FOR THE FIRST PART OF THIS STORY CLICK HERE. On May 25, 1934, Professor Henry Chapman was suddenly taken ill while at work in the Physics Building at Sydney University. He was rushed to hospital, but could not be revived. Initially it was assumed he had suffered a
Read more →HENRY CHAPMAN, STAR STUDENT Professor Henry George Chapman was born in England, in 1879. When his family migrated to Australia, Henry attended Melbourne University on a scholarship. He studied medicine, graduating with first – class honours and excelling in anatomy, physiology and pathology. He was described as being
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Shortly before midnight on Tuesday, April 8 1930, what has been described as the most daring robbery in the history of Australia took place. The heist was conceived by Roy Wilkinson, a 24 year old railway porter. Wilkinson had been serving as escort on the mail train from Sydney to Mudgee, which
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My great grandfather William Larcombe arrived in Launceston, Tasmania in December 1856 aboard the ship Alice Walton. William was then aged 25. He was accompanied by his 20 year old wife Sarah (nee Parker) and their two small children; Leah and Thomas. The family were from Devon,
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CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS BY COACH AND HORSES In the 1850’s the journey across the Blue Mountains of New South Wales was truly daunting. On Sunday, November 27 1853, Thomas Simons was driving the Bathurst mail coach from Sydney when he came to the top of Mount Victoria. Ahead was
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The familiar Redheads matches were first made in Australia in 1909 by Bryant & May, in the Melbourne suburb of Richmond. However, another brand came to the fore during World War II. There was scarcely an aspect of life in this country not affected by rationing, and
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FOR PART ONE OF THIS STORY, CLICK HERE. When the Methodist minister’s young wife died unexpectedly at Omeo on January 3rd 1928, shock was quickly followed by disquiet. Locals reflected on (and gossiped about) the Rev. Griggs’ ‘friendship’ with Lotti Condon, the pretty young daughter of a wealthy grazier.
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In the early 1900s, life for Albert and Annie White of rural Railton in northern Tasmania revolved around their local Methodist church. Their children regularly sang and recited at church functions. The eldest daughter, Ethel, became a teacher, posted to various small country schools in the area. She was much
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The summer of 1957 in north west Tasmania was unusually dry. My father was forced to harness up our draught horses Bell and Nugget and use a sled to transport water to our farmhouse from a back paddock dam. He used 44 gallon drums covered with wet chaff bags for
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Condensed milk has been around for generations. I do love the following snippet, published in an Australian newspaper in 1901; When condensed milk was first introduced thirty years ago the idea was scoffed at. The inventor carried the entire daily supply for New York in a ten-quart pail, delivering
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