On Monday 17th June, 31 intrepid explorers, took a walk on the wild side of Darlinghurst.
Our walk from Museum Station to Taylor Square, Darlinghurst proved very enlightening. Elliot, our guide, shared a wealth of information starting with the exterior design of the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, which shares many similar features to Kinsellas Hotel the last stop on our walk. Did you know Hyde Park, Australia’s oldest park, established by Governor Phillip in 1792, was used as a horse racing course track up until Randwick Race Course was built? It was also the site of Vera Sterling’s murder, which remains a mystery to this day. Vera’s body was discovered in a flower bed in March 1929. Her hands were bound by a stocking tied in an elegant bow, an ignominious end for a once affluent woman.
We walked past many old pubs and learned that it was not unusual for dead bodies to be stored in the cool cellar awaiting autopsies. Furthermore, autopsies and coronial inquests were often performed upstairs in the parlour, adjacent to the pub patrons.
The alleys and laneways were home to the prostitutes, thugs and dope dealers. In the 1920’s the area was known as Razorhurst due to the violent razor gang wars. Carrying a gun could lead to arrest by the police, but a razor did not attract the same penalty. Two of the most notorious gang leader’s, Tilly Devine and Kate Leigh, ran sly grog, gangs, and prostitution. They took advantage of a loophole in the NSW Vagrancy Act of 1905 which prohibited men from running brothels but said nothing about women.
We strolled through the area famous for hip jazz and swing clubs frequented by the African American soldiers during World War II.
Darlinghurst Prison, site of a number of hangings, now home to the National Art School. The old Darlinghurst Police Station, where Roger Roberson was based. He received numerous awards for bravery and outstanding police work before being implicated in two murders, bribery, assault and drug dealing. He died while incarcerated in January this year.
Our final stop was lunch at Kinselas, a funeral parlour up until 1982, when it was redeveloped as a pub. The ornate art deco design similar to the Anzac Memorial where we started our walk.