When mining magnate, pioneer photographer and public benefactor,
Bernhardt Holtermann died prematurely at the height of his success,
the speculation and rumours started.
Some who knew Bernhardt closely had guessed the true nature of his
relationship with Victoria, his children's beautiful governess. They
enjoyed the lavish parties and genteel soirées given by Harriet
- Mrs Holtermmann, but some believed they detected an edge of tension
under the formal cordiality between herself and Bernhardt.
Had she tired of being patient with her husband's attentions to Victoria,
or had Victoria tired of waiting for the divorce which would release
her lover to become her husband?
Holtermann's Nugget is an historical novel based on the life of the
successful 19th century miner and businessman, the pioneer photographer,
Bernhardt Holtermann. Bernhardt came to Sydney as a young man, to
avoid conscription and the restrictive life of Hamburg in the 1850s.
Having made his fortune in gold mining at Hill End, Holtermann became
famous as one of the most successful businessmen in Sydney during
the early 1880s. His tireless drive for building his new country and
showing Australia off to the world with magnificent panoramic photographs
took him to international trade fairs in Philadelphia and Paris.
Bernhardt's untimely death on his 47th birthday adds romance and intrigue
to this novel of an adventurous life. Holtermann's main bequest to
the nation are his magnificent photographs which won for him international
acclaim, and for Australia, international recognition.
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