This story chronicles the life of John Joseph Layburn, from his humble beginnings in the small market town of Otley where in his youth he was apprenticed to the famous Chippendale furniture makers, to his death in the new continent sixty years later. A family tragedy causes him to leave his wife and children in England and set off on a remarkable journey. His adventures take him to the magnificent mighty Niagara Falls of British North America, the historical island of St Helena in the South Atlantic where Napoleon Bonaparte was interned 2 and buried and finally to New South Wales. On the way our traveller is shipwrecked on Flinders Island near Van Diemen's land now called Tasmania. John finally settles in the picturesque mid-west town of Carcoar which was to be his home for twenty years. Although John does not allow the morality of the day stop him from having what he wanted, he leaves a legacy of being a loving father whose indomitable spirit meant he was not afraid to take risks. When tragedy strikes, he demonstrates his courage in overcoming adversity and living life to the fullest.