The history of the Cragg family, who lived in England until 1859 before emigrating to Sydney Australia. The story commences in the heart of England's Lake District in a Keswick poor house and moves to the towns of Workington and Cockermouth. The majority of the family, while in Cockermouth, enter the woollen mills in the midst of a socially tumultuous time where mass rallies call for significant political change and widespread enfranchisement. Hunger, disease, imprisonment and the hint of rebellion.

Addenda and corrigenda to vols. 1-8 are in v. 8.