My Articles

‘DOCTOR’ DORIS, THE WARTIME IMPOSTER

'DOCTOR' DORIS, THE WARTIME IMPOSTER

Regular visitors to this website will know that I have a fascination for imposters. šŸ˜Ž I’m not sure why this is, except that they have a sense of daring and self confidence that I certainly don’t have myself.Ā  I’m not condoning the behaviour, especially when it causes

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DRS. RATTEN AND FERRIS & THE CHRISSIE VENN CASE

DRS. RATTEN AND FERRIS & THE CHRISSIE VENN CASE

NOTE – THIS IS NOT A RE-EXAMINATION OF THE TRAGIC CHRISSIE VENN MURDER. IT IS ABOUTĀ  THE STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES IN WHICH DRS. RATTEN AND FERRIS FOUND THEMSELVES GIVING EVIDENCE AT THE TRIAL. In AugustĀ  1914, the rural TasmanianĀ  community of Sheffield lost both its young doctors; one

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Raymond Miller (aka Pamela Payne) – Exam Imposter.

Raymond Miller (aka Pamela Payne) - Exam Imposter.

Raymond Campbell Miller first came to public notice in 1942, when his wife Alice applied for a divorce on the grounds of his adultery. The case was aired in all its sordid detail, particularly by Truth newspaper.Ā  MillerĀ  denied being intimate with the young nurse he was

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Kiwi Boot Polish and ANZAC Pride.

Kiwi Boot Polish and ANZAC Pride.

Kiwi polish was first produced in 1908 by Melbourne businessĀ  partnersĀ  Hamilton McKellan and William Ramsay.Ā  The name Kiwi was a tribute to Ramsay’s New Zealand born wife. For two reasons the product was a major improvement on the old boot blacking (remember Charles Dickens working in

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TESS THE WONDER POLICE DOG

TESS THE WONDER POLICE DOG

In 1933, two trained Alsatians, Tess and Harada, joined the New South Wales Police Force. Almost immediately they were earning their keep, apprehendingĀ  criminals and trackingĀ  people lost in the bush.Ā  Tess in particular would go on to perform amazing feats of detection. SheĀ  was adored by

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Imperial Arcade Lottery Swindle

Imperial Arcade Lottery Swindle

The saying goes that life is a lottery, andĀ  in nineteenth century Sydney two men promised everyone a chance to win big. In theĀ  early 189osĀ  Australia experiencedĀ  a severe economic depression. Many banks and other financial institutions went bust. One casualtyĀ  was the Mercantile Building Land

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THE EASTERN SPINEBILL – aka COBBLER’S AWL šŸ˜Ž

THE EASTERN SPINEBILL - aka COBBLER'S AWL šŸ˜Ž

Draw some little legs on a wooden handled cobbler’s awl (even with my lack of skill)Ā  and you would have somethingĀ  resembling an Eastern Spinebill.   In the old days they wereĀ  often referred to as Cobbler’s Awl Birds, and I’m sure that beak could pierce boot

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HUONDEN – LOVE AND LOSS

HUONDEN - LOVE AND LOSS

In 1895, architect Alan Cameron Walker designed his own home, Huonden,Ā  in his birthplace of Hobart.   The property had an immediate impact; That charming coterie of accomplished ladies and gentlemen who strive to keep an interest in art alive in our midst and who form the

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ABALONE – AKA MUTTON FISH šŸ˜Ž

ABALONE - AKA MUTTON FISH šŸ˜Ž

As a dairy farmer’s daughter, the first holiday I ever had (apart from staying with relatives) was in the little Tasmanian town of Boat Harbour.Ā  With cows to milk every day we just never went on family vacations. My seaside holiday was thanks toĀ  Laura and Geoff

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STEPHEN BRANSGROVE – ART FRAUD 101

STEPHEN BRANSGROVE - ART FRAUD 101

In 1933 Tasmanian born artistĀ  Stephen Bransgrove was being feted as a principal prize winner at the 108th annual exhibition at the National Academy of Design in New York City. Bransgrove was a complete unknown, so it was a huge but pleasant surprise.Ā  Apparently he hadĀ  lived

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