It’s the early 1900s and a gang of men moves through the gritty streets of inner-city North Melbourne: they dress sharp and inspire fear wherever they go. This gang, the Crutchy Push ruled the streets of North Melbourne over a ten year period, from late 1890s. And the reason for their curious name? All the members of this gang were amputees: mostly one-legged, and they used a crutch - and not just for walking!
To mark the International Day for People With Disability, Melbourne-based writer and disability advocate Kaitlyn Blythe digs up the little-known story of the gang and its’ charismatic leader Valentine Keating, and explores how it busts a lot of myths about disabled people in Australian history.
Guests:
Brendan Gleeson
Readings - Toby Truslove
Credits:
Producer - Kaitlyn Blythe
Sound design and production - Matthew Crawford
Supervising Producer - Michelle Rayner
Sources:
Geographies of Disability by Brendan Gleeson