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The Peculiar Case of the Electric Constable: A True Tale of Passion, Poison and Pursuit

Carol Baxter

Research output: Book/ReportBookResearch

Abstract

John Tawell was a sincere Quaker but a sinning one. Convicted of forgery, he was transported to Sydney, where he opened Australia's first retail pharmacy and made a fortune. When he returned home to England after fifteen years, he thought he would be welcomed; instead he was shunned. Then on New Year's Day 1845 Tawell boarded the 7:42 pm train to London Paddington. Soon, men arrived chasing a suspected murderer - but the 7:42 had departed. The Great Western Railway was experimenting with a new-fangled device, the electric telegraph, so a message was sent: a 'KWAKER' man was on the run. The trail became a sensation, involving no apparent weapon, much innuendo, and a pious man desperate to save his reputation - and would usher in the modern communication age. Told with narrative verve and rich in historical research, this is a delicious true tale of murder and scientific revolution in Victorian England.
Original languageEnglish
Place of PublicationLondon, United Kingdom
PublisherOneworld Publications
Number of pages391
Edition1
ISBN (Print)9781780742441, 9781780742434
Publication statusPublished - 2013

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  1. SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
    SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Keywords

  • Australian History (excl Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History)
  • British History

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