Bibliograph

The baby farmers, a chilling tale of missing babies, shameful secrets and murder in 19th century Australia, Annie Cossins

Type

Label

The baby farmers, a chilling tale of missing babies, shameful secrets and murder in 19th century Australia, Annie Cossins

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references and index

resource.biographical

contains biographical information

Illustrations

mapsplatesportraitsillustrations

Index

index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The baby farmers

Oclc number

861177688

Responsibility statement

Annie Cossins

Sub title

a chilling tale of missing babies, shameful secrets and murder in 19th century Australia

Summary

In October 1892, a one-month-old baby boy was found buried in the backyard of Sarah and John Makin, two wretchedly poor baby farmers in inner Sydney. In the weeks that followed, 12 more babies were found buried in the backyards of other houses in which the Makins had lived. This resulted in the most infamous trial in Australian legal history, and exposed a shocking underworld of desperate mothers, drugged and starving babies, and a black market in the sale and murder of children. Annie Cossins pieces together a dramatic and tragic tale with larger-than-life characters: theatrical Sarah Makin, her smooth-talking husband John, her disloyal daughter, Clarice, diligent Constable James Joyce with curious domestic arrangements of his own, and a network of baby farmers stretching across the city. It's a glimpse into a society that preferred to turn a blind eye to the fate of its most vulnerable members, only a century ago

Target audience

adult

resource.variantTitle

Chilling tale of missing babies, shameful secrets and murder in 19th century Australia

Classification