Pat Ritter. Books

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'The Shearer' - Page 132:

The straw which broke the camel’s back came when shearers at Jondaryan Station on the Darling Downs in Queensland went on strike on the 5th January 1891 over this issue. A spark ignited this debate and before long a raging fire between shearers and cockies engulfed the State of Queensland. At Logan Downs Station, in central Queensland, Manager Charles Fairbain wanted shearers to sign a contract to reduce the power of the union.
Shearers immediately went on strike until their demands were met. The strike started and quickly spread; striking shearers formed armed camps outside of towns. Civil war broke out in Queensland with thousands of armed soldiers protecting non-union shearers and arresting strike leaders. Unionists retaliated by raiding shearing sheds, some burnt to the ground, harassing non-union shearers to stop them from reaching the shearing sheds.
Barcaldine in central Queensland became State Headquarters for union leaders. On 1st May 1891 the first march by unionists with one thousand three hundred and forty men took part to show their solidarity; the leaders wore blue slashes.
Joe abided by the union bush telegraph, gathered his fellow union members and built a camp on the outskirts of Cunnamulla with instructions to stay put until the strike was resolved one way or the other. Hundreds of shearers supported Joe, except his friend Joe Gibson.
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'The Shearer' - Page 133:

They lived in makeshift tent-like camps scattered across a wide area. Hannah attempted many times to reach the camp to speak with Joe, however her presents weren’t allowed. Joe would fight to the end without giving in. Food, cold weather and nothing to do but sit around their fires became an issue among striking shearers. Shearers couldn’t hold out because the summer was unseasonably wet and the strike poorly timed for maximum affect. Something had to give.
Joe’s presence within the Cunnamulla camp kept others from deserting to return to their homes. By end of May, hungry penniless shearers had had enough. Many wanted to give up. Joe did his best to encourage his fellow strikers to continue their fight but alas in the end he too could see the writing on the wall.
On the final morning when Joe Ryan gathered his fellow strikers to speak with them, Joe Gibson met him at his tent. ‘Joe, I know you’ve done your best, but it’s time to give up mate.’ He’d seen how his friend fought for his fellow shearers since the strike began. ‘The police are coming to arrest you.’
Joe Ryan, now a weaker person with a full length beard, felt his shoulders sag beneath the weigh of his failure. ‘When are they coming?’ he asked his friend.
‘This morning. I heard in town they’ve been instructed to arrest you, break up the camp and send everyone home.’ Joe Gibson explained.
‘I suppose I deserve this.’ He dropped his head. ‘I honestly thought I would make a difference.’
‘I’ve got an idea,’ Joe Gibson answered with a twinkle in his eye.
‘What?’
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'The Shearer' - Page 134:

‘You and I are almost identical size in height and weight. Here, change into my clothes and you give me your clothes.’ They each changed into one another’s clothes. ‘Here is my non-union contract to shear, my personal documents and everything else you need to know about me. I won’t want these where I’m going.’ Joe Gibson handed his life to Joe Ryan.
‘What are you saying Joe?’ Joe Ryan’s mouth fell open.
‘From this moment on you are Joe Gibson and I am Joe Ryan. You go and marry your girl and keep her happy. Do this for me Joe.’ He pleaded.
‘Why – why are you doing this? You must know what’s going to happen when you’re arrested as me.’
‘You’ve got more to live for than I have. Here, give me your hat and stay here until after I leave. I’ll take your horse.’ Joe wrapped his arms around his cobber and whispered in his ear. ‘Thanks mate – someday I promise to repay you for what you’re about to do.’
Joe Ryan (previously Joe Gibson) left the tent, saddled the horse and climbed aboard. Constable Fitzgerald met him when he was leaving the camp, ‘Joe Ryan, you’re under arrest.’
They left the camp together.
After the ruckus ended Joe Gibson (previously Joe Ryan) walked to Ma’s Guest House and stood near the back stairs.
‘Who are you?’ Ma shouted holding her shotgun under her arm aimed at the intruder.
‘Joe, Ma.’ Joe shouted. ‘Where’s Hannah? It’s me Joe!’
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'The Shearer' - Page 135:
Hannah walked from inside to stand beside Ma.
‘You’re not my Joe! He didn’t dress like you. He didn’t have a beard and hat. Who are you?’ Ma pointed the barrel of the gun directly at the intruder.
‘Hannah, you must remember who I am. I gave you my ring to show my love for you.’ Joe said.
Hannah looked at the stranger, dressed in a neat pair of trousers, wearing a different hat to Joe always worn, ‘if you are Joe. What were the words you told me when you gave me your ring?’
‘‘Hannah, before you go I want you to wear my ring around your neck to show the world you’re mine.’ Joe muttered.
Hannah raced down the steps and wrapped her hands around Joe’s neck and kissed him.
About the Author
Pat Ritter lives on a property at Brooloo in Queensland Australia.
‘The Shearer’ is his fourteenth novel.
How this novel came to mind is a story within itself. Pat’s great grandfather is Joe Ryan, a shearer from Cunnamulla situation on the Warrego River in far south-western Queensland. His grandmother, Joe’s daughter, was a huge influence in Pat’s life when he was a child. His grandmother shared her stories about living in far western Queensland fighting the heat and flies.
One of the many stories she shared with Pat was about her father and how he became involved in ‘The Great Shearers Strike of 1891’. Her stories influenced Pat with his storytelling of the country where his ancestors were born and bred.
One of his grandmother’s stories alarmed his curiosity so much he needed proof to know the truth. His grandmother told him a story of when she was ten years old, living in Cunnamulla her mother died giving birth to her youngest sister Nellie. Her father Joe Ryan couldn’t take on the responsibility of raising five children, so according to family antidotes, he gave his children away to the townsfolk of Cunnamulla like a ‘little of pups’. Nellie went with a relative to Warwick a town far away from Cunnamulla. Pat’s grandmother never saw her youngest sister Nellie again.
Over the years of Pat’s writing career he wrote a story about his grandmother and posted it onto his website under stories. In January 2011, he received an e-mail from a person who claimed to be Nellie’s eldest daughter. Pat and Jan have kept in touch ever since their connection after ninety-nine years of separation.
Jan explained to Pat she knew about her mother being adopted and for forty years tried in vain to find her lost relatives. After she read Pat’s story on his website she realise her dream had came true. As they say in the classics, the rest is history.
This is the final page of 'The Shearer'. New book starting tomorrow. Thank you for taking your time to read 'The Shearer'. Hope you enjoyed this story.
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Welcome to the follow-on from 'The Shearer': Enjoy reading daily post 'Click Go The Shears' - Page 1:
"Click Go the Shears" is a traditional Australian folk song. The song details a day's work for a sheep shearer in the days before machine shears. The enduring popularity of this song reflects the traditional role that the wool industry has played in Australian life. The song describes the various roles in the shearing shed, including the "ringer", the "boss of the board", the "colonial experience man" and the "tar boy". After the day's shearing, the "old shearer" takes his cheque and heads to the local pub for a drinking session.
The tune is an adaptation of the American Civil War song "Ring The Bell, Watchman" by Henry Clay Work and the first verse follows closely, in parody, Work's lyrics as well.
The second verse in the original 19th century song is as follows:
Click goes his shears; click, click, click.
Wide are the blows, and his hand is moving quick,
The ringer looks round, for he lost it by a blow,
And he curses that old shearer with the bare belled ewe.
The usual chorus of the song is as follows:
Click go the shears boys, click, click, click,
Wide is his blow and his hands move quick,
The ringer looks around and is beaten by a blow,
And curses the old snagger with the bare-bellied yoe
In June 2013 it was discovered that a version of the song was first published in 1891 in the regional Victorian newspaper the Bacchus Marsh Express under the title "The Bare Belled Ewe" and the tune given as "Ring the Bell Watchman." It was next published in 1946 as a traditional song "collected and arranged" by Reverend Dr. Percy Jones, a professor of music. The lyrics vary widely; "bare-bellied yoe" (yoe is a dialect word for ewe) is often "bare-bellied joe" or even "blue-bellied ewe". The last line in the verse about the "colonial experience" man "smelling like a whore" is often bowdlerised to "smelling like a sewer" or completely rewritten. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia).
This book is a continuation from ‘The Shearer’ published by this author 2014.
TO READ MORE ABOUT PAT RITTER – AUTHOR: CLICK ONTO WEBSITE http://www.patritter.com.au.
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'Click Go The Shears' - Page 2:

Chapter 1

‘What have you done?’ Hannah shouted when Joe told his story. He’d changed identity to now become Joe Gibson instead of Joe Ryan as she’d known him. The real Joe Gibson changed clothes with him to take his place when police came to arrest him for inciting the shearers to go on strike. The real Joe Gibson arrested as Joe Ryan and the real Joe Ryan changed his identity to now become Joe Gibson. Hannah couldn't believe his words.
‘This may sound confusing to both of you but I’m now Joe Gibson. Not Joe Ryan. We changed clothes and he took my place. They were going to arrest me. I’d never see you again if I went to prison.’ Joe pleaded.
‘What happened to Joe. The other Joe – I mean.’ Hannah asked, confused, her temper slowly subsided, breathing slower to try and understand his story.
‘Constable Fitzgerald arrested him.’ Joe explained.
‘You can’t change your name. Just like that!’ Ma shocked to hear what Joe had done.
‘Do you want me to go to prison? He gave me his papers and everything I need to change to his name.’ His voice raised. He reached inside his coat, extracted papers and placed them on the kitchen table.
‘He’s a brave man to go in your place. A brave man indeed.’ Ma quoted. ‘This is not right. You can’t be someone you’re not. What happens if something goes wrong? You can’t stay here. I don’t want police coming around here. I can’t lie to them or anyone else.’ She answered sternly. Her face set in stone.
‘I’ll go then. What about you Hannah. Do you want me to go?’
‘I still love you. It’s not your ring any longer. Is it? You’ve changed Joe! I tried to see you at the camp when you were on strike and each time turned away not knowing how you were or if still alive. Honestly Joe, I don’t know!’ She sobbed.
Joe moved to her and placed his arm around her shoulders. ‘Don’t worry. I will not bother either of you again. You keep the ring as a token of our love. I’ll move on.’
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'Click Go The Shears' - Page 3:

‘What about the other Joe. He’s in jail and no doubt will go to prison because of you and what you’ve done.’ Ma expressed in a stern angry voice. Disappointment covered her face. ‘I think it’s a good thing you leave Joe,’ her voice quivered. She stood and left the kitchen.
‘Here is your ring Joe,’ Hannah unclipped the necklace and handed both the necklace and ring to him. ‘I hope you find what you’re looking for.’ She sobbed, turned and walked away.
Joe scooped the papers from the kitchen table, gathered his things and left. He decided to cool down and think about the consequences of what his friend did. Relief washed over him knowing he wasn’t going to prison for he believed in his heart he did the right thing by his fellow shearers. Something needed to be done to make work conditions better and improve wages. Although ‘The Great Shearers Strike of 1891’ failed, it would go down in Australian history as an event to change conditions for his fellow shearers, he thought walking from Ma’s home.
His mind recalled the previous five months. Each moment thinking of different ways to convince his fellow shearers to keep going with their fight for justice. Alas, in the end even Joe gave up. Then his best mate Joe Gibson visited him in his tent to say the police were on their way to arrest him.
Joe Gibson decided to change identity and go in his place. They switched clothes and Joe Gibson handed Joe Ryan his identity papers and told him from that moment on he would be Joe Gibson and not Joe Ryan. Shortly afterwards he left the tent and arrested by Constable Fitzgerald, the police officer assigned to arrest Joe Ryan.
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