Ricky

Ricky and his mother immigrate from England to join his father in the new Colony of Sydney. On arrival there is no sign of his dad. Ricks mum uses the tiny amount of money they have left the get lodgings in a run down building. Things go from bad to worse when his mother dies and he is thrown out of the lodgings and all their possessions are confiscated by the caretakers. Ricky finds himself living on the streets of Sydney Town as a street waif. Ricky finds safe places to sleep and befriends freed convicts who can help him survive. One day he finds another lost child and he helps reunite her with her family. These people try to help him but by his stubbornness he insists of doing things his way, but he has found a mentor & confidante. The story follows him through his life. He survives and turns his life around also helping others along way, some of whom he ‘adopts’.

The amazing character of Ricky was inspired by a single incident that occurred to Sheila's husbands grand father, James Hunter. James was a Cobb and Co coach driver and in the 1860's was held up by Frank Gardiner and Ben Hall. When he was pulled up he would not step down from the seat until someone was sent to hold the horses, this 'person' was a small boy. This is also shown in the Painting by Tom Roberts, 'Bailed Up' *. On further investigation - Sheila discovered many such street waifs in the colony. Most of the incidents in Ricky are fictional - but it would have been nice if such stories survived of what actually happen back then . The Stable in the beginning is typical of what a hostelry would be like. A fire was often burning as the Black smith needed them to fit horseshoes.