Prisoner Cell Block H Wiki
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"Bugger it."

Elizabeth Josephine Birdsworth was a former inmate of Wentworth Detention Centre.

Lizzie before her time in prison was a former farm cook who had met and married Blossom Birdsworth until his death, together they had five children: Arthur Charlton, Richard Birdsworth, Henry Birdsworth, Marcia Birdsworth and another unnamed daughter. Lizzie was sent to Wentworth on a murder charge.

Lizzie's time at Wentworth is fraught with escape attempts and heart attacks. Suffering from heart troubles after her attempted escape with Franky Doyle. After her attacks lead to a massive heart attack Lizzie's past is dug into and it is revealed that she never killed the four sheep shearers, this led to her being released from prison but struggling with life on the outside after years on the inside she is sent back to prison.

Lizzie meets her real family who fight to get her well earned freedom. Lizzie faces the parole board one last time and before she learns of the result she suffers another heart attack at the hands of David Bridges.

Lizzie is released from Wentworth into the care of her family.

Time at Wentworth

Lizzie Birdsworth was originally serving a sentence for the poisoning of four sheep shearers who complained about her cooking whilst she worked in the outback. The work foreman, Ralph Campbell, later made a deathbed confession that he added a lethal amount of poison to a stew, after seeing Lizzie put a small amount in the stew. Ralph added the extra amount to make it lethal. Lizzie is released from Wentworth Detention Center and lives with Doreen Anderson in the Sally Lee Halfway House.

Not long after this their drunken antics get Doreen put back inside. Lizzie has become institutionalised and with nobody on the outside to help her so she shoplifts to get put back inside Wentworth.

Given that she was wrongly imprisoned for so long all she gets is a series of slaps on the wrist. Lizzie then gets in touch with her daughter (Marcia) whom Lizzie gave up at birth. Marcia is actually Ellen and is after money for her daughter Josie's operation. When the prisoners get wind of this, they put the hard word on Marcia/Ellen, who runs. Lizzie is furious - she knew they were fakes, but also knew the money would essentially buy her a family when she got released. Luckily for Lizzie, Marcia/Ellen comes back to confess, and is overjoyed when Lizzie says she will help anyway.

Lizzie also took the blame for the murder of Kay White, who was actually murdered by Linda Jones who was trying to defend Lizzie. Originally, Lizzie gets a 5 year sentence, but she appeals and gets it reduced to 18 months. This suits Lizzie, as this will give Josie enough time to have her operation in the US, recover, and return. Marcia /Ellen decides to stay in the US to get married and wants Lizzie to come and live with them; however, she finds out that she will not be granted a visa due to her criminal record.

Lizzie also develops a relationship with Sid Humphries, a handyman at the prison. Sid eventually dies. After Sid's death Lizzie moved into his house much to the annoyance of his son who did everything he could to force Lizzie out. He went as far as making nuisance/creepy phone calls to her, moving plants around and implying to Coleen Powell (who lived next door) that Lizzie was losing her memory. Gordon admitted to Lizzie he wanted her out of his father's house so that he could rent it out. Although Lizzie had no proof of Gordon`s antics, to stop Gordon getting the house, Lizzie set fire to it with a aerosol can, completely razing the house, while Colleen Powell needed to be evacuated.

Lizzie was charged with arson and sent back to Wentworth Detention Centre, and tells the women that she was the one who set fire to the house, Lizzie goes to court and her charges are dropped as the judge doesn't know how to continue the case. Lizzie is acquitted even though she is guilty.

After her release she checks into a hotel and drinks away all her money at the pub. Unable to pay her bill she gets her parole revoked and ends up in Wentworth again (Ep 241).

She has a day release to see one of her old friends. When Bea is being transferred to Barnhurst, Lizzie breaks her wrist on the security gate (401). Lizzie starts to be mean to Sonia for getting Phyllis to rip off the women, taking Bea's position as Top Dog, and helping Joan transfer Bea to Barnhurst. When Cass arrives she wants Cass to take over as top dog from Sonia but Cass doesn't want to. When Judy arrives Lizzie doesn't speak to her for euthanizing Hazel. She meets her real son, Arthur Charlton, for the first time in years. She has a day release to see her family but she doesn't want to see them afterwards. She helps Phyllis and a lot the women to hang Joan. Lizzie has another day release to see her family. Lizzie has a heart attack while David Bridges tells her she's going to be free while he waves a knife in her face. Judy, Pixie and Minnie visit Lizzie in hospital. She gets parole and lives with her family.

Trivia

  • In addition to some of the most powerful dramatic story-lines, Lizzie provided the needed comic relief, especially with Doreen in the earlier episodes of the series.
  • Lizzie was an alcoholic and notorious for her fondness of alcohol and often devising ways to steal medicinal spirits or whatever spirits the Governor happened to have in the decanter in her office or what the nurse had in the medicine cabinet in the prison infirmary.
  • Lizzie often used her "old ticker" often as an excuse to get out of something and she used her heart condition often as a diversion for other prisoners or herself to cover other dealings going on in the background.
  • Lizzie was revealed to be aged 71 in episode 133. Lizzie said her birthday is next week and she'll be 72, Sheila was actually only 65 at the time.
  • There was a clue that Lizzie disliked Bea during the first episodes as she was on Franky's side in the riot. She also laughed when Franky kicked Bea in the buttocks and when Franky laughed at Bea during Helen's interview Lizzie laughed as well.
  • Lizzie's favourite colour was lavender.
  • Lizzie's late husband was named Blossom Birdsworth. 
  • She had 4 children; Marcia, Arthur, Richard, Henry. All were taken away from her. 
  • Sheila left the series to take care of her poorly husband who at the time was severely ill from injuries sustained in the war. It was also revealed later that after Val left the show it begun a domino effect and Shelia left not long after.


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