Old Sins Cast Long Shadows…… Fourth and final part of the Blue Mountains murder story. In 1927 Sydney born William Higgs (26) and his brother Hubert (30) stood trial over the murder of a wealthy grazier, Ronald Leslie, found in his abandoned car at Blaxland in the Blue
Read more →
This is the third episode in the Higgs brothers saga. Each part has to stand alone, so apologies for repeating some information. If you want to read the original story click on the following link. Murder in the Blue Mountains. Bruce Doubleday Higgs was a Sydney underworld
Read more →
On September 9 1922, twenty one year old William Guy Higgs married Helena Potter in a society wedding at Hunters Hill. The couple honeymooned in the beautiful Blue mountains. The groom was the fourth born of seven sons, and chose his older brother Hubert as best man.
Read more →
Forty eight year old Ronald Lachlan Leslie was a wealthy, retired grazier living in the Sydney suburb of Manly. He was a happily married family man with two young children. On Wednesday, October 12 1927 he set out to drive to the central western town of Forbes,
Read more →
In August 1915 a function was held in the small, rural village of North Motton, in North West Tasmania. Local people were saying goodbye to seven young men from the district who were leaving to fight in WWI. After the speeches one fellow stepped forward; ‘Mr A.L.
Read more →
The Cummins family were pioneers of Blaxland, in the lower Blue Mountains of NSW. Bernard Cummins bought land nearby and called his property Mount Riverview. Its far-reaching views across the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers to Sydney gave him an idea. He constructed a wooden stairway to the
Read more →
Broadcaster Simon Marnie got into a bit of strife when advocating ’boutique’ salts on ABC morning radio. His rather cavalier dismissal of thyroid issues due to un-iodised salt resulted in dozens of protesting texts and a call from a health expert. When I was attending the Ulverstone
Read more →
THIS IS THE CONCLUSION TO THE STORY TROUBLES AT THE TARANNA TIMBER MILL. In 1929, like so many other parts of the world, Tasmania was in the grip of the Great Depression. John and Loyce ‘Grace’ Freeman from the rural community of Taranna, on Tasman Peninsula, were
Read more →
In the early 20th century the main timber mill at Taranna, on Tasmania’s Tasman Peninsular, was owned by Messrs. Jones and Hay Pty. Ltd. Like most businesses, it was going through hard times during the Great Depression. The workforce had been severely reduced, and the remaining
Read more →
Susan Stephens from Lapstone in the Blue Mountains treasures a hand knitted jumper brought home from WWI by her grandfather, Hedley Stephens. Fighting in France in May 1916, Corporal Stephens went ‘over the top’ with a senior officer to check on their men. The pair were severely
Read more →