifred's life as she travels to Mecca and India.
Her travels to Mecca and India were absolutely fascinating. Winifred had a hard life. She was self taught and wrote stories for the paper.
Overall I thought this book was well researched and easy to read. I was fascinated by all that Winifred endured. It's a great story and different from anything I have read. I was sad when the book ended as I wanted more! I highly recommend it.
December 29, 2020
A lot of readers think very highly of this book and the research that went into it is quite amazing. The conditions in which people lived a relatively short time ago (only just over one hundred years) are horrifying. This is a tough country and people had to be tough and resourceful to survive, often in grinding poverty.
However, like others, I became slightly bored with the book towards the end, finding the section about the King and Queen of Afghanistan rather rushed and lacking the detail that would have made it more understandable to a modern-day reader.
Also, if an author feels they must use a foreign language to add to the atmosphere of the book, as here when Winifred is married to Charles and living on the property belonging to the German-speaking Stegers, then could they at least have the language checked by a linguist, please? It's das Brot not die Brot, for example, and the mistakes grate on the ears (or eyes!) of anybody who actually speaks the language.
Overall, I would recommend the book for the insight it gives into outback life in the late 19th and early 20th century but found it rather tedious in parts.
However, like others, I became slightly bored with the book towards the end, finding the section about the King and Queen of Afghanistan rather rushed and lacking the detail that would have made it more understandable to a modern-day reader.
Also, if an author feels they must use a foreign language to add to the atmosphere of the book, as here when Winifred is married to Charles and living on the property belonging to the German-speaking Stegers, then could they at least have the language checked by a linguist, please? It's das Brot not die Brot, for example, and the mistakes grate on the ears (or eyes!) of anybody who actually speaks the language.
Overall, I would recommend the book for the insight it gives into outback life in the late 19th and early 20th century but found it rather tedious in parts.
September 22, 2019
I can see why author Hilarie Lindsay wished to commemorate the life of the gifted but impoverished Winifred Steger. It's a sobering story of incredible deprivation, hardship and suffering- and the indomitable human spirit and personal strength that Winifred Steger used to overcome her blighted circumstances. Early Australian settlement holds great tragedy for so many social groups - the First Peoples, but also the immigrant women and men who barely survived. Yet they, and the trailblazers, set the foundations of our lives today, and we owe them a debt of gratitude.
After finishing the book, I went on Trove and found a little story published in the 1940s, and it truly captured Winifred's sense of humour, writing style and strength of spirit.
The Adelaide Chronicle 20 Aug 1942
Winifred the Washerwoman
Almost a Tragedy with a New Knitted Gown
After finishing the book, I went on Trove and found a little story published in the 1940s, and it truly captured Winifred's sense of humour, writing style and strength of spirit.
The Adelaide Chronicle 20 Aug 1942
Winifred the Washerwoman
Almost a Tragedy with a New Knitted Gown
August 19, 2018
A very easy to read fictionalised account of the life of Winifred Steger, an extraordinary woman who began her life in Victorian England, and endured much hardship after her migration to Australia. Lindsay has produced a compelling read, well researched and revealing of the times Winifred lived through her first 40-50 years. Winifred overcame abuse, lack of formal education and harsh living conditions; she travelled to India and Mecca, very unusual for a women of her day.
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to, due I think not only the subject character, but to Lindsay's colourful descriptions of the settings.
I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to, due I think not only the subject character, but to Lindsay's colourful descriptions of the settings.
March 3, 2023
A detailed tale of an epic life with difficult choices. Winifred’s life on the Darling Downs started out hard and got worse, then still hard, but more fulfilling. It certainly reinforces how little control women had of their lives, even though in Australia she would have had the right to vote. Domestic abuse, at the hands of men who drank the family’s earnings away, was rampant.
I agree with other reviewers that the latter third of the book was rich in detail, but poor reading. It also didn’t extend to her later life, where she wrote extensively, reconnected with family etc apart from a few lines.
I agree with other reviewers that the latter third of the book was rich in detail, but poor reading. It also didn’t extend to her later life, where she wrote extensively, reconnected with family etc apart from a few lines.
November 29, 2025
A book club choice, very interesting. Winifred Steger taken from her mother (who didn't care) and England and ends up on a worthless land grant in outback Queensland. As he falls into deeper depression and alcoholism, she must save herself, and bring herself up. Forced to marry a local and live with his family, she suffers there also, fleeing, leaving her children behind. She finally finds love with an Indian trader and her life improves greatly. Winifred bore him children and the family moved to outback Australia where they ran a camel line. It is through this that her life reaches hieghts she never could ahve dreamed of.
March 17, 2025
Detailed biography which spans Winifred's emigration to Australia, her tough childhood amongst prickly pear, her farce of a marriage to Charles and raising 4 children. But she leaves them all and spends years washing for Hotels until she finds love. Then we hear of her whole new life with Ali and her 3 new children, as well as a pilgrimage to Mecca! She wrote on and off and this biography includes some original pieces. Held my interest despite it being quite long.
January 2, 2020
Winifred Steger was an Australian writer who, in her 99 years of life, overcame insurmountable odds and kept her sanity through her writing. Born into a cycle of poverty, she battled one tragedy after another but never lost sight of her dream. Hilarie Lindsay's research into this author has been meticulous.
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