Death And The Running Patterer - Part 24
Library

Part 24

Australian Dictionary of Biography, sequential volumes in progress, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1966-.

Bell, Gail, The Poison Principle The Poison Principle, Picador, Sydney, 2001.

Bennett, Samuel, Australian Discovery and Colonisation, Vol. II: 1800-1831 Australian Discovery and Colonisation, Vol. II: 1800-1831, Currawong Press, Sydney, 1982.

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, revised by Ivor H. Evans, 14th edition, Ca.s.sell, London, 1992.

Cannon, John & Ralph Griffiths, The Oxford Ill.u.s.trated History of the British Monarchy The Oxford Ill.u.s.trated History of the British Monarchy, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1988.

Crowley, Frank, A Doc.u.mentary History of Australia, Vol. I: Colonial Australia, 1788-1840 A Doc.u.mentary History of Australia, Vol. I: Colonial Australia, 1788-1840, Nelson, Melbourne, 1980.

c.u.mes, J. W. C., Their Chast.i.ty Was Not Too Rigid: Leisure Times in Early Australia Their Chast.i.ty Was Not Too Rigid: Leisure Times in Early Australia, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1979.

Cunnington, C. Willett & Phillis, Handbook of English Costume in the Nineteenth Century Handbook of English Costume in the Nineteenth Century, 3rd edition, Faber, London, 1970.

De Vries, Susanna, Historic Sydney: The Founding of Australia Historic Sydney: The Founding of Australia, Panda.n.u.s Press, Brisbane, 1999.

Flannery, Tim (ed.), The Birth of Sydney The Birth of Sydney, Text, Melbourne, 1999.

Fletcher, Brian H., Ralph Darling: A Governor Maligned Ralph Darling: A Governor Maligned, Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1984.

Fraser, Flora, Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III Princesses: The Six Daughters of George III, John Murray, London, 2004.

Hughes, Robert, The Fatal Sh.o.r.e: A History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868 The Fatal Sh.o.r.e: A History of the Transportation of Convicts to Australia, 1787-1868, Collins Harvill, Sydney, 1987.

Joy, William, The Venturers The Venturers, Shakespeare Head Press, Sydney, 1972.

Murray, Venetia, An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England, Viking, New York, 1999.

Ritchie, John, The Wentworths: Father and Son The Wentworths: Father and Son, Melbourne University Press, Melbourne, 1997.

Scott, Geoffrey, Sydney's Highways of History Sydney's Highways of History, Georgian House, Melbourne, 1958.

Smith, Keith Vincent, King Bungaree: A Sydney Aborigine Meets the Great South Pacific Explorers, 1799-1830 King Bungaree: A Sydney Aborigine Meets the Great South Pacific Explorers, 1799-1830, Kangaroo Press, Sydney, 1992.

Tyrrell, James R., Old Books, Old Friends, Old Sydney: The Fascinating Reminiscences of a Sydney Bookseller Old Books, Old Friends, Old Sydney: The Fascinating Reminiscences of a Sydney Bookseller, Angus & Robertson, Sydney, 1987.

Wannan, Bill, Dictionary of Australian Folklore: Lore, Legends, Myths and Traditions Dictionary of Australian Folklore: Lore, Legends, Myths and Traditions , Viking O'Neil, Melbourne, 1987. , Viking O'Neil, Melbourne, 1987.

Ward, Russel & John Robertson, Such Was Life: Select Doc.u.ments in Australian History Such Was Life: Select Doc.u.ments in Australian History, Jacaranda, Brisbane, 1972.

MEASURES AND MONEY.

Imperial measures have been retained in this story, since use of the metric system would have been out of character. Some approximate equivalents are: [image]

[image]

Money, unlike weights or measures, makes for more confusing conversions. It is difficult to accurately weigh and relate monetary values in the late 1820s with today's. It helps to know, however, that there was one penny, twelve of which made a shilling. And twenty shillings made a pound. Now, consider that tobacco then cost three shillings to three and six a pound, eggs one and six to three shillings a dozen, bread two and a half to threepence a pound, and mutton six to seven pence a pound. A man's good suit cost nine to ten pounds and a dozen bottles of claret thirty shillings.

A tradesman could earn about six shillings a day. A female servant, fed and clothed, cost ten to fifteen pounds a year. A farm laborer received twelve to twenty pounds a year, plus weekly rations of seven pounds of beef and a peck (fifteen pounds) of wheat.

And what price a human life? In Britain until 1827, a child could be transported for life, even hanged, for grand larceny-which meant stealing personal property worth more than a shilling.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

To all those authors, past and present and too numerous to be mentioned, thanks for the memories that informed this tale.

I owe a debt to Robert Sessions, Penguin Australia's publishing director, who overcame his initial shock at being confronted with a ma.n.u.script knocked out on an old manual typewriter and talked me out of abandoning the project when my confidence flagged.

My editor, Nicola Young, was a rock of calm, cool and courteous professionalism. Certainly, she worked wonders on my German and French. I hope my grammar improves. Bonne chance! Bonne chance! My thanks, too, to Anne-Marie Reeves for her superb design and Mich.e.l.le Atkins. My thanks, too, to Anne-Marie Reeves for her superb design and Mich.e.l.le Atkins.

My old friend from the Women's Weekly Women's Weekly, the now so successful author Di Morrissey, urged me on. I also thank Peter Klimt for invaluable professional advice and Bert Vidler, too, for guidance.

My wife, journalist Julie Kusko, put up with my panics, toned down my tantrums, read and researched with me and, when I had two eye operations, became my seeing-eye dogsbody.