Lingering Doubts - Westside News

Thank you to Westside News for the article published in today's edition of the newspaper. The sad and disturbing stories of accountant Reg Brown and his typist, Bronia Armstrong, have, after 67 years, returned to Brisbane's western suburbs where they both once lived. Reg, our grandfather, was from Ryan's Road, St Lucia and 19 year-old Bronia Armstrong was from, what was then called, South Toowong.

On Friday May 16 we will happily discuss our findings and our incredible journey of discovery with visitors to The Book Bank, Top Floor, Toowong Village. We will be available to sign copies of Lingering Doubts between 11 am and 2 pm. Many thanks to Julie and The Book Bank.

To read the article in Westside News please click here

Deb and Jan

Lingering Doubts - Radio 4EB FM 98.1

We have been invited to speak about Lingering Doubts - Going inside Brisbane's Arcade Murder with broadcaster, Bep Torkington, on Radio 4EB FM 98.1. Our interview, centred around Reg Brown's arrest and conviction for murder in Brisbane in 1947, will take place at approximately 12.30 pm on Thursday 15 May. As always we are grateful for this opportunity which will help us re-present our grandfather's case to the public, especially to the people of Brisbane.
Deb and Jan
ps Happy Mother's Day to all mothers (and fellow grandmothers)

Lingering Doubts - Meet us at The Book Bank, Toowong

We will be meeting people and signing copies of our book on Friday 16 May 11 am - 2 pm at The Book Bank, a gorgeous book shop situated on the Top Floor, Toowong Village, Sherwood Road. The Book Bank has been operating from this location for over 20 years.
We will, in fact, be returning to our roots. Before our grandmother, Eva Brown (nee Cocks) married Reg Brown, our grandfather, she lived virtually next door to today's high rise shopping centre known as Toowong Village. Her family ran the iconic Cocks and Sons grocery emporium situated at No. 31 Sherwood Road. Their home was right next door to the store.

 'The storekeepers, their shop and the manner in which an assortment of products were sold, packaged and delivered by horse and cart to the homes of their customers are still clearly remembered today. The stock at Cocks and Sons included foodstuff, garden implements, grain, and even day old chicks. Household items such as china and cutlery were also on sale.' The Cocks Family Tree, compiled by Deb Drummond for the Toowong and District Historical Society Inc. Booklet available from the Society and Toowong Library)

The grocery store operated on Sherwood Road from approximately 1910 until 1965. Our great-grandfather, Richard Cocks, kept his trotters in the paddock at the back of the store.
Richard's wife,  Mary Ann (Annie) Cocks (nee Winterford), our great-grandmother, is best remembered for the raintree she planted in her front garden in the early 1900s; this tree became part of local folklore and was fondly referred to as 'Mrs Cocks' Tree'. The Bird Spire sculpture seen today, is positioned in front of where the old raintree stood until its removal in 2010. A stunning side table made from the wood salvaged from the tree trunk can be seen in the Brisbane City Council Archives.
As the Brown families lived in neighbouring Taringa and St Lucia and the Armstrong family was from Toowong we are hoping to meet people who may remember the families or who are able to offer any information at all, no matter how irrelevant it may seem.
We look forward to sharing the 'real' story about our grandfather's arrest and conviction with residents from his former neighbourhood.
Deb and Jan

Lingering Doubts available from Avid Reader

We are pleased to advise that as of next week Lingering Doubts will be available from the popular Avid Reader Bookstore, Boundary Street, West End.
Deb and Jan

Lingering Doubts - Going inside Brisbane's Arcade Murder on Facebook

Our recently activated Facebook account is titled Lingering Doubts - Going inside Brisbane's Arcade Murder. We  ask everyone who believes in truth and justice, to  add a 'like' or 'share' to our Facebook page. This will assist us re-present to the public, not only our grandfather's story, but a disturbing chapter of Brisbane's criminal history.
If only Reg Brown could witness the ever increasing network of people who now support his innocence - 67 years after his murder conviction. For an accountant who tallied long columns of figures in his head, today's technology,  growing this network at such speed, would be simply too much to comprehend.

Many, many thanks to all.
Deb and Jan
https://www.facebook.com/lingeringdoubts

What people are saying about Lingering Doubts

“I think it’s amazing what Deb and Jan have done,” says [Bob] Bottom. “Let me tell you, I have been involved in investigative journalism for half a century, and they’ve done a job in some ways more professional than many professional journalists.” Murder in the Frame, Matthew Condon, QWeekend April 12-13 

 
‘It is astonishing to look at the Reg Brown murder case through contemporary eyes, and this is one of the finer achievements of Lingering Doubts. The passage of time has revealed the flaws in the design.’ Matthew Condon, QWeekend April 12-13

 
‘Their scrupulous research has resulted in a book that has been described as a pinnacle of investigative reporting......’ Editor QWeekend April 12-13

 
‘This is a book which has all of the classic ingredients of a “miscarriage of justice” case. ..... It is clear that they [the authors] have worked hard to do what those with legal responsibilities in relation to the case failed to do.’ Lingering Doubts Review - Dr Robert N Moles , NetK (former Assoc. Prof. of Law, Adelaide University Law School) 
Click here to read Dr Bob Moles' review of Lingering Doubts

Excerpt from Matt Condon's ABC interview - Bischof investigates 'Arcade Murder'

Just click below to listen to a brief excerpt from Matt Condon's (Jacks and Jokers) interview on ABC Radio with Paul Barclay - Matt discusses Frank Bischof, his high success rate in solving murder cases and Bischof's involvement in the extraordinarily swift apprehension of accountant, Reg Brown.




Deb and Jan

Anzac Day - Extracts from Lingering Doubts

‘Although Reg Brown was unable to join the forces during World War 1, [because of an inguinal hernia] Eva Brown’s family sent several young men off to the various campaigns on foreign continents. Two of Eva’s uncles, William and Alfred Winterford had fought with the Second Mounted Infantry Battalion in the Boer War, as well as the Great War. Lieutenant Alfred Winterford died in France in June 1918. The following month Eva’s brother Sergeant Harold Cocks, 23 years old, died of wounds received at Hamel. He received the British War Medal and Victory Medal and was buried at Crouy British Cemetery on the Somme. Richard Cock’s brother, Sergeant Claude Augustus Cocks, also a recipient of these two medals, was mentioned in Despatches at Passchendaele. He returned home ...’ p 40
‘If the 1930s were lean years of economic depression then they were only preparation for the war years to follow. Australia watched the mounting tensions in Europe at a long safe distance, but when Hitler invaded Poland, and England declared war on Germany, then the Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies announced Australia was also at war. Every family prepared, including the Browns of Ryan’s Road, St Lucia. …Eva Brown joined the Red Cross. Reg … contributed in his own way to the war effort as an air raid warden for the area. Ian Brown was too young to enlist, but Reg Brown’s eldest daughter, Melva, 22, joined the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in 1943…General Sir Thomas Blamey and his staff resided at the bottom end of Ryan’s Road during the Pacific campaign…it was not unusual then for General Blamey to offer pretty Sergeant Melva Brown, smart in her uniform and waiting for a bus on the corner, a ride in his jeep.’ Pp 45, 46
Another family member, Lieutenant – Colonel Ian Marsh (Retired), our second cousin, served his country for many years in the Army (Engineers).
Deb’s maternal grandfather, Henry (Harry) Salmon, was a trooper in the 12th Light Horse Regiment. He returned safely and never forgot his courageous companion - his horse. 'Sardines'.
Lest we forget
Deb and Jan

Coming Soon - Lingering Doubts available at Mary Ryan's Milton

We are thrilled to advise copies of Lingering Doubts - Going inside Brisbane's Arcade Murder will be available from Mary Ryan's Books, Music and Coffee on Park Road, Milton as of Monday 28 April. Books are also available from The Book Bank, Top Floor, Toowong Village.
Deb and Jan

Reg Brown's daughter speaks to Kenmore & District Historical Society

What a special evening we had with members and guests of the Kenmore and District Historical Society at the Kenmore Library on 17 April. Following our presentation of Lingering Doubts, (Jan's Mum), Val, courageously shared her reminiscences and the shock and heartbreak she experienced as an 18 year-old, when within the space of just over 2 months, her much loved father was arrested for murder, convicted and found dead in a Boggo Road Gaol cell. Val took her listeners back to 1947, to post-war Brisbane, and her carefree days growing up and living in leafy St Lucia. That was until one Saturday afternoon when three  detectives entered the family home. Val explained that although her Dad attempted to reassure his family, saying he'd be home soon, 'it's all a mistake', her father never returned.
We sincerely thank Pat Dryden, Sue Deal and other Society members for inviting us to share our grandfather's story; and for providing Val with the opportunity to tell her story publicly, for the very first time. The warm applause and beautiful words Val received confirmed for us that writing Lingering Doubts was absolutely the right thing to do.
Deb and Jan