Murder, Misadventure and Miserable Ends: Tales from a Colonial Coroner's Court

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.