Ada Cambridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ada Cambridge
Born	(1844-11-21)21 November 1844 St Germans, Norfolk, England
Died	19 July 1926(1926-07-19) (aged 81) Melbourne, Australia
Burial place	Brighton General Cemetery
Other names	A.C. and Ada Cross
Occupation	Novelist, poet, memoirist and journalist
Spouse(s)	Rev. George Frederick Cross
Children	Five, including Dr K. Stuart Cross

Ada Cambridge (born November 21, 1844 – died July 19, 1926) was an important writer from Australia. She was born in England. Ada wrote over 25 novels, many poems, and two books about her own life.

Many of her stories first appeared in Australian newspapers. They were printed chapter by chapter, like a TV series. Her friends and family knew her as Ada Cross, using her married name. But her readers knew her as A.C. Later, she went back to using her birth name, Ada Cambridge. That is the name she is known by today.

Ada Cambridge's Life Story

Ada was born in St Germans, Norfolk, England. She was the second child of Thomasine and Henry Cambridge. Her father was a gentleman farmer. Ada was taught at home by governesses. She did not enjoy this way of learning. It was her unmarried aunt who helped her learn the most.

On April 25, 1870, Ada married Rev. George Frederick Cross. A few weeks later, they sailed to Australia. She arrived in Melbourne in August and was surprised. Melbourne was already a big, well-built city.

Moving Around Australia

Her husband, George, was a clergyman. This meant they moved often for his church work. They lived in many different towns. These included Wangaratta, Yackandandah (1872), and Ballan (1874). They also lived in Coleraine (1877) and Bendigo (1884). From 1885 to 1893, they lived in Beechworth.

Ada wrote about these experiences in her book, Thirty Years in Australia (1903). During these years, she also faced sadness. She lost some of her children to illnesses like whooping cough and scarlet fever.

Cambridge's grave at Brighton General Cemetery

At first, Ada was a busy wife of a country clergyman. She helped with all the church activities. She even made clothes for her own children. But her health became poor. This was due to several reasons. She had a very serious miscarriage and a bad carriage accident. Because of her health, she had to do less. But she kept on writing.

In 1893, Ada and her husband moved to their last church home. This was in Williamstown, near Melbourne. They stayed there until 1909. Her husband retired from full-time church work in 1909.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1913, Ada and George went back to England. They stayed there until George died in 1917. Ada returned to Australia later that same year. She passed away in Melbourne on July 19, 1926. She was buried at Brighton General Cemetery. Her daughter and son, Dr K. Stuart Cross, survived her.

Ada Cambridge's Writing Career

Ada Cambridge started writing in the 1870s. She wanted to earn money to help support her children. Her first published work was in 1865. It was called Hymns on the Litany. Her last known article, "Nightfall," was in 1922.

Her early writings showed what she cared about. She believed in being honest and true. Her works often mixed poetry and prose. This became a common style in her writing.

Becoming a Famous Writer

In 1875, her first novel, Up the Murray, appeared in a newspaper. But it was not published as a separate book. Ada became famous as a writer in 1890. This was when her novel A Marked Man was published.

Her books often received good reviews. However, some people did not fully appreciate her. This was because her writing style was different. At that time, many Australian writers focused on country life. They wrote about men surviving in the harsh environment. Ada's stories were often more about city life and relationships.

Ada was the first president of the Women Writers Club. She was also an honorary member of the Lyceum Club of Melbourne. She had many friends in the writing world. These included Grace "Jennings" Carmichael and Rolf Boldrewood. She was also friends with Ethel Turner and George Robertson.

Ada Cambridge's Legacy Today

The Ada Cambridge Prizes were first given out in 2005. There are now four different prizes. These include prizes for prose, poetry, and short stories. There is also a prize for graphic short stories for young people.

Winners receive a cash prize. They are announced each year at the Williamstown Literary Festival. A street in the Canberra suburb of Cook is named Cambridge Street after her.

Selected Works

Novels

• The Two Surplices (1865)
• My Guardian : A Story of the Fen Country (1874)
• Up the Murray (1875)
• In Two Years Time (1879)
• Dinah (1880)
• A Mere Chance (1880)
• Missed in the Crowd (1882)
• A Girl's Ideal (1882)
• Across the Grain (1882)
• The Three Miss Kings (1883)
• A Marriage Ceremony (1884)
• A Little Minx (1885)
• Against the Rules (1886)
• A Black Sheep (1889)
• A Woman's Friendship (1889) (Serialised in the Age, 1889; first published in book form in 1988)
• A Marked Man (1890)
• Not All in Vain (1891)
• Fidelis (1895)
• A Humble Enterprise (1896)
• Materfamilias (1898)
• Path and Goal (1900)
• The Devastators (1901)
• Sisters (1904)
• A Platonic Friendship (1905)
• A Happy Marriage (1906)
• The Eternal Feminine (1907)
• The Making of Rachel Rowe (1914)

Poetry collections

• Hymns on the Litany (1865)
• Hymns on the Holy Communion (1866)
• Echoes (1869)
• The Manor House and Other Poems (1875)
• Unspoken Thoughts (1887)
• The Hand in the Dark and Other Poems (1913)

Short story collections

• The Vicar's Guest : A Tale (1869)
• At Midnight and Other Stories (1897)

Children's fiction

• Little Jenny (1867)

Autobiography

• Thirty Years in Australia (1903)
• The Retrospect (1912)