Barbara Janet Baynton was an Australian writer known primarily for her short stories about life in the bush.
14 Facts About Barbara Baynton
1.
2.
Barbara Baynton published the collection Bush Studies and the novel Human Toll, as well as writing for The Bulletin and The Sydney Morning Herald.
3.
Barbara Baynton was a shrewd manager of her second husband's estate, owning properties in Melbourne and London.
4.
Barbara Baynton acquired the title Lady Headley from her third marriage to Rowland Allanson-Winn, 5th Baron Headley, but never wrote under that name.
5.
However, in 1887, Alexander Frater ran off with her niece, Sarah Glover, and Barbara Baynton moved to Sydney and commenced divorce proceedings.
6.
On 5 March 1890, she married Dr Thomas Barbara Baynton, a retired surgeon aged 70 years who had literary friends.
7.
Six of these were published in 1902 in London by Gerald Duckworth and Company Ltd under the title of Bush Studies because Mrs Barbara Baynton had been unable to find a publisher for them in Sydney.
8.
Barbara Baynton's husband died on 10 June 1904 and left his entire estate to her.
9.
Barbara Baynton invested in the stock market, bought and sold antiques, and collected black opals from Lightning Ridge.
10.
Barbara Baynton became chairman of the Law Book Company of Australasia.
11.
Barbara Baynton's son Robert Frater had been on the staff of the Sydney Sun, and Alec Hay Frater was an artist; both enlisted with the British Army.
12.
In February 1921, Barbara Baynton married her third husband Rowland Allanson-Winn, 5th Baron Headley; she was styled "Lady Headley".
13.
Barbara Baynton was a convert to Islam, but she did not adopt his religion.
14.
Barbara Baynton was survived by her third husband and her two sons and daughter by the first marriage.