The Darlimurla letters: family legacy is precious
In 2015, New Zealand will commemorate the Bi Centennial of the sinking of the ‘Lusitania’ in World War 1. In honour of the memory of those who perished on that fateful day, Trish Macky has written a book about her family.
Trish Macky’s great grandfather Joseph Cochrane Macky, and his wife were travelling in the ship when the calamity happened. The book called the ‘Darlimurla’ letters, focuses on the correspondence written between her great grandfather and her grandfather and other members of their family.
The Event
During the First World War, on 7 May 1915 the Cunard ocean liner RMS Lusitania was sunk during Germany waged submarine warfare against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The ship was torpedoed by the German U-Board U-20 and sank in 18 minutes. The vessel went down 18 km off the Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland, killing 1,198 people on board and leaving 761 survivors. This action contributed to the United States of America’s decision to join in World War 1. The sinking became an iconic symbol in military recruiting campaigns as to why the war was being fought.
The Macky Family
According to the Venerable Bede, the Father of English History who was born in 673, the Pictish race from France, is one of the founding races of the British Isles. The Pictish race arrived in Scotland from Brittany about the 15th century BC. The Macky family are believed to originate from this race.
Trish Macky
Trish Macky’s research project and dissertation entitled the ‘Darlimurla Letters’, were letters written by her grandfather and great grandparents. The collection consisting of 350 documents, totalling around 500,000 words and document life in New Zealand between the 1880s and 1915.
They talk about Love and loss in the Macky family during that time. Trish’s great-grandparents died heroically when the ‘Lusitania’ sank in 1915. Eye witnesses reported that John and Mary Macky were more concerned about the safety of others over their own safety and helped some of the survivors to safety, while they perished as a result.
New Zealanders can be proud of courageous acts shown by Trish Macky’s family.
