Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends
Tales from a Colonial Coroner's Court
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Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends
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Narrated by:
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Emma Grant Williams
About this listen
Murder, manslaughter, suicide, mishap - the very public business of determining death in colonial Sydney. Murder in colonial Sydney was a surprisingly rare occurrence, so when it did happen, it caused a great sensation. People flocked to the scene of the crime, to the coroner's court, and to the criminal courts to catch a glimpse of the accused.
Most of us today rarely see a dead body. In 19th-century Sydney, when health was precarious and workplaces and the busy city streets were often dangerous, witnessing a death was rather common. And any death that was sudden or suspicious would be investigated by the coroner.
Henry Shiell was the Sydney city coroner from 1866 to 1889. In the course of his unusually long career, he delved into the lives, loves, crimes, homes, and workplaces of colonial Sydneysiders. He learned of envies, infidelities, passions, and loyalties, and just how short, sad, and violent some lives were. But his court was also, at times, instrumental in calling for new laws and regulations to make life safer.
Catie Gilchrist explores the 19th-century city as a precarious place of bustling streets and rowdy hotels, harborside wharves and dangerous industries. With few safety regulations, the colorful city was also a place of frequent inquests, silent morgues, and solemn graveyards. This is the story of life and death in colonial Sydney.
Praise:
"Catie Gilchrist draws back the veil on death in nineteenth-century Sydney to reveal life - ordinary, tragic and hopeful." (David Hunt, author of Girt and True Girt)
©2019 Dr. Catie Gilchrist (P)2019 HarperCollins PublishersWhat listeners say about Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- lauraaaaaa
- 28-01-2023
great read also interesting from a social history
great read also interesting from a social history perspective in australia at that time ccc
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 08-12-2022
Be a fly on the wall in Colonial Sydney
This is an absolutely amazing book. It will literally take you back in time. If you love true crime podcasts OR history (or both like me), then this is the audiobook for you. I feel like I have spent a week in 19th Century Sydney, it is that visceral.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stephen S
- 19-05-2020
Thoroughly Captivating !
I love everything to do with Australia's and especially , Sydney's , Past History . This Audiobook is truly amazing and from start to finish had me totally captivated . Fantastic !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Magpie
- 12-07-2020
Brilliant
Highly recommended. Well researched, thoughtful. Excellent narration as well. Bringing early Australian history to life.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- matt murphy
- 15-04-2025
Fantastic research.
Her enthusiasm for the subject matter shone through. It might be a criticism that it is too Sydney-centric, but as a student of Sydney history myself this was far from a problem!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 24-03-2021
Brings Sydney’s macabre colonial history to life!
I couldn’t stop listening once I got started.
Dr Gilchrist’s book is a fascinating deep dive into Sydney’s pre-Federation history and the lives of its inhabitants, which, even Sydneyites tend not to know/learn very much about. It paints an interesting picture of Sydney life in the 19th Century, and captures the essence of that old saying “Media vita in morte sumus” or in the midst of life we are in death.
There is a subject of intrigue for everyone interested in history, murder mysteries, legal studies or just general knowledge. I’d particularly recommend it to anyone living in Sydney, Australia who’d like to know more about our city.
Dr Gilchrist also handles each tragic case with respect and non-judgement, and she takes care to frame crimes like infanticide, or situations of suicide, into an appropriate context for modern readers.
I absolutely recommend it!
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Catherine
- 16-03-2022
Great storytelling woven with history
Well researched, very insightful. Voice is pleasant to listen to.
A must for anyone interested in the history of Darlinghurst
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 23-05-2022
Fascinating.
A whole new area of Australian history I had no idea about. The author is a natural story teller. highly recommend to anyone who loves Australian history.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 25-07-2023
A great retelling of Australian history.
Wonderfully read retelling of Australian history, the stories are sad, interesting and fill you with a sense of gratefulness for how far we have come in such a relatively short amount of time.
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