sallylong

I have Googled and Googled, but cannot find out what a TC prog is called I remember distinctly from my childhood. As I remember it was set in Australia/New Zealand at around the turn of the century and (I think) about a schoolgirl with consumption (TB) sent to live (again I think) with her aunt. There were other kids there, including another schoolgirl who had a bit of a weight problem. There was also a boy as well.

Their final adventure ended in tragegy though, with a tree falling on one of them, and the 'fat' girl singing Abide With Me.

Or did I dream it all?

Does anyone remember the name of a children's TV series from the late 60s/early 70s about an Australian schoolgirl at around the turn of the century, sent to live with her aunt (I think) for the summer, due to consumption (TB)?

There were other kids where she was sent, including an over weight girl who couldn't do up her corsets.

At the end of the series, one of the kids was badly injured/killed when a tree fell on hime/her whilst out playing, and they all sadnd 'abide with me'. Presumably, whilst the kid under the tree died.

CaptainWaggett

It's Seven Little Australians which ends with feisty tomboy Judy being killed by a falling tree. When it was first shown, the final episode was prefaced witha sadness warning (something I've never come across since). If you can't get the series, read the book. It's awesome (though tragic at the end).

sallylong

Thank you. I am new to this site, so sorry for posting my request twice - just getting the hang of things!

donna

Sally was just going for a google as I dont remember the prog. but see someone has , sounds intersting. will have to look it up see if I can get it, I make mistakes constantly on here, but there all so nice that no one mentions my blunders haha.

CaptainWaggett

I haven't seen the series since it was first on but the book is very good - it's the first in a series (they are more or less the Aussie equivalent of Little Women) but you can tell that Ethel Turner really regretted killing off her best character!

ShirlGirl

"Seven Little Australians" was originally a novel, written by Ethel Turner in 1893, when she was 21. Her London publishers at the time described her as "the Louisa M. Alcott of Australia"... (authoress of "Little Women".) It was her first novel and became a classic of Australian children's literature.

Ethel Turner was born in Doncaster in 1872 and came out to Australia in 1879. She married Judge Curlewis, and they lived in the same suburb of Sydney where I was born and raised. (So was John Meillon.) My mum knew her daughter Jean Curlewis, who also became a writer - sadly, she died aged only 32.

This from Wiki:

Turner published a number of other books for children, short stories and poems. "Three Little Maids" (1900) is a strongly autobiographical novel about her family's migration from England to Sydney, Australia.
Ethel Turner was awarded a number of prestigious literary awards and can easily be classed as one of Australia's best-loved authors. The Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature is given annually under the auspices of the NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

benchcluttocks

You can buy Region 1 dvd on amazon starting from £19.