The woman on the riverbank. On Friday 6 July 1883, a group of boys rowing up the Brisbane River noticed a person lying on the riverbank at North Quay. They pulled over to check, and discovered that it was a young woman, who had clearly been dead for several days. The lads went to fetchContinue reading “A Disorderly House, a Fire and a Murder.”
Category Archives: Newspaper stories
Dr Norman’s Address to the Jury
(A companion piece to “And who might you be, Sir?”) In April 1876, Samuel Norman (alias Abrahams, Hope, Martin and Hunter) was put on trial for larceny as a bailee at St. George. He had borrowed a horse from a Mr Payne, neglected to return it or pay for it, and then exchanged the horseContinue reading “Dr Norman’s Address to the Jury”
And who might you be, Sir?
The colonies in the 19th century provided a delightful playground for any number of bounders, rogues, rascals, and cads. All one really needed was an English accent and an air of authority, and the far-flung, gullible colonials would open their pocketbooks and parlours. An Englishman who liked to pose as an aristocrat married a goodContinue reading “And who might you be, Sir?”
The Career of “Professor” Russell in New South Wales.
Well, this might have worked in rural Queensland, but the good citizens of Newcastle did not feel the need to make “Dr. Sir George Russell” part of their medical fraternity. The bright lights of Sydney A few months later, Professor Russell fetched up in Sydney, opened premises at 146 William Street, and began to advertiseContinue reading “The Career of “Professor” Russell in New South Wales.”
The New Farm Murder. January 3, 1870.
A quiet, early morning row down the river by two men intending to go to New Farm and look for lost keys was shockingly interrupted by the sighting of a dead body on the riverbank. They notified the ferryman, who called in the Kangaroo Point police. A young man was lying dead on the rocksContinue reading “The New Farm Murder. January 3, 1870.”
The Burning of the Fiery Star
THE BURNING OF THE FIERY STAR The logbook of Chief Officer William Sargent showed that the Fiery Star took twelve days to reach the south end of New Zealand, passing by on the 12th of April 1865. The journey had been proceeding as planned, although strong seas had destroyed two of the longboats on theContinue reading “The Burning of the Fiery Star”
The Fiery Star in Brisbane
On 31 March 1865, the clipper Fiery Star sailed from Moreton Bay, bound for London. She had brought over 500 immigrants to Queensland on 20 November 1864, but her return journey would be a rather less crowded affair – eight in Saloon, eight in Second Cabin, and twenty-one steerage passengers. She would also be takingContinue reading “The Fiery Star in Brisbane”
Christmas Cheer in Old Queensland
how we celebrated back in the day Following a string of particularly gloomy Christmas leaders, the Moreton Bay Courier was pleased to report a small outbreak of charity in 1860: CHRISTMAS DAY. – Tuesday and yesterday were generally observed as holidays, the town having quite a deserted appearance on the first mentioned day. Picnics andContinue reading “Christmas Cheer in Old Queensland”
Not Quite as Dead as Reported
On Saturday 19 December 1846, the Moreton Bay Courier published news of a terrible occurrence on the Darling Downs: FATAL OCCURRENCE.—A short time ago, a Robert Tomlinson, a farm servant in the employ of Mr. Neill Ross, of Darling Downs, was reaping in the wheat paddock, a green snake bit him on the hand. OnContinue reading “Not Quite as Dead as Reported”
A Survey of Court Cases Involving Public Enemy No, 1
Hostile takeover of verandah, 1846 BREACH OF THE POLICE ACT. — At the Police-office, on Tuesday, three of the inhabitants of South Brisbane were summoned to answer informations for suffering goats to stray about the public streets. They were fined 5s. each and costs. The informations had been laid at the instance of Mr. Orr,Continue reading “A Survey of Court Cases Involving Public Enemy No, 1”
Moreton Bay and More 