In September 1873 in Moonta South Australia, Thomas Woolcock died slowly from mercury poisoning.His wife, Elizabeth Woolcock, was convicted of his murder and became the only woman hanged in South Australia.

Reg Lye was an Australian actor who worked extensively in Australia and England. He was married to my grandmothers first cousin, Ruth Clyne.

Rebecka Small was born in Port Jackson on the 22 September 1789, the eldest daughter of John Small and Mary Parker. She is thought to be the first Anglo-Australian born girl to be married in Australia and the oldest living white Australian at the time of her death aged 93 in 1883.

Lola Montez was a hugely popular and controversial performer in the mid 1850s and was known as an ‘adventuress’. Crowds descended on the Victoria Theatre in the Victorian Goldfields to witness her notorious 'Spider Dance', a titillating version of a tarantella, an Italian folk dance.

Lola Montez was a hugely popular and controversial performer in the mid 1850s and was known as an ‘adventuress’. Crowds descended on the Victoria Theatre in the Victorian Goldfields to witness her notorious 'Spider Dance', a titillating version of a tarantella, an Italian folk dance.

**Warning - there aspects of this episode that listeners may find distressing **

 In June 1898 there was an article in a WA paper titled 'Sad Family Scandal'. This is the story of 16 year old, Henry Mason and his family.

There is some conjecture about the first baby born to Anglo-Saxon parents on Australian soil. Governor Phillip's reports do not mention the first birth in the colony. On 12 February 1790 he simply states the number of births, 59, that had occurred to date.There are two distinct possibilities: William Nash and Elizabeth Baker. This episode tells the story of both babies and how they fared in Australia

George and Jessie Read featured in an article outlining their divorce case in 1905. This is the story of George and Jessie and their family.

Eighteen births took place during the First Fleet voyage to Port Jackson, including two stillbirths and one miscarriage. Phoebe Norton and Ann Colpitts were two convict women who assisted births on the journey on their ship, the Lady Penryn. This is their story.

Charles Hall was involved in a divorce case with his wife Jane. He was jailed for 2 years as a result of perjury in this case. This was the first time I had seen a divorce case result in an incarceration!