Illustration of Frederick Bailey Deeming, in The Life of Deeming,
Melbourne, John R. Williams, 1892, p. 13
OMG 185, Collection of the National Trust of Australia (Victoria)
Deeming Education Resources
VCE:
Legal Studies
- Unit 1: Criminal law and justice
- Area of Study 1: Criminal law
- Unit 4: Dispute resolution
- Area of Study 2: Court processes and procedures
VELS:
Level 4
Strand: Discipline-based Learning
Domain: Humanities - History. Historical reasoning and interpretation
Level 4 & 6
Strand: Inter-disciplinary Learning
Domain: Thinking Processes. Reasoning, processing and inquiry; Reflection, evaluation and metacognition
Level 6 (years 9 & 10)
Strand: Physical, Personal and Social Learning
Domain: Civics and Citizenship
Timeline of events in Deeming's life 1881-1892
Prior to 1881 Deeming marries Marie James in England.
1881-1890 Deeming makes several voyages between England, Australia, South Africa and South America. His wife and four children, born in the 1880s, accompany him for part of this time.
Sep 1890 - Jul 1891 Deeming spends 9 months in Hull Gaol in England for forgery.
July 1891 Deeming arrives at Rainhill in Lancashire, where he rents a villa under the alias Albert Williams.
Sept 1891 Deeming murders his wife Marie and their four children and buries the bodies under the fireplace of his rented house.
22 Sep 1891 Deeming, alias Williams, marries Emily Mather at Rainhill.
15 Dec 1891 The new couple arrive in Melbourne aboard the Kaiser Wilhelm II.
17 Dec 1891 Using the alias Drewn, Deeming rents a house in Andrew Street, Windsor. He also purchases cement and tools from John Woods's ironmongery, High Street, St Kilda.
25 Dec 1891 Deeming murders Emily and buries her under the fireplace.
Jan - Mar 1892 Deeming operates under several aliases, posing as an engineer. He befriends a Melbourne jeweller, steals several items of jewellery, and travels to Sydney under the name of Baron Swanston. Along the way he meets and proposes marriage to Kate Rounsefell. They arrange to marry in Western Australia, and Deeming travels to the town of Southern Cross to find work.
3 Mar 1892 Discovery of a female body (Emily) in a house in Windsor.
6 March 1892 The suspect is established as the last occupant of the house, Albert Williams. The police identify several aliases used by the suspect.
7 March 1892 A warrant is issued for the arrest of 'Albert Williams'.
9 March 1892 Notices appear in the Victorian Government Gazette and the Victoria Police Gazette offering a reward of £100 for information which will lead to the arrest and conviction of Albert Williams. A detailed description of Deeming's dress and manner is included.
11 Mar 1892 'Williams', now known to be Frederick Bailey Deeming, is arrested in the mining town of Southern Cross, Western Australia, in the disguise of Baron Swanston.
1 Apr 1892 Deeming arrives back in Melbourne by ship. His arrival is greeted by angry crowds.
28 Apr 1892 Deeming's trial begins in Melbourne and lasts for four days.
2 May 1892 The trial concludes, and the jury delivers a verdict of 'Guilty' after taking only one hour and twenty minutes to deliberate. Deeming is sentenced to death by hanging.
23 May 1892 After a failed appeal to the Privy Council, Deeming is hanged in the Melbourne Gaol.
24 May 1892 Deeming's body is buried in an unmarked grave at the (Old) Melbourne Gaol. His body is later transferred with other bodies of hanged criminals to another unmarked grave site at Pentridge Gaol.