Episodes

  • The Only Woman Executed in South Australia - Elizabeth Woolcock
    Mar 23 2025

    In December 1873, 25-year-old Elizabeth Woolcock walked to the portable gallows in the laneway of the Adelaide Gaol wearing a simple white frock and carrying a posy of flowers.


    She was to be judicially executed for the supposed murder of her husband Thomas Woolcock in the mining area of Moonta, South Australia. But was she actually guilty?


    Elizabeth's life was one of lifelong trauma, her life touching on the Eureka Stockade, sexual assault and drug use. But did she deserve to die for her alleged crime in a time when she was unable to speak in her own defence.


    This is the story of Elizabeth Woolcock

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    25 mins
  • The One-Eyed Tiger of Little Bourke Street
    Sep 1 2024
    Cecilia Curtain is one our prisoners at Geelong Gaol, being incarcerated there in 1893 as part of one of her many sentences. She has always fascinated me with her eye patch over her right eye, wondering what had happened to her to cause such an injury. I will tell you what I think during the podcast. Cecilia's story relates to a couple of other crimes that made headlines at the time of their occurrence - one of murder and one of a gold robbery. One of these stories is told in more detail in the episode titled The Body in the Window about bushranger George Melville.
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    33 mins
  • The Body in the Window
    Mar 19 2023

    At the height of the Victorian Gold Rush, a bold plan was made by a group of bushrangers to hold up the Private Gold Escort carrying its bounty to the Melbourne Treasury from the McIvor goldfields in 1853.

    The robbery and subsequent trial ended in the sentence of death for three men and caused another man to suicide. One man ended up in the window of his wife's shop!

    The body of bushranger George Melville in the front window of a Little Bourke Street Oyster Shop in October 1853 caused a tremendous stir in colonial Melbourne! This act also led to a change in the Victorian law on how the bodies of the executed men were treated in the future!




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    30 mins
  • Escape and Execution of Angus Murray
    Mar 13 2022

    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 the Geelong Gaol would see him at the end of a noose for the murder of bank manager Thomas Berriman, despite the fact he had not pulled the trigger.

    This episode is about the life, criminal career and execution of Angus Murray.

    Locked up with History - www.lockedupwithhistory.com.au

    Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockedupwithhistory

    Geelong Gaol Museum - www.geelonggaol.com.au

    Twisted History - www.twistedhistory.net.au

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    25 mins
  • The Season of Murder
    Dec 25 2021

    Christmas 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 is a brief overview of some of those stories.

    Locked up with History - www.lockedupwithhistory.com.au

    Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockedupwithhistory

    Geelong Gaol Museum - www.geelonggaol.com.au

    Twisted History - www.twistedhistory.net.au

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    26 mins
  • Generations of Hassett's in Geelong Gaol
    Oct 17 2021

    The Hassett family have their origins in Birdhill, Ireland and is just one of the families with links to the Geelong Gaol. Over a period of 40 years, at least 4 members of the family have been prisoners of the Geelong Gaol.

    It was initially thought this story was of one prisoner who took his own life. But further research showed a family story that linked back to the Geelong Gaol over consecutive generations.

    This is a story of a family who arrived in Australia as convicts with branches that are still in existence today.

    Join Deb from the Geelong Gaol Museum and Twisted History to hear the story of the Hassett's just one of the families who graced the inside of the Geelong Gaol!

    For more information on the Hassett family, please visit Facebook and the descendant's group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/330506604582500

    Locked up with History – https://www.lockedupwithhistory.com.au

    Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockedupwithhistory

    Geelong Gaol Museum – https://www.geelonggaol.com.au

    Twisted History – https://www.twistedhistory.net.au

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    24 mins
  • The Great Escape from Geelong Gaol
    Sep 26 2021

    In 1889, two wily old convicts named Frederick Clarke and Christopher Farrell made the most infamous escape in Geelong Gaol history. Overpowering a warder in the middle of the night they used a skeleton key to make good their escape over the wall.

    Join Deb from the Geelong Gaol Museum and Twisted History to hear the full story of this great escape!

    Locked up with History - https://www.lockedupwithhistory.com.au

    Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockedupwithhistory

    Geelong Gaol Museum - https://www.geelonggaol.com.au

    Twisted History - https://www.twistedhistory.net.au

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    22 mins
  • Murder of Mary Lucas
    Jul 25 2021

    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.

    But by November 1854, both Mary and Luke would be dead leaving three children as orphans.

    What happened to cause Luke to take up an iron bar against his wife resulting in Mary's murder and Luke's execution.

    Was it the debauched life they both led in keeping a brothel or the intemperance pointed out by Judge Redmond Barry.

    Join Deb from the Geelong Gaol Museum and Twisted History as we explore the story of Luke and Mary Lucas.


    Locked up with History - www.lockedupwithhistory.com.au

    Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/lockedupwithhistory

    Geelong Gaol Museum - www.geelonggaol.com.au

    Twisted History - www.twistedhistory.net.au

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    27 mins