Albert Facey

Albert Facey was a man from Australia.

He lived a very busy life. He worked on farms and drove trams. He even fought in a big war.

Albert could not go to school. He taught himself how to read and write. Later, he wrote a famous book. It was about his own life.

Many people bought his book. It helped them learn about his story. People still remember him today. They even named a library after him.

His life was full of hard times. He lost his father when he was small. He also lost his son in a war. He stayed strong through it all.

Albert's story is one for everyone to read.

Albert Facey was a famous writer from Australia.

He is best known for his book, A Fortunate Life. This book tells the story of his own life. It has sold over one million copies.

Albert had a very hard childhood. He could not go to school. He taught himself how to read and write. He worked on farms when he was only eight. Later, he was a professional boxer. He also served in the army during World War I. He fought at a place called Gallipoli. Two of his brothers died in that war.

After the war, Albert lived a long life. He married his wife, Evelyn, for nearly 60 years. They had seven children together. Albert worked as a tram driver and a farmer. He also helped people in his community.

He began writing his life story when he was old. He finished it on his 83rd birthday. His book became a big success. People in Australia honor him today. They named a library and a large building after him.

Albert Facey was a famous Australian writer. He is best known for his book, A Fortunate Life. This book tells the story of his own life. It has sold over one million copies. His life story was even made into a television series. People in Australia still honor him today.

Albert had a very difficult childhood in Australia. He was born in Maidstone, Victoria, in 1894. His father died when Albert was only two years old. Albert never went to school like most children. Instead, he taught himself how to read and write. He started working on farms when he was eight. During one job, he faced very hard treatment. He eventually escaped by walking through the bush.

As he grew older, Albert took on many roles. He worked as a professional boxer for a troupe. This troupe traveled through South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. In January 1915, he joined the Australian Imperial Force. He served as an infantryman during World War I. He traveled to Egypt and fought at Gallipoli. Sadly, two of his older brothers died during this time.

After the war, Albert built a long and busy life. He married Evelyn Mary Gibson in August 1916. They stayed married for nearly 60 years. They had seven children together between 1919 and 1939. Albert worked as a tram driver in Perth. He also worked as a farmer in Wickepin. Later, he became a successful poultry and pig farmer. He even served in local government for over 20 years.

Albert began writing his memoirs when he was an old man. His wife and children encouraged him to do this. He finished his writing on his 83rd birthday in 1977. His book was published in 1981. It won several important literary prizes in Australia. Even though his health was declining, he became a celebrity. He died in 1982 at the age of 87.

Albert Barnett Facey was a prominent Australian writer and a veteran of World War I. He is most famous for his autobiography, titled *A Fortunate Life*. This memoir is now considered a classic of Australian literature. The book has achieved massive success, selling over one million copies. It was even adapted into a four-part television mini-series. Facey's life story provides a deep look into the Australian experience during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Facey's early years were marked by significant hardship and instability. He was born in Maidstone, Victoria, in 1894. His father, Joseph Facey, died of typhoid fever in 1896 when Albert was only two years old. Following this loss, his mother moved to Western Australia to care for older children. Albert and his siblings were left in the care of their grandmother, Jane Carr. He began working as a farm boy around 1902 at the age of eight. Because he could not attend school, he had to teach himself to read and write during his teenage years.

During his youth, Facey experienced severe physical abuse from an employer. This employer used a horse whip to strike him repeatedly. After months of this treatment, Albert escaped by walking through the bush to find new settlers. Although the police were notified, the employer faced no prosecution. The physical scars from these injuries remained visible on his neck and back for the rest of his life. By age 14, he was an experienced bushman and farm labourer. At age 20, he worked as a professional boxer touring South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.

In January 1915, Facey enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) to serve in World War I. He traveled to Egypt as an infantryman with the 11th Battalion. He fought during the Gallipoli Campaign, which included the battle of Leane's Trench. This period was a time of great loss for his family, as two of his older brothers, Roy and Joseph, were killed during the campaign. Facey recorded many horrors of war in his writing. While he believed he suffered severe internal injuries from an exploding shell on August 19, 1915, official war records only mention heart trouble, known as tachycardia. He was eventually invalided back to Australia in October 1915.

After returning to Australia, Facey built a stable family life. He married Evelyn Mary Gibson on August 24, 1916, in Bunbury. They remained married for nearly 60 years until her death in 1976. Together, they had seven children born between 1919 and 1939. Facey held many different jobs throughout his career. He worked as a tram driver from 1916 to 1922. He later farmed in Wickepin from 1922 to 1934. He also worked as a trolleybus driver and eventually became a successful self-employed poultry and pig farmer. He was also a dedicated public servant, serving in local government for over 20 years.

Facey's literary fame arrived very late in his life. Encouraged by his wife and children, he began compiling notes about his life. He completed his memoirs in 1977 on his 83rd birthday. His book, *A Fortunate Life*, was published in 1981 when he was 85. The book won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Award and the National Book Council Prize. Even as his health declined and he lost his eyesight, he became a national celebrity. In 1981, he was even nominated for the Australian of the Year award. He died of natural causes in 1982 at the age of 87.

Today, Facey's legacy is preserved through many landmarks and institutions in Australia. His former homestead in Wickepin has been preserved as a tourist attraction. A government building in Perth, called Albert Facey House, is named in his honour. The Albert Facey Memorial Library in Mundaring also carries his name. His original manuscripts are kept in the Special Collections at the University of Western Australia Library. Through his writing, Facey connected his personal struggles to the broader history of his nation.