Ada Cross Australian writer of English origin. Date of Birth: 21.11.1844 Country: Australia

1. Biography of Ada Cross
2. Early Life and Education
3. Marriage and Life in Australia
4. Writing Career
5. Later Life

Biography of Ada Cross

Ada Cross was an Australian writer of English descent. Despite being a missionary priest's wife, few could have expected her to achieve significant success in the literary world. However, Ada Cross proved to be a highly talented writer. Starting her writing career purely for financial reasons, she managed to gain recognition and respect from her contemporaries, despite the unconventional nature of her work and her disregard for some societal norms of the time.

Early Life and Education

Ada Cambridge was born in St Germans, Norfolk, as the second child of gentleman farmer Henry Cambridge and his wife Thomassina. Her education was entrusted to a governess, which turned out to be an unpleasant experience for Ada. She later claimed that she did not learn anything useful during this period and only made progress when she took control of her own learning. She spent a few months in a decent boarding school, but it did not make a significant impression on her. Her development was greatly influenced by her unmarried aunt, who played a crucial role in shaping her future.

Marriage and Life in Australia

On April 25, 1870, Ada Cambridge married Reverend George Frederick Cross. Shortly after their marriage, they sailed to Australia. Upon arriving in Melbourne, Ada was surprised by the level of local culture and civilization. As a minister's wife, her husband was often transferred to different towns, and they settled in various places such as Wangaratta, Yackandandah, Ballan, Coleraine, Bendigo, and Beechworth. Their experiences in these towns were later described by Ada in her book "Thirty Years in Australia." During their travels, the Crosses witnessed many heartbreaking events, including the deaths of children from whooping cough and scarlet fever.

Writing Career

Ada Cambridge began her literary career in the 1870s to support her family financially. Her first published work dates back to 1865, and her final piece was published in 1922. In her early works, the foundations of her strong spiritual character, moral integrity, and unique ability to blend poetry and prose were evident. However, some of Ada's ideas were considered daring for a minister's wife during that time, especially when she addressed extramarital intrigues in her works. In 1875, she wrote the novella "Up the Murray" in the Australasian region, although it was not published separately. Ada gained true fame in 1890 with the publication of her book "A Marked Man," although some critics were not pleased with her departure from traditional literary conventions.

Later Life

In 1893, the Crosses moved to their final parish in Williamstown, near Melbourne, where they lived until 1909. In late 1909, Ada's husband retired from the priesthood, but he was allowed to continue working in the diocese for three more years. In 1913, the Crosses returned to England and lived there until George Cross's death. In the same year, Ada Cross returned to Australia, where she passed away in Melbourne on July 19, 1926.