Enter the world of Matilda Spear, who was born in the village of Wookey Hole, Somerset, in 1841. At just ten years old, she became a nursemaid in Chewton Mendip before her family emigrated to the colony of Victoria. Through careful research in government and church records and by drawing insights from other 19th-century writings, Matilda's story unfolds as a rich narrative that captures the complexities of the past.

Great-great-great-aunt Matilda reminds us that history is not just a series of dates, but the vibrant stories of those who lived before us.