The intriguing life of Hiram Mildred who rose from Colonel Light’s cabin boy on the Rapid to prominent colonial citizen

Our March meeting will feature BHS member Anne Martin speaking on the intriguing life of Hiram Mildred who rose from Colonel Light’s cabin boy on the Rapid to prominent colonial citizen.

The talk will begin with Anne Martin’s poem: Ships, Ships and more Ships which explores the adventures of a young schoolboy Hiram having left his family in 1836 to travel to South Australia as Colonel Light’s cabin boy and his time as a young surveyor for Boyle Travers Finniss. Hiram in his adult years, travelled to the Victorian goldfields returning to SA where he occupied many important positions in public service at Goolwa/Encounter Bay and Port Augusta. Mildred Road, Port Augusta is named after Hiram Mildred.

Our speaker, BHS member Anne Martin, was born in Adelaide. She is a retired Gerontic Nurse Practitioner, nurse educator, nursing researcher and nursing lecturer. Anne first published her nursing experience and teaching resource book; ‘A Jug Full of Caring’. Her interest in everything history began during her school years at Girton Girls’ School [now Pembroke School] and led her along the path of exploring her family history of which various ancestors made significant contributions to the new colony. Some of these are featured in her self-published book written in 2024; ‘Pioneer Lost! Was he forgotten?’