Angus Murray was the last man to be executed on the gallows of Old Melbourne Goal in 1924. His life began in Adelaide and would see him incarcerated in 4 states – South Australia, Western Australia NSW and Victoria. He became a master thief, a conman and a bigamist. Murray’s last job after his audacious escape from…
Read MoreAngus Murray was the last man to be executed on the gallows of Old Melbourne Goal in 1924. His life began in Adelaide and would see him incarcerated in 4 states – South Australia, Western Australia NSW and Victoria. He became a master thief, a conman and a bigamist. Murray’s last job after his audacious…
Read MoreChristmas is supposed to be the season of giving and family and presents. But it is not everyone’s favourite time of year. A quick look through the newspapers of the day revealed no less than 16 murders and 2 attempted murders here in Victoria, Australia. And I am sure there are many more interstate and overseas. This episode…
Read MoreChristmas is supposed to be the season of giving and family and presents. But it is not everyone’s favourite time of year. A quick look through the newspapers of the day revealed no less than 16 murders and 2 attempted murders here in Victoria, Australia. And I am sure there are many more interstate and…
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In this episode we head back to earlier and perhaps simpler times to 1854 and Little Bourke street in Melbourne. Luke and Mary Lucas had immigrated to Australia in 1849 with hopes of a better life. In 1852 the Lucas family moved to the Little Bourke Street area of Melbourne. But by November 1854, both…
Read MoreWhat drove a man to murder his neighbours wife and his very own son and leave his wife in a pool of blood clinging to life. James Ross would be executed for his crimes at the Geelong Gaol, becoming the first regional execution following the passing of the Private Executions Bill, taking executions from the…
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In October 1865, Elijah Dixon alias Charles Alfred Dives took an axe and murdered his wife, Elizabeth and their two small daughters, Julia aged 3 and Elizabeth aged 1. This all took place in the small bedroom of their hut at Cherry Tree Flat near Sebastopol, just outside Ballarat. The couple’s two sons, James and…
Read MoreIn October 1863, Elijah Dixon alias Charles Alfred Dives took an axe and murdered his wife and two small daughters just outside Ballarat. The couple’s two sons were left alive. What made a husband and father take this course of action – what is jealousy over his belief his wife was being intimate with other…
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