THE DEVILISH MR DESIRE LA COURT

THE DEVILISH MR DESIRE LA COURT

Desire La Court arrived in Australia before the outbreak of WWI as George Ohl, from Frankford. Like so many others he was interned as an enemy alien, initially in Queensland, from where he escaped, and then at the huge Holsworthy camp in New South Wales. It was

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NOT THE BEST ‘HUSBAND’ – THE SHOOTING OF EDITH SMITH

NOT THE BEST  'HUSBAND' - THE SHOOTING OF EDITH SMITH

Edith and George Smith married in Queenstown around 1913. They later moved to the Hobart suburb of New Town, where they ran a general store on the corner of Carlton and Pedder Streets. The building still stands.   The business was actually owned by Edith, who had

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MR HIGGS, A SYDNEY BOOT SELLER

MR HIGGS, A SYDNEY BOOT SELLER

In the late 19th century Albert  Higgs established a profitable boot and shoe store in William Street, Darlinghurst. The location became known as Higgs’ Corner. Custom-made footwear drew wealthy city customers, while country folk could order from illustrated catalogues. The following advertisement appeared in The Catholic Press

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JANE SMITH (BAIKIE) THE MURDER TRIALS

JANE SMITH (BAIKIE) THE MURDER TRIALS

For the background to this story, CLICK HERE. Poisoning – ‘Of all felonies, murder is the most horrible, of all murders, poisoning the most detestable, and of all poisoning, that causing a lingering death the most  cruel.’   Chief Justice Sir Edward Coke, 1615 JANE SMITH –

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BLACKHEATH BOBBY!

BLACKHEATH BOBBY!

DID BLACKHEATH  REALLY NEED A BOBBY? During the summer of 1892 the cash box was stolen from the general store in  the Blue Mountains village of Blackheath. There was an immediate  call to appoint a policeman. Not everyone was in favour of this step, as the  following

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MURDER OR MALADY? INTRIGUE BY THE THAMES.

MURDER OR MALADY? INTRIGUE BY THE THAMES.

DEATH BY  THE RIVER THAMES Walkers along the Thames Path  should take a break at the village of Cumnor, otherwise reached by car via the A420 from Oxford. In the 14th century the monks of Abingdon Abbey built Cumnor Hall, scene of a mysterious death in the

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