I didn't know that John Ingersole ever existed. Until 2001. 

On Boxing Day morning 2002, we were driving to Bathurst, following the trail of John Ingersole. 

The next few days were staggering.  We met some relatives - we saw and photographed family graves at Kelso - and then, almost literally, I stepped into the footsteps of John Ingersole.

John and Catherine lived for many years in a house which was later left to members of his family.  I wanted to photograph the house of course, but first I went to the door to introduce myself and to ask permission.  

The owners asked us in and proceeded to show us a treasure trove - a hand written copy of John Ingersole's will, statutory declarations by his son, a lease agreement, bank documents dating back more than 100 years!  There were photographs of people and of the house itself as it was many years ago!

They kindly showed us around their home, allowed us to photograph all the documents, took our photographs outside, and then they made my year!

One of the things convicts were employed to do was to make bricks.  The old Ingersole house is constructed of bricks made by convicts.  As a gift, we were presented with a brick - a convict brick - that was found on their property.  

But an even greater thrill was to come. 

John Ingersole was a farrier.  I was given - and it is now a treasured possession - a horse shoe, one of a few horse shoes that were found at the back of the old Ingersole house.  

Did John Ingersole make this horse shoe?  Is it something that my great great grandfather worked with?  Was it from one of his horses, discarded in the dirt, never realising that more than a century later, it would be picked up ...