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Tales from the Grave
Uncovering family history from down under
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A family secret for a Prime Minister
Every family has its secrets, but the Hughes family, Australian royalty in the early 1900s, had one with permanent consequences.
Samantha Elley
Aug 3, 20212 min read
Bridget Partridge: The Flighty Nun
It was a time where patriarchy ruled and sectarianism between the Catholic and Protestant churches was rife
Samantha Elley
Jul 27, 20213 min read
Sole survivor of great peacetime tragedy
James Johnson miraculously survived Australia's worst peace time marine tragedy
Samantha Elley
Jul 20, 20213 min read
Reformed drunk builds a church
The story of John Lees is one of redemption and hope.
Samantha Elley
Jul 13, 20213 min read
An artist who practiced the occult and worshipped Pan
She was known as the 'Witch of Kings Cross' and Rosaleen Norton confessed to a deep interest in and practice of the occult
Samantha Elley
Jul 6, 20213 min read
Chasing Arthur's final resting place
The sun, and a few storm clouds, kept us company this afternoon on our quest for the story of Arthur Beaumont Goard.
Samantha Elley
Jun 29, 20212 min read
His death created a community place in his home town
Recently at Broken Head, near Byron Bay on the north-east coast of NSW, the little wooden church of St Oswalds held its final service
Samantha Elley
Jun 22, 20213 min read
Dad and Dave creator brought early farming life into Australian literature
Celebrating the life of the writer behind Dad and Dave and the movie On Our Selection.
Samantha Elley
Jun 15, 20213 min read
He established Bushman's Bible and portraiture prize
What do Australia's most famous portrait prize, the now defunct Bulletin magazine and Hyde Park fountain in the heart of Sydney all have...
Samantha Elley
Jun 8, 20213 min read
She saved her captors from drowning
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the name of an Indigenous Australian who has died.
Samantha Elley
Jun 1, 20213 min read
Female 'vagabond' is teacher, undercover journo and marries at 72
Her articles on the health system in Victoria highlighted its shortcomings.
Samantha Elley
May 25, 20213 min read
Somerton man exhumed to solve 70 year old mystery
Early last year Tales wrote about the mystery of Somerton man. A case where the body of a man was discovered on Somerton beach on December 1
Samantha Elley
May 19, 20211 min read
Female bushranger wore pants alongside Captain Thunderbolt
In 1865 police had tracked the notorious bushranger Captain Thunderbolt to his camp in the Maitland area. What they found was a heavily...
Samantha Elley
May 18, 20214 min read
Chained to a rock on Goat Island for 2 years
Goat Island in Sydney Harbour became Charles 'Boney' Anderson's prison for two years, chained to a large sandstone rock.
Samantha Elley
May 11, 20214 min read
Nine-year-old completes 2500km trek alone
A 9 year old boy travels from the country to the city alone and stirs up a nation.
Samantha Elley
May 4, 20214 min read
Pioneer with Tolstoy connections saves stranded ship's crew
Frank Skinner Thompson and his wife Alice Maude knew how to show hospitality.
Samantha Elley
Apr 27, 20213 min read
How a piece of paper caused more drama than a soap opera
The fight over his will took up more space in the newspaper than his obituary.
Samantha Elley
Apr 20, 20213 min read
Rocket scientist had his eyes on the stars
This young dairy lad from New Zealand maps the heavens.
Samantha Elley
Apr 13, 20213 min read
He had a finger in whaling, philanthropy and politics
He had a heart for people and a head for business in the early Hobart days.
Samantha Elley
Apr 5, 20214 min read
A date with SAG to talk about Tales
I was honoured to be asked to talk about the establishment of Tales
Samantha Elley
Mar 27, 20211 min read
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