William Ray

William Ray is a producer for RNZ’s Series and Podcasts unit. He spends his spare time drawing pictures of dinosaurs and making 3D models of spaceships.

Ātea
Oct 29, 2018

Headhunter: The story of Horatio Robley, Pākeha collector of Māori heads

Horatio Robley witnessed the most famous battle of the New Zealand Wars, he fathered a child with the daughter of a sworn enemy, his sketching helped end a war and his book helped save the art of Māori tattooing. But mostly he’s famous for his grotesque collection of nearly 40 human heads.

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Society
Jun 24, 2018

NZ Nazi: the story of the Kiwi soldier turned traitor

The true story of Roy Courlander, a NZ Army Private who volunteered to join Nazi Germany's infamous Waffen SS.

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Society
Jun 4, 2018

'Horrible murders at Auckland': the story of NZ's first ever whodunnit

The 1840s story of Joseph Burns and Margaret Reardon, partners in murder.

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Ātea
Apr 17, 2018

Pākehā Māori: The American soldier who switched sides in the Taranaki Land Wars

Black Sheep is an RNZ series about the controversial characters of New Zealand history. In this instalment: Kimble Bent, the American soldier who fought – and switched sides – in the Taranaki Land Wars of the 1860s.

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Society
Apr 15, 2018

We are a clan vowing vengeance: The arsonist who terrorised 1870s Auckland

Cyrus Haley burned down several of the most famous buildings in 19th century Auckland and tried to kill the family of a prominent businessman. To this day we still don’t know why…

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Society
Apr 2, 2018

Was Charlotte Badger New Zealand’s first and only female pirate?

Black Sheep's latest instalment looks at Charlotte Badger and the pirate mystery that surrounds her.

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Society
Dec 3, 2017

Outlaw: the story of Richard Burgess

Black Sheep is an RNZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. Here he introduces Richard Burgess, 'New Zealand’s worst serial killer'.

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Society
Nov 11, 2017

Unjust: the story of James Prendergast

Black Sheep is an RNZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. Here he introduces James Prendergast, the attorney general and chief justice accused of being a racist enemy of Māori. 

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Society
Nov 4, 2017

Poisoner: The story of Thomas Hall

Black Sheep is a RNZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. Here he introduces Thomas Hall, the Timaru man whose murder trial was an 1880s sensation.

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Society
Oct 14, 2017

Radical: the story of Arthur Desmond

He started life as a left-wing advocate for downtrodden workers; he ended it as a hero to proto-Nazis. William Ray looks at the life of Arthur Desmond, the New Zealand author of the book Might is Right.

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Society
Oct 8, 2017

Abortionist: The story of Annie Aves

Black Sheep is a Radio NZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. Here he introduces the story of Isabel "Annie' Aves, the backstreet abortionist whose life ended in violence.

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Society
Sep 16, 2017

Nazi hoax: the story of Syd Ross

Black Sheep is a new Radio NZ series about the shady, controversial and sometimes downright villainous characters of New Zealand history, presented by William Ray. This week, he looks at the bizarre story of the Nazi assassination plot that wasn't.

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Society
Sep 8, 2017

Epidemic: the story of Robert Logan

William Ray introduces the story of Robert Logan, the NZ administrator of Samoa in the early 20th century, whose incompetent response to the influenza pandemic has coloured NZ-Samoa relations ever since.

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