There’s a word for people with an inordinate fondness for cemeteries – taphophile. Being a tombstone tourist is an absorbing pastime – a bit of exercise, architecture and history all rolled into the one package – so whenever I get the chance, I join a cemetery guided tour. Ghost walks are also a fun way... Continue Reading →
Wanganui Herald 9 June 1894 I drew on this article for a scene at the end of Chapter 20 in The Only Living Lady Parachutist, but I thought it was probably just bluster on Leila Adair’s part – that she never really intended making a complaint to the United States Consul because, despite her claims,... Continue Reading →
The Only Living Lady Parachutist is now out in the world — as print copies and as an ebook. The book launch was such fun — a bit like a wedding — and it’s all a bit of a blur. Fortunately there are photos. I organised a fabulous cake from Cake It Forward to match the... Continue Reading →
A few weeks back, I was checking a few details about Leila Adair’s New Zealand tour on Papers Past when I noticed something that had previously escaped my attention. Auckland Star 30 March 1894 Taranaki Herald 21 April 1894 Mr A. Blackwell appeared to be part of Leila’s entourage! He is listed as a passenger... Continue Reading →
Leila Adair ran into problems with her balloon ascent at the Palmerston North Racecourse on 24 May 1894, held during a tournament organised by the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. When the supply of kerosene proved insufficient to inflate the balloon, Captain Dunk (standing on the far right in the photo below) confiscated their takings of £28... Continue Reading →
Catherine Clarke 