Man Who Was Starlight, The : The Life and Times of Henry Readford, Stock Thief, Pathfinder, and Folk Hero

First edition. Extraordinarily comprehensive research links several pastoral and other pioneerinjg families, begun on convict ships sailing from England early 19th centrury, interlocking the next generation of cattlemen and innkeepers and identifying the man who as Starlight plus further connection with the writer Rolf Boldrewood, the reallife characters he drew on and then further connections with prominent police officers and notorious bushrangers. What unfolds is a fascinating tapestry of colonial life 1820 to 1900 and central is Starlight, Henry Readford (Harry Redford), who duffed a huge mob of cattle on Bowen Downs, western Queensland and drove it to sale in South Australia – it was the peak of Redford’s long career, as cattle duffer and horse-stealer. McCathy, an authority on our folk lore and pastoralism tooka decade to write the book, unravel tangles and, as he said, to enable Starlight or Henry Readford to ride back to his rightful place and recognition in Australian history. xiii +171pp, with genealogical tables, maps, epilogue, appendix & index.