Ellen Thomson - a Reasonable Doubt The Grim Tale of the Only Woman Executed in Queensland

Ellen Thomson - a Reasonable Doubt : The Grim Tale of the Only Woman Executed in Queensland
ISBN: 9781925043013
Publication Date: 6 March 2014

North Queensland was alive with goldrush excitement when a young widow moved to the new township of Port Douglas. Vashti Farrer opens the door on a colonial world, and hard pioneering lives in a tropical paradise. This illustrated book describes the men in Ellen Thomson's life, including the husband she was blamed for killing. It follows her agonising trial and surprise hanging, as well as the roles of Aborigines, Chinamen, policemen, Ellen's children and a judge whose mind was made up. This riveting true story leaves readers wondering if justice was done.

About the Author

Vashti MA (Eng. Lit) has had over 60 adult short stories published, and has won five awards. A talk on British Military executions in WWI, she gave to Military History Society of NSW Inc was published in The Australian Financial Review, June 17, 2005.

She has twice been President of The Society of Women Writers NSW Inc; been Deputy Chair of the NSW Writers' Centre: former President of the Military History Society of NSW Inc.

For kids, Vashti writes fantasy, humour, history, non-fiction, verse, plays and is a regular contributor to NSW School Magazine.

Vashti has several titles in sections the NSW Premier's Reading Challenge List, below.

She has written articles for adults for South Kids; una voce; ADB Online and a Centennial Parklands blog.

Recently gave a talk to the Australian Historical Society on The Ellen Thomson Case (podcast).

Hobbies include reading, theatre, films, concerts.