In Black and White

Martha Needle used arsenic to kill her husband and at least two of her three young children. Then after finding new love, Martha Needle murdered her fiance’s brother. Read more about Martha Needle at heraldsun.com.au  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, we go back to the early 1900s to the story of the charismatic Madame Reprah, a so-called mind reader who made a living looking deep into the souls of her customers to solve the mysteries of their lives from career troubles to relationship dilemmas.Read more about Madame Reprah.Learn more about Melbourne Historical Crime Tours.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nancy Weir was a piano prodigy who wowed the crowd in the early years of Melbourne radio. When war threatened though, she found a new role: listening in on German pilots and stealing their secrets. Read more of Nancy's story and see video of her playing.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the 1910's Melbourne's streets were revolutionised by the automobile. And on one street corner sat a revolution all its own; an all female garage. Read the podcast companion  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Edward Oxford faced a sentence of being hung, drawn and quartered after taking aim at the Queen. Instead, he would spend years in an asylum — and then a remarkable new life in the heart of Melbourne society. Read the podcast companion.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ventura Tenario was a tank of a man with a Navajo headdress who swept into Melbourne from the Colorado desert to wow the crowds in the wrestling ring.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before the Docklands gleamed with stadiums and skyscrapers, the area was a shanty town named Dudley Flats. And its most dangerous resident was Elsie Williams. But before her descent into alcohol and violence, Elsie had another life - as a star of the stage.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming soon: In Black and White with Jen Kelly. A podcast miniseries about Melbourne's forgotten characters  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.