The Hanging of Mary Ann

Book excerpt: A gripping story of power, deceit and passion, this historical reconstruction is based on events from 1855 in colonial Australia concerning Mary Ann Guise whose case is said to have brought about the Married Women's Property Act. She was the last woman to be hanged in New South Wales. When Mary Ann inherited her family's property, her husband soon began selling off portions of the land without her consent. Not only did he cheat her of her birthright, he then wanted to bring his 'fancy' woman to live there. Driven by desperation, Mary Ann fought with him and cut him with a knife. The wound turned septic and he died. Mary Ann was hauled off to Goulburn Gaol and branded a murderer. However, when she was found to be pregnant the authorities decided to wait until the baby was born before sentencing her to hang. Her real crime through all this was being born a woman in a man's world...This is 'faction' - reconstructed real historical events mixed with imagined dialogue.