When the Black Death struck Sydney…

Christa A. Ludlow’s mystery Taken at Night and the forthcoming book The Dark Room are set in Sydney in 1900 – the year that the bubonic plague struck the city.

Now at the NSW State Archives website you can see and browse through a register of the unfortunate people who were infected with the disease.

The register records the names and residences of those suffering from the plague and their fate as to whether they died or recovered. This fascinating record has now been opened to public access after 110 years. The website also has photographs taken during the city cleansing operations which feature in The Dark Room.