Breakout!

The Tasmanians Who Terrorised Victoria

Robert Cox

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English

Wakefield Press
21 October 2024

History; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900; Social & cultural history; Colonialism & imperialism

Two killers. A tainted trial. A bungled execution.

The killers were Pevay and Timme. In 1841 they slew two men and wounded others in an angry rampage through the Victorian countryside.

As Tasmanian Aborigines, they had many reasons to be angry.

When teenagers they'd been jailed for being black. They'd taken unwilling part in the ethnic cleansing of Tasmania. Forcedly interned in a bleak offshore gulag, they'd watched helplessly as friends and family died of disease and despair.

Then they were exiled to Victoria where colonists victimised them. It was the last straw. They stole guns and seized their freedom.

Their breakout was vengeful and violent. Farms were raided, settlers shot. Despite firefights and ambushes, they evaded pursuers for weeks before being captured in a blaze of gunfire.

Their murder trial was a farce. Public officials lied under oath. The judge was biased and inept. The verdict was a foregone conclusion.

Now, for the first time, their tragic story is told in full. From their perilous boyhood during Tasmania's Black War to their botched hanging in a crowded Melbourne street.

By: Robert Cox
Imprint: Wakefield Press
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 630g
ISBN: 9781923042728
ISBN 10: 1923042726
Publication Date: 21 October 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Breakout!: The Tasmanians Who Terrorised Victoria

Cox's mastery of the contemporary sources is again evident. Assertions and arguments are alike soundly based on the records which are always appropriately cited. But the detail, while abundant, does not obstruct the easily flowing narrative. Cox is indeed an accomplished prose writer. His style combines clarity and precision - and is also a pleasure to read. - Henry Reynolds