Forgotten Australia

Launched in September 1922, Melbourne's The Sun News-Pictorial forever changed newspapers in Australia.But for decades this historic publication has been difficult to access and to search because it's only available in a handful of physical microfilm catalogues. Now we have a chance to liberate this extraordinary Melbourne daily tabloid and give everyone free digital access in perpetuity via the National Library of Australia's Trove database.In this "History Matters" episode, I'm joined by the State Library of Victoria's Paul Dee to hear more about this exciting project. I also sample how The Sun News-Pictorial began and how it quickly served up big photo stories about an upcoming solar eclipse, about the war threat that might see Anzacs fight and die again at Gallipoli, and about the sensational surrender of Melbourne's Public Enemy #1.To help digitise The Sun News-Pictorial:https://slv.vic.gov.au/appeal/?fbclid=IwAR00D-VcHcBJ9H6pFPaqpWtwEsLl10J6AKAaLtrJk1sOJsb0hETJvSTtAgs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sue Northey knew barely anything about her dad’s experiences during World War II. That was until she found 98 letters he wrote between 1941 and 1945. Sue joins me to talk about rediscovering her dad through this correspondence, which chronicles the great events and the small details of these turbulent and tragic years. You can get early ad-free access to every episode, along with exclusive bonus shows, by becoming a Forgotten Australia supporter. Free trials are now available on both Apple and Patreon.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even when the verdict is delivered in the Katoomba murder trial, the story is far from over – especially after the convicted man makes a startling allegation.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the wake of the gory outrage at the California, the accused faces an inquest and then his trial for murder. If he's found guilty, he'll be sentenced to death. But is he bad – or mad?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaBook Club: I’ll be interviewing Peter Doyle about his non-fiction book Suburban Noir, which is a cracking portrait of crime and punishment in Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s.We’ll also be talking about Peter’s other books, the non-fiction Crooks Like Us and City Of Shadows, and his four period crime novels, The Devil’s Jump, Amaze Your Friends, Get Rich Quick and The Big Whatever.There’s plenty to talk about – and Peter would love to hear your questions about his work.If you want me to read them to him, send them as an email to [email protected] you’d like to record your question in a free audio file from your computer, go to: https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mountains hotel. A locked room. Screams in the night and a body in the morning. The mystery of what happened in the California boarding house in Katoomba in autumn 1917 was like something by Agatha Christie. Except this wasn’t a whodunit – it was a whydunit.Parts 2 & 3 will be on general release soon. You can hear them now early and ad-free by supporting the podcast:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaBook Club: I’ll be interviewing Peter Doyle about his non-fiction book Suburban Noir, which is a cracking portrait of crime and punishment in Sydney in the 1950s and 1960s.We’ll also be talking about Peter’s other books, the non-fiction Crooks Like Us and City Of Shadows, and his four period crime novels, The Devil’s Jump, Amaze Your Friends, Get Rich Quick and The Big Whatever.There’s plenty to talk about – and Peter would love to hear your questions about his workIf you want me to read them to him, send them as an email to [email protected] you’d like to record your question in a free audio file from your computer, go to: https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did Lady Justice favour Lady Munro? Would she have the last laugh on her copper nemesis? Has anyone ever faced court more often in Australian history or done it with more style? All will be revealed... almost!Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having come back from the grave once, Lady Munro faces another close call with death, becomes ever-more popular in colonial culture and goes toe-to-toe with one of Australia's most prominent gentlemen in a high-profile criminal court case.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The eccentric Lady Munro cut a swathe through late colonial and early Federation Australia with her drunken antics, defiant unconventionality and mysterious claim to be from one of England’s most famous aristocratic families. The ‘Notorious Lady Munro’, who confessed to having been been ‘drunk around the universe’, was celebrated as ‘one of the most remarkable women alive’ – and stayed alive long enough to read of her own death in the newspapers more than once. Join me for a strange, funny, sad and always surprising deep dive into the utterly forgotten life of our very own blue-blooded lady larrikin. Parts 2 & 3 available now early and ad-free for Apple Subscribers and Patreon Supporters. **Take advantage of the Apple three-day free trial to hear them and all bonus episodes. Cancel before it expires and you won't pay anything**Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo submit questions for the Peter Doyle Book Club episode:https://www.speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaor: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While The Salvation Army is now a beloved institution, 140 years ago its men and women were regularly the victims of violent assaults by larrikin hordes who marched under the skull and bones and called themselves The Skeleton Army. These shameful attacks were staged all over Australia but were most prevalent in Melbourne and Victoria. In this episode, we explore the rise of the Salvos, the hostility they faced from the police, press and the public – and how these factors set the scene for their brutal persecution by the hateful Skeletons.Hear the new bonus episode Gotcha! Australia’s April Fools via:Patreon:https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaApple (you can get a three-day free trial):http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaQuestions for the Book Club episode featuring Peter Doyle can be submitted:In writing: [email protected] audio: speakpipe.com/forgottenaustraliaHanging Ned Kelly is 40% off here (at time of writing):https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.htmlSave Trove:Change.org petition to fully fund Trove:https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-troveEmail Arts Minister Tony Burke:https://www.tonyburke.com.au/contact Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“GIRLS ON PYLON SEX MACHINE”– it’s gotta be the weirdest newspaper headline of the 1930s. So what’s the strange story behind it? Join me for a plunge into the "Pashometer" craze that had Australians going bonkers to have a go on the machine that scientifically measured their all-important Sex Appeal! Change.org petition to fully fund Trove - https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-troveContact Tony Burke - https://www.tonyburke.com.au/contactSupport Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaContact email forgottenaustraliapodcast (at) gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s July 1950 and Sydney detectives have Arthur Graham - aka Fred Stevens, aka Thomas Croft, aka Lionel Thomas – cornered in Perth. But can the man they suspect of multiple murders escape justice again?Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s winter 1950 and Sydney detectives are criss-crossing Australia as they try to piece together the whereabouts of Blacktown widow, Phyllis Mary Page, last seen in the company of Fred Stevens – aka Thomas Croft – aka Lionel Thomas.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s 1945 and Lionel Thomas - aka Thomas Croft – looks set to pay for one of the most heinous murders in Melbourne’s recent history: the cold-blooded shooting of a railway stationmaster. Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lionel Charles Thomas went by a lot of aliases. But by any name, he was one nasty character. In this instalment, we chronicle his early criminal career and piece together the evidence that made Sydney and Melbourne suspect him in a handful of murders.Support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the true horror of the pay car outrage revealed – but buried ever-deeper in the war-time newspapers – Sydney police follow promising leads, conduct sweeping interviews and utilise the skills of the scientific squad in the hope of cracking the case. Eventually they’ll come up with a prime suspect – but where is he?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just hours after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, cold-blooded bandits staged a ruthless ambush on a railway pay car crew south of Sydney. In the aftermath of this ambush, homicide detectives faced an unprecedented task. How could they get the public’s attention – get the information they needed to catch these killers – when all anyone could talk about was the new and unprecedented threat to Australia?Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo help save Trove, please sign and share these petitions:Government petition (sign by 22 February) - https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN4747Change.org - https://www.change.org/p/fully-fund-trove?redirect=false Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the weeks after Shirley Butler's murder, newspaper reports hinted that police weren't divulging everything they knew. Then, in June 1953, nearly six months after her death, detectives announced a stunning breakthrough. But the arrest of their suspect would pale in comparisons with the revelations to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Christmas Day 1952 saw three tragedies result in eight sudden deaths in Sydney. But the most haunting of these was the vicious murder of Shirley Butler, a 21-year-old woman whose body was found just a stone’s throw from her home in Waverton on the lower North Shore. Who had killed her and why? An army of detectives would scour the city for clues – and even authorise a world-first radio re-enactment of Shirley’s last tram journey. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Fred Jones's betrayal, with Hayati branded an 'enemy alien', the showman and the performer go head to head in a series of court cases that make headlines all around Australia.You can see a photo gallery from this story free at Patreon - no need to sign up or pay.If you do want to support Forgotten Australia:Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaYou can read an excerpt from my book Hanging Ned Kelly at: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/You can also buy the book there at 26% off the RRP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who was Frederick Hooper Jones, the man who tried to ruin Hayati Hassid? In this instalment, we look at Fred's life and career as a showman and as a pioneering aviator.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaRead a free sample of Hanging Ned Kelly here – and buy the book with a 26% discount on the recommended retail price of $35.https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Having conquered Australia with Tiny Town, Hayati Hassid goes out on his own and falls into the orbit of Frederick Hooper Jones. To heat parts 3 & 4 right now ad-free, become an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter.For a three-day free trial, Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaFor Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaYou can read a free sample of Hanging Ned Kelly and get 26% off the RRP here:https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From a digitised formerly secret Australian military intelligence file comes one of Forgotten Australia’s strangest stories. In 1911-1912, from Sydney to Brisbane, Perth to Melbourne, and all points in between, Australia was enthralled by the little people entertainment troupe known as Tiny Town.Everyone was especially fond its undisputed star, 'The Mayor of Tiny Town', aka 'The Turkish Tom Thumb', the incomparable small-man performer Hayati Hassid. Yet how did this beloved celebrity - who also acted as editor of 'The Tiny Town Times' - become designated an enemy alien after the Great War broke out? What did this dark twist have to do with showman and self-professed father of Australian aviation Frederick Hooper Jones? And just where do genocidal Turkish sultan Abdul The Damned, legendary escapologist Harry Houdini and Aussie rock band The Angels fit into this picture? Join me for a four-part deep dive that takes us from the harems of the dying Ottoman Empire to the roller-skating-mad London vaudeville scene, from a forgotten antipodean box office blockbuster to the controversial very earliest days of Australia aviation. You won't believe your ears.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaMy new book Hanging Ned Kelly is out now and will make a cracker of a Christmas present.You can read a free excerpt here - and get 26% off the RRP: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the accused murderer of Holly Murphy and Kathleen Brown set to go to trial in April 1946, there's a series of shocking secret developments, including a bombshell letter that makes disturbing claims against Queensland's boys in blue. Via the original police murder file - and from information from a descendant of one of the men involved - we explore what might've really happened.To hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446To read an excerpt of Hanging Ned Kelly - https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Detective Senior-Sergeant Frank Bischof in Cairns, Bob Davis soon identifies the murderer. But how far can Bob be trusted? And what is Bischof offering?Part 3 will be available later this week via regular podcast platforms. But as an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter, you can hear it right now ad-free.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On a hot night in January 1946, two women were cold-bloodedly murdered with a grenade in the centre of Cairns. In this three-part special episode - based on the original police murder file - we take a deep dive into this callous crime, whose solution was frustrated not only by the underworld’s code of silence but also by the conduct of Queensland’s most infamously corrupt cop.Parts Two & Three will be available next week via regular podcast platforms. But as an Apple subscriber or Patreon supporter, you can hear them right now ad-free.Apple - http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon - https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustraliaTo hear me talk about my new book Hanging Ned Kelly - and for excellent true crime and history episodes, check out these podcasts:Australian True Crime - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/australian-true-crime/id1217681421In Black & White - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/in-black-and-white/id1466009446To read an excerpt of Hanging Ned Kelly - https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Note: This episode - like all old and new regular episodes - is free for everyone to listen to. I'm very pleased to present an exclusive audio version of the first 20 pages of my new book Hanging Ned Kelly, which is published this week by Affirm Press. Here's what it's about:HANGING NED KELLYWhen it came time to hang Ned Kelly, the deed fell to the nightman-turned-quack-doctor-turned-drunken-chicken-thief Elijah Upjohn. Such is life indeed.Upjohn was the latest in a long line of 19th century flogging hangmen who were allowed to run amok because they did the dirty work of the establishment that allowed officials to keep their hands clean. Despite being duly appointed ‘finishers of the law’, Upjohn and his fellow boozing bunglers were so hated they were often hunted by angry mobs.In Hanging Ned Kelly, the tale of Elijah Upjohn becomes the rusty scalpel that slices open the underbelly of colonial Victoria – an underworld seething with serial killers, clueless cops, larrikin vigilantes, renegade reporters, racist settlers, furious fallen women and cunning waxwork showmen. Looming over them all: the depraved hangmen... and Australia's most infamous outlaw.Hanging Ned Kelly is available on 27 September at all good bookstores and online retailers.To support Forgotten Australia and access early ad-free and bonus episodes:Apple: http://apple.co/forgottenaustraliaPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/ForgottenAustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While 1950s eccentrics Bea Miles and Rosaleen Norton are well remembered, Luba Shishova was twice as wild yet she's all but forgotten. Dubbed a ‘one-woman Russian Revolution’, this chaotic beauty cut a swathe through Kings Cross, earning adoring fans among the city’s reporters and outraging the cops and the judges. Now, for the first time, Luba’s story is told in detail – from her background in a war zone and her bikini court sensation to her flesh-ripping assaults and stints in jail and psych hospitals.To support Forgotten Australia, subscribe via Forgotten Australia +Plus at Apple Podcasts or via Patreon at patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaMy book, Hanging Ned Kelly, is out on 27 September. You can read an except for free at the link below. https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/Buy Hanging Ned Kelly via this very same link – or at any good bookstore or online retailer.Back catalogue Forgotten Australia +Plus bonus episodes will be released in the coming weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this day in 1922, Henry Lawson died at the age of 55. In this episode, we revisit his death and the pomp, circumstance and furore of his funeral, while also weighing the claim the Aussie bard of the bush was actually the world’s first screenwriter.Bonus episodes available as soon as you support the show via patreon.com/forgottenaustralia* The Mad Bomber of Boulder: in February 1942 the goldfields of WA were rocked by one of the worst mass murders in modern Australian history.* Sydney, Spanish Flu and Covid-19: a live talk at MEDfest, held at the State Library of NSW in July 2022.* Hanging Ned Kelly: an audio preview of my upcoming book, comprising the prologue, author’s note and first chapter. Note: this will be released on regular platforms in late September. You can pre-order Hanging Ned Kelly and read a chapter sampler for free here: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/* All Hail, Megaethon: the bizarre story of Australia’s first road trips - in the mid-1850s!* Last of the Bushrangers: an addition to the regular episode Young Ned Kelly, this tells the story of another young outlaw in country Victoria in 1922.* The Rats Must Die: a live talk about Bubonic Plague, delivered at the Sydney Festival in January 2022.* Black Thursday: the tale of the 1851 bushfires that burned out one-quarter of Victoria.* To Sir, With Hate: who murdered a teacher in 1928 in the tiny town of Wolumla on the NSW south coast?* The Body in the Barwon: in 1953, Australia was shocked by the discovery of a headless body, with the crime committed by a truly bizarre crook.* Revolvers & Razors: a three-part episode about a grisly 1927 murder in the Blue Mountains that had links to the infamous razor gangs.* The Wreck of the Errol: an addition to the Mysteries of Mystery Island episode, this is the tale of a 1909 shipwreck and the horrors that followed.* Detective McRae vs the Lady in Grey: a two-part real-life noir that pits Sydney’s top homicide cop against a drop-dead gorgeous femme fatale.* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Spiritualist Tour Down Under: the creator of Sherlock Holmes came to Australia in 1920-21 to chase ghosts. Best heard in tandem with The Guyra Ghost.* The Bones & The Beast: the case that made Det-Sgt McRae a homicide investigation hero… and the ghastly case that confronted his sometime partner in crime-solving, Det-Sgt Joe Ramus, who were met in The Human Glove Mystery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After the discovery of new evidence, the police and the crown prosecutor are determined to see Dot's killer swing from the gallows at Long Bay Gaol.To support Forgotten Australia: patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaTo read an extract of Hanging Ned Kelly for free: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the coronial inquest used to build a case against the chief suspect in the murder of Dot Everett, witness 'Miss X' tells the court sordid stories about the man she's sure is a brutal sex maniac.You can hear the finale now as a supporter - www.patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaCheck out my new book, Hanging Ned Kelly, including a free extract - https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While the newspapers reported detectives investigating Dot's murder had reached a dead end, the opening of the coronial inquest revealed the cops believed they had the maniac responsible dead to rights. With so much evidence, he'd surely be committed to trial – where a guilty verdict would see him swing.Parts 4 & 5 will be released soon. But they're available ad-free now to supporters: www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia If you'd like to read the first chapter of my new book, it's here: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the days following the discovery of Dot Everett's body, Newcastle police are joined by a star Sydney CIB detective. They have to catch the killer before he strikes again. Part 3 of The Vampire Murder will be released next Monday but all five instalments of this episode are available now for supporters (from as little as $3 per month): www.patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaMy book, Hanging Ned Kelly, comes out on 27 September. You can see the cover and read an extract: https://affirmpress.com.au/publishing/hanging-ned-kelly/Like the show? I'd love you to leave a rating and/or review. Thanks! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 1937, Dorothy May Everett was murdered in the grounds of the elite Newcastle school where she worked as a live-in kitchen maid. The case was a front-page sensation – as was what came afterwards. The five-part mini-series The Vampire Murder is one of the most haunting stories I've researched. I'll be releasing instalments this week and next. But the entire mini-series is available now ad-free to supporters. For more info: www.patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaHanging Ned Kelly will be released on 27 September. https://www.booktopia.com.au/hanging-ned-kelly-michael-adams/book/9781922806406.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here is the conclusion to Reg Evans's astounding story – including his belated rediscovery.I'll be making another episode about another incredible coastwatcher soon.Stay tuned. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recently I was very pleased to be able to help the United States embassy with information, contacts and material relating to the activities of our coastwatchers, who played such a vital role in the South Pacific during World War II. This assistance was to help incoming American ambassador Caroline Kennedy pay her respects to these brave men. Ambassador Kennedy, of course, has a deep personal connection to their heroism because her father, President John F. Kennedy, was saved by Australian coastwatcher Reg Evans in 1943. A couple of years back I produced a two-part episode about Reg’s life, that incident, how Reg’s role went unknown for so many years and how he was rediscovered after JFK won the 1960 election. It’s one of my favourite episodes and I’m glad to present it again if you missed it - or if you want to hear it again.I’ll be back next week to start a new round of brand-new Forgotten Australia episodes. I’ve been hard at work these past weeks on a handful of amazing stories that I’m really looking forward to sharing. There’s also a new bonus episode coming down the pipeline for supporters. But in the meantime, here’s Reg Evans’s story. Lest we forget.To support Forgottten Australia: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this concluding instalment, Eve Gray tries to come to grips with being mostly for her beauty before making the move to London that will change her life.Like the podcast? I'd love it if you'd leave a rating, review or maybe consider becoming a supporter: www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A century ago, Sydney chorus girl Eve Gray won a beauty competition and shot to national fame. 'Australia's Most Beautiful Girl' was soon a theatrical leading lady. But Eve discovered that being a celebrity came with a dark side. Nevertheless, she was to persist with her performance career, winning critical respect on stage and screen, working with the likes of Alfred Hitchcock and Errol Flynn. Part 2 and an extensive image gallery are available now for Patreon supporters. To support: www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this final instalment of The First Dismissal, we look at Robert Beardsmore's horrific experiences at Fromelles in 1916, his role in a 1922 soldier-settler controversy and at the 1929 Battle For Rothbury. Then came the 1932 Dismissal of Jack Lang. Afterwards, feted as a hero, Beardsmore was to play a part in the downfall of another NSW Premier – and his and Jack Lang's sons would have one final battle. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia**PLEASE NOTE** I'll be archiving the below episodes soon. Please download now if you've not listened to them already.The Battle for Rothbury, The Bombing of Rothbury, In The Execution of their Duty, The Fugitive, Sydney’s Red Year, Australia’s First Serial Killer Manhunt and The Human Glove Mystery Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When – if – Robert Henry Beardsmore is mentioned in connection with the May 1932 dismissal of Jack Lang, he's depicted as merely an old public servant who reluctantly did his job. But in reality he was the Forrest Gump of Australian history in the first half of the 20th Century. In part A, we look at his role on the Aborigines Protection Board and how he was enmeshed in a scandal that tainted Australia's first military victory. Part B is on the way!Want to support the show? patreon.com/forgottenaustraliaOr leave a rating & review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this day 90 years ago, firebrand NSW Premier Jack Lang was sacked by Governor Sir Phillip Game. In this first of two instalments, we look at Lang's early life and business career, the scandalous aspect of his personal life and his embrace of the White Australia policy, his political rise and the massive opposition he faced from his own party, from big business, from the newspapers and from the fascist New Guard. Then, in early May 1932, during the worst of the Great Depression, Lang's collision with the Commonwealth government threatened chaos and civil violence. But it would be one forgotten man who actually brought about Lang's downfall. In part two, The First Dismissal: The Public Servant Who Toppled the Premier, we'll explore the role played in Lang's dismissal by Robert Beardsmore. Usually he's written in and out of the story in a sentence or two, and if there's any elaboration it's to characterise him as a faceless public servant who merely did his duty. But we're taking a deep dive into the background and potential motivations of a man who – between 1900 and 1932 – was like the Forrest Gump of Australian history.Part 2 will be available early next week for Patreon supporters and be on general release on 20 May. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the newspapers depicting Henry Maple as determined to commit crimes as terrible as Ned Kelly's atrocities, and the police handing out high-powered military rifles to civilian vigilantes, the stage was set for a bloody showdown in the thick forest of Glen Nayook. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

100 years ago today a 15-year-old bushranger dubbed ‘Young Ned Kelly’ made his last stand against an army of heavily armed police and vigilantes. In this two-part episode, we delve into Henry Maple’s short life and reckless crimes — and ask whether he was the victim not only of sensationalist reporting but of a Victorian government cover-up. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kathleen Butler's smarts and skills saw her play a huge if forgotten role in making the Sydney Harbour Bridge a reality. But this female pioneer in engineering lived in a time when women "couldn't have it all". www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From humble beginnings in the Blue Mountains, Kathleen Butler's smarts and skills saw her play a huge but largely forgotten role in making the Sydney Harbour Bridge a reality.But this female pioneer in engineering lived in a time when women "couldn't have it all". Part two released tomorrow, the 90th anniversary of the opening of the bridge.www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like the podcast? Take a sec to leave a rating and review — this helps it reach other people who might be interested. Cheers!Just when they thought it was safe to go back into the water, another young man was mauled by a shark at Coogee and rescued by another brave lifesaver. Now war was declared on the monsters of the deep. It was a conflict that'd attract charlatans, hoaxers and Pacific Islanders armed with knives — all of them watched by huge crowds because people trying to kill sharks had became a good afternoon's entertainment. Meanwhile, whipped into a mania by newspaper moguls, Australia had heroes to celebrate, to fete as celebrities and to shower with cash. But not all bravery would be rewarded equally...By supporting Forgotten Australia, you're helping me to to dig through (and digitise) ancient files to bring you history as it's never been heard before. As a Patreon, you get a) ad-free early access to shows b) a show shout-out c) exclusive supporter-only bonus episodes d) Australia's Sweetheart — my audiobook about our forgotten film star Mary Maguire.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

100 years ago today — 4 February 1922 — Australia's attitude to sharks changed when the first known fatal shark attack on a Sydney ocean beach happened in front of thousands of people as a surf carnival was about to start at Coogee. It was a day of horror and heroism that would very quickly have a bloody sequel. Part 2 coming soon. Support: www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In March 1902 — as the Bubonic Plague tightens its grip — Sydney awakes to a disastrous fire at Her Majesty's Theatre. Next the city's Zoo falls victim to the disease that will make encore appearances for the next 20 years. To support Forgotten Australia — www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With Bubonic Plague spreading in Sydney, the highest-profile "victim" is Ben Hur at Her Majesty's Theatre, despite producers putting pressure on the Premier to circumvent health orders to get the show running again. As more people become infected and die, authorities still struggle to respond in line with their new catchy slogan: "Kill the rats and you kill the plague!" To support Forgotten Australia - www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

120 years ago today, Sydney faced an epidemic. And it also had a rat problem — but in this case it was there was too many of them.January 1902 saw the second wave of the Bubonic Plague and — despite the lessons learned during the horrific outbreak of 1900 — politicians, bureaucrats and citizens made all the same mistakes. Meanwhile, as rats multiplied and the body count rose, Sydney prepared for the most spectacular stage show ever seen in Australia. Ben Hur — nothing could be bigger! Except, maybe, microscopic bacteria carried by rat fleas...Parts 2 & 3 will be released very soon. To support Forgotten Australia and get access to early ad-free eps, bonus shows and more:www.patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this last instalment, the jury delivers its verdict in the marathon trial of Phillip Treffene and William Coulter for the murders of Detective-Inspector John Walsh and Detective-Sergeant Alexander Pitman. But their decision isn't the end of the story — with twists even brilliant barrister Arthur Haynes couldn't see coming. To support the show: patreon.com/forgottenaustralia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.