Laura Palmer-Archer
Laura Maude Palmer-Archer was an Australian short story writer, who mainly wrote using the pseudonym "Bushwoman". She is best known for her 1904 book, A Bush Honeymoon and other stories.
Palmer-Archer was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1864 to parents of Irish heritage. One of her brothers, Ernest O'Ferrall, was a short story writer and poet, who wrote as "Kodak" for The Bulletin.
In 1888 Palmer-Archer married Tom Palmer-Archer and moved with him to a property in outback Queensland. Many of her stories a based on her first-hand experience of rural life.
Palmer-Archer wrote short stories for The Australasian, the first appearing in November 1894 and the last in December 1928. Her first book of collected stories, Racing in the Never-Never and other stories.
Her 1904 book, A Bush Honeymoon and other stories, was published in London by T. Fisher Unwin. It was a compilation of stories previously published in The Australasian and the Australian Town and Country Journal. In the Foreword, Rolf Boldrewood said:
In the 1920s she began to write poems for children which were published regularly in The Australasian and also recited on radio by "Mary Gumleaf" as "Kiddyosities".
Palmer-Archer died in hospital in Belgrave, Victoria on 8 June 1929.