Author Archives: dgm

I’m still working away on the Dow’s Pharmacy documentation project, but to be honest the last few weeks have not been that interesting, basically enumerating and classifying the stock of empty unused medicine bottles that had been left behind. However … Continue reading →

While I was researching Valentine Baker’s attack on Rebecca Dickinson, I also came across his obituary. Several obituaries in fact, and all quite hagiographic. Most dealt with his attack on Miss Dickinson by ignoring it as much as possible – … Continue reading →

While reading about Victorian crime and sensationalism I came across a story that you have to put in the “you couldn’t make this up” category. Like all such stories, it has a sordid and dramatic beginning: On the 17th of … Continue reading →

I’ve been reading quite a lot about the Victorian period, and particularly about Victorian crime, newspapers and newspaper reporting as well as reading a number of Victorian sensation novels such as Wilkie Collins’ “Woman in White” and Mary Braddon’s “Lady … Continue reading →

I’ve previously written about the heads used on Queen Victoria’s coins, and how there had been an abortive attempt to introduce a common currency throughout the British Empire. One place where it didn’t work was Jamaica, where the local Afro … Continue reading →

A few days ago I was on the number 16 tram in Melbourne rattling up Balaclava Road, and half day dreaming while looking out the window. When the tram got as far as the intersection of Balaclava and Orrong roads … Continue reading →

Yesterday, as well as being the last day of the year was a beautiful cool summer Sunday morning and ideal for a walk before it got too hot. For a change we decided to walk up to the old Lunatic … Continue reading →

The answer is, of course, it depends. Clearly it was very affordable for the middle classes but possibly less so for the poorer elements of society. Most writers suggest that it was the equivalent of something between fifty cents and … Continue reading →

We’ve recently been watching first series Victoria on the ABC, which has finally shown it eighteen months after its first release in the UK. In one of the early episodes Victoria has her hair done in an elaborate style with … Continue reading →

(not actually the penny post – it’s from Victoria where the post cost 2d in the 1890’s …) I’ve written about the significance of the penny post before, but one thing that comes through from both accounts of the Madeleine … Continue reading →