Newtown, New South Wales by the crime writer Peter Corris. One of the first pieces of fiction to be published in colonial Sydney was "The Legend of Newtown" by future member of parliament D.H. Deneihy, published in the Sydney "Sentinel" on 5 November 1845 when the author was 17. It described Newtown as "a favourite place ... to snatch a mouthful of fresh air, a view of the ruralities of the place". The famous Newtown recluse and eccentric Eliza Emily Donnithorne (1826-1886) is said by some sources to have inspired the character of Miss Havisham in Charles Dickens' novel "Great Expectations". Donnithorne lived in
Francis Dickens twelve years in Canada, only "edited" by Nicol. It is still frequently mistaken for non-fiction. Frank Dickens also appears in the science fiction novel that deals with the NWMP in an alternative history, "The Apparition Trail" (2004) by Lisa Smedman. In the novels "The Winnipeg Wolf" and "The Search for Spade" belonging to the "Inspector Bucket NWMP" series by Jeremy Allen the leading character, Francis Bucket, is based on Francis Dickens. He is played by Joe Prospero in the TV mini-series "". In 2007 a Fringe festival play called "Dickens of the Mounted" based on Nicol's novel toured several Canadian