A mixture of Absinthe and Laudanum now was my only saviour, releasing me from pain all but completely.  The cold was running havoc upon my old injuries, and I was beginning to wonder if some wretched fever was folding me within its unwelcome wings. ♠ My days in Fremantle Public Hospital were seemingly…

  From there I slept without dream or movement, opening my eyes some nine hours later, feeling as though I had not slept at all.  Once more from the breach unto the fire, I moved off into the day. Again, following my routine path to the Fremantle Public Hospital, this time for a later shift….

  ♠ One night in the August of 1919, at about three of the clock in the morning, Mrs. Fox and I had finished aiding in the delivery of a stillborn to a twelve year old mother in a lean-too rudely built against a farriers fence on William Street. Whilst Mrs. Fox was in the…

  The months, like Napoleon’s troops fleeing Russia, marched on with a cost. The performance of surgical procedures was reduced generally to two or three times a week. The apparent nocturnal popularity of the team that was Mrs. Fox and Dr. Peel found us, bag in hand, committing anywhere up to ten hours every night…

  One evening six months after the sharing of our lodgings began, Mrs. Fox, exposed me for my gender correctly through the art of deduction, and her inimitable ability observe. My pragmatic landlady informed me in a direct and matter of fact manner that I was, indeed, a woman. Her rather accurate rationale was attributed…

  ‘An account of time served in Fremantle Public Hospital, and the greater Fremantle area; 1919 – 1920; Dr. Jean (John) G. Peel, Surgeon-Major (retired).’ ♠ It had become apparent at age 12, that if I were to remain for all the world to see as a woman, never would I progress further into meaningful…

  Through the dust of the glass box, papers could be seen within it, filling it completely. Yellowed with age, and on casual observance, ink all but faded beyond legibility. More phone calls were made, and a Mrs. Heather Fuchs the Western Australian Museum arriving within an hour. The vehicle she arrived in containing everything…

The vacant space beside the kitchen when finally opened, contained a series of the most macabre and grotesque oddities ever unearthed. Thick dust coated piles of tanned and meticulously folded human skins, stacked one upon another atop a Persian rug lining the floor. Black, white, asian, and what may have been mediterranean in origin. A…

  I proceeded along with a swagger in my step.  Life was finally moving in the direction I had sorely desired for so long. Mentally ticking off the procedures that awaited me in the next few hours had removed my attention from the task at hand.  One should never blame another for one’s own actions,…

  “Indeed dear. Sorry, Miss Couture was it? I’m Mrs. Fox, do come in.” said in a lilting Scot’s accent. Adeline followed Mrs. Fox down the short polished floorboard passage. Taking in those things that people adorn walls with as she did so, yet nothing was so eye catching that she slowed her progress for…

    On more than one occasion my heart was to skip a beat that night as my fiancé Jack was about.  We were fortuitous as the evening had offered occasional moments of respite; thus enabling us to converse about everything and nothing, as those in love are want to do. On the side of…