Posted in Jack Sim

Charters Towers Ghost Tours has been the talk of the town, with some great news articles being written up about the inaugural tour on the 24.05.2015. The first tour was taken by local history tour guide Erica Finlay and owner and creator of Ghost Tours pty Ltd Jack Sim .

Jack Sim has always been fascinated by ghost towns ever since he read the book "Ghost towns of Australia" by George Farwell. Farwell's book explored abandoned townships, ports and mining settlements around the country.

Charters Towers and Ravenswood were referred to in Farwell's book. "These towns seemed really exceptional, so I always wanted to visit them. In December last year I finally was able to come up to North Queensland and visit Charters Towers and Ravenswood. I was thrilled to hear some of the best ghost stories I had ever heard. Local people shared with me their experiences with the spirits of the town. It's through these stories that we will tell the history of these towns to visitors."

Ghosts have been seen, heard & felt on tours the inaugural tour was no exception. As the group wandered the darkened streets of Charters Towers they  visited the popular department store Target Country, reputedly to be haunted by its former owner, The Stock Exchange and the World Theatre . The World Theatre holds the blood stained table on which the Mosman street tragedy took place.

One of the local journalists from the Northern Minor Newspaper , Morgan Oss went along on the very first ghost tour last week . "It was a very informative, local history evening.  I learnt things about Charters Towers that I didn't know.  I was hoping to get some sort of experience on the tour & myself & 2 others who were with me had an experience at the top of the World Theatre.  I left feeling very happy that there was some " ghostly " action that night. The tourists & visitors to our town who go on the tour will get a one of
it's kind Charters Towers experience."

TO WATCH THE VIDEO CLICK HERE

On Tuesday 23rd December 2014, Jack Sim will be greeting fans and signing his books at Dymocks Carindale for Christmas.

Come and chat with Jack Sim and Jack will personally autograph any of your copies from the Murder Trails Series, Ghost Trails Series, Classic Crime or Boggo Road Gaol series from 5:30pm until late for the late night shopping this Christmas!

Jack will be also be available to answer your questions about any of the notorious cases from his books, as well as other famous Brisbane Crime Mysteries.

So come on down to Dymocks Carindale on the late night shopping and see Jack for his Christmas book signing!

On Sunday 7th December 2014 at 10am until 2pm, Ken Blanch will be greeting fans and signing books at Dymocks Carindale.

Ken Blanch, author of "Who Killed Betty Shanks", "The Rampage of Killer Kast" and "Slim Halliday: The Taxi Driver Killer" will be available to talk about and sign any of his crime and murder mystery books.

Ken will be also be available to answer your questions about any of the notorious cases from his books, as well as other famous Brisbane Crime Mysteries!

So come on down to Dymocks Carindale on Sunday 7th December and see Ken Blanch at his book signing.

Venue: Dymocks Carindale
Starting: 10:00 AM
Sunday 7th December 2014
Ending: 2:00 PM
Phone Enquiries: 33447264

On the 24th of February 1935 The Truth Newspaper reported that Gladys Hardgrave was found guilty of astute confidence tricks, after a dramatic legal fight. This short, slim woman with tear brimmed sparkling blue eyes stood weeping as she was sentenced to 37 weeks imprisonment. As she was led to the watch house cells she murmured "to think it has come to this".

At large in Queensland for little over a month, Gladys Hardgrave posed as a gentlewoman, robbing businesses in Brisbane, Caboolture and Southport of more than £123 (roughly $10,670). She was revealed to be a clever swindler, tricking over 7 stores, banks and business people, purchasing shoes, hotel rooms, clothing, handing them boomerang cheques and simply walking away with goods and money. Dud cheques fell like autumn leaves.

The C.I.B. Branch started their investigation, Detective acting Sergeant "Nobby" Clark, Detective Currey and Purcel were assigned to the task of catching this fraud.  They found her in one of the leading hotels in Sandgate, posing as a wealthy widow, with a trained nurse to attend to her 17 month old daughter.

But did she receive a fair trial, and did she deserve the ultimate punishment? Author Vashti Farrer’s latest book reveals a tropical Queensland alive with goldrush excitement, and the hard lives of pioneering communities in Port Douglas, from English immigrants to Chinese settlers, all looking to make a better life. Into this world stepped a young widow, Ellen Thomson, who married an older farmer, Billy Thomson.

?After many years of working the farm on the Mossman River together, on the night of 22 October 1886, Billy Thomson was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head. What happened?

VASHTI FARRER was fascinated by the story of Ellen Thomson after stumbling upon her story in the museum at Port Douglas. Initially Vashti wanted to write a novel, weaving the perspectives of Ellen, her lover and her husband, but instead has created a wonderful work of non-fiction set in the historical and social context of the times.Beyond a reasonable doubt outlines events of that fateful night, the subsequent trial and executions and gives a fascinating insight into life at the time. It also raises the question, was Ellen Thomson guilty beyond reasonable doubt?

Jack Sim will be speaking with Vashti on 4BC True Crimes November 20th at 9.35pm.

You can purchase Beyond a reasonable doubt  at the Boggo Road Gaol shop. Join Ghost Tours Pty Ltd on a ghost tour within the walls of Boggo Road Gaol and hear the story of Ellen Thomson.

http://www.boggorodgaol.com 

https://bookings.ghost-tours.com.au/products.asp?Category_ID=369