The End of an Empire

When Iian finally spoke to his sister-in-law about his interest in Nora and fear of rejection she smiled with joy. Her plan had come to a successful conclusion. She hugged her brother-in-law much to his shock as she’d never done that before. Then she spoke firmly.

Iian you should ask Nora to marry you as both need each other and from my observations share the same interests and obviously love each other even though neither of you will admit it. I guarantee she’ll not refuse your proposal. With that assurance Iian rushed to find his newfound love and eventually located her at the club arriving breathless and indicating he needed to see her urgently and privately.  She departed with him to the cricket field under the watchful eye of everyone present at the club who rushed to the entrance to see what was about to happen.

Iian saw the crowd at the door of the club watching and almost lost his nerve, but the feeling was too strong, and he blurted out his proposal which Nora immediately accepted. They returned to the club arm in arm to the cheers of those assembled at the door. A formal announcement was made by Iian and drinks were ordered and a toast offered to the couple planning to be married. The women of the charity led by Cara planned the wedding and Iian made plans for their honeymoon in England requesting his brother to supervise the management of Caimbeul enterprises in their absence which Gregory readily agreed to. The boys would help along with the seasoned management team Iian had trained over the years.

After a ceremony in the Anglican Church attended by the high society of Sydney the newly married couple were transported to the cricket club where charity committee ladies had decorated and arranged a feast for the hundreds invited to attend. It was one of the big events in Sydney and no limit was placed on the expense of that wedding celebration. Iian and Nora were radiant as they received praise and good wishes from those appointed to make speeches and then the groom and bride were directed to the floor for their first waltz together to applause of the audience. A week later they were seen off at the wharf as they boarded ship for their honeymoon in England. They’d return in six months to take up their duties again in Sydney.

When both eventually returned, they looked different. They were dressed in the latest fashions from London to the particular interest of Sydney’s high society and a welcome home celebration was arranged by the cricket club for all to catch up on what was happening in the home country.

Iian had been shocked at the poverty of much of London and seeing his distress as he recalled his mother’s stories of inequalities there Nora suggested they spend the bulk of their time in Brighton Beach, East Sussex with occasional visits to the Ascot estates now inherited by her eldest son on the death of his father Lord Ascot. Even though the Ascot boys had enjoyed Iian’s company at the club while in Australia their reception to their stepfather was now less than welcoming as they felt his status was below theirs with their inherited title. Nora soon put them in their place, and they were a little more agreeable after her stern reproof. The fact was Iian was wealthier than the Ascots, so they better understand that and be civil. The titled of that era in England were often in debt and reliant on the emerging wealthy business class for loans in exchange for grudging membership of their exclusive clubs. Iian made frequent trips to London with Nora to work with their trading partners in London and investigate more opportunities for supply of emerging products he could import for sale through distribution establishments increasingly opened around the populated centres of eastern Australia.

On the return of his uncle, Andrew who was familiar with the growing settlement in Moreton Bay in the new state of Queensland to the north saw the possibility of establishing a company distribution centre in Brisbane and hastened to put a proposal to his uncle Iian on his return. Iian thought it worthwhile to look and he and Andrew took a ship to Brisbane to investigate the possibility. They had already established a distribution warehouse in Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria and this was highly profitable under the direction of Adam Pengelly and Branna who were rising stars in the administrative team of the Caimbeul’s. Iian decided the Brisbane venture had possibilities and asked Andrew to supervise the construction of a suitable warehouse and dwelling and take over running the Queensland branch. Andrew was delighted as he liked the sub-tropical climate more suitable for June’s health. They now had two sons and a daughter, and he’d train them to be future contributors to the collective Caimbeul wealth.

On his return to Sydney Iian was invited with Nora to his brother’s home to meet a surprise family visitor he’d never met before. His niece Ailsa Smith and her husband James had made a sudden unannounced visit to Gregory and Cara and were adjusting to the busy life of Sydney after the remote peacefulness of outback Queensland. It had taken them two months to make the journey to Sydney first taking a boat trip to Brisbane from the central coast and then catching a ship to Sydney to visit.

It was revealed they’d fled central Queensland leaving the cattle stations to James’ brothers. There’d been a strong disagreement between the brothers and the workers had taken sides. It had ended up in war in the encampment and some among the workers had died. The mines had been plundered. Gregory’s childhood friend Miro had died trying to bring the situation under control. James was unwilling to continue under those circumstances, and they’d had a family conference at which time the brothers had agreed to a distribution of their extensive holdings. James took a payout for his share in gold and departed with Ailsa and their four children for Sydney where they felt it would be a safer upbringing for their children away from the outback.

James had heard country was being opened west of Sydney and was interested in investing in opening a station to the west where he’d run sheep or cattle. He was looking to his brother-in-law to help him with contacts in government to get the greatest advantage in a land grant. Iian expressed interest in employing the oldest boy in the expanding Caimbeul organization, but James declined gracefully saying the boys would be needed to help run his land grant. However, he’d be prepared to let the girls work for the family business in Sydney if they could be of use and Iian was happy for that offer. They needed all the family workers they could find for his expanding business and Cara would love to have them in the home for company too. The girls were excited at the chance to live in this new exciting environment protected by their grandparents.

By the middle of the eighteen hundreds a stable representative government was operating in New South Wales and because of his wealth and aristocratic connections Iian was urged to stand as a candidate for the legislative assembly. At first, he refused those urging him to stand for election but as the pressure increased Nora urged him to reconsider. So, by that time eligible males over twenty-one exercised their vote and voted him in as one of their representatives. Iian enjoyed the new challenge, but this affected the overall supervisory role he played in the Caimbeul empire. He asked his elder brother to take over responsibility, but the hard life Gregory had experienced in his growing up years was beginning to slow him down now as he aged. The best he could do now would be to continue to care for the overall supervision of financial administration and he had a large team of skilled accountants available to him now to take a lot of the pressure off him. Gregory suggested that Iian may consider Gregory Jnr for the position instead and Iian agreed to put him in charge in an acting capacity while he considered a permanent appointment. Gregory Jnr had come a long way in his administrative talents since that first assignment to build a market in the Hawksbury River basin and from there he’d been moved around various pioneer territories to establish them before passing control to managers Iian appointed. He was now the chief procurement officer for the family company which necessitated trips to London to establish new supply contacts and Iian was very happy with his work. But to be in overall control took additional skills and it had to be seen if he could transition to the strategic planning necessary to expand the empire. Iian would mentor him as he took over the role until Iian was satisfied the empire was in safe hands. Andrew was moved into the procurement role with Gregory Jnr’s appointment, and it was obvious he did not need any oversight in his new role. Slowly Iian satisfied with his succession plan completely withdrew to concentrate on his new political career ably helped by his aristocratic wife Nora.

Years passed rapidly. First Gregory noticed the passing of time as he watched his wife Clara decline in health again and lose the interest she’d shown in public life. Alarmed he consulted their doctor and was informed Clara had a debilitating sickness that would slowly take her life. The doctor estimated Clara would have a maximum of three years of life remaining. Gregory wept privately when the doctor had gone. Cara had already guessed she was approaching the last years of her life and noted the sudden change in her husband since the doctor’s visit knowing Gregory now had the bad news she’d long before guessed was her lot. She confronted Gregory and told him she already knew and was comfortable with what lay ahead of her. She’d come a long way in life from her youth as a drover’s daughter who found the man of her life in the teenage Gregory.

Gregory approached his brother Iian with the news and stated his intention to retire and spend the last few years with his love by her side which Iian understood. Time was marching on, and Iian was also aging by this time. It was now up to the younger generation to carry on the family name and enterprise, and they were doing well at it in Iian’s estimation. Iian discontinued his mentorship of his nephew Gregory Jnr leaving the fate of the company entirely in his nephew’s hands. He also indicated to supporters in the legislature he’d not be available to stand as a candidate in the new elections opting to retire and enjoy his last years with his wife Nora much to her delight. They would confine their energies to charity work for the remainder of their years.

The family laid Cara to rest four years after Iian’s retirement and two years later Gregory Snr joined his wife in the grave. The family erected an appropriate eulogy to their parents on a large celebratory headstone in the cemetery. Iian lived to the age of eighty-nine and was laid to rest by the family with appropriate celebration of his productive life and at the urging of her children Nora returned to join her children on the Ascot estates where she was laid to rest.

As the grandchildren and later great grandchildren made their appearance and reached maturity many went into professions and trades outside the Caimbeul family business, and the corporate interests scattered around the eastern parts of Australia came under control of families who were not of Caimbeul extraction. Finally, competition diminished the role of this enterprise until it was no longer viable. The era of the pioneering family the Caimbeul’s came to a slow end and a century later no one remembered that name as important in the history of the land.

Conclusion

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