Author Rosemary Westwell launches new book for her grandson Harry

Author Rosemary Westwell launched her latest book at Ely Arts Festival Writers’ Day in Witchford last Saturday.

When her grandson, Harry, asked her to tell him some stories from ‘the olden days’, she put pen to paper and wrote a book of tales of her childhood in Tasmania.

She describes this little Australian girl who demanded to learn the piano at the age of six and went on to make music teaching her career in England.

Eating witchetty grubs, being attacked by jack jumpers (little jumping ants with pincers that bite) and developing a fascination for the history of the Tasmanian Aborigines were experiences that she left behind.

She went on to marry an Englishman and family life after the birth of two daughters was momentarily idyllic until her husband, John, developed dementia.

In the book Harry can learn about what his granddad was like before he became ill and it comes to a close with stories of his mum, their youngest daughter.

Rosemary says she was delighted to find that when she visited Harry recently, he finished off some of the stories she was telling the grandchildren.

“He had obviously immersed himself in the book immediately and was heard being admonished by his Mum for putting his light on too early in the morning to read,” she said.

The book is called ‘Stories for Harry’ and is available on Amazon.