Our Crew Our Australian Ancestors Author:George Townsend This is the story of our ancestors in Australia, some forcibly transported to the colony of New South Wales for life and those that chose to come as free settlers. Some are well known including the Bushell and Rose families of which much has been written. William Crew has been chosen as the starting point of this story hence the book?s title ?Ou... more »r Crew?. Researching and writing about our ancestors has brought them to life for me. I try to imagine what they were like, how they looked. Did any of us, my siblings and I, inherit their physical and mental characteristics. I wonder about their lifestyles, aspirations, triumphs and disasters. How did they feel about their partners? What were their expectations of their children? I visited places where they lived, worshipped and worked. Even though the landscape has changed, houses are now built on lands that they cultivated, the bush has been cleared, I imagine they are still there. At least in my mind they are. Writing this has brought a mixture of emotions. I wish I had known those in my family who had came before me. And I wish I had found out more from those in my family I knew. It has made me determined to record the events of the past so that my descendants can gain an understanding of those that came before us. So here it is, warts and all. I hope my ancestors would be proud of my efforts in bringing them to life in our eyes.« less