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Last Woman Hanged: The Terrible, True Story of Louise Collins
One woman.
Two husbands.
Four trials.
One bloody execution.
The last woman hanged in New South Wales.
In January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of ten children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol (jail) and the last woman hanged in New South Wales.
Both of Louisa's husbands died suddenly. The Crown was convinced that Louisa poisoned them with arsenic and, to the horror of many in the legal community, put her on trial an extraordinary four times in order to get a conviction. Louisa protested her innocence until the end.
Now, in Last Woman Hanged, writer and journalist Caroline Overington delves into the archives to re-examine the original, forensic reports, court documents, judges notebooks, witness statements and police and gaol (jail) records, in an effort to discover the truth.
Two husbands.
Four trials.
One bloody execution.
The last woman hanged in New South Wales.
In January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of ten children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol (jail) and the last woman hanged in New South Wales.
Both of Louisa's husbands died suddenly. The Crown was convinced that Louisa poisoned them with arsenic and, to the horror of many in the legal community, put her on trial an extraordinary four times in order to get a conviction. Louisa protested her innocence until the end.
Now, in Last Woman Hanged, writer and journalist Caroline Overington delves into the archives to re-examine the original, forensic reports, court documents, judges notebooks, witness statements and police and gaol (jail) records, in an effort to discover the truth.
416 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
129 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Overington
30 books574 followersCaroline Overington is an Australian author and journalist.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
She has worked for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, and is is currently a staff writer for The Weekend Australian Magazine.
Caroline is a two-time winner of the Walkley Award for Investigative Journalism. She won her first Walkley for a series of articles about a literary fraud, and her second for a series about the AWB oil for food scandal.
She is also a winner of the Sir Keith Murdoch prize for excellence in Journalism; and of the Blake Dawson Prize.
Caroline has published five books. Her first, Only in New York, was about working as a foreign correspondent in Manhattan.
Her second, Kickback, was about the UN oil for food scandal. It won the Blake Dawson Prize for Business Literature.
Her first novel, Ghost Child, is about a child murdered by his parents.
Her second, I Came To Say Goodbye, takes the form of a letter from a grandfather to a Supreme Court judge. It was shortlisted for both the Fiction Book of the Year, and overall Book of the Year, in the 2011 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Her latest novel, published in October 2011, is called Matilda is Missing. It is set in the Family Court, and it is about a couple's war over custody of their two year old daughter, Matilda.
Caroline's books are proudly published by Random House Australia.
Caroline is a mother of delightful, 11-year-old twins. She lives with her kids, her husband, a blue dog, and a lizard, in Bondi.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 131 reviews
August 14, 2016
“I hold out no hope of mercy for you on earth!!!” thus stated a male Justice, on what was the FOURTH trial, the first three having been ‘hung', for the want of a better word. Her husband died of what appeared to be arsenic poisoning, as did her second husband..
Louisa Collins, was my age when she was hung for the murder of her husband. Circumstantial evidence was the main reason for this I guess one could say, as well as just appalling wrongs all the way through the sordid affair. This was a part of Australia’s history that is just so wrong on so many levels, but as the author so eloquently states it was a wrong that initiated the women’s suffrage movement in Australia. Which begs the question, why should women have a right to vote? This was an articulate and brilliant speech, here's a snippet.
“Because it is the foundation of all political liberty…. Because, to sum up all reasons in one, it is right.”
So many influential women were discussed in a straight forward factual way. Caroline Overington researched this meticulously, using the resources at the State Archives to its best possible benefit. I have been to these archives and had a very interesting tour, it’s full of so many interesting things. I was interested to hear the memorial cards and letters from the siege that happened at the Lindt Café are stored there, too. I digress..
I struggled with this for some time in the first half or so, but as I read the author’s very careful journalistic work, I was very impressed with her work on this book. The citations and referencing must have taken hours, as well as research from many sources. I enjoyed the epilogue and follow up of what was to become of many of the characters. The author helped provide information to descendants of poor Louisa Collins.
“It is entirely possible that Louisa killed both Charles Andrews and Michael Collins. However, in the humble opinion of the author – shared by many good citizens of the colony, and three juries before the final one- the case was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and even if it had been so proved the problem is not the verdict, but the sentence. Hanging is barbaric… It is not enough to say that the life that Louisa Collins lived was miserable, for it was typical of the lives of many: she was born into poverty; barely educated; got married too early; became pregnant every other year for twenty years… Buy misery is not an excuse for murder, and if murder is what happened here, and misery is the excuse, that is pathetic, and Louisa certainly should have been punished… she should not have been hanged: capital punishment is ghastly, and more so than when guilt is in doubt…”
I was vastly impressed with Caroline’s commitment in opening up and exploring this extraordinary case. This was done with professionalism and a great deal of care. Recommended reading for all those interested in Australia’s history. You will be surprised with a lot of what she has delved into.
Louisa Collins, was my age when she was hung for the murder of her husband. Circumstantial evidence was the main reason for this I guess one could say, as well as just appalling wrongs all the way through the sordid affair. This was a part of Australia’s history that is just so wrong on so many levels, but as the author so eloquently states it was a wrong that initiated the women’s suffrage movement in Australia. Which begs the question, why should women have a right to vote? This was an articulate and brilliant speech, here's a snippet.
“Because it is the foundation of all political liberty…. Because, to sum up all reasons in one, it is right.”
So many influential women were discussed in a straight forward factual way. Caroline Overington researched this meticulously, using the resources at the State Archives to its best possible benefit. I have been to these archives and had a very interesting tour, it’s full of so many interesting things. I was interested to hear the memorial cards and letters from the siege that happened at the Lindt Café are stored there, too. I digress..
I struggled with this for some time in the first half or so, but as I read the author’s very careful journalistic work, I was very impressed with her work on this book. The citations and referencing must have taken hours, as well as research from many sources. I enjoyed the epilogue and follow up of what was to become of many of the characters. The author helped provide information to descendants of poor Louisa Collins.
“It is entirely possible that Louisa killed both Charles Andrews and Michael Collins. However, in the humble opinion of the author – shared by many good citizens of the colony, and three juries before the final one- the case was not proved beyond a reasonable doubt, and even if it had been so proved the problem is not the verdict, but the sentence. Hanging is barbaric… It is not enough to say that the life that Louisa Collins lived was miserable, for it was typical of the lives of many: she was born into poverty; barely educated; got married too early; became pregnant every other year for twenty years… Buy misery is not an excuse for murder, and if murder is what happened here, and misery is the excuse, that is pathetic, and Louisa certainly should have been punished… she should not have been hanged: capital punishment is ghastly, and more so than when guilt is in doubt…”
I was vastly impressed with Caroline’s commitment in opening up and exploring this extraordinary case. This was done with professionalism and a great deal of care. Recommended reading for all those interested in Australia’s history. You will be surprised with a lot of what she has delved into.
February 3, 2017
Louisa Collins was a working class girl married off to Charles Andrews, a man quite a few years older; nevertheless, Andrews was a good husband and the couple went on to have ten children. Life in the young colony of Sydney was tough and Louisa liked to relax by having a drink and dancing. In order to make ends meet, the family took in boarders, including one of Charles’ workmates, Michael Collins in December 1886. Not long afterwards, the rumour mill was rife regarding Louisa and Collins and after a confrontation with Andrews, Collins was thrown out. In January, Andrews drew up a will, and then quite soon fell ill with severe gastric pains and vomiting; subsequently dying in February 1887. By April 1887, the merry widow had married her boarder, Collins, who proceeded to gamble away the family’s money inherited from Louisa’s first husband. Within a year of the marriage, Collins also fell ill displaying the same torturous symptoms as Andrews. He died in July 1888.
Suspicions were raised by Louisa’s neighbours, Collins body was exhumed and the coroner's verdict was death by arsenic poisoning. Louisa was remanded to stand trial for Collins’ murder. At this point, it’s important to be aware both men had worked as wool-washers where the skins were treated with arsenic. Arsenic can poison by means in addition to ingestion. It was also used widely by households in the colony as a form of bait and Louisa’s ten year old daughter would go on to swear she had seen a box of Rough On Rats bait in their kitchen.
Louisa Collins first stood trial for the murder of her second husband, Michael Collins. When the jury came back, unable to reach a verdict, she was remanded to stand trial a second time for his death. A new jury returned with the same answer; unable to reach to reach a verdict; in fact many of the jurors found her ‘not guilty’. Where you would expect at the stage, Louisa would be freed, instead and quite unbelievably, she was then remanded to stand trial for her first husband, Charles Andrews. In this third trial, what should have been ‘inadmissible evidence’ was brought into the testimony. Louisa’s young children were also used as witnesses against her. This trial also returned with a ‘no verdict reached’ summation and even though appeals were lodged, she was remanded for a fourth time; this time, reverted to the murder of Michael Collins. The reader will really feel like the judiciary is determined to find Louisa guilty at any cost. At its closure, she was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.
The women of the colonies of Sydney and Melbourne were incensed by the four trials and the final verdict; petitions for her release were written and signed by thousands. Even people who thought her guilty felt her sentence should be commuted to life in prison. True separation of power became blurred, as the matter of Louisa’s sentence was hotly debated in Parliament. But nothing would save Louisa; she was hanged on 8th January in 1889. Louisa’s death was not a smooth execution; she was hanged a hangman who had a reputation for botching the job and he lived up to his reputation with Louisa’s hanging. But the story does not end there. You really need to read this book to see how this single event was the catalyst for the emergence of the Suffragette movement in Australia.
What a well written, unemotionally told and extensively researched book. A fascinating read which kept me glued to the pages. A well deserved 4 ★ rating.
December 4, 2015
Excellent!!
Charged with the murder of her 2nd husband, Louisa Collins appeared at her 1st trial on 6th *August 1888 wearing a blue dress, a grey cape and a hat.
For reasons known only to herself, she also carried in her hands a small sprig of the highly perfumed flower Heliotrope, locally known in Sydney these days by its common name Cherry Pie.
It transpires that she held a sprig of these flowers throughout each of her trials.
I was intrigued by this detail and wondered what the significance might be, a quick google search reveals some interesting folklore regarding this flower:
"...Other folkloric tales show this plant’s place in rituals. For instance, if you pick a heliotrope blossom in the month of *August and use it for good, then good things will come back to you; if, on the other hand, you use it with bad intentions, the wickedness will be turned around on you ten-fold."
*Note the month of August being relevant here.
This interesting legend in Witchipedia:
According to Greek legend, the nymph Clytie was in love with the God Helios (or Apollo), but he did not return her affections (or left her for another woman). Clytie pined away, spending all of her days gazing at the sun, not eating, resting and talking to anyone. Helios finally turned her into a flower and she continues to this day following his movements through the sky.
http://www.witchipedia.com/herb:helio...
In the Language of Flowers dictionary it is said to symbolize Devotion.
**This review may contain spoilers**
OMG!! Thank heavens we have moved on somewhat since those early days of Australia's...clearly flawed...justice system.
Guilty or innocent, this was such a biased witch hunt!
This woman, Louisa Collins, was subjected to four murder trials between August 1888 and December 1888, in order to secure the [desired] guilty verdict, and sentence her to the hangman's gallows.
So many things were not even considered in her [Louisa's] defense, such as the very real and possible prospect of another culprit being involved.
All of the "so called evidence" was circumstantial, yet any other likelihood of her innocence was of seemingly no consequence to her defense.
Only an open and shut verdict would suffice, she was to be found either guilty or innocent.
Four different Judges, four different Prosecutor's and four different Juries.
The first three trials were dismissed because the jury couldn't reach a decision, even after being sent back to reconsider...in one case only one person thought her guilty.
Because the colony was still so small and jurors were to be picked only from a pool of men who held what were deemed respectable occupations and positions in the community, (butchers for example, didn't qualify!) by the fourth trial they were running seriously short of prospective jury candidates.
So we must surmise that, not just for the sake of rapidly diminishing appearances of propriety, but for the imperative need of a resolution due to the already severely diminished jury pool, that an acceptable verdict must be achieved anon.
So many questions arise from these conditions and decisions. It would be intriguing to see this case played out in a mock-up court room today.
Sadly, a woman lost her life in a most cruel and invidious way as the [eventual] result of that severely flawed justice system.
Incredible to believe that this was happening here a mere 127 years ago!
I was not convinced of Louisa's guilt on all charges, however, guilty or innocent, I believe her treatment should be considered as a most shameful and gross injustice in Australia's early history.
Louisa Collins now claims the infamous title of being the Last Woman to be hanged in New South Wales...for crimes that she may, or may not have committed.
She was 41 years old, had already lost two husbands, and she had given birth to 10 children..who now had no parents. Such a travesty.
Much of this story was also devoted to describing the gallows, their function and efficacy, and also the blatant incompetency of the appointed hangman of the time who was equally renowned for his incompetence and regular insobriety, yet incredibly, he retained this position for many years.
The awful, graphic details of the actual event of Louisa's hanging were also described from records of the time.
In her acknowledgements the author, Caroline Overington states that this is the first book written about Louisa Collins. It is clear that she has done her homework and put a lot of time into researching this case, and has included copious endnotes making for easy referencing...for those of us that like to know the details.
This book is about so much more than the dreadful fate of Louisa Collins, it talks about the conditions of the time..especially for women..and their position (or lack thereof) in the overall scheme of things. About their lack of a right to vote and the move to attain that, as a basic human right.
It also discusses to suffragette and temperance movements, and the brave women that first spoke out to afford us those basic rights we now enjoy...thanks be to them.
This is a book that should appeal to anybody, especially students or history buffs with a fascination for crime and the justice system in early Australia, especially in Sydney.
What terrific learning experience this book is!
I easily give it 5★s and highly recommend it.
February 14, 2016
In the 1800's in New South Wales Australia a woman was tried for murder - not once - not twice - but four times. It took 48 men - and it was men, because women were not allowed to sit a jury - to convict Louisa Collins and condemn her to death by hanging. She was convicted on circumstantial evidence. Her attorney stood beside her through all 4 trials, with 3 separate judges, but he failed to object to perceived evidence when and where he should have. He allowed two of her 7 living children to testify against her. Evidence was submitted as factual even though it had never been proven. Her crime - murdering the man she loved with arsenic.
This trial began a movement within the women. Many petitions asking that her sentence be commuted to life in prison were backed by women, some of them the very wives of the men who found her guilty. From there the women continued and it started a "pre-suffragett" movement in women's rights.
This book put you in the courtroom - in the gaol(jail) - and in the pain of the husband. It reiterated the lack of women's freedoms at that time, their powerlessness, the poverty of the era, and the injustice by refusal of the men in power to save the life of Louisa Collins. This is both the personnel story of one womans life and also a political novel, featuring human rights, legal boundaries and moral standings.
The epilogue traces each of the people in this story, right up to the current day, and the living relatives of Louisa Collins. Also included are pictures of Louisa, her second husband Michael Collins, some of her children and the man who had a final say, Premier Sir Henry Parkes, who could have saved her life and chose not to.
This trial began a movement within the women. Many petitions asking that her sentence be commuted to life in prison were backed by women, some of them the very wives of the men who found her guilty. From there the women continued and it started a "pre-suffragett" movement in women's rights.
This book put you in the courtroom - in the gaol(jail) - and in the pain of the husband. It reiterated the lack of women's freedoms at that time, their powerlessness, the poverty of the era, and the injustice by refusal of the men in power to save the life of Louisa Collins. This is both the personnel story of one womans life and also a political novel, featuring human rights, legal boundaries and moral standings.
The epilogue traces each of the people in this story, right up to the current day, and the living relatives of Louisa Collins. Also included are pictures of Louisa, her second husband Michael Collins, some of her children and the man who had a final say, Premier Sir Henry Parkes, who could have saved her life and chose not to.
January 11, 2016
Fascinating! I have been looking at this book at Big W for a number of weeks and finally just decided to buy it, price be damned! It turned into a great read, extremely well researched and although a little biased, I too felt the injustice of this story. I actually have never heard it before, but it's a story that deserves to be told.
Firstly, how crazy is it that this woman faced four trials to determine her guilt, and yet it was only the last that brought her to the gallows and to death? Then the bumbling that occurred during said trials, as well as the obvious prejudice of judges and jury at times. It made for compulsive reading! I honestly don't know if she was guilty or not, but the trials at least to me were handled remarkably poorly.
I adored how well researched this book was, down to small details. The author has gone to pains to track down descendants and pieces of trivia that made this a great book
Anyone interested in Australian history should track down a copy- highly recommended!
Firstly, how crazy is it that this woman faced four trials to determine her guilt, and yet it was only the last that brought her to the gallows and to death? Then the bumbling that occurred during said trials, as well as the obvious prejudice of judges and jury at times. It made for compulsive reading! I honestly don't know if she was guilty or not, but the trials at least to me were handled remarkably poorly.
I adored how well researched this book was, down to small details. The author has gone to pains to track down descendants and pieces of trivia that made this a great book
Anyone interested in Australian history should track down a copy- highly recommended!
December 3, 2014
An interesting look at a very unfortunate and shameful incident in Australian history, but I found the book to be a little padded. there was a great deal of contemporary comment from newspapers and letters which was included, but seemed to add little to the story.
It's extraordinary that this poor woman was subjected to 4 separate trials and I found myself wondering just how many "they" were prepared to put her through to get the desired verdict.
The history of the women's suffrage movement towards the end was fascinating - perhaps that should have been part of another book altogether?
It's extraordinary that this poor woman was subjected to 4 separate trials and I found myself wondering just how many "they" were prepared to put her through to get the desired verdict.
The history of the women's suffrage movement towards the end was fascinating - perhaps that should have been part of another book altogether?
December 17, 2014
Wow! What a great read, I still not 100% sure that Louisa Collins was guilty, I find it appalling that there was four trials. I learnt at lot about the times and the goings on. I feel that she was a real character and maybe not totally innocent or slightly mad. Love the writing of Caroline Overington. An absolute must read. Anyone that lives in Sydney would find it interesting because of the descriptions of the places such as Botany etc.
March 21, 2022
This has to be the best true crime book I have read so far. I love Caroline Overington's novels, but this is the first non-fiction of hers that I have read. It is no spoiler to say that the subject of this book did not have a happy ending, but what happened before her execution is extremely unusual, even for 19th Century Australia. The point of this book is not to decide whether Louise was guilty of anything or not (although the reader will probably have their own theories of course), nor to judge her behaviour, but to document the handling of the case, and the various trials. The writer also shares what is known to have become of some of the people involved, at the end of the book. Finally, credit to the narrator, who did a great job.
July 26, 2016
The story of Louisa Collins is amazing! It's true that truth is stranger than fiction and Caroline Overington did not let Louisa down by her in depth research to bring Louisa's story to modern day audiences.
Louisa's story has been pieced together from widely sourced documents that together provide an in depth portrayal of the last woman hanged in NSW and the impact of her story on society.
I loved the way that the author included the story of a number of influential characters including the hangman, the judges, Louisa's supporters and the politicians.
Great Australian drama that provides incredible insight to a period of Australian history.
Louisa's story has been pieced together from widely sourced documents that together provide an in depth portrayal of the last woman hanged in NSW and the impact of her story on society.
I loved the way that the author included the story of a number of influential characters including the hangman, the judges, Louisa's supporters and the politicians.
Great Australian drama that provides incredible insight to a period of Australian history.
January 11, 2015
I was expecting so much more from this potentially interesting story. It was repetitive and riddled with quotes which needed more editing. I felt the epilogue in particular was padded out with information of people only tangentially involved with Louisa & her story
February 26, 2016
On 8 January 1889, Louisa Collins, a 41-year-old mother of ten children, became the first woman hanged at Darlinghurst Gaol and the last woman hanged in New South Wales.
Caroline Overington has researched the story behind Louisa Collin’s four, yes you read that correctly, four trials for murder. One of the three trials was in relation to the deaths of her first husband Charles Andrews in January 1887, the cause according to the doctor who signed his death certificate was Acute Gastritis, three were in relation to her second husband Michael Collins the man she married just three months after the demise of the first. Michael Collins died on 8 July 1888 of what the post mortem indicated was arsenic poisoning.
This book not only takes us through the suffering of both men as they writhed for days in agony with stomach pain but the job of the somewhat incompetent hangman – Nosey Bob, those who presided over the trials and most importantly the clamour of women’s voices to commute the death sentence passed when Louisa was finally declared guilty in respect of the death of Michael.
As with all these reconstructions of historical crimes one of the main questions is was Louisa guilty of the crime that meant ‘that she hanged from the neck until she was dead.’ It’s certainly far from clear cut, but that isn’t the main thrust of the book which is far more about women’s rights at a time they were treated as children. Louisa hanged on order of laws made by parliament of which she had no say in. She lived a life forever in the fear of abject poverty; if her husband didn’t work, she, and her children, wouldn’t eat and there was no way out of the never-ending cycle of child-birth, the last of Louisa’s babies had recently died when just a few months old.
Louisa isn’t the most sympathetic of characters, but once the death sentence had been passed those women who did have a voice, through their husbands and fathers, began clamouring for the sentence to be commuted. Although some of these were unconvinced of her guilt, by no means all were. There was after all the unpalatable truth that whilst thirty-six men had been unable to reach a consensus of guilt, Louisa was hung on the verdict of the final trial. Al of this carried out in the space of a few short months with a dwindling population of suitable jurors. Quite why there was so much will to retry this woman until the verdict of guilt was reached is unclear,but e can assume that powerful men were clearly determined that their presumption of guilt was the right one.
There is a fair amount regarding the politics of New South Wales at the time of the trials which to be honest meant little to me sitting as I do well over one hundred years later on the other side of the world, but they sound very similar to politics everywhere with the distinction that Australia was at this time trying to move away from being a penal colony to a fully-fledged independent country.
This was a fascinating read although at times I felt that I was bludgeoned by the repletion of information that this was a man’s world and Louisa had no say in the laws. I understand the argument but if Louisa did set about to murder two husbands in such an agonising fashion, she probably understood that if her crimes were discovered that the law was going to act. After all hanging wasn’t a rarity, although in New South Wales the last women prisoner had her sentence commuted.
The afterword takes us through the next few years where due to their vociferous campaigning Australian women were the first in the world to get the vote and spread the word to the rest of the world, including Britain. We also catch up with what happened to Louisa’s children and other key members of the case. A satisfactory ending to a book which gives a factual account of Louisa’s life and trials while bringing to the forefront a fight that would live long after her body had been cut down from the scaffold.
Last Woman Hanged is from my own collection of books, chosen not for the historical factor of this true crime but following my read of the author’s I Came to Say Goodbye which I thoroughly enjoyed.
July 29, 2022
A strong historical story which came a bit unstuck from its moorings. The chunk of chapter at the end, where Overington roll called all and sundry, was especially superfluous.
August 26, 2024
What a story. The history of the story is very good but the situation of Louisa was just criminal. Some parts of the book were laugh out loud funny but very few. I would definitely recommend it but good God. She really went through it
April 2, 2021
An amazing insight into the justice system in the eighteen eighties when women had absolutely no rights whatsoever
July 17, 2016
Regardless of whether or not Louisa was guilty of killing none, one, or both of her husbands (there is evidence that both men were exposed to arsenic through their employment and this is delved into in detail in the book), Louisa wasn’t given a fair trial and was made “an example of” by a group of powerful men. Three juries found her innocent; there wasn’t enough evidence to support a conviction and yet the crown pursued her relentlessly until they eventually got the result they wanted. I would have liked the Last Woman Hanged, to have discussed this aspect of the background behind the trial a little further, however, given it is likely that not a lot of this history was recorded, or has been lost, it may have been too difficult for the author to do so.
Last Woman Hanged also reveals the aftermath of Louisa’s hanging and how it impacted both her children, grandchildren and beyond, along with others relevant to her conviction and hanging. In addition, it discusses why Louisa’s hanging was so important. Spurred into action by Louisa’s sentence, many of the first suffragettes in Australia joined in an attempt to save her. Many made it clear that even if Louisa was guilty, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict her, that no women were present on any of the juries, and that women were not afforded the same voice in society as men. It eventually led, along with other important issues affecting women at that time in our history, to obtaining the right to vote. In 1902, Australia was the second country in the world, after New Zealand, to allow all women the right to vote in federal elections.
As much as this history is fascinating, I did find the Last Woman Hanged to be a little repetitive in places and veer slightly of course to discuss the events relating to people on the “fringes” of the trial (for lack of a better description). There are times I would have loved to know more of what Louisa thought of her predicament. Again, this wasn’t necessarily possible and I believe the author did her best in conveying it though observer’s notes recorded at the time.
Last Woman Hanged also reveals the aftermath of Louisa’s hanging and how it impacted both her children, grandchildren and beyond, along with others relevant to her conviction and hanging. In addition, it discusses why Louisa’s hanging was so important. Spurred into action by Louisa’s sentence, many of the first suffragettes in Australia joined in an attempt to save her. Many made it clear that even if Louisa was guilty, there wasn’t enough evidence to convict her, that no women were present on any of the juries, and that women were not afforded the same voice in society as men. It eventually led, along with other important issues affecting women at that time in our history, to obtaining the right to vote. In 1902, Australia was the second country in the world, after New Zealand, to allow all women the right to vote in federal elections.
As much as this history is fascinating, I did find the Last Woman Hanged to be a little repetitive in places and veer slightly of course to discuss the events relating to people on the “fringes” of the trial (for lack of a better description). There are times I would have loved to know more of what Louisa thought of her predicament. Again, this wasn’t necessarily possible and I believe the author did her best in conveying it though observer’s notes recorded at the time.
December 9, 2022
While the subject matter of this book was intriguing, and it is undoubtedly heavily researched, I felt like I was stuck reading an endless, repetitive Wikipedia page of information that could’ve been summed up better on the actual Wikipedia article page.
If you wish to learn about Louisa Collins - the unfairly hanged murderess of New South Wales Australia, I highly suggest reading her wiki page first. Failing that, or upon wanting to learn more, read this book.
If you wish to learn about Louisa Collins - the unfairly hanged murderess of New South Wales Australia, I highly suggest reading her wiki page first. Failing that, or upon wanting to learn more, read this book.
January 26, 2022
It was a very great stretch to make this tale of Louisa Collins into a whole book. It’s more of a snapshot about women and New South Wales at this particular moment. It was not an impartial analysis of the crime/trial, nor a thorough historical examination of NSW legal system or history. It’s rather a mismatch and none of it done very well. There are better books out there.
February 19, 2017
this plot had so much potential. unfortunately, the author got bogged down in her own words and her need to prove that she researched the subject.
May 18, 2017
I just can't any more.... needs to be 1/4 the size.
June 27, 2022
I wanted to read Last Woman Hanged when it was released almost ten years ago. While I'm glad to have finally read it (or listened to it with the audiobook) I can see why it's gotten mixed reviews.
The story itself is fantastic - the true story of the last woman hanged in New South Wales in the late 1800s. She was charged with murdering her husband and was tried four times by four separate juries before finally being found guilty. However the angle I was most fascinated by is that this case played a key role in the women's suffragette movement. The key reason for women having no rights during this time period was because they were believed to not have the same intellectual capacity or reasoning as men. If that was true, then why were women being tried as adults and hanged if found guilty? By that logic women should have been exempt from the gallows like children were. Not too long after this case, women had the right to vote which would lead to a series of rights we take for granted today.
While I loved the essential story of Louisa and the broader women's movement happening at the time, as other readers have pointed out it's clear the author did not have enough material for a book. There was so much obvious padding out and random anecdotes and biographies of this juror, and this woman who signed a petition to stop Louisa from being hanged. Some were interesting and others were not. Or even if their stories were interesting, it didn't really have anything to do with the main plot. I felt particularly frustrated because I listened to this on audiobook and couldn't really skip over the boring bits. The epilogue alone went for 90 minutes and while it was interesting to find out what happened to Louisa's children and their descendants, I really didn't need to know the life story of her jurors, judges or the executioner.
This would have been much more suitable as a magazine article or a documentary. Overall, I recommend it but read the print version so you can skim read the boring bits.
The story itself is fantastic - the true story of the last woman hanged in New South Wales in the late 1800s. She was charged with murdering her husband and was tried four times by four separate juries before finally being found guilty. However the angle I was most fascinated by is that this case played a key role in the women's suffragette movement. The key reason for women having no rights during this time period was because they were believed to not have the same intellectual capacity or reasoning as men. If that was true, then why were women being tried as adults and hanged if found guilty? By that logic women should have been exempt from the gallows like children were. Not too long after this case, women had the right to vote which would lead to a series of rights we take for granted today.
While I loved the essential story of Louisa and the broader women's movement happening at the time, as other readers have pointed out it's clear the author did not have enough material for a book. There was so much obvious padding out and random anecdotes and biographies of this juror, and this woman who signed a petition to stop Louisa from being hanged. Some were interesting and others were not. Or even if their stories were interesting, it didn't really have anything to do with the main plot. I felt particularly frustrated because I listened to this on audiobook and couldn't really skip over the boring bits. The epilogue alone went for 90 minutes and while it was interesting to find out what happened to Louisa's children and their descendants, I really didn't need to know the life story of her jurors, judges or the executioner.
This would have been much more suitable as a magazine article or a documentary. Overall, I recommend it but read the print version so you can skim read the boring bits.
September 5, 2017
Relatively interesting history of the last woman hanged in N.S.W. Not an easy woman to sympathise with from the few accounts of her actions and utterances although the real point of the book is the injustice of the application of capital punishment to a sentence gained only after an unprecedented four trials and based wholly on circumstancial evidence. Woven into the story of the demise of Louisa Collins, is the case's galvanising effect upon the suffrage movement at the time as women began to demand representation for the taxes they paid and wages equal to men. The question was, when a woman was, in society, not equal to a man why should she be sentenced to death as a man would be? Indeed, in a fledgling nation such as Australia, trying to be taken seriously abroad and striving for Federation, what place had a practice as barbarous as execution at all?
December 7, 2019
What an amazing read this was. An appalling story of cruelty, injustice & vindictiveness against one woman, Louisa Collins, who was accused of poisoning her second husband and maybe also her first husband with arsenic. She was tried four times before a guilty verdict could be achieved because there were so many doubts about the evidence. After the three trials that failed to convince 36 male jurors of Louisa’s guilt, and where her own children were forced to testify in court, the Crown ordered a fourth trial and handpicked a new jury of 12 men in a desperate attempt to “get her”. Although the cause of death of Louisa’s first husband was never ascertained, the suspicion that he died by arsenic was used in court to indicate “she did it once and would certainly do it again” to her second husband. In addition to the story of Louisa is also an incredible story of many women in Australia who began to fight for their rights in a male dominated society. This is history that is never taught but should be.
January 31, 2021
A great exploration of late nineteenth century Australia and the amazing and brave women at the forefront of the Australian suffragette movement. Shout out to the incredible Eliza Pottie, Elizabeth Parsons, Bessie Lee and the many other women who we can credit and who fought so hard for the rights and privileges we have today
June 29, 2023
A thoroughly researched account of the trials, ultimate conviction and sentence of Louisa Collins for the murder of her husband, the last woman hanged in Australia in Sydney in 1889.
Caroline Overington centres Louisa’s case against the backdrop of the social life and customs of colonial Australia and women’s place in that society, which makes for very interesting listening.
Caroline Overington centres Louisa’s case against the backdrop of the social life and customs of colonial Australia and women’s place in that society, which makes for very interesting listening.
July 4, 2017
Gruesome subject but very competently written with historical context provided. Good journalistic style.
December 15, 2016
No real spoilers, the title spoils any mystery as to whether or not Louisa Collins is hanged, so I'm not hiding any of this review because of that.
Where to start...well, I'll start off by saying my first rating was only three stars. But, after taking the time to read the epilogue, I changed it to four. Overall, it's an interesting read -- a frustrating read, but interesting all the same. One of my biggest gripes about the book was all the extra detail and fluff that the author included with regards to locations in Australia. For readers in that region, it probably makes a lot of sense and may help 'paint the picture' -- but overall it felt like someone trying to increase the number of words in their essay/novel/paper (etc) and didn't seem to add much to the story. There were times I found myself feeling a little 'lost in the details' because of the added information regarding places and town and colonies.
Because it is a true story, and because this really did happen (and sadly, still happens today), I would absolutely recommend people, women especially, read this book. I did learn quite a bit about suffragist efforts in Australia and how, when you really review history -- women in general, not matter where the location, were treated as second class citizens (if not lower) until important women in history (which, annoyingly enough, aren't well known) forced the hand of time and the good ol' boys club to not only acknowledge women, but to 'allow' them to take part in more than just child rearing, housekeeping, and cooking.
I'll end this rambling review with the following...women of history need to have their stories told more often than not. It's time that the women of the world take a moment to really look at how historically the Women's Rights movement has slowly (but surely) powered thru, and that there is still so much more movement and advancement that needs to happen. Don't be complacent. Don't just accept things because "it's the way they've always been". Be true to yourself. Be true to the women of the past that fought to give you the right to be whatever you want to be. Make the changes for the next generation of girls and women. We count, We Matter, We are important.
Where to start...well, I'll start off by saying my first rating was only three stars. But, after taking the time to read the epilogue, I changed it to four. Overall, it's an interesting read -- a frustrating read, but interesting all the same. One of my biggest gripes about the book was all the extra detail and fluff that the author included with regards to locations in Australia. For readers in that region, it probably makes a lot of sense and may help 'paint the picture' -- but overall it felt like someone trying to increase the number of words in their essay/novel/paper (etc) and didn't seem to add much to the story. There were times I found myself feeling a little 'lost in the details' because of the added information regarding places and town and colonies.
Because it is a true story, and because this really did happen (and sadly, still happens today), I would absolutely recommend people, women especially, read this book. I did learn quite a bit about suffragist efforts in Australia and how, when you really review history -- women in general, not matter where the location, were treated as second class citizens (if not lower) until important women in history (which, annoyingly enough, aren't well known) forced the hand of time and the good ol' boys club to not only acknowledge women, but to 'allow' them to take part in more than just child rearing, housekeeping, and cooking.
I'll end this rambling review with the following...women of history need to have their stories told more often than not. It's time that the women of the world take a moment to really look at how historically the Women's Rights movement has slowly (but surely) powered thru, and that there is still so much more movement and advancement that needs to happen. Don't be complacent. Don't just accept things because "it's the way they've always been". Be true to yourself. Be true to the women of the past that fought to give you the right to be whatever you want to be. Make the changes for the next generation of girls and women. We count, We Matter, We are important.
December 27, 2018
This is the story of Louisa Collins, the last woman hanged in New South Wales (in 1889), however it’s also the story of a witch hunt, a flawed legal system and a time when women had absolutely no power or say over such matters.
Louisa was convicted of killing her second husband by arsenic poisoning and yet THREE juries couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. A fourth trial finally found her guilty and she was sentenced to hang at Darlinghurst jail. The verdict caused a lot of outcry and for many reasons- many had done far worse and not been hanged, the three previous trials was an unprecedented number and not how things were done in “the motherland” and she had seven children, five of whom were dependent on her at the time of her death.
This is well-researched and really interesting. It’s an insight into the toughness of life during this time in Australia, into a country trying to establish itself, into the complete lack of choice and voice available to women, and how Collins’ death began to change this.
It’s easy to read, I thought the epilogue follow up was interesting but possibly unnecessary or too long. I listened to this as an audio book narrated by Jennifer Vuletic and she’s an excellent narrator. Highly recommend.
Louisa was convicted of killing her second husband by arsenic poisoning and yet THREE juries couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict. A fourth trial finally found her guilty and she was sentenced to hang at Darlinghurst jail. The verdict caused a lot of outcry and for many reasons- many had done far worse and not been hanged, the three previous trials was an unprecedented number and not how things were done in “the motherland” and she had seven children, five of whom were dependent on her at the time of her death.
This is well-researched and really interesting. It’s an insight into the toughness of life during this time in Australia, into a country trying to establish itself, into the complete lack of choice and voice available to women, and how Collins’ death began to change this.
It’s easy to read, I thought the epilogue follow up was interesting but possibly unnecessary or too long. I listened to this as an audio book narrated by Jennifer Vuletic and she’s an excellent narrator. Highly recommend.
January 10, 2023
Misandry much?
Paid by the word, longest epilogue in history, and possibly the most pointless. I needed to know how many fingers the grandson of the man who lived across the road from the women who cleaned the shoes of the guy who lived near Louisa, lost in the war. A slight exaggeration, but you'll see what I mean.
Almost really well read, but I soon tired of the 'panto' tone the narrator adopted. Like a school teacher reading to a bunch of primary kids. Read to the target audience instead.
Should have been a good read, but it is too long, too rambling, and has too much extraneous irrelevant content.
Paid by the word, longest epilogue in history, and possibly the most pointless. I needed to know how many fingers the grandson of the man who lived across the road from the women who cleaned the shoes of the guy who lived near Louisa, lost in the war. A slight exaggeration, but you'll see what I mean.
Almost really well read, but I soon tired of the 'panto' tone the narrator adopted. Like a school teacher reading to a bunch of primary kids. Read to the target audience instead.
Should have been a good read, but it is too long, too rambling, and has too much extraneous irrelevant content.
April 24, 2025
This this incredibly well researched. An incredible story of the life and times of Louisa Collins - which included her 4 trials - effectively the first 3 were hung juries - then on the 4th trial she was found guilty by 12 men - the last in a string of 48 men over 4 trials. It was only circumstantial evidence and I felt it was shameful that Louisa's own young children were brought to the stand by the prosecution. Despite the find jury's verdict, it's not definitive whether Louisa was guilty or not. This book will remain with me for years to come.
March 17, 2015
This book recalled the story of Louisa Collins and the uncertainty surrounding her husband's sudden deaths . The amount of work and research put into this book is amazing and still makes you question if she was guilty or not . Overall a good read and an insightful look into women's liberation and the history of hangings in NSW
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