Family History Mysteries

Episode 279 - Mena Val

Mena Val was a notable Australian circus performer in theearly 1900s, recognized for her skills in slack wire walking, trick cycling and whip cracking.  *Warning – this episode covers has reference to domesticviolence and suicide.*

Episode 278 - The Female Blondin - Part 2

Catherine Isabella Webber, known as Kate, was the Female Blondin. Her stage name was "Ella Zuila" and she was known as the heroine of the high wire. She also used Ella Loyal and Ella Zoila as stage names. She was the most famous Australian public entertainer in the world in the last two decades of the 19th century - the toast of enraptured audiences across Europe and North America. She was a striking-looking athlete of astounding physical prowess. Ella matched and often excelled the daring feats of male aerialists.

Episode 278 - The Female Blondin - Part 1

Catherine Isabella Webber, known as Kate, was the FemaleBlondin. Her stage name was "Ella Zuila" and she was known as the heroine of the high wire. She also used Ella Loyal and Ella Zoila as stage names. She was the most famous Australian public entertainer in the world in the last two decades of the 19th century - the toast of enraptured audiences across Europe and North America. She was a striking-looking athlete of astounding physicalprowess. Ella matched and often excelled thedaring feats of male aerialists.

Shorts Episode #35 - Arthur Dredge

Arthur Dredge married bigamously on the 19th Aug 1907 to Mabel Wright in Colac Victoria. He had married Anne McCann on the 24 July 1899 in Victoria and they had two daughters. He served 12 months in jail. He went onto marry Edith Gadstone at North Carlton on the 25 July 1914. Afrer serving in WW1, Arthur and his family lived in Castlemaine where he was an undertaker and a well loved citizen of the town.

Episode 277 - The Buckjumper

Billy Waite was born in 1880 on a sugar cane property at Breadalbane, Qld. When Martini's Buckjumping Show came to town Billy’s life changed dramatically. He joined Martini on tour and in 1906 took out the title of Champion Roughrider of Australia. In 1907 he went out on his own, touring Great Britain and then moved onto Canada after WW1 before settling in New York. *This episode refers to deceased Aboriginal persons*