Send us a text The first successful circus in Australia actually originated from Hobart by an Englishman Robert Avis Radford in 1847. He used acts such as equestrianism, acrobats, and clowning, which mimicked the Astley circus in England. It was from this circus that James Henry Ashton, of the Ashton dynasty later established his own circus. The Ashton circus is the oldest continuing circus in Australian history. References Trove newspapers – https://trove.nla.gov.au Newspaper Article https://ww...
Sep 03, 2024•34 min
Send us a text William Maher arrived at John Green's selection at Burren Station on the day of the tragedy, (4th September 1894) having shaved his whiskers off. He got off his horse near the house and fixed his rifle together, having carried it in pieces. He spoke to John Green, who, not knowing him, said, 'You have the advantage of me.' Maher said, 'You have not got the advantage of me; my name is Maher; and I am going to shoot you.' References: Trove Newspapers - https://trove.nla.gov.au Music...
Jan 02, 2024•34 min•Ep. 45
Send us a text Charles Hines, condemned to death by the Chief Justice, Sir Frederick Darley, at the Circuit Court held in Maitland in April 1897, for a terrible outrage committed on his step-daughter, at a place called Gundy, near Scone, suffered the last dread penalty of the law within the precincts of the gaol at East Maitland on Friday, the 21st May 1897. He was in the ominous words of the Judge's sentence " hanged by the neck until he was dead." He died firmly and instantaneously. References...
Sep 28, 2023•30 min
Send us a text Michael McMahon was the 15th person hanged at Maitland Gaol on the 12th December 1871, for the murder of John Jones at Hall’s Creek. A magisterial enquiry was held at Denman, on the 8th of June, 1871, before G. A. F. Kibble, Esq, J P , touching the death of a man named John Jones, who was found dead under his dray, near Hall's Creek, on the 7th June. -At nine o clock on Tuesday morning, 12th December 1871, the convict Michael M'Mahon (or Mannion, as he called himself) was executed...
Aug 24, 2023•40 min•Ep. 43
Send us a text There was a sigh of relief when the news got abroad in the middle of August, 1861, that the murderer, Black Harry, was captured. There was great excitement locally when, after his committal at Merriwa, he was brought on to Singleton; and placed in the local lockup. The people turned out in great numbers to get a glimpse of the notorious villain, whose atrocities shocked the whole colony. After a brief sojourn in the lockup here he was taken on to Maitland on the morning of Septemb...
Mar 27, 2023•39 min
Send us a text The Green family were very well known in the Hunter Valley. Walter Clement Green, vigneron, was the father of Frederick Davies Green, who was charged with the murder of Lilian Bridge, aged 16, daughter of William Bridge, employee of W. C. Green, on 14th April 1908. References: Trove newspapers: https://trove.nla.gov.au Music: Lone Harvest & At Rest: by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Sound E...
Sep 15, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Send us a text History records the tragic tale of the murder of Lilly Bridge in 1908 somewhere between her home and Norwood House. It is thought that Frederick Green (son of Walter Clement Green - winemaker), ambushed Lilly, who had rejected his romantic advances, and murdered her. Lilly was 17 years old and had worked for Mrs. Green. Her father worked for Walter Clement Green and lived in a cottage near to the homestead. Part I details the crime and Part 2 details the conviction, sentence and a...
Aug 09, 2022•51 min
Send us a text The Burke and Hare murders were a series of 16 killings committed over a period of about ten months in 1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland. They were undertaken by William Burke and William Hare, who sold the corpses to Robert Knox for dissection at his anatomy lectures. Writing to the Weekly Scotsman, a Leith correspondent says : — ‘In your journal some time ago, I read a powerful narrative of the Burke and Hare atrocities in the West Port of Edinburgh, the writer of which was of opinion...
Feb 18, 2022•45 min
Send us a text This story is an introduction to my next episode regarding Helen McDougal, paramour of William Burke. William Burke and William Hare committed 16 Killings over a period of about ten months in 1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland. They sold the corpses to Dr. Robert Knox for his anatomy lectures. Edinburgh was the leading centre of anatomical study in the early 19th Century, in a time when the demand for cadavers led to a shortage in legal supply. The Body Snatcher - Haunted Places: Ghost S...
Feb 01, 2022•4 min
Send us a text John Jones age 24, arrived in Australia on the ship ‘Mary Pleasants’ as a free man, on the 9th August 1857. This episode tells the details of the crime which ended his two year stay in the new country and ended all his ambitions to prosper and succeed as others did on the same journey. Jim Crow was born in Clarence Town in 1837, south of Maitland, and it is believed he was a member of the Wonnarua people of the Hunter Valley. Little is known about his life prior to his crime, such...
Dec 30, 2021•40 min
Send us a text In 1860, Francis Saville Kent, nearly 4 years old, was taken from his cot and cruelly murdered. His body was found in the privy at Road Hill House, Wiltshire, England. Five years later, Constance Emilie Kent confessed to the crime and served 20 years in prison. When she was released, she emigrated to Australia. For 20 years she was the Matron at Dr. Pierce's Memorial Home in Maitland, NSW under the alias Ruth Emilie Kaye. References: Trove newspapers: https://trove.nla.gov.au Musi...
Nov 18, 2021•34 min
Send us a text In the early decades of the early 20th Century, writes seemed to be looking back nostalgically at what had been lost during colonisation, and they attempted to recreate the past in their literary works. One such reporter in the 1920's, was the journalist 'The Man in the Mask'. He or she wrote nostalgic stories derived from factual events and real people. This episode follows the case of Richard Darlington and John Johnston. Actual case occurred in 1840 - story written in 1924. Ref...
Sep 14, 2021•32 min
Send us a text I have been doing a series about the 16 hangings that occurred at Maitland Gaol from 1843 to 1897. But there was an execution by hanging before the Goal was built and took place in the main street of Maitland in February 1838. References Trove newspaper: - https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/ Music: Lone Harvest & Teller of Tales - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons. By Attribution 3.0 License Poverty and Prosperity - https://www.maitland.nsw.gov.au...
Aug 18, 2021•34 min
Send us a text On the 25 March 1925, a story appeared on page 3 of the ‘The Don Dorrigo Gazette and Guy Fawkes Advocate’ under the title of “Hunting the Bunyip of Hexham Swamp.” It appears that three men, Sam Millgate, Bill Wallace and Billy Parkes, back in 1879 swore they heard, during an evening’s wild duck hunt in the Hexham Swamps, what resembled the “roar of a lion” and were terrified by the appearance of a creature with “eyes like golden orbs in the night.” References: Trove: https://trove...
Jul 19, 2021•28 min
Send us a text This story was brought to my attention from a listener. The article that led to my investigation began as follows:- Year1897 - "There's a fatality about the Keep family. Yes a fatality. I was up in Maitland about 15 years ago when a Keep was poisoned. His wife and mother-in-law were arrested on suspicion, and one of them died in gaol. . . . . .Well, there was another Keep a short time back . . .instead of 'whiskey in the jar', it was poison, and one of them died. . . . .And now we...
Jun 22, 2021•48 min
Send us a text Email from a listener: ‘What is it about Maitland women and their love of strychnine?’ ‘The Bishop’s Bridge story is interesting in that Sarah Nagle, store-keeper of West Maitland, was also involved in the Burton/Keep poisoning case, 16 years later. There was a witness in the Police court hearing that said that he had seen Sarah Nagle and Mary Nichols over his fence on the day before he found his dog poisoned. Sarah Nagle nee Keep was William Henry’s Keeps aunt’. On 27 December 18...
Jun 03, 2021•48 min
Send us a text William Ross and Jemmy the Chinaman were hanged at Maitland Gaol, NSW on 22nd November 1859. They were the 9th and 10th people to be hanged there. References: Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au Lone Harvest, Teller of Tales By Kevin Macleod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Xia-Yu by Guifrog https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Guifrog#contact-artist. Attribution 4.0 International (CCBY 4.0) https://creativecommons.o...
May 11, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 30
Send us a text Because I've been working on research and display for Anzac Day, I have given information regarding those who were connected with Morpeth, NSW, whether by birth, enlistment, residence or next of kin.
Apr 24, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 29
Send us a text In this episode, are the circumstances that led to the hanging of Christopher Walsh, on the 28th September 1854, for the murder of his wife Mary Walsh nee McLoughlan. Mary was seven months into her confinement. The baby did not survive. Listener discretion is advised as this story relates to violence against a spouse and suicide. References:Trove newspapers:- https://trove.nla.gov.au Lone Harvest: By Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Atrribution 3.0 License http:/...
Apr 02, 2021•34 min•Season 1Ep. 28
Send us a text This is a continuation to the previous episode relating to the Australian Outback and a story about a bush grave. . . 'He sighed heavily in the listening silence that followed this remark and proceeded with his work. He filled the grave to the brim this time, and fashioned the mound carefully with his spade. Once or twice he muttered the words, "I am the rassaraction." As he laid the tools quietly aside and stood at the head of the grave, he was evidently trying to remember the so...
Mar 09, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Send us a text Bush graves - From the Murray to the Macintyre, from the coast to the Barrier and Grey Ranges, on hill sides and in gullies, by running streams or away out on those plains which scarce know creek or river, are scattered the graves of men, women and children, singly or in small groups, where human life has gone out before there was any appointed God's acre accessible for burial. These are bush graves of the past, but even now in many a part of 'Never Never' country the bush graves ...
Feb 16, 2021•35 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Send us a text On the 8th August 1853, a most cruel and outrageous murder was committed by a man named Daniel Gardiner, at the Rocky River, on the body of his wife, Catherine Gardiner nee Winkworth. The report was brought forward shortly after the occurrence, where a young child witnessed the dreadful tragedy. Daniel Gardiner alias Thomas Gardiner, on Tuesday the 4th April 1854, was executed at Maitland Gaol for his crime. References:Trove: https://trove.nla.gov.au Lone Harvest & Heartbreaki...
Feb 02, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 25
Send us a text on the 18th October,1916, the dead body of a married woman names Ada Murray, was found floating in the Paterson River near Tocal. At the Coroner's inquest, it was found that she died from the results of hemorrhage as the result of a miscarriage, she was then thrown into the river. No charges were laid due to insufficient evidence. Mrs. Mary Ann Hughes' name was mentioned at this inquest. She appeared on two separate occasions in court in the previous year, on charges of unlawfully...
Jan 22, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Send us a text Why do people tell ghost stories at Christmas? This story was written by a member of the St. Mary's Men's Society, West Maitland in 1866. References: Trove: https//trove.nla.gov.au Lone Harvest, This House & Deck the Halls A: By Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0 Soundbible.com - free sound effects. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License Email: marleneduncan@live.com Faceboo...
Dec 23, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 23
Send us a text Paterson Mystery.WOMAN'S IDENTITY SOUGHT.The body of the unknown woman which was found in the Paterson River about one mile from Tocal Homestead yesterday under circumstances which strongly indicate that she was murdered. Deceased was 5ft 5in in height, and was of medium build, with a complete set of sound natural teeth. The features were almost unrecognisable. Was It Murder?Evidence at Inquest 3 November, 1916. Friday. Newspaper article - Trove:-https://trove.nla.gov.au Grave Mat...
Dec 02, 2020•43 min•Season 1Ep. 22
Send us a text Thursday 12th August 1886Attempted Criminal Assault in a Railway Train. On Monday evening last a most determined attempt was made to commit an outrage upon a young lady in a railway carriage while on the journey from East Maitland to Morpeth. Fortunately the screams of the intended victim were heard the signals made to stop the train were observed, and the stopping made with such quickness that the scoundrel was caught almost as soon as the alarm was given. References:Trove newspa...
Nov 21, 2020•26 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Send us a text This episode contains information of the 5th hanging at Maitland Gaol, NSW. Michael Collihane was charged for the rape of Mrs. Ann Milsom, at Aberdeen, NSW, on 10th May 1851, and hanged thereafter at Maitland Gaol on 2nd October, 1851. Michael Collihane obtained his Ticket of Leave with Passport, which allowed him to work on squatter's runs and so enabling him to obtain work with Thomas Simpson Hall at Dartbrook Station near Aberdeen, NSW. This was where he was working at the time...
Nov 02, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Send us a text This episode contains two reports from the devastating floods in the Hunter Valley in 1893. One is of the description of its effects in Maitland and the surrounding area. The other is an extract from the log book of the S. S. Maitland, whilst anchored at Morpeth from the 8th to 13th March, 1893. Following these reports, is the recount of the 1955 flood at Morpeth, NSW as told by Mr. John Wright, resident of Phoenix Park and a descendant of the First Fleeters. Referencences: Trove:...
Oct 19, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Send us a text The tendency of the Hunter River to overflow its banks has always been a source of anxiety to the residents in its vicinity. This episode tells 3 stories of its many flood occurrences. One on 1864, one in 1870 and the other, the aftermath as told by a witness, of the 1955 flood at Maitland. Included, is the story of Tiddalick, based on a traditional Aboriginal Dreamtime story and information about some of the Aboriginal sites in the Hunter Valley. References:Trove newspapers: - ht...
Oct 05, 2020•21 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Send us a text William Hayes was indicted for the willful murder of Benjamin Cott, at Dagworth, on the 13th November, 1850, by beating and wounding him with a certain blunt instrument, whereof the said Benjamin Cott instantly died. William Hayes was hanged at Maitland Gaol on the 25th April 1851.... but there is more to this story. References: Trove newspapers - https://trove.nla.gov.au Poverty, inequality, and food riots in Limerick City in the 1830s. https://www.theirishstory.com/2016/02/23/th...
Sep 16, 2020•45 min•Season 1Ep. 17
