Local History Book Launch: Paving the Way: Pioneer Ancestors from England, Ireland, Prussia and Bavaria to South Australia and New Zealand

Paving the Way: Pioneer Ancestors from England, Ireland, Prussia and Bavaria to South Australia and New Zealand (Samantha Battams)

Paving the Way and the City of Campbelltown connections

Paving the Way traces the author’s family history, from England, Ireland, Prussia and Bavaria to the Colony of South Australia. The story commences with an adoption story, as the author searches the genetic origins of her deceased father, which spurs further research on the European pioneer ancestors of South Australia, who all arrived from 1837 to 1853.

The story is set in the social and historical context of the six generations which is spans, with vignettes on interesting characters. It reflects on the nature of families and social change, particularly for women, and the impacts of colonisation for Aboriginal people in South Australia.

About the Author:

Dr Samantha Battams is an Australian author specialising in non-fiction historical books. Her books combine meticulous research with compelling narrative to explore the social and historical forces shaping individuals and communities. With a PhD in Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts (Social Science, Honours in Sociology) she brings depth to the art of historical storytelling. Her earlier works include true crime histories 'The Secret Art of Poisoning: The True Crimes of Martha Needle' and 'The Rhynie Poisoning Case: The True Crimes of Alexander Newland Lee,' which examined some of the most sensational criminal cases in Victorian and South Australia history, and the societies in which they occurred. She also wrote, with Les Parsons, 'The Red Devil: the Story of South Australian Pioneer Aviator Captain Harry Butler' (Wakefield Press), a biography of a community hero in the wake of WWI. Her latest book, Paving the Way, turns to family history, tracing pioneer ancestors from England, Ireland, Prussia and Bavaria to the colonies of South Australia and New Zealand between 1837 and 1859. Beginning with a search for her paternal biological grandparents, the story unfolds across six generations and explores migration, social change, the lives of pioneering women, and the complex legacy of colonisation. When not researching history, Samantha is an avid painter, and convenor of Sisters in Crime SA Chapter, a national group of women crime writers.