The Cross Bones Graveyard , in medieval times an unconsecrated cemetery for prostitutes , later used for burying paupers, turned into a shrine in recent times ,is the cover story in the latest edition of Progenitor, journal of the Genealogical Society of the Northern Territory .
Cross Bones, it states, was established for prostitutes, or "single women "who were known as "Winchester Geese" as they were licensed by the Bishop of Winchester ,Henry of Blios, to work within the Liberty of Clink.
As this area was outside the jurisdiction of the City of London it became known for its brothels and theatres, bull and bear baiting .
Archaeological digs carried out in the l990s found a highly crowded graveyard with bodies piled on top of one another. Tests showed those buried there had suffered from smallpox,tuberculosis,Paget's disease,osteoarthritis and vitamin D deficiency.
The article says the graveyard gates are permanently decorated by a changing array of messages, ribbons, flowers and other tokens. In addition, a short memorial service is held at the gates on the 23rd of each month .
COLONIAL MASSACRES
Another interesting article covers Australian massacres 1788-1930.It says Northern Territory atrocities are being included in the University of Newcastle's frontier massacres map. NT researcher Dr Robyn Smith is quoted as saying it was impossible to enter all massacres on the map because so many of them took place in secret. Perpetrators were a mix of police, civilians and pastoralists.
Mounted Constables William Willshire and Erwein Wurmbrand had been particularly brutal in Central Australia. Willshire had been later posted to the Victoria River district where he "wreaked similar havoc."
People had been careful destroying evidence. The preferred method was build a huge fire, she said, and then throw the victim corpses on it , often with the bodies of cattle.Shootings and poisonings were included in the map.
There was evidence of flour and horse meat poisoning,even putting strychnine in tobacco.
BLACK DEATH AND LOST CEMETERY
There are well illustrated articles about the bubonic plague outbreaks in Queensland and the so called lost plague cemetery on Gibson Island ,off Brisbane .
The first known case of the plague in Australia was reported in Sydney in January 1900 .The first Queensland case was at Rockhampton in April 1900,others soon after in Townsville and Brisbane .During 1900 there were 136 identified cases of plague infection in Queensland;57 died; Townsville had 37 cases and nine deaths .In Rockhampton there were 36 cases, 21 deaths; Cairns had five cases and two deaths.
One unfortunate known as "lunatic William Lee"from the Townsville Charters Towers area , was taken by ship to Brisbane ,placed in quarantine, where he died . Many victims were buried on Gibson Island, taken there by the "plague boat" and buried in the lost cemetery.
Houses were fumigated,bed linen and curtains burned, a stockade built around some dwellings.The last Queensland case was reported in 1922.
