Articles about Hangings
One of Brisbane's oldest landmarks was also the scene of one of Brisbane's oldest murders. Read about it here.
Dissecting and Anatomising the Moreton Bay Convicts
The bodies of hanged prisoners in Australia used to be dissected for anatomical study. Find out why this happened, and why it stopped.
The Gallows of the Old Windmill Tower
Two men were hanged at this iconic historical landmark in 1841 - but what did the gallows actually look like?
The Moon Man, the Headless Murderer, and Me
The extraordinary story of a Russian scientist visiting Queensland and what he did with the heads of four executed prisoners in Brisbane.
The Greatest Last Meal of All Time!
Learn about the rather incredible last meal request of a Boggo Road condemned prisoner in 1892.
The Number's Up For Malaita Men on the Boggo Road Gallows
Why did Malaita Islanders the single largest national demographic of executed prisoners at Boggo Road, Brisbane, from 1883-1913?
When Steele Rudd Met the Kenniff Brothers at Boggo Road
Author Steele Rudd had the unenviable task of informing the Kenniff brothers about the mixed outcome of their appeal against their death penalties.
Australia's Next Top Bizarre Death-Contraption
The Hempen Halter: Criticising the Boggo Road Gallows
Some very resounding criticism of the Boggo Road gallows (and prison superintendent Vivian Williams) from a Brisbane tabloid newspaper of 1903.
Chin Up! The Thoroughly Decent Way to Break a Chap's Neck
Read about the scientific push to make judicial hangings more 'efficient' in the late 19th century.
The Strangest Case Ever Made Against Capital Punishment
Learn about the Queensland MP who claimed that the ghosts of hanged prisoners might control the living.
The Longest Gallows Speech in Queensland History
When murderer George Silva was executed at Boggo Road in 1912 he gave the longest gallows speech in Queensland history.
The Last Hanging: Remembering 1913
Learn about activities to mark the centenary of the abolition of capital punishment in Queensland, and why we celebrate these anniversaries.
Dumbing Down Death Penalty History
How some news outlets decided to mark the centenary of the abolition of capital punishment in Queensland with dubious ghost stories.
The Story of the 'Executed Prisoners' Plaque
Learn about the installation of a plaque on the grave of executed prisoners in a Brisbane cemetery, and the disingenuous attempts to stop it.
The Bloody, Bloody Hangings of Ellen Thomson and John Harrison
The execution of two prisoners in Brisbane during 1887 provided a graphic example of just how messy hangings could be.
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