Posted in Ken Blanch

"EVERYBODY KNOWS THE DOCTOR DID IT"

The front page of The Queensland Times on Monday, 22 September 1952 was dominated by the bold headline "NATION-WIDE SEARCH FOR SEX-KILLER"

The tragic death of Ipswich doctor Donald Carter appeared in a smaller article beside the account of Betty Shanks' murder. Within days Ipswich locals had connected the two events. Even an experienced detective came to believe there was a connection the two people. 

In WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? Is The Wilston Monster Still Alive? Ken Blanch reveals his thoughts about the tenuous link claimed to exist and silences the speculation once and for all.

Sixty years after the initial article in their newspaper The Queensland Times will tomorrow publish a comprehensive article including an interview with Dr Carter's sons who have spent their lives trying to have their father's name cleared.

Read The Queensland Times - Saturday 29/9 

Meet Ken Blanch at Angus & Robertson Ipswich Saturday 29/9 between 11am and 1.30pm. Come and share your thoughts and meet the author.

WALKING THE BEAT

My apologies to my regular readers for the shortness of todays' blog but I am exhausted after a day of delivering flyers to the houses of Wilston and The Grange promoting the next few weeks of events.  

Many thanks to my staff members Dan Martin and Bridie Foster who went beyond the call of duty.

Lots of locals expressed interest in coming along to the event at Thomas & Daisy Boutique on Saturday 6 October but one fellow quite aggressively said he won't be attending the event because he knew exactly who killed Miss Shanks and didn't think anyone else could know what he knew. Once again, as is often the case, when asked had he ever taken the information he had to police, he replied it was something that was none of their business and given he has said nothing for 50 years he would rather take it to the grave.

Ah, the good old days, when everybody cared about each other. 

See you all tomorrow night

Jack

Please join us at the screening of BETTY SHANKS: The Wilston Murder tomorrow evening (27/9) at the State Library Queensland at 6pm for the official Premiere of BETY SHANKS: The Wilston Murder by Bec Newman and Maya Weidner and the launch of Ken Blanch's WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? Is The Wilston Monster Still Alive? 

Library Prepares for Screening

Preparations for Screening of BETTY SHANKS: The Wilston Murder this Thursday evening are proceeding well. Jack Sim met with Produced Maya Weidner to discuss the event yesterday and found the young film-maker eager to screen the documentary. 

Filmed as part of their assessment for Film and Media at QUT Creative, the 10 minute documentary will be entered into a state-wide competiton.

While looking forward to the competition, Miss Weidner believed they have created a unique film and that it will help to bring the story of the crime to a new audience.

Please join us at the screening of BETTY SHANKS: The Wilston Murder this Thursday (27/9) at the State Library Queensland at 6pm for the official launch of Ken Blanch's WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? Is the Wilston Monster Still Alive? 2012 REVISED EDITION - Also THE PREMIERE SCREENING OF Betty Shanks: The Wilston Murder by Bec Newman and Maya Weidner.

INSTORE SIGNINGS & EVENTS with Author Ken Blanch:

State Library Queensland Cafe        Thursday 27 September 2012      6pm - 7.30pm

Angus & Robertson - Ipswich           Saturday 29 September 2012      11.00am - 2.30pm  

Thomas & Daisy - Wilston                  Saturday 6 October 2012             11.00am - 1.00pm

A Lot of Books - Ipswich                    Thursday 4 October 2012            11.00am - 1.00pm      

Join Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JackSimPresents,

Join Jack Sim’s VIP Mailing List - home

Betty was one of us. Her story must be told.   

"The Copper Did It. I know that for a FACT"

Guilty of no more than failing to take the screams he heard on the night of Friday 19 September more seriously, Constable Alex Stewart, traffic officer, is one of five persons accused by locals for six decades of murdering the young Commonwealth Government employee Betty Shanks.

In an era where local events were spread by gossip and word-of-mouth, scores of theories were generated by those who lived in the suburb of Wilston and surrounding neighbourhoods, desperate to find someone guilty.

A number of persons became "the killer" in people's minds and today many cannot be told otherwise. Their theories have become "fact".

Alex Stewart did not kill Betty Shanks; his alibi was unquestionable but this did not stop the theories. His alibi will be revealed in another publication, to be released at a later date through Jack Sim Publications.

Please join us at the screening of BETTY SHANKS: The Wilston Murder this Thursday at the State Library Queensland at 6pm for the official launch of Ken Blanch's book.

Brisbanites Share Memories of Crime

Over the past week, as part of the 60th anniversary, Ken Blanch has been appearing instore across Brisbane to sign copies of his book on the Wilston Murder - including Dymocks Carindale, Angus & Robertson Post Office Square and Angus & Robertson Brookside bookstores. 

Ken spoke to more than 150 people over four instore signings - not bad for a writer who is 84 years young! 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to come and purchase a book, meet the author and support Jack Sim Publications. We work hard here to try to publish the best books on Brisbane's criminal past. Photos of some of those who bought a book and got their picture taken will be posted on Facebook this week.

The impact of the crime on Brisbane became rapidly evident with virtually every customer commenting that their parents or themselves knew about the case.

The theories came thick and fast - everyone had a view as to who did it  - ranging from the police officer who heard the screams, to the most common, local chemist Mr Huxham -  a good samariton guilty only of driving his customers home after he closed his shop. All of these local thoughts will be explored over the next few weeks in this blog.

Many people purchased the book as a present for their parents who lived through the era and still talk about the crime as if it were yesterday. Indeed for generations of Brisbane folk, the date and year of the crime is something against which they come to measure their lifetimes.

At Dymocks Carindale, Neil Carter and his wife came to meet Ken - Neil and his brother are the son of the Ipswich doctor Detective Ted Chandler was certain killed Miss Shanks. Ipswich locals spread the story that Dr Carter and Betty Shanks were linked. Dr Carter's mysterious death, and the claims of a link to Betty's murder, was to cause the sons of  the man a lifetime of anguish.  

Angus & Robertson - Brookside was where Ken got to meet a lady related to Betty's mother through marriage and indeed several people who actually knew the young woman. Several people who bought books went to Wilston State School across from the crime scene. One woman said that growing up in the 1960s when they walked past the crime scene they  crossed themselves; another reckoned one day there was some melting asphalt near the spot and her and her friends said it was blood and they all screamed! 

A reminder of the nation-wide coverage the murder received was heard at Dymocks Chermside on Saturday 22/9. One customer told of how her parents heard about the crime in Perth on the other side of the country. Her parents has migrated from Greece in 1950 to Australia and spent two years awaiting transfer to Queensland. In September 1952 they heard of the dreadful attack and wondered if they had made the right decision in leaving war-torn Europe. She was reluctant to buy a copy, but eventually did - worried whether her parents would want to read it about it. Sixty years later the crime is still impacting.

A number of people will be formally interviewed and their stories recorded for prosperity. Read this blog for details over the next few months.

Several people provided information about possible suspects, details long kept quiet. This information will be advanced to police homicide.

What was particularly wonderful was the reaction and support by young people - not only for Ken's book, but their sympathy and empathy for Betty Shanks and her family.

During the marketing of the revised edition, Ken and Jack aimed to try to reposition Betty as a real person, not just some historical murder victim; this seems to have worked.

If you haven't yet purchased your copy of Betty's story please do so through this website or Dymocks bookstores or Angus & Robertson.

Please attend the Official Launch of WHO KILLED BETTY SHANKS? at the State Library Thursday, 27/9/2012 at 6pm.

RSVP essential at: http://whokilledbettyshanks.eventbrite.com.au/