The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans

Name: The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans
Author: William Gosse Hay

The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans is a thrilling historical novel by William Gosse Hay. Set in the early 19th century, the novel follows the daring escape of Sir William Heans, a notorious convict who was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he did not commit. Heans is determined to prove his innocence and escape from the prison, and he devises a daring plan to do so. With the help of his loyal friend, the convict John Price, Heans manages to break out of the prison and flee to the Australian bush. Heans and Price must evade the authorities as they make their way across the continent, and they soon find themselves in a race against time as they try to reach safety. Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters, from bushrangers to Aborigines, and they must use their wits and courage to survive. The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans is an exciting adventure story that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. With its vivid descriptions of the Australian landscape and its thrilling plot, this novel is sure to captivate readers of all ages.

By William Gosse Hay · First published 1918 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance · 39 chapters · 187,478 words

First lines

At an upper window, in the first courtyard of the Cascades Prison, a convict known as Madam Ruth sat sewing. She was making night-shirts of the rough cloth made by the prisoners on the lovely Maria Island. Below, in a large courtyard, surrounded by low buildings of gold sandstone--black-barred and doored--some grey-gowned, check-aproned women were tending vegetables under a female. Among the plants, accident had dropped some hollyhock seed, and a red rosette fluttered on a yellow spear. The afternoon sun hung on the transverse bars of the opposite windows and on the shoulder of a great forest towering over the shingles to the left.

What this Textopian page supports

The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans is listed on Textopian as a novel by William Gosse Hay, dated 1918 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: William Gosse Hay
Date: 1918 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Romance, Mystery
Length: 187,478 words
Structure: 39 chapters, 5,778 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans by William Gosse Hay
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
Readability and classroom-planning context
Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Escape of the Notorious Sir William Heans?
How does this novel by William Gosse Hay fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The book is based on the true story of Sir William Heans, a convict who escaped from the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land in 1842, and is set in the 19th century.
Adventure — The book follows the story of Sir William Heans' daring escape from the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land and his subsequent journey to freedom.
Romance — The book includes a romantic subplot between Sir William Heans and a woman he meets during his escape.
Mystery — The book follows the mystery of how Sir William Heans managed to escape from the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land and evade capture for so long.

More by William Gosse Hay

All works by William Gosse Hay