Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Lily Taylor-Climpson is an 85-year-old who lives in Shortland electorate. What an interesting life she has had. She lived her life on the road, following shows, and has compiled a manuscript reminiscing on life on the road and on the show characters and performers she met, including the freaks, the circus families, sideshow alley, the first person fired from a cannon, the first golf ball, the first water closet invented, Jimmy Sharman and his famous boxing crew, Tex Morton, Maisie and George Sorlie, the Perry family and the tribes of gypsies who travelled Australia during the early days of the shows. Lily met and knew these gypsies. Lily eloped with Mickey Gordon Taylor. She took part in Wild West pantomimes with her husband, who threw daggers and knives around her unprotected body while balancing on the tightwire.

She provided information about agricultural shows and their beginnings in New South Wales. Lily described how the Showmen’s Guild came about and the unity of the unions. Lily was the first woman secretary of the Showmen’s Guild. She mentioned struggles along the way and the fights that they took up against the rules and regulations regarding proposed strict laws against travellers sleeping in their vans which were intended to force people out of travelling.

Lily had personal battles and tragedies, such as her successful battle with alcohol, attaining long-term sobriety in excess of 20 years—realising after attending AA that one drink is one too many and 100 is not enough. Tragedy struck again when her first-born son, Michael, accidentally drowned. Pieces of verse written by Lily are also included in the book. A comprehensive recollection of historic events is covered—the Great Depression, the opening of parliament in Canberra in 1927, the Aboriginal ‘King Billy’ and the first opening of Luna Park in Sydney.

Despite exhaustive research to find a means of publishing this book of immeasurable worth about a very entertaining and interesting life covering a large sector of Australia’s colourful past, a publisher has not been found. Lily has had the manuscript typed by her family. However, the problem was finding a suitable grant which fits the category covered by Lily’s manuscript and finding an establishment which has the resources to edit and format the transcript. It is Lily’s dream to see the transcript published in her lifetime. Sadly, it seems that time is a factor against this happening. In failing health, aged 85, Lily has almost given up hope.

Time is also a factor which has worked against the publishing of the manuscript—the time it would take to professionally edit and format the manuscript into a form suitable for publication and time to find someone willing to publish a valuable piece of Australian history which may be lost forever. Unfortunately, in this day and age, time equals money and for Lily that means that her manuscript will not be published. This is very sad, because an important part of Australia’s history will be lost. (Time expired)