Episode 278 - The Female Blondin - Part 1

Arnold Resch featured in a breach of promise case in September 1925. Before  the Marriage Act of 1961 in Australia you could enact legal action for "breach of promise to marry",that is, suing for call...

30 Jun 55min

Mena Val was a notable Australian circus performer in theearly 1900s, recognized for her skills in slack wire walking, trick cycling and whip cracking. *Warning – this episode covers has reference to ...

28 Jun 48min

Catherine Isabella Webber, known as Kate, was the FemaleBlondin. Her stage name was "Ella Zuila" and she was known as the heroine of the high wire. She also used Ella Loyal and Ella Zoila as stage nam...

23 Jun 26min

Arthur Dredge married bigamously on the 19th Aug 1907 to Mabel Wright in Colac Victoria. He had married Anne McCann on the 24 July 1899 in Victoria and they had two daughters. He served 12 months in j...

17 Jun 22min

Billy Waite was born in 1880 on a sugar cane property at Breadalbane, Qld. When Martini's Buckjumping Show came to town Billy’s life changed dramatically. He joined Martini on tour and in 1906 took ou...

17 Jun 47min

When doing Episode 275 on Simon Fraser, I came across Nangus Jack who made stockwhips. Simon described him as a master craftsman and clever teacher. Nangus Jack was born John Nangus Hughes and was of ...

13 Jun 16min

Alexander Rintoul died 24 March 1911. He was a second saloon steward who died on the wrecked passenger steamer Yongala that sank in a cyclone off the coast of Queensland, with the loss of all 122 pass...

13 Jun 24min