A talk by Rachel Franks
When: Saturday 22 February, 10.15am for 10.30am start.
Where: The Pavilion, Marrickville Library.
Join Rachel Franks for a journey into our dark past and the history of the death penalty in Australia via the life of Robert ‘Nosey Bob’ Howard.
Howard, the longest-serving executioner for New South Wales, was the man who hanged 61 men and one woman on the scaffold at Darlinghurst Gaol.
We will also hear about some of the early efforts to abolish capital punishment, including the work done by journalists, politicians and everyday people who wanted a more compassionate justice system.
Dr Rachel Franks holds PhDs in Australian crime fiction (Central Queensland University) and true crime texts (University of Sydney). She is the author of the award-winning book ‘An Uncommon Hangman: The life and deaths of Robert ‘Nosey Bob’ Howard’ (UNSW Press 2022).
Copies of the book will be available for purchase on the day at a special price of $30 (cash or bank transfer).
Marrickville Heritage Society 