Last Woman Hanged
The Terrible True Story of Louisa Collins
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Last Woman Hanged
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Narrated by:
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Jennifer Vuletic
About this listen
Two husbands, four trials and one bloody execution: Winner of the 2015 Davitt Award for Best Crime Book (nonfiction)—the terrible true story of Louisa Collins.
In January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of 10 children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol and the last woman hanged in New South Wales. Both of Louisa's husbands had died suddenly and the Crown, convinced that Louisa poisoned them with arsenic, put her on trial an extraordinary four times in order to get a conviction, to the horror of many in the legal community. Louisa protested her innocence until the end.
Much of the evidence against Louisa was circumstantial. Some of the most important testimony was given by her only daughter, May, who was just 10-years-old when asked to take the stand. Louisa Collins was hanged at a time when women were in no sense equal under the law—except when it came to the gallows. They could not vote or stand for parliament—or sit on juries. Against this background, a small group of women rose up to try to save Louisa's life, arguing that a legal system comprised only of men—male judges, all-male jury, male prosecutor, governor, and premier—could not with any integrity hang a woman. The tenacity of these women would not save Louisa but it would ultimately carry women from their homes all the way to Parliament House.
Caroline Overington is the author of 11 books of fiction and non-fiction, including the top-selling The One Who Got Away, a psychological crime novel. She has said: "My hope is that Last Woman Hanged will be read not only as a true crime story but as a letter of profound thanks to that generation of women who fought so hard for the rights we still enjoy today."
©2016 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty Ltd (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers Australia pty LtdCritic Reviews
"The story she tells ... is a useful challenge to any tendency to simple moral indignation" (Beverley Kingston, Sydney Morning Herald)
"This is a fascinating book, a terrific read, and an excellent reminder of who tells the stories, and whose stories are forgotten" (Frances Rand, South Coast Register)
"... what's ... interesting is Caroline Overington's even-handed appraisal of Collins's alleged crime(s) that led her to become the last woman hanged in New South Wales in 1889" (Launceston Sunday Examiner)
What listeners say about Last Woman Hanged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Aylish
- 20-09-2022
Caroline Overington delivers again! 10/10
An important book for Australians, for women, for lovers of history, for people who think we can do better as a society than we have in the past. There are so many facts in this book that I'm going to have to buy the paper version. Thank you Caroline, I appreciate the absolutely massive job you had in gathering all of this information and presenting it in such a way that I want to know more.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- tlcdc
- 27-02-2025
Informative historical story!
A big thank you to Caroline Overington for writing this story, one I never knew existed and I feel should be told.
Wow what a story it is and I love the way it was written to the point using historical papers and great research.
When I had to stop listening, I couldn’t wait to start listening again.
The ending was informative of what happened to the people of this story and achievements etc.
The narrator was fantastic and very entertaining.
I need to go and soak all this information in.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 21-10-2021
Important history
I am embarrassed to confess, I knew nothing about this woman and the social and judicial history surrounding her death.
A travesty and tragedy on so many levels.
Women’s place in our early colonial society was hardly recognised but for the emergence of the wonderful suffrage movement.
One can’t even imagine the situation where a person would be tried 4 times !!
Well researched and incredibly interesting
Thank you
Highly recommended ..
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lana P.
- 23-05-2023
another success
I love Australian stories. the narration was really good. it was worth listening to
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Georgiana Amelia
- 13-02-2024
Thoroughly Enjoyable Listen
I really felt I came to know Louisa through this book, and personally I do not feel she was guilty of the crime. Of course, I may be wrong, but seeing as women literally had no voice, paid taxes and were literally voiceless everywhere, she should never have been hung. Thank you for writing such an interesting book. The narration was superb also.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Tracey
- 16-05-2022
Great history
Not my normal book, and it was quite factual at times. But I must say I really did enjoy this book!
I did break up reading it with other books too. Well worth the read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Jordan
- 08-03-2024
Brilliant!
If you have any interest in Aussie history, women's history, crime, suffrage, feminism, your own family history, Read This Book!
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- Anonymous User
- 27-08-2023
More than one woman’s story
Loved it. The book has a wonderful mix of history, drama and application to our modern Australian life. Thousands of hours of research and heart has combined to a beautifully written and recorded book. The voices and accents are commendable.
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- kylie
- 27-06-2024
Amazing piece of history
I absolutely loved listening to this book. The detail of not only the last woman hanged in NSW but I also enjoyed and was intrigued by so much other Australian history was narrated. I was left wanting to know more about other women who tried to help Louisa in a time that women were “not heard”. It was great timeline of Louisa and did she do it or not…. Hmmmm
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- Anonymous User
- 27-12-2024
a woman of the 1800's
all I can say is thank goodness the life of a female has changed. poo Louisa to have been tried 4 times and to be found not guilty 3 of those times, to be hung leaving her babies to be raised by someone else would be devastating.
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