Ravenous Ants & Lazy Lizards

I never met John Armour, that I know of, and I have only dim memories of visiting Doris as a very elderly relative. 

The diaries of Doris and John Armour cover the early part of their married life. They were married just as World War 1 ended. John as a freshly minted Presbyterian minister and Doris an accomplished elocutionist. They ‘met’ in 1915 on New Year’s eve. This event is noted by John who gives absolutely no further details of where or how they met. In 1918 they became engaged on April 19, John was ordained on Nov 21, married Dec 7, they honeymooned at the beach till Dec 23 whereupon they left Melbourne by train for Adelaide.

Their diaries give insight into their early married life in the challenging environment of the dusty isolation of the South Australian outback. Not only did they meet these challenges but they document the struggles of the ‘Outbackers’ who called the ‘never never’ their home.

Please treat them gently, with the advantages of hind-sight and enjoy a journey into a past era but also a romance that continues to be played out in many lives today.

Synopsis