SCHOOLGIRLS IN EXILE My book, The Water Doctor’s Daughters, is the biography of a dysfunctional family, but it is also Victorian era true crime. It centres on the case of French born governess Mlle Celestine Doudet. In 1855 the governess was tried over the deaths of her
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While in England some time ago I was shown an ancient piece of scrimshaw in a private collection. My interest was aroused because the whale’s tooth was carved with an image (artist unknown) of a three-masted sailing ship. On one side was the tantalizing inscription; STORES SHIP
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Dr James Colthurst is perhaps best known for having been a close friend of the late Princess Diana. He was trusted implicitly by Diana , and acted as a go-between during one of the most difficult periods of her life. It was Colthurst who conveyed the secret tapes she
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A BIG DAY OUT …..by EDITOR DES Well when we were in England last time, Dr Bob decided we would go to the cricket in LONDON. It was supposed to be a bonding session, as me and Pauline have had a few ‘issues’ lately (her fault, not
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In 2014, I was in the UK following the launch of my book on the Thames Path, held at Marlow Library. Everyone was so kind and generous, especially as I was an Aussie with a rather cheeky approach to English history. 😎 Next day I received a
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TRAVELLING ALONG THE THAMES PATH Apart from Harleyford and Marlow, Thames locations with which I have a close personal association, Reading features unusually heavily in my book, All Along the River; Tales From the Thames. Here is a little extract. Copy from the book is in black,
Read more →One of the difficulties I found in writing a book about the river Thames was making those really hard decisions about what should go in! So much history…..so much intrigue and scandal. Naturally I was tempted to include far too much about my beloved Harleyford Estate at
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Hello….Editor Des here, with a story about BRADMAN! 🏏 Well until the dreaded virus it was all sport, sport, sport in our household. So I thought I would write a piece about a famous cricketer! By the way, the local coach once told me that I had
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Florence Campbell was born in Woolloomooloo, Sydney on September 5th 1845, the eldest daughter of Ann and Robert Campbell. Her father had made his fortune as a merchant, and in trading in gold after the big strike at Ophir in the Central West of New South Wales.
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