ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Andrew and Sandra Rose, keen amateur historians, retired early (2001) to the small fishing and tourist village of Augusta in south-west Western Australia. They are involved with various community groups and enjoy a relaxed pace of life.

Their first book, as joint authors, examined an incident in 1945, which led to the loss of 10 young lives from destroyer HMAS Nizam off Cape Leeuwin, 9 kilometres from Augusta. Intending to prepare a paper for the Augusta Historical Society, their research and investigation became addictive, and the first publication of Red Rose Books was born.

Andrew, an Accountant and Economics graduate from the University of WA, had been working on a ‘secret project’ even before coming to Augusta. With the successful release of ‘Man Overboard!’: The HMAS Nizam Tragedy, he was able to hone his research skills further, culminating in Red Rose Books publishing its second book in January 2010 – Riding the Goat: The Secret World of Australian Freemasonry.

Sandra, previously Practice Manager for a law firm in Perth, has also been researching a book that is expected to be released late 2010. John Tapper, her great-great-great-grandfather, born at Fremantle in 1833, spent his life as a seaman and then as a master of Western Australian coastal vessels. John Tapper led a colourful life reflecting the formative years of the Swan River Colony, and Fremantle, in particular.

Apart from researching and writing activities, Andrew and Sandra market and promote their publishing and distribution arm, Red Rose Books.

The authors at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse.